The Bodhran has become a symbol of Irish culture and can now be found played by musicians across genres. Its rise in popularity was due to the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s lead by Sean O’Riada and The Chieftains.

The bodhran is a simple frame drum made of goat skin stretched over a circular wooden frame. Over the years, notable players like Peadar Mercier, Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh and Seamus O’Kane have developed innovative playing techniques.

Origins

The Bodhran is a type of frame drum which first gained widespread recognition during the folk music revival of the 1960s and is still evolving today as part of Irish traditional music. This book examines its rich, complex history to show why such an iconic instrument became such an integral component.

This comprehensive book charts the development of the bodhran from its humble roots as an agricultural tool and farm utensil to its use as part of celebrations, concerts hall performances and ensemble Ceoltoiri Chualann under Sean O Riada. Peadar Mercier, Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh and others further perfected its playing technique and playing style.

Seamus O’Kane pioneered an internal tone ring in 1975 to combat atmospheric conditions on bodhrans, thus reducing edge-loading for cleaner sound while dampening unwanted overtones.

Construction

A bodhran shell may be made of either staves or veneer. Staves, made up of multiple blocks of wood glued together, are great for drums such as snare drums or congas; however, they’re less ideal as bodhran shells due to their thickness. Veneer is lighter and hence the preferred material choice.

A damp skin should be stretched loosely over the rim of the shell and secured using nails, staples or glue. Allow some room for shrinkage as drying will cause shrinkage of its own; too much looseness could result in weak tones from your drum.

Seamus O’Kane, one of the renowned bodhran makers, pioneered taping his instruments during the 1970s after learning this practice from Johnny Ringo McDonagh (renowned bodhran player). This revolutionized bodhrans and opened up new possibilities for players.

Sound

Bodhran manufacturers have devised various techniques for improving the sound of their instruments. A popular modification involves covering their skins with electrical tape to eliminate rasps from hitting drumheads and tune the instrument regardless of atmospheric conditions. Many professional modern bodhrans also utilize mechanical tuning systems similar to those found on drum kits.

The Bodhran is widely considered as the rhythmic core of Irish traditional music. Its journey began during the folk music revival of the 1960s and continues today, where complex modern playing styles explore its musical scope fully. Sean O Riada led Ceoltoiri Chualann during this time and elevated this humble instrument from its traditional informal settings into theatres and concert halls for performances by Ceoltoiri Chualann.

Techniques

The Bodhran has become an essential element of Irish music with the revival of folk music during the 1950s and 60s, but had previously been employed for ritual purposes much earlier. James Davey began producing tourist-oriented bodhrans with attached jingles in 1920s Ireland.

Drum players such as Sean O Riada and Peadar Mercier were responsible for elevating the status of bodhran today, while John Joe Kelly and Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh have developed playing techniques.

Start by finding a teacher. This will enable you to quickly master the correct playing technique. Listening to recordings of other bodhran players and familiarizing yourself with traditional music are great resources for learning this instrument. Some sessions may have unwritten rules; for instance rhythm instruments should never outnumber melody players in numbers.

Styles

While bodhran players have developed numerous ways to play their drums, they also continue to experiment with new styles and may try them at sessions; just be sure to practice in private before unveiling them for public consumption!

Numerous bodhran manufacturers have introduced innovations such as an internal tone ring and crossbars to increase player control of their drum’s sound. This feature prevents edge loading while dampening unwanted overtones allowing greater control over its sound by the player.

Although its humble beginnings, the bodhran has since evolved into a sophisticated instrument. Thanks to Sean O Riada and Ceoltoiri Chualann, its standing has grown substantially during Ireland’s traditional music resurgence of the 1960s.

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