Thread: turkish spoon question

i dug mine out the other day & am not sure i'm holding them right. i'm getting old & don't remember so i need a turkish spoon tutorial & a source to buy more.

Please post the source if you find it!!!

Joan Amsterdam at Folk Rhythms had them for sale at the Ahmet Luleci workshop in St. Louis in the spring. Their website has nothing listed, but it's probably best if you call her.

International Folk Rhythms Home Page - Ethnic Dance Chicago

Diana at Simone's Seventh Veil in St. Louis also had the pretty painted ones.

Ahmet played them with one between the thumb and first finger, then the other between the "bird" finger and the ring finger. If you have a set that has one smaller than the other, I THINK the smaller one goes between ring and bird finger.

I have phone video of Ahmet playing these. I wish I could figure out how to download it to somewhere!!

and the thumb goes in the bowl to control the clacking?? right. tina

Tayyar taught us like Aziyade said, but the bowl faced down, resting on the pad below the thumb. Your fingers go into the other bowl to create the clacking. So the backs of the spoon bowls are hitting each other, and the two spoon handles stick up like Little Bunny Foo Foo.

aahh using the wrong fingers.tina

I was taught to hold the spoons (one) between the ring and (one between) index fingers, & bowls as you described...is that right?
I wanted the decorated spoons...otherwise they just look like the kind I have in my kitchen...
Gia

Shoot, now I can't remember. And I can't remember where my spoons are, I'm sure if I had them in my hand I'd remember. Wait... <tries it with wooden kitchen spoons> I think that is how Tayyar taught it, Gia.

i took colored ink pens to mine cause yay they looked too kitcheny. tina

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Tayyar taught us like Aziyade said, but the bowl faced down, resting on the pad below the thumb. Your fingers go into the other bowl to create the clacking. So the backs of the spoon bowls are hitting each other, and the two spoon handles stick up like Little Bunny Foo Foo.

thats how i learned too

I have a hand-out that I got from Artemis Mourat sometime ago that has pictures of where to hold the spoons. One is held between the thumb and index finger with the underside of the spoon facing out and the other spoon is between the middle and ring finger with the underside of the spoon facing down. The middle and ring fingers fit into the curve of the "upper" spoon to control it. The pinky and thumb just sort of stick up.

You can e-mail Artemis ( see serpentine.org) . she has an article you can buy on how to play spoons with pictures , very very helpful.