What is a Bodhran?
Over the past 70 years, the bodhran has emerged as a premier instrument in Irish music. Its popularity has spread beyond Ireland. There are now numerous videos online offering everything from basic beginner lessons to professional performances of this instrument.
The Bodhran is a round frame drum equipped with a goatskin that produces sound when struck, producing everything from urgent taps to melodious ringing beats.
It is a drum
The Bodhran is an Irish drum with many distinct tones. It can range in size from 14″-18″, its skin composed of goat or calf leather stretched over a frame, while players strike it using a tipper, held like a pencil in one hand.
Sean O Riada and Mel Mercier have both made the bodhran an integral part of their careers as Irish musicians, utilising this versatile instrument to produce everything from sharp urgent taps to melodious ringing beats.
Contrasting with its counterpart, the snare drum, which is played lying down, the bodhran is played upright and rested against your thigh. A player uses their other hand to strike back of the drum and alter its tone while tapping side of it produces different tones and sounds – providing an excellent opportunity to explore Irish culture! The bodhran can make for an excellent way to do just that!
It is a musical instrument
A bodhran is a 25 to 65 cm frame drum made of goatskin that features one side tacked over. Traditionally played while sitting and held erect on one thigh by its player. A stick called a cipin can be used to touch various spots of its surface for optimal pitch and sound modification.
The bodhran is an easy instrument to learn and can be used for various rhythms such as reels and jigs. Practice regularly is key for building muscle memory and becoming a better bodhran player.
Sean O’Riada, often considered the father of modern bodhran playing, was an integral member of Ceoltoiri Chualann – an influential group within Irish Traditional Music – as well as having developed several new playing techniques for this instrument. Peadar Mercier of Chieftains also gained fame as a notable bodhran player who pioneered what has come to be known as Kerry style bodhran playing.
It is a tool
The Bodhran is an Irish drum used in traditional music. It consists of a round frame drum approximately one foot (30cm). A beater held against its skin can be used to play this instrument; these skins may come from goat, sheep or synthetic material and allow for precise pitch changes. Furthermore, its tuning allows for precise pitch changes.
The term “bodhran” comes from Gaelic bodhar, meaning deaf or dull. The exact source is unknown but some have speculated it was brought into Ireland via trade routes; others compare its sound with tambourines commonly seen throughout southern continental Europe.
Bodhrans have undergone significant change over the last 70 years in Irish traditional music. Now played in multiple styles and instruments from rock to classical music, players often experiment with various ways of producing different sounds using Bodhrans.
It is a weapon
A bodhran is a drum with the distinctive sound of a tambourine, producing its sound through small taps or melodious ringing beats that produce emotions ranging from urgent taps to melodious ringing beats when played expertly. Additionally, its complexity allows it to produce fuller musical sounds.
The Bodhran is a flexible wood hoop forming a shallow cylindrical shape measuring 9-20 cm deep with goatskin attached at one end, similar to an accordion. The NMI holds a painting by Daniel Maclise dating back to about 1833 depicting a Snapp-Apple Night house party featuring many Halloween house parties at which this instrument can be clearly seen.
The bodhran can typically be played using one of two techniques. When held midway and both ends positioned directly over the head, this is known as Kerry style; when placed with both sides over the head instead, this style is known as top-end style.
