How to Play the Bodhran
The Bodhran is one of the most beloved drums in Irish traditional music. No prior musical knowledge is necessary; this course covers everything you need to know from holding and using to playing technique with one simple concept per lecture.
Discover how to embellish the natural rhythms of a song and use your fingers to hit specific areas on a drum head, changing pitch and sound characteristics with every strike of your drumsticks.
Rhythm
The bodhran is an instrumental rhythm instrument and learning to play it with an exceptional sense of rhythm is critical to its success in any musical ensemble, whether Irish music or another style of music. Without strong rhythmic control it becomes very challenging to create harmony among musicians.
Listening and imitating professional bodhran players is an effective way to hone your bodhran rolls, both rhythmically and tempo-wise. Try listening to reels and jigs while trying to mimic their natural rhythms for extra practice.
Once you feel confident with your bodhran roll and tempo skills, it is wise to begin working on ornamenting some of your favourite jigs and reels for added flair that will delight both audiences and yourself as a player. This will add another dimension of enjoyment both to you and those watching you!
Tuning
Properly tuned bodhrans should resonate with a rich bass tone and maintain an even tension across their entire skin surface. Tunability may require tightening when changing between seasons or humidity levels and temperature extremes as needed for best performance.
The Bodhran is traditionally played with a stick called a Cipin, Tipper or Beater which strikes against its goatskin drum head. Although a player can play this instrument barehanded, specific stick manoeuvres and hand movements require extensive practice before becoming proficient at playing it.
Electrical tape rim covers have become an increasingly common sight on modern bodhrans, whether applied by their makers or owners to reduce edge loading and dampen unwanted overtones while making them more durable against weather damage and easier to keep clean than their waxed predecessors.
Techniques
The bodhran is an instrument which can be played in several styles. These styles include both hand (bare-handed) and stick styles; in hand styles, fingers on one hand touch the back of the drum to alter its sound characteristics and alter its sound characteristics.
Hand styles of the drummer usually involve positioning the wooden rim tightly against their thigh while using their right hand (if they’re right handed) to hold onto a pencil-sized tipper, moving it back and forth against the skin of a bodhran drum using wrist movements for different sounds, from hard rapping to soft tapping.
This technique may take time and practice to master, so make sure you take your time in learning it! Remember that playing the bodhran is about more than making noise – it involves following rhythmic patterns within music! So if you want to become an expert bodhran player, make sure you take your time learning its rhythms first!
Styles
There are various approaches to playing the bodhran. Traditionalists might stick with using just their stick, while more modern players also make use of both hands on the drum – with either heel of their hand producing sharp, urgent beats while palmer sides create soft sounds; fingers may also be used for slides or gentle taps.
Some players also utilize brushes – soft drum brushes attached to a bodhran stick that provide a subtle yet pleasant sound – often used for waltzes or swing music.
The Bodhran is one of the world’s most beloved Irish musical instruments, both domestically and abroad. Although seemingly simple in structure, if played well it can produce stunning rhythms and sounds. If you are starting out on your Bodhran journey it would be wise to start off by purchasing quality instruments such as those manufactured by McNeela who offer beginner bodhrans as well as tunable versions to suit all budgets.
