B Cwrit 511-Bones - Grade: N/A PDF

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Final Project - History of An Object
This is a final paper that compiles a video transcript, academic research, and an assertive argument. It includes a massive number of sources and countless hours of research, although it is only about 15 pages long. The course focuses in writer's research, ...

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BONES

An Exploration of the Rhythm Bones A.G.R. Bunney University of Washington, Bothell

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Contents Part I: An Artful History of the Rhythm Bones Part II: A Compilation of Academic History 7 Part III: In Conclusion Part IV: References

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Part 1: An Artful History of the Rhythm Bones (Note: This is a transcript of a video based on this project.) Before words, there was language. Sounds

strung together to mean something. This was language. This is language. There are many languages now, and it is likely impossible to learn them all in a lifetime. But music is a universal language. The rap-tapping and plink-plunking of sounds in discernable patterns crosses verbal barriers. From a young age, people are often introduced to music. Perhaps not what a more advanced ear would consider as such, but music nonetheless. Banging on pots and pans, a drumroll with fingers on a desk, clapping to a favorite tune – all music. What was the

first instrument aside from the voice? What did humans once make in order to create sound outside themselves? Bones. Aptly named. Simply named. Clearly named. Bones were made of bones, ribs and shins, to be precise. This may be a legend, but it is one that was reverently told to me. Some of the great traditions are oral, as is most of the history of this instrument. Very few

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even still know what bones are. I like to think of them as two dancers doing a jig between my fingers, clapping as they swing in and clapping as they swing out.

It is a meeting of two sides – one immobile, the other guided gently along the palm. The art of playing the bones is all but lost; the placing of two carved wooden or bone arcs in the folds of the hand and making them dance is a dying practice. It’s a tactile art. A sonic art. The shape of the hands and the shape of the bones alter the shape of the sound. It’s a sharp sound. Staccato. Repetitive. Rhythmic. The roundness of the instrument betrays its noise, betrays its sharpness.

Ebony and ivory, the yin and yang, the cliché of clashing materials. First the mammoth, now the tree. Ribs and shins are far more difficult to source in the modern era. The tree is easier to fell but harder to sculpt. The exactness of shape is tough to achieve without proper training, the wood rough to tame. Craftsmen are diligent in their practice of carving the perfect curve, a mimic of the old ways and nature itself. The humble block of timber hides many sounds. It takes a careful hand to release the sound hidden within the wood.

When they were made solely of their namesake – bone – there was no written history. There was no documentation of their existence save remnants of the instrument, polished from the many hours of playing and constant finicking in the palms of long-forgotten people. When I ask someone now if they have bones, they give me a contorted look and simply say, “Bones? Why I have two hundred and six of them!” No longer are bones a tool to pass by the time, but a niche instrument often associated with the Irish. The physical instrument itself is lesser-known, the technique is quite common, sometimes referred to as “playing the spoons.”

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The instrument is useless unless in pairs. One of them alone is merely carved bone or wood, an elegant arc. They are often tied together, to keep them from wandering away from each other. A humble instrument relies on the humble string – a string of fate. Should it snap and the sides be separated, the music would disappear. The ability to make the resonating, rhythmic sound would be destroyed.

The modern uses of the bones are understated. Irish folk music, historical reenacting, Hollywood soundtracks, Renaissance faires. It’s a subversive sound. A sharp sound, only there for a split second. It could be confused with spoons, castanets, metronomes. Even the trained ear may not hear its sound for what it truly is. Few sources even exist on the rhythm bones, as when they were common, they were not appreciated in literature. Now, they are unknown and overlooked. Fewer of the limited sources discuss the history – cultural or not – of the bones. Decades of research may turn up the same information as a few weeks of searching. Even the experts know little of the instrument.

Bones are the background, the underneath. On their own, their sound can be grating.

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Clack Clack-ack Clack Clack-ack Clack Clack-ack

Over and over, again and again, clack, clack. They are often accompanied by a drum or fiddle, almost drowned out by these other instruments. They are an insubordinate musical tool – loud, sharp, obtrusive – but oppressed. Bones are such a small instrument; they can fit in a pocket, a waistband, satchel. Their sound is far larger than they are, but often misattributed.

Buried beneath the other sounds, the bones perform their sharp repetition. They receive little credit, yet carry the beat. They date back from before our modern perception of culture was in place, and somehow have still been segregated from the other instruments. They are the underdog. An infiltrator. Noise that operates in congruence, just as it operates now. Behind me. Under me, like the bones beneath my skin and muscle. They hold everything together. Clack, clack.

Part II: A Compilation of Academic History

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The history of the bones is very much a patchwork of stories, told by many mouths over many years. Some say they were mandatory for those with leprosy, as the afflicted were required to rattle them to warn the unafflicted as they passed by (Whamdiddle). Other information presents them as predominantly Irish, although there seems to be no specific reason as to why they were segregated into just one culture. Their racial contributions are not welldocumented, although many minstrel shows featured black artists (Wixson, 6). The bones were perhaps a “blackdominated instrument,” being used in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and in the southern United States of the 1800s (Danforth). There is little exact documentation of the bones, but they have presented themselves in more cultures as well. “The bones were played in China before 3000 BC, in Egypt around that date, in ancient Greece and Rome, and in Medieval Europe” (Whamdiddle). Many years passed, but they eventually became mainly associated with the Irish, leading to the instrument being brought on voyages across the Atlantic Ocean as the Irish immigrated. When bones came to America, they were featured in minstrel shows (Sleepovershows). Later, especially during World War I and World War II, they were used to accompany military music and entertain the troops (Istash). In the 1960s, a revival of folk music and the success of Celtic music abroad brought more interest upon the bones, yet

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there is still little documentation to accompany both their history and modern practices (Danforth).

Bones appear in some Medieval literature, including in Shakespeare’s well-known classic, Romeo and Juliet. The term “rattling bones” is often used in this literature (Wixson, 2930). Modern audiences may interpret this as the rattling of a skeleton or shaking of a body in fear, but it references back to the idea of those afflicted with leprosy rattling bones as a warning or the minstrel shows often put on by black artists or other traveling performers.

The question of how these once-worldly instruments became secluded in Ireland has a difficult and unclear answer, but in short, “all roads lead to Rome” (Miller). The bones were once quite popular in the Roman Empire, a melting pot of many cultures. As Rome expanded its reach, so did the bones. They slowly made their way to the Anglo-Saxon-based cultures in the North, eventually solidifying themselves in those countries’ musical histories.

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In diving into Irish history specifically, the sources mainly catalogue significant practices of the instrument. “…bones. A pair of animal rib-bones held hanging loosely from the fingers of an upraised hand and impacted against each other in a castanet-like fashion to give a bright idiophonic accompaniment in modern-day traditional music. Used to the same effect as spoons, and the more casual coin-on-bottle impulsive time-keeping, these are the unique Irish idiophone” (Vallely, 102). An idiophone – a percussion instrument that makes noise through striking, rubbing, plucking, or blowing without special tension – is an important underlying rhythm. The creation of the rhythm bones so closely follows the desire for idiophones. “Concerned to make his rhythmic gestures louder and more emphatic, man soon moved on from objects simply worn to objects used as extensions of the body. Idiophonic instruments of this type were held in both hands and clashed together to produce sounds; they were therefore by definition objects used in pairs, and most frequently made of the same material: two stones, two sections of a branch, two plant shells, two mollusk shells, etc” (Rault, 71). The bones fit squarely into this category; their noise is created through a calculated striking within the palm. The physics of the movement is not complicated, but the precise technique is.

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The technique differs among players, and the sound of the bones is determinate on the player and the material of the instrument. While the sound the bones make can feel complex, it is actually a rather simple motion: Place one bone between the ring and middle finger and the other between the index and middle finger. Use the middle finger to press down on the one closer to the body. The one farther away should be loose, but not in danger of falling. Then, twist the wrist forward and back in an arc rotation (Haas). Each movement will result in a clicking sound. “Practice this set of motions until you can do them smoothly, back and forth without interruption, so that you can consistently get the first and second clicks in a ‘double’ rhythm” (The Cooperman Company). The smoother this motion becomes, the more likely a third click will occur during the movement from front to back. This is called a triplet and is the signature sound of the rhythm bones.

Rhythm is an integral part of music. The bones have been known to uphold the rhythm since their conception, acting as a metronome-like beat in the background of a composition. They have survived many human eras, even breaking into an age of technology. Their sound relies on their uniqueness, not on the culture from which they came. “Music…based on…rhythms can survive in circumstances different to those of its conception, and indeed it may become an identifying feature of a particular ethnic group, possibly even the only trace of that people either to survive in the memory of native inhabitants or to be recognizable by strangers unfamiliar with that society. Such is the enduring power of creativity that it is able to survive alone and in time needs no other justification but itself” (Rault, 78).

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The rhythm bones have endured thousands of years, yet haven’t been updated. The simple arcs and crisp playing technique have been sustained. While not a popular instrument, they have stood the test of time in the music industry and in culture itself.

What is known for certain about the bones is that they are predominantly found in folk music. Due to a revival of folk music and a heightened interest in Irish music, the bones have come back into fashion in performances (Barber). There are many new television show soundtracks and music scores which include the rhythm bones, which has prompted a younger generation to take more interest in them. They are also being featured at performances at living history museums, Renaissance faires, and ragtime shows. This exposure has helped renew interest in the humble instrument, allowing it to sustain its usage in the music industry.

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Part III: In Conclusion The bones – an instrument spanning longer than the written language – should be considered in our musical cultures today. They are beautiful for both their looks and sound, are highly transportable, and not terribly difficult to learn. Each person who learns them will never play the same as their teacher, bringing new and interesting patterns to the ancient instrument. The rhythm bones are persistent in music, but never brought to the forefront, just as the bones within our body are rarely considered until damage occurs. Still, the rhythm bones should receive respect for their efforts – for holding the beat beneath the music from prehistory to modernity.

Part IV: References

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Barber, Sue E. “The Bones: Ancient to Modern.” Rhythm Bones Society, Jonathan Danforth, 29 Aug. 2002, www.rhythmbones.com/ancient.html. Beeman, Bob. “Bones Players of Today.” Bones Players of Today, Rhythm Bones Society, 2011, http://www.rhythmbones.org/images/Beeman.jpg. Danforth, Jonathan. “Bones History.” Rhythm Bones Central: Bones History, 2 Feb. 2003, http://www.rhythmbones.com/history.html. Haas, Patrick. “Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Volunteer Training.” Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Volunteer Training. 2 Apr. 2012, Tacoma, WA. Hargrove, Graham, director. How to Play the Bones in 4 Easy Lessons... 17 Sept. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PL0PGKcSLg. “Idiophone.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, 2020, http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/idiophone. Istash, director. Contestant Plays "Bones" on Amateur Hour. 2 Feb. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lgN7eJinvs. “Koe Bones.” How To Play the Bones, www.howtoplaythebones.com/wpcontent/uploads/Bones-Koe.jpg. McCreary, Beary, director. Black Sails - Bodhran & Bones. 2 Feb. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtR7uC3GhY0. Miller, Scott C. “Rhythm Bones History: The Story of a Proven Winner.” Rhythm Bones History, 2007, rhythm-bones.com/nav/presskit-history.html. Musical Rhythm Bones. “Australian Cherry Bones.” Musical Rhythm Bones, externalcontent.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musicalrhythmbones.com%2Fwpcontent%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F07%2F104-Australian-Cherry-Bones1024x260.png&f=1&nofb=1. Rault, Lucie. Musical Instruments: Craftsmanship and Traditions from Prehistory to the Present. Translated by Jane Brenton, Harry N. Abrams, 2000. “Rattled Brain.” Rattled Brain, external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F %2Fwww.rattlebrained.org%2Fimages%2F190.jpg&f=1&nofb=1. Rhythm Bones Society. “The Bone Player.” Rhythm Bones, 2003, www.rhythmbones.com/images/theboneplayer.jpg. Sleepovershows, director. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Instrument Interview: Bones & Banjo (Sleepover Shows). 16 Apr. 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qor2ib8iXtg.

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Stageselecta, director. Playing the Bones with Boris. 19 Aug. 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxFZzqUCzoI. The Cooperman Company. Bones. Bones, Cooperman Company, 2015. V45h0n, director. Vash: Basics of Playing the Bones. 6 Oct. 2006, www.youtube.com/watch? v=mU31eqwC3w4. Vallely, Fintan. The Companion to Irish Traditional Music. Second edition, substantially revised & expanded. ed., Cork University Press, 2011. Whamdiddle. “Bones.” Handmade Bones Instruments for Sale in a Variety of Different Woods., 2020, whamdiddle.com/bones.html. Wixson, Steve. “Internet Research on Rhythm Bones.” Rhythm Bones Society, Oct. 1999....