If you are into traditional music, chances are you have come across the Bodhran (pronounced bow-ron). They resemble large tambourines without the bells; players use either their hands or an implement known as a Cipin to play these instruments.

Over the past seventy years, the Irish musical instrument known as a Bodhran has evolved rapidly and undergone unprecedented change. Renowned players such as Christy Moore, Planxty, Peadar Mercier and Ceoltoiri Chualann members such as Christy Moore have taken its development to new levels.

Origin

There is no definitive history for the bodhran, although most believe that it has its origins in ancient Celtic war drums that pre-dated Christianity.

Modern bodhran players and tippermakers have transformed it from a relatively primitive instrument into one which can meet the requirements of various musical genres, thanks to their innovations.

There are now also manufacturers using an internal tone ring to tighten or loosen skin tension (similar to what banjo heads use). This allows a drum to be made much more reliably without depending on atmospheric conditions for tension control of its head.

Construction

The Bodhran is a circular frame drum made of goatskin stretched over a wooden hoop. Played using either sticks or hands, its sounds resemble those found in tambourines without the bell-like sounds found elsewhere.

Frames may either be stave or veneered. Stave shells consist of multiple blocks of wood glued together, making them suitable for larger drums like snare drums and congas; however, these structures tend to warp more readily for use on bodhrans.

Veneered shells are far superior, being lighter and stronger while being better at resisting moisture. Once the frame is in place, skin can be applied; goatskin is generally preferred, though some makers use other materials such as deer skin or even kangaroo skin (in Northern Ireland there’s special Lambeg skin for that purpose).

Skins

A bodhran uses its skin stretched over its base as the drumhead. Different materials may be employed; genuine goatskin is generally preferred.

Goatskins are carefully selected, fleshed, and cured according to time-honored techniques that guarantee their highest quality and an expansive sound spectrum.

Over time, natural bodhran skin will start to break in, depending on a number of factors including its pH-value and hand sweat levels, composition of its material composition, structure and its structure as well as playing behavior of a drum (such as beating/tipper angle and potential scratching/concentrated friction between parts). This process should occur as gradually as possible to avoid scratching.

Techniques

A bodhran is a frame drum and therefore it offers numerous playing techniques. Traditionally it could be played using either hands or sticks (tipper, cipin). One hand could dampen the skin on one of its open sides in order to change sound frequencies from low bass sounds up to higher pitched frequencies.

Since the 1950s, the playing style of bodhrans has undergone tremendous development and innovation from innovative makers and tippermakers has taken it even further with mechanical tuning systems, different frame depths and dimensions, as well as various types of skins for each frame depth and dimension.

This introductory course provides students with basic bodhran rhythm techniques. As their skills advance, tuition then progresses into tone variations, accompanying reels and jigs as well as more intricate patterns and fills.

Tuning

Since the 1950s, bodhran playing techniques have seen rapid advancement. Artists like Peadar Mercier, Johnny Ringo McDonagh, and Sean O Riada have propelled it from being used purely as a drum to being recognized as an instrument that belongs in band contexts and on musical stages alike.

The bodhran can be played using either hand or stick known as a tipper (cipin). When played using skin hand dampening techniques, the tone changes from low bassy sounds to very high pitches.

Bodhrans require periodic tuning, particularly during periods of extreme dry and heat weather. To reduce their susceptibility to humidity changes, dubbin can be applied inside of its skin (see picture) in order to dampen humidity fluctuations and decrease susceptibility to changing tone; damp drums tend to change less over time than tight ones – the key to properly tuning a bodhran lies in creating even tension across its entire head surface so that it rings.

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