Irish music relies heavily on this drum to add rhythm, depth, and energy. Played across various musical genres and requiring great skill and musicality for optimal playing results, its use makes up an essential component.

Waltons’ classic range of standard bodhrans is ideal for beginning musicians and includes a carrying box and hardwood beater – each boasts real goatskin heads.

Origin

The Bodhran is a single-headed frame drum played with one head by resting it on one’s knee and using a tipper or bone stick to play it with, producing a deep thudding sound.

This instrument’s rim is typically composed of plywood with crossbars attached, while its skin comes from Ireland, North Africa or India and can be found there as goatskin. As such it is incredibly versatile as it can be used for many different musical genres and styles.

Sean O’Riada revived this traditional Irish drum and it quickly gained widespread acclaim during the fifties and sixties as traditional Irish bands used it as their instrument of choice, creating a cottage industry of bodhran makers. Players such as Peadar Mercier, Christy Moore of Planxty and Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh developed unique playing techniques which reached exciting new heights.

Sound

Walton’s Bodhrans are handcrafted to meet the highest standards, producing great sound with their heavy duty laminated shell and handpicked goatskin heads for tuning – adding depth and tone to your playing. Each Bodhran comes complete with carrying case and hardwood beater; suitable for beginner as well as experienced players.

Beginners looking for their first bodhran will appreciate this pack, which includes one or more designs of bodhrans in various designs, traditional beaters and an instructional DVD from Dublin-based company that produces all their products – as well as retail stores, music schools, publishing divisions and manufacturing and distribution capabilities – making up part of Ireland’s musical landscape – an integral part of their product quality that has become legendary among players nationwide.

Techniques

Our bodhrans are handcrafted using genuine goat skin heads and carefully tuned by expert craftspeople for maximum quality and sound. Bodhrans are essential percussion accompaniments to Irish traditional music and when played well they can add great vibrancy. While other instruments require extensive training sessions before you can pick up and play one easily enough, the bodhran can be picked up and played quickly by nearly everyone.

A bodhran can be played either by hands or using a beater, so we offer our beginners’ bodhran pack as the ideal way to start learning this iconic Irish folk instrument. A practical introduction that considers original methods handed down through regional styles throughout Ireland as well as contemporary developments in performance techniques is provided here.

Styles

Waltons offers an impressive selection of bodhrans that ranges from standalone drums to packs with carrying case and hardwood beater, suitable for experienced or novice players alike. No matter your skill level or playing experience level, Waltons has a bodhran that fits you!

The Bodhran is an instrumental accompaniment used in traditional and contemporary music alike to provide rhythm, depth and energy. No matter the genre or subgenre of music being performed on it, its skillful players’ musicality have made it an indispensable element of Irish music. Bodhrans that have been tuned are highly recommended – this allows greater accuracy for tone control; non-tunable drums may become overly sensitive to temperature or moisture fluctuations and lead to loosening or tightening skin that disrupts tone control of drum.

Players

No matter your experience level or playing style, Waltons Bodhrans offer something that will meet all of your needs. There are tunable drums, standalone drums, and complete packs with everything you need to start playing one of Ireland’s beloved folk instruments.

Walton’s Music has been at the forefront of Irish Traditional music for nearly a century, providing retail stores, music schools, distribution divisions, publishing companies and manufacturing operations that create jobs throughout Ireland and its environs. Our high quality bodhrans feature hardwood frames topped by goatskin heads for true tone and durability – this pack makes an excellent starter set! This includes both a Bodhran (with carrying case and instructional DVD).

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