Percussion instruments
Wooden spoons (kaşık)
Wooden spoons (kaşık): A folk instrument in which the rhythm is kept by striking two wooden spoons together between the fingers. A folk instrument used in the dance tunes of Anatolia, especially of the Konya, Silifke and Aegean regions.
In brief
- Family: Percussion; wooden spoons struck against each other
- Body and materials: In Turkey mostly carved from boxwood
- Playing: Two spoons held back to back in each hand; one between the ring and middle fingers, the other under the thumb
- Ways of holding: Depending on the region, held like cymbals, on either side of the index finger, or like tongs
- Regions: Konya, Silifke, Balıkesir and the Aegean; a distinct hold in Eskişehir women's dances
- Music: Dance tunes and folk dances; dancers play while dancing
- Related instruments: Russian lozhki; spoons are also played in Bulgarian and American folk music
Listen
History
A folk instrument used in the dance tunes of Anatolia, especially of the Konya, Silifke and Aegean regions.
Construction
They are wooden spoons mostly carved from boxwood; two spoons are taken in each hand and held back to back.
How it is played
Dancers keep the rhythm by clicking the spoons together as they dance; the Silifke and Konya dances are performed with spoons.
Its place in makam music
It is a rhythm instrument, not a melodic one; it keeps the usuls of dance tunes.
Getting started: types, sizes, tuning
Start with this instrument
Masters on recordings
Performers who play this instrument on recordings of works in the score archive (MusicBrainz).
Frequently asked questions about the Wooden spoons (kaşık)
What kind of instrument are the wooden spoons (kaşık)?
The kaşık is a folk instrument in which wooden spoons made of hardwoods such as boxwood or mulberry are held in pairs in both hands and struck together to keep the rhythm. It is also a dance prop in the dancers' hands: the dancers play the usul with the spoons while dancing. It plays no melody; it carries the rhythm.
In which dances are the spoons used?
The dances of the Konya and Silifke regions in particular are performed with spoons; Silifke's “kaşık havaları” (spoon tunes) are well-known examples of this tradition. Spoons are also used in some dances of the Aegean and Central Anatolia. Since the dancers play the spoons as they dance, the group becomes a single whole of music and dance.
Is playing the spoons hard?
The basic stroke is learned quickly; holding the spoons back to back and striking them together is enough. The difficulty is keeping a fast, steady rhythm while dancing and fitting the spoons in both hands together with different strokes. It is usually learned together with the dance figures, while listening to the melody.
Where can I hear the spoons?
The “Listen” section on this page has sound samples taken from real spoon strokes. If you want to listen to usuls with different percussion instruments, you can choose the darbuka, bendir, tef, davul or kudüm in the usul metronome under Tools. After listening to the düm and tek patterns of these instruments, trying to play the same usul with spoons is a good exercise.