Audio and Video Learn to Play the Spoons Hear Samples Of Performances from our Music Workshops Watch our "How To" Videos created in partnership with Video Jug Please note, if you have rejected Cookies for this website, you will not be able to access the multimedia links embedded below and may see blank space. Links have been provided to the relevant multimedia.
Learn to Play the Spoons
Activity One: Choosing Your Spoons and Learning The Grip
In the first video in our Learn to Play the Spoons series explores choosing your spoons and learning the grip.
MWC musician Jo May takes you through the first steps in Spoons playing!
Find a pair of spoons and learn how to hold them, ready to make some music! Maybe you can find several pairs to try out and see which work best.
Activity Two: Get Playing!
In this video lesson, Jo begins by showing you how to tap your spoons on your hands and legs to make sure the spoons are working.
If the spoons are sliding around in your hand, that's okay. This normally happens when you start. Try pushing a bit harder with your thumb to keep the spoons in place. As you practice, your grip will improve, and you'll find it easier to keep the spoons where you want.
Activity Three: Playing Between Your Leg and Hand
In third video, Jo focuses on playing the spoons up and down between your leg and your hand, with an option to try playing across from one leg to the other
Start slowly and try a faster speed once you feel comfortable.
Activity Four: Triplets!
This activity involves learning a new technique which fits really well with the Addams Family theme tune!
Perhaps you can play along after a bit of practice...
Activity Five: Get Creative!
This is a reminder of the rhythms and techniques learnt previously, and suggestions of how to create your own patterns by linking some of them together!
Have fun!
Audio Clips
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (MGGS) Year 7 African Drumming and Samba (July 2015)
In 2015, The Music Workshop Company had two visits to Maidstone Grammar School for Girls to run workshops for their Year 7 students on an off-curriculum day.
Each group had took part in a Samba workshop and an African Drumming workshop, leading to performances at the end of the day.
Case Study – Half Term at the Elgar Birthplace Museum (October 2014)
The MWC Team spent an inspiring day at the Elgar Birthplace Museum during October half term, running workshops inspired by Elgar’s famous Enigma Variations, and using ideas from nature to compose two Theme and Variations and two percussion Soundscapes. The day was a very special opportunity to work in the birthplace of one of England’s greatest composers, teaching young people to create and build their own music. Audio coming soon.
School Anthem Composition with Lostock Gralam Primary (September 2014)
The school were looking for something out of the ordinary as part of their Family Learning Day, where parents/carers and children learn new skills together. In liaison with the school, we created a bespoke Songwriting and Composition Workshop to create a School Song, using the school mission statement and school prayer as a starting base. Here is the result!
"A very enjoyable experience for both adults and children in school. The finale where we shared the song was fantastic!"
Maritime-themed Composition Workshop with Rowledge Primary School (Nov 2013)
We were asked to provide a Maritime-themed Composition Workshop for Rowledge Primary pupils as part of a range of activities the school were organising for their Sea Explorers week in support of one of the parents rowing across the Atlantic for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
We were delighted to be involved and Neil Valentine had a busy and fun day working with 7 groups of children throughout the day. The resulting music was used at the school in their end of week Museum to share with parents and friends, please click the link to listen – we think its fab! Recording provided courtesy of Neil Valentine.