How to Play Bodhran
When played correctly, a bodhran provides an exquisite way of accentuating tunes’ inner rhythms, adding depth and embellishments that bring Irish music alive and are truly enjoyable to play. An integral component of Irish culture and an incredible joy for players alike!
Air tunes may not give much room for the bodhran to truly showcase itself; however, dance tunes, particularly reels and jigs, offer this simple percussion instrument an opportunity to really show its worth.
How to hold the cipin
The bodhran is one of the more accessible percussion instruments to learn, but as with any instrument it requires hard work and practice. Finding an excellent teacher or taking online lessons early will ensure you develop proper playing techniques from day one, while listening to other bodhran players and familiarizing yourself with music will help shape your own individual style over time.
Beginners should ideally play the bodhran sitting down, with its handle placed between their knees and midsection. This will prevent its tipper from coming loose during sessions and allow you to focus more fully on arm/hand movements.
Known by its Irish name “cipin,” or beater stick, is used to strike the goatskin head when playing bodhran. This beater can be held either left- or right-handed depending on personal style; though basic up and down strokes are relatively straightforward. Mastery of advanced patterns or fills requires more practice and may take more time.
How to strike the head
Irish speakers usually pronounce it bow-rawn; its first syllable sounds like a regular “o”, while its second is an abrupt hard “w” (similar to an exhale).
Historically, a bodhran was an agricultural tool combined with musical instrument used primarily in ritual performances on St. Stephens Day and Fleadh Ceoil music festival. But after the revival of Irish Traditional music during the 1960s, its use as an independent instrument became widely recognized.
Modern bodhrans are highly complex instruments. Constructed from goat skin cured for 30-50 days and attached to a circular wooden frame, bodhrans can be played either bare hand or with the use of a beater or stick called a “cipin”, although one technique used commonly is by striking the head of the drum with an up and down wrist motion; this requires much practice!
How to tune the bodhran
An integral tuning system is key to having an effective bodhran, as this allows for precise pitch control. Many players wet their skins down with water (or beer!) prior to playing; this temporarily lowers tone while providing additional stability; however, frequent saturation of skin should be avoided since repeated saturation could prove harmful in the long run.
Bodhran skins are delicate to changes in humidity. Low humidity can cause tightened, wet-paper bag-sounding skins; while high humidity may loosen them and leave damp, tinny notes. Therefore, when not playing your drum it should be stored inside an approved gig bag or case for optimal performance.
How to play jigs and reels
As a player of bodhran it is essential to learn basic rhythm techniques for accompanying both reels and jigs – this will allow you to get a feel for both genres of Irish music while giving your playing that distinctive Irish flavour.
The Bodhran is an ancient Irish frame drum firmly embedded into Irish culture and heritage. Pronounced ‘bow-rawn’, its first syllable should sound similar to ‘wow’ while its second should sound more like ‘yawn’.
The Bodhran is played using a wooden stick called a Cipin, Tipper or Beater which strikes its goatskin head of drum. Although you can also play by hand, today most bodhran players use this stick. While traditionally played by hand it has become one of the most beloved instruments in Irish traditional music and widely considered an easy one to learn; modern playing styles do require certain intricate stick manipulations and hand movements which might take some getting used to initially.
