Irish Bodhran For Sale
The Bodhran is an Irish frame drum played with a wooden beater known as a tipper, making it an extremely versatile instrument with numerous playing styles and expressions.
Select a bodhran that produces a rich, deep tone and feels natural in its construction.
Materials
The bodhran is an essential accompaniment for Irish folk music, providing its rhythmic foundation with low pitched sounds played with a drumstick called a “cipin”, or tipper. A traditional Celtic instrument used throughout history for different tasks ranging from farming and peat transporting purposes, the bodhran has seen much use and modification over the years.
Modern bodhrans consist of a round wooden frame covered with animal skin stretched over it. Their sides typically measure 9-20 cm (3 1/2 to 8 in), and one is open so a hand can press against it in order to control pitch and tone of their drum head.
Goatskin is the preferred skin for bodhrans, although other animal skins are available. For optimal performance, sustainable sources should use goatskin that has been hand-cured and hand-stretched; when playing, be sure to rub clear water over it to allow the skin to stretch, creating more variations in sound. You can tighten it by rubbing with palm of hand or applying gentle heat.
Design
The Bodhrn is the backbone of traditional Irish music sessions, whether at your local pub or your front room. Capable of creating intricate rhythms, it elevates music to new levels.
A bodhrn is a circular wooden frame drum featuring a goat skin head (or other material such as synthetic) attached to one side (other animal or synthetic heads can also be used). On its open-ended side lies an opening where players strike the head with beater sticks known as beaters, tippers or cipins to control pitch and tone.
Red Cow Music provides an outstanding collection of bodhrans to meet every taste, with everything you need for starting and improving your playing! Our kits make an excellent entry point or upgrade to one of Michael Vignoles’ superior models – our prices can’t be beaten and service is unsurpassed!
Size
The Bodhran is a frame drum made of wood with a goat skin head on one side that is struck using a double-headed stick known as a beater or tipper. On its opposite side is an open end where your hand can be placed against its head to control pitch and timbre; players may either sit in a chair or stand on their feet when playing it.
Contemporary ideal bodhran dimensions range between 13-3/4 and 15-3/4 inches with shell depth between 4-3/4 and 6-1/3 inches for optimal sound production. If playing while standing up is preferred, choose a drum with internal crossbars to provide support and comfort.
Avoid buying bodhrans with paint or transfer decals on the head as this could hinder its voice. Furthermore, recordings may have been altered using signal processing techniques and this may impact upon any purchases based on those.
Tuning
Bodhrans can sound harsh when exposed to temperatures too cold and dry or too warm and moist; having a bodhran with adjustable tuning makes a significant difference in sound.
Tuning a tunable bodhran is straightforward thanks to hardware hidden within its frame; usually using just screws and nuts to adjust head position and pitch. These instruments also allow players to play more precisely than their nontunable counterparts.
This high quality wood bodhran features an ergonomic crossbar with a tunable tipper to accommodate beginners to professional players alike. Additionally, there is a 16″ Rosebeck Bodhran Drum included and durable canvas carry case with double zips and front pocket to hold Beaters collection – making this instrument essential to any collection! Learn the Bodhran and connect with Irish culture! It is a fantastic form of exercise which has also been shown to improve cognitive capabilities.
