learn to play the rhythm bones...Hillar Bergman

[catinnahat]

Some bones players are always on the lookout for unique and unusual sets of bones. Just last week someone showed me a set of bones they had made from real buffalo ribs. I think you have a great idea!

[richardbough]

I play the Bones, Tin Whistle, and Bodhran. I'm looking into starting to manufacture sets of natural bones with scrimshaw done on them. What ya think about that idea?

[matthewcross]

my uncle gave me a pair of the black plastic bones that you have in the video a few years before he died. I never looked into how to play them before. I'm really enjoying your video. Thanks :)

[catinnahat]

@matthewcross you are blessed to have a pair of those old plastic bones with the groove in them and "rhythm bones" cast into the plastic. They work great! I have 2 pairs of the plastic (bakelite?). An old friend of mine worked all his life for GM in a foundry. At 80 years old, he built a small metal furnace in his back yard and made sand molds to cast various objects. He used my plastic bones as a pattern to cast some for me out of aluminum. The aluminum ones are awesome and play LOUD!

[matthewcross]

@catinnahat Hey Hillar - thanks for responding so quickly. You have great skills, and I look forward to learning how to play this new instrument that I've just found out so much more about (I've been a guitar player for many years). It would be much appreciated if you have time to make a video of beginner techniques and exercises that really goes in to the physicality of making the bones work - it's still very foreign to me. Thanks again for this great video.

[catinnahat]

@matthewcross I can't think of much more in the way of instruction from what I have already posted, but there are lots of other "learn the bones" videos on Y.T. I'd suggest looking at as many as you can.

[mozes899]

I just recently started on the bones & I play with the radio driving down the road too. A good way to utilize the time that you already have.

[BusterTwilightPrince]

Thanks for the beeswax tip, I have been experiencing flying bones

[ruthannzaroff]

Thanks for your video! I have a set of Danforth cherry bones which I bought last year after I discovered the fantastic roots music of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. At this point I'm so terrible that I am mostly flinging the loose bone all about the room (terrifying my cats), but I'll keep at it. Off to terrorize the cats some more . . . clickety-clack!

[catinnahat]

Good luck with your bones playing! For learning, I think it's quite valuable to look through the variety of bones playing videos on YouTube.

[mustardboy2]

really enjoyed your video

[trevorm1]

I'm excited to learn this. One time I played with a spoon player. She was great. It was a really beautiful jam.

[lapascore]

Wow man - thank you. I have a set of Walnut bones that I have had for years but I never knew how to play them. This is so cool

[rayvangobel]

Thanks for passing on a great teaching on how to play the rhythm bones. very cool. will pass this on to the school kids i do music for :D

[DIATOMUZIK]

FANTASTIC ! ! ! Thank you very much for this video, i will work it right now ;-)) DIATOMUZIK, from France

[no1REDNEK]

my grandfather just gave me a set of the black plastic ones.... im gettin the hang of it but definately not as easy as it seems

[Boonedaba]

You sound like John goodman, you're fun, and you've inspired me to get into playing rythm bones.

[IEJP]

could you tell me some improvised bones?

[Alosnup]

Many years agoo I made my own box wood bones. But at last, thanks to you video I'm able to make it works. Thankyou teacher!!

[minnechuk]

Thank you sir. A great overview of rhythm bones.  Very informative!

[JCMcGee]

Lovely wee video, thanks for putting that up!

[obhan1]

Thanks so much for this very informative video. Aust.

[MudDauper]

Great video, Thanks. You ever come down to St Pete and play da bones?

[catinnahat]

St. Pete, FL ? Yes, I played bones years ago at the civil war re-enactment at Boyd Hill in Pinellas Park..

[yaisum]

You're a really great teacher, such an easy gentle way about you. Fantastic video, thanks. Off to make some bones now for myself.

[guaranteedkill]

Thank you for posting this video. I remember when I was a teenager, one of my mother's friends was playing the bones at a party. She was really good and I was fascinated by them. So my mom got me a pair of bones for Christmas one year. I never could quite learn how to play them so I gave up and they have been sitting in storage for the past 10 years. But now this video has inspired me to dig those bones back out and learn how to play them once and for all. Thanks again for the great video.

[senn416]

Found this video by accident. I'm intrigued with the bones. Very nice demonstration! I'll have to find some and do some experimenting now. Thank you.

[shas1814]

I enjoyed this video SO much.

It was like spending ten minutes

learning from my favourite uncle, gone these many years.

Your crystal clear, unhurried, intimate style of teaching

is a real joy.

Thank you VERY much for posting this.

Shas

[ledra4321]

thanks so much for posting this video! I just got a pair of bones, but i wasn't holding them right. This video really helped, thank-you once again!!!!

[nuuwhistler]

ok, you helped put bones on my list for a next musical instrument. Great video, thanks for doing this so much!

I also really enjoyed the way you talked about them.

[harpmansteve]

Just bought myself some wooden bones today and got straight home to find out how to play and was very pleased to find your excellent tutorial and now i know the correct grip i'll soon get the hang of them, I already play the spoons but these are much lighter to carry around in my pocket and will be an addition to my harmonica and jews harp which are always with me. Thank you very much.

[laudypapa1]

a coworker of mine handmade a pair for me. i tell ya...these little suckers are like crack, i'm sorry a million times over for the comparison, but that rhythm they make is just fantastic.

[YoppyKyabetsu]

Thanks for this tutorial. At the moment I am mostly annoying, but hopefully some day I'll get better.

[catinnahat]

I just watched your video. You are doing very well for just starting out. Just relax your arm and wrist a bit as there should be no cramping or fatigue. Try practicing along to a variety of music to get your timing in harmony. When I started I practiced to the car radio while driving. Good luck!

[YoppyKyabetsu]

I am starting to relax a bit more now. Thanks again.

[mctrmt]

@YoppyKyabetsu

Yopp, you rule the bones. Now it is time for someone else to be annoying (me).

[kvanoene]

Nice job instructing! Thanks!

[LegallyMoi]

This is the video that I used to learn how to play the bones and I'm a wonderful player. I can play on both hands. But I only use the techniques I learned in this video. Awsome.

[purplelamprox]

you should go on americas got talent! or uhm one of the 'got talent' shows im not sure if you live in america or not XD

[purplelamprox]

i bought a wooden pair about 2 years ago when i went to virginia and ive been trying to teach myself how to play but its been very hard so thanx for this!

[JaredChacon]

thanks for making this!

[catinnahat]

You're welcome. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment :-)

[smeeegz]

OMG THANKX My grampa used tp play those along side his harmonica when i was just a little guy... he passed away and i got some of his stuff... so thanks again... this will help me live on his musical legacy

[catinnahat]

I'm glad to hear you found this video useful. Good luck with your playing. When I first started with the bones, I kept one pair in the car and practiced by playing along with music on the radio.

[verdatum]

Just adding yet another thanks to the list. This video is straight, simple, and to the point. Exactly what I was looking for!

[skipp22]

I just found out about bones and this video helped explain any questions I had, thanks!

[bobebox]

Thank you! Very generous and informative.

[FoolsNook]

Just the business .... many thanks. I'm up and off!

[drownedinsect]

thankyou. wouldnt mind some metal ones myself.

[catinnahat]

Try a couple of small open-end wrenches, approx 7/16 and 9/16 or smaller (about the same size as a wooden pair). I was having my car fixed at a garage once, and showed the mechanic how to use wrenches as "bones". Within minutes, all the other mechanics there couldn't resist trying that too. It was greaf fun and LOUD!

[GusHandsum]

Thank You Mr. Bergman Great Job Appreciate your videos

[GusHandsum]

Very Cool Mr Bergman Truly appreciate your work on this video-Thanks

[fsharp64]

very very very VERY cool!

[nchune]

thanks for that!

[john70420]

thanks for the lesson

[Karling6]

fantastic, 5 stars! great info for beginners like me

[hoodybuddy]

fantastic

everything i needed

[BardofCornwall]

Thanks for this.

[808beatbox]

Very cool! Thank you for the lesson. :^)

[Keelsman]

great stuff :)

[evilbound]

Great Video thank you it has helped me a ton with bones.

[phunkz0r]

Great video! Even unrehearsed, this was the most helpful explanation and description I've seen online. I'm a brand new player, and just in the 9 minutes I spent watching, I've already got a little triplet rythm going on! Thanks a million!

[Harpguy84]

This is really helpful. Many thanks.

[JoolsInGermany]

Great video. Thanks for this. I really enjoyed trying to play along with you. I've got a couple of black ebony (I think) bones that belonged to my grandfather and I've been trying to work out how to play them for ages. This was SO useful.

[Haarmonics]

I kid you not, this took over 3 hours to load on my slow dialup connection. But it was worth the wait - getting to see/hear the unique sets of rhythm bones you have. The first set of bones I ever made were aluminum, but not cast, they were about 3/16" thick sheet metal cut to shape and bent. They were super fast and fairly quiet and made good practice bones. Now I make African Blackwood, Ebony and other exotic hardwood sets. I appreciated the beeswax tip. BTW You sound a bit like John Goodman.

[NaruRin]

I have no bones to use, so I used plastic spoons. BUT I could probably find some, and if not, make them!

Thank you for posting this, kind sir!

[jasonplaystunes]

Wonderful! I can tell that you are a patient and wise teacher.  Thank you for sharing. Now I have to go find some bees wax. I've been afraid I might let one of these things fly.

[reecerxsw]

Thank you very much it helped me so much but i acctually dont play the bones like that i play them facing up which is not the right way but it gives a good tune.

[jwel44]

I found your video very helpful. I also have the Danforth video and the David one.Where he shows how to play the spoons, bones, hambone , washboard and the paper bag

[theShmuffinman]

Thanks for posting. Very helpful. Do you have any videos of the different rhythms like a Jig or Reel?

[Slambovia]

this was really great .. thanks for posting

[JeffLeff]

Nice casual approach. I loved the different sounds, especially the metal bones, and contrasting them in different hands.

[gregoryburrows]

Superb, Hillar -- clear, informative and culturally valuable.

[GhostRiding]

Thanks for the lesson. You saved me from buying a tape on line....

[catinnahat]

It's a good idea to look at other lessons as well, though. Check with your local public library. They just might have the video by Percy Danforth

[gccampello]

Thanks so much man ! Really good information about bones.