Purchase of a bodhran is a significant decision, so to make sure you purchase one best suited to your playing style and needs, listen to as many performances of it as possible (though keep in mind that many recordings contain artificial signals which alter them). But be wary that most recordings contain altered signals due to signal processing software.

McNeela offers this 16 inch tunable bodhran featuring t-bar and arm cutout for more comfortable playing, taped edges for deeper sound projection, a hardwood bulbous beater and gig bag for transporting it around.

Size

Bodhrans come in different sizes. Beginner models are basic drums with pretensioned skins; more expensive models feature adjustable tensioning systems and offer consistent tones.

If your budget allows, opting for a tunable bodhran would be ideal as this allows for easier sound customization based on its environment. For instance, playing in a warm room might cause skin to loosen, enabling deeper bass sounds.

However, having a bodhran with adjustable tuning can also help avoid situations in which its skin loosens too much and goes ‘flapppy’ – something drummers know can be annoying to their audience.

Skin

A bodhran’s skin is an integral component, as its quality can have an enormous impact on its sound. For optimal results, an even tension must be present across its entire vibrating surface; this can be accomplished using either an electronic tuning tool or by manually adjusting it until everything is in tune.

McNeela’s Drum Diddly is also recommended, which is a special cream designed specifically to nourish premium bodhran goatskin and lambeg skins, including premium bodhran goatskin from Ireland and lambeg skin from New Zealand. Containing lanolin for replenishing and maintaining skin suppleness.

The Bodhran is an extremely flexible instrument, offering many playing styles. It can be used in various musical genres and provides a sense of community among its users. Furthermore, its name has long been associated with the legend of Wren betraying Irish soldiers to Viking raiders on St Stephen’s Day.

Frame

The Bodhran is an Irish frame drum found around the world in many different varieties. While all drums use similar frames, what distinguishes a Bodhran from others is its playing technique that’s specific to it.

Bodhrans can add an exciting dimension to any session and help elevate the energy level within any band, or serve as the perfect complement to flute music.

For optimal bodhran sound quality and to be heard over other instruments in a group setting, thin skins are preferable over thick ones. Black electrical tape may also help prevent sound leakage as well as reduce rasp when hitting its rim with a tipper.

Optional bars

Skilled players of the Bodhran can create an array of sounds from urgent taps to melodious ringing beats, while an excellent quality Bodhran can express emotions such as sob, joy or even martial call to arms.

Optional bars on a bodhran can significantly affect its sound. There are various configurations for optional bars: none, single bar and cross bar are all options available to players. A bodhran without bars gives players more freedom in moving their tone hand while single or cross bars limit this movement.

Some bodhrans feature corporate logos, cutesy Celtic designs, or Guinness ads painted onto them, which may interfere with the voice of the instrument. When searching for an externally tunable bodhran it allows users to adjust pitch from outside its rim allowing more precise pitch control of head pitch adjustment.

Price

The bodhran is an affordable instrument ideal for beginners, producing a rich deep tone when played with its tipper stick. There are numerous online videos dedicated to beginner lessons as well as advanced virtuoso techniques available online.

Search for a drum with a natural goatskin head that has been sustainably-sourced, as this will produce the full range of sounds that synthetic drum heads don’t offer. Furthermore, consider investing in an interior thumb-wheel tuner rather than one requiring a hex wrench in order to prevent losing it and make tuning simpler and quicker.

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