The Bodhran has become an essential instrument in Irish music, offering a diverse array of playing techniques and reflecting deeply upon Ireland’s cultural identity. It has even gone from being used solely as a farm tool to becoming an internationally acclaimed instrument – testament to its incredible adaptability!

Peadar Mercier, an accomplished bodhran player and former member of the Chieftains, pioneered a new approach to playing this drum. His son Mel Mercier also boasts considerable playing talent.

Origins

Before recently, little was understood of the origins of this humble drum. Over the past several decades, however, it has come to be recognized as a key Irish musical instrument due to Sean O Riada who included it as part of Ceoltoiri Chualann in the 1950s.

The Bodhran is a hand-held frame drum which can be played in various musical styles. Usually struck with a beater, this instrument may also be played sitting or standing depending on its purpose and can even be performed while sitting down!

A bodhran can be played using different playing techniques – jig stroke, reel stroke or top-end style – which allow musicians to create their own individual sound and rhythm. Bodhrans can even be utilized in non-traditional musical genres like folk rock and world music.

Design

The bodhran is constructed using natural materials and traditional construction techniques. Its classic design comprises a wooden frame topped with goat skin drumhead to produce its characteristic warm and resonant sound associated with Irish music. Tunable screws allow users to tune tension based on atmospheric conditions for an optimum playing experience.

The bodhran is most often played while sitting, with one hand (typically left) holding it against your knee with one arm, pressing against various skin locations to alter pitch and tone.

This technique enables a wide variety of sounds, ranging from hard beats to soft rolls. Furthermore, the bodhran is an adaptable instrument capable of being played in many styles from accompaniment to lead playing; due to this diversity in sound and playing methods it has become a key component of Irish culture and music.

Materials

A traditional bodhran is composed of goats-skin stretched over a wooden frame and secured using tacking or glueing techniques, while modern professional models come equipped with tuning mechanisms which enable drummers to adjust tension and tone of their instrument’s skins for improved playing experience.

After being immersed in a solution of water and salt for two days, skin is stretched and dried under direct sunlight to help eliminate oils and make it more suitable for attaching. This process helps remove any oils that cling onto its surface while making the skin more flexible for attachment purposes.

Electrical tape may be added to a bodhran’s rim by either its maker or owner in order to reduce edge-loading and dampen unwanted overtones for more consistent tonality. While electrical tape covers may add sound stability and reduce edge loading, they are not essential in producing consistent sounds from this drum.

Techniques

Players of the bodhran must possess an in-depth knowledge of traditional Irish music. Bodhran players should understand how to accompany jigs and reels while understanding its dynamics.

Traditional drum playing was done using only one’s hand; today however, an instrument known as a “cipin” (two-ended stick held in right hand for right-handed players) is widely employed to produce rhythm.

Hold the cipin with its “writing tip” against the skin of the drum and move its beater so it traces an arc across it, striking downward twice on each stroke, once on its way down and once back up. Repeat these basic strokes until your movement becomes more fluid and shorter.

Music

A bodhran can be played either with one’s bare hand or using a stick called a “cipin”. For optimal performance, it should match the length of one’s hand from thumb to baby finger – historically drummers would use the backside of their cipin to beat out high tonal differences by hitting it against the drum with forceful strikes from their instrument.

Today’s bodhran has evolved significantly over time. Players like Tommy Reilly have embraced more sophisticated percussion styles that extend well beyond traditional Irish music.

Anybody entering a session with an inferior quality bodhran and beginning to play will only serve to discredit this magnificent instrument. Bodhrans should be used to elevate music rather than keep time; that is what makes playing them so exciting!

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