Bodhran Drum For Sale
No matter your level, whether a beginner or experienced musician, we have a bodhran drum perfect for you! Browse from tunable and non-tunable options as well as shallow and deep rim designs.
Good bodhrans are made with high-grade goat skin to reduce “edge-loading”, enabling sharp notes of all pitches to be played easily and with clarity.
Size
When purchasing a bodhran drum it’s essential to consider its size as this will affect its tone. Smaller drums tend to produce tighter and more controlled sounds while larger ones produce bassier tones. Regular players will generally opt for 14-16 inch drums as these provide enough volume without becoming cumbersome and difficult to transport.
Consider whether or not you want a tunable bodhran, as this will allow you to adjust its tightening/loosening depending on the environment in which you play. This feature can make an immense difference to tone, making our selection of premium quality Waltons drums with double goatskin heads and various finishes an invaluable aid for cutting out overtones in larger rooms.
Materials
Bodhrans are flat drums typically constructed of wooden hoops hoop frames encasing goatskin stretched over them, often made of birch or ash wood with crossed wooden bars that stabilize and provide handles. Goat skin is generally the preferred material; Lemo, Kangaroo and Greyhound skins may also be used as alternatives. Bodhrans may also be decorated with anything from swirling Celtic spirals and GAA county colors to family coats of arms for decoration; such decorations do not degrade sound production – indeed professional players often play painted drums!
Students should begin by playing simple pulse games to become acquainted with their instrument, before moving on to copy short rhythms and exchange call-and-response patterns. Bodhrans with ebony beaters are popular due to their dense feel and crisp response; walnut beaters can offer more subdued tones. You can keep your bodhran in perfect playing condition by warming it with your hand for several seconds next to a warm radiator or by lightly warming it on its own periodically throughout a practice session.
Sound
A bodhran may appear simple – a wooden hoop fitted with an animal skin head (usually goatskin), but this musical instrument has evolved more than any other Irish folk music drum in recent times.
Seamus O’Kane introduced one of the major changes: an internal tone ring powered by screws to replace traditional leather tuning knobs on banjos and allow players to adjust head tension and produce various sounds from crisp beats to deep bass notes.
Players can also use the underside of the skin as a muting mechanism, adding subtlety and melodic notes to each beat. A bodhran can convey emotions from sobs to merriness or even calls to action – making it such a popular accompaniment for Celtic and other forms of folk music.
Learning to play
A top quality bodhran can produce a rich, deep tone. To accommodate different playing techniques without becoming rigid, consider investing in one made with traditional goat or calf skin material; they provide better response to various playing styles and are more durable.
The bodhran is an easy instrument to pick up, though some stick manoeuvres and hand movements will take practice before being unleashed into an array of Celtic rhythms.
Beginners are advised to begin with simple pulse games and gradually progress through harder rhythms. As students gain more advanced, they can then work with instruments like tuned percussion, voices or recorders to produce performance pieces for assembly. Bodhrans are excellent instruments for copying short rhythms while exploring loud/soft contrasts; additionally, they are useful accompaniment tools when accompanying reels and jigs – providing an ideal introduction into Irish music history and its foundations.
