How to Play the Bodhran
The Bodhran is an ancient Irish frame drum that’s long been part of Irish music, culture and heritage. Nowadays, it remains one of the most beloved drums across Ireland and globally.
However, not everyone who picks up a bodhran has the skills required to play it properly; therefore, it is vital that people learn the appropriate technique when it comes to using this instrument.
How to hold the bodhran
Bodhran players typically hold their drum vertically over their thigh and strike it with a wooden beater or tipper that they hold in either their hand or press against their skin for striking. Bodhrans can be found used by musicians from genres outside Irish traditional music as well.
Left hands should gently rest against the skin to soften beats; leaving the left hand off can result in deep bass notes which some musicians might find desirable, yet others could find unwelcome during sessions and could damage instruments over time. Some musicians also dampen skin to dampen sound – though this approach may not be advised for beginners.
Acclimatizing yourself to striking the bodhran correctly takes practice and patience; eventually this will become second nature. Additionally, rhythm should become part of your playing; remembering that bodhrans are accompaniment instruments should always be played to accompanying music.
How to strike the bodhran
Hold the bodhran drum tightly between your knees and midsection before taking hold of its tipper stick (or beater) with your dominant right hand in such a manner that its end rests between your index finger and thumb, keeping fingers relaxed while curving it around the wrist as though you were pinching something.
Striking a drum with its tipper can produce many sounds. Striking with your heel of your hand creates urgent beats while striking with your flat palm results in softer tones. Varying pressures of sticks can also produce different tones, from hard rapping signature of some styles to deep bass accents often employed during jigs.
Remind yourself that a bodhran is an accompaniment instrument, designed to complement and embellish the rhythms of music being performed in session. Too many players forget this and end up disrupting other musicians!
How to play the tipper
Tuning the bodhran properly is essential to producing a deep and rich tone as well as ease of playing. Aiming for balance between bass and top end may take some trial and error to find what suits you best.
Bodhran skins can quickly adapt to changing atmospheric conditions, often tightening or loosening quickly due to changes in atmospheric pressure and climate, leading to dramatic shifts in pitch. To combat this effect, bodhran players have taken to wetting their skin before playing – this can significantly lower pitch while improving drum sound; but too much saturation could cause it to dry out and tear over time.
Bodhran players may use cardboard’shims’ to increase tension on their skins. Long, thin strips of corrugated cardboard work well as they can be placed between the rim of the drum and skin of drum, which may prove especially helpful in humid environments.
How to tune the bodhran
A bodhran’s voice comes from its skin, and finding its right tone requires practice and tuning to suit various environmental factors such as temperature and humidity changes. High-quality bodhrans typically include mechanisms that allow tension adjustments based on changes in environment.
Tunable bodhrans allow users to set tension evenly on both sides, so the drum sounds the same regardless of who holds it. Professional bodhran players may provide insights on how best to set your instrument for maximum sound output. It is advised that you listen to professional players to learn how to set your instrument correctly for maximum results.
Hold your bodhran correctly by keeping your hands curved to prevent tightening fingers, with the stick between index and thumb finger. For more information on holding and tuning the bodhran, check out The Bodhran Maker blog or Paraic McNeela’s collection of beginner and tunable bodhrans online.
