What is a Bodhran Stick?
Bodhran players possess an impressive set of talents. They employ their hands and knuckles to play the drum with a stick called a beater while employing cross-hand techniques for producing continuous rhythmic patterns.
Many bodhrans are constructed using natural materials like goatskin to add to their distinctive sound. Selecting one made with these natural components will only serve to increase its authenticity and quality.
Hard tippers
A bodhran stick is used to play drums. While there are various varieties, most are constructed from wood with handles for easy handling. Some types may feature short or long handles while some feature weighted heads; all these factors impact how a bodhran plays; but what matters most is how comfortable it feels in your hand.
Recently, the hot rod tipper has become increasingly popular. These sticks made of thin wooden dowels connected by tape offer a softer sound with an audible click when they hit the skin of a bodhran.
These sticks are typically constructed from bar ash wood, which is both hard and light enough to accommodate many playing styles. There are a range of designs available as well; those more suitable for knuckle style bodhran players are handcrafted in Germany by Hedwitschak Bodhrans.
Soft tippers
Soft tippers for use on bodhrans come in various varieties. While most add an interesting sound to the drum, some also allow players to set rhythm with their beater. Popular options are felt and bristle styles; brush tippers add jazz-brush-like sound that increases its versatility.
The bodhran is an Irish frame drum played with a small, double-ended stick known as a “cipin.” Though made of virtually any material, cipins should be carefully sanded to remove any sharp or abrasive edges that could puncture or scratch skin upon striking them with your knuckles.
Traditionally, bodhran players used only their hands to play the drum; however, this method has become less and less prevalent over time. Nowadays, however, virtuoso players such as Peadar Mercier, Johnny Ringo McDonagh, and Planxty’s Christy Moore have created new playing techniques; using shorter and heavier sticks while others are long and slim.
Weighted beaters
The Bodhran is an integral instrument of Irish and Celtic music, with widespread usage across Scotland, Cape Breton Island, Newfoundland and southern England. Traditionally the Bodhran was played using its original instrument a cipin or stick; nowadays most players prefer using a beater instead.
Wood species used for making the beater has only a minimal effect on the sound produced by bodhran drums; however, its type can have an impactful influence on feel and weight of its stick.
There are various kinds of beaters on the market, such as split tippers, hot rods, and brushes, designed to produce soft but powerful sounds. What sets apart each type of beater from another is their number and placement of dowels; closer together or further apart the dowels are, the softer their sound will be as they provide more impact area coverage than hard sticks would.
Hot rod tippers
The Bodhran is an ancient drum which has undergone considerable evolution throughout its long history to more closely reflect traditional Irish music. While early bodhrans were large shallow drums which produced low drones and wild overtones, modern versions are lighter, smaller, more precise and comfortable for playback – featuring walnut or maple sticks as integral parts of this instrument.
Bodhrans can be equipped with several types of beaters. Some are intended to create hard, loud tones while others provide a softer tone with less clicks. One popular bodhran beater is the Hot Rod Tiper which consists of thin dowels which can be adjusted for different click behaviors and is lighter and more comfortable to play than traditional wooden beaters.
