The Irish Drum Bodhran
The Bodhran is at the core of Irish music. Popularised widely through Sean O Riada in his Ceoltoiri Chualann group in the 1960s.
Peadar Mercier (and son Mel), Christy Moore of Planxty, Tommy Hayes from Stockton’s Wing and De Dannan’s Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh have created new playing techniques which continue to push the limits of rhythm instruments.
Origins
There have been various theories put forward regarding the origins of the bodhran. Some believe that its frame drum style originated from Persia, before eventually making its way over to Ireland on trading routes. Others consider that it might have originated as Christian music-making instrument, while still others speculate it originated as Celtic war drum.
James Davey began commercially producing bodhrans during the 1920s for tourist use; but soon found himself meeting musicians who asked him to produce them specifically for them. Over time, sound improved while techniques advanced. Bodhran players such as Johnny McDonagh, Peadar Mercier, and John Joe Kelly played their parts in making it an integral component of Irish music today.
Styles
Though some musical instruments require advanced skills for learning, the bodhran is accessible even to beginners. Students can begin their first lesson with simple patterns before moving onto more challenging rhythms as their coordination develops.
Bodhrans are shallow hand drums designed for playing upright on one knee and struck using a beater (or cipin). Beaters come in various shapes and sizes to produce different sounds – Ebony beaters are popular due to their dense feel and crisp response while walnut beaters offer more delicate sounds. Tuning allows the player to adjust the pitch of their skins according to how a tune is being performed; this technique is often employed in modern Irish music.
Materials
The bodhran is one of the most expressive folk music percussion instruments. Skilled players can produce an immense range of tones from deep bass thuds and crisp high-pitched cracks to rolling sounding like a snare drum and pitch bends; its interplay between hands makes the instrument truly remarkable.
For maximum tonal complexity and pitch flexibility, natural goatskin bodhrans are often chosen. Synthetic materials cannot match its unique soundscape. But due to temperature and humidity fluctuations, goatskin can loosen over time or tighten and rise in pitch; to overcome this issue tunable bodhrans feature mechanical tuning systems similar to drum kits.
Start out with a quality 14″ tunable bodhran and practice regularly – most novice players can hold rhythm within several practice sessions; mastering dynamic tone control may take more time.
Techniques
The rise of the bodhran in Irish music has been swift. From being used solely as an accompaniment tool in barn sessions to taking center stage at concerts and concert halls alike. Now seen as an essential rhythmic engine that drives sessions while responding to melodic instruments as part of its repertoire.
A drum can be played using either your hands, percussion instruments such as tippers, beaters or sticks (in Irish Gaelic it is called cipin). An adjustable mechanical system with T-bars and hex bolts makes tension adjustments quick and simple: tighten for crisp sounds; loosen to deep bass tones.
Johnny “Ringo” McDonogh pioneered a technique of dampening sound with one hand on the back of the drum to reduce edge-loading and unwanted overtones, and reduce edge loading and edge loading overtones.
Music
Traditional Bodhran performance was played using either one hand or an instrument called a tipper, beater, stick or cipin to play it. Furthermore, its sound could often accompany other musical instruments.
Seamus O’Kane pioneered new techniques during the bodhran revival of the 1960s that enhanced its musical potential, including pitch-varying techniques that enabled close follow of melodic phrases of songs being performed and lambeg skins with thinner weave patterns for greater clarity of sound; furthermore he introduced an internal tone ring driven against the skin with screws to tension/loosen tension/loosen it, turning this once utilitarian instrument into a finely tuned musical instrument.
