What is a Bodhran?
The Bodhran is an Irish drum with many variations of music styles to offer. Its round wooden frame houses an animal skin covering that provides for its playing surface.
Tuning systems on your bodhran are essential, enabling you to customize its sound and take your playing to new heights.
Lambeg Skin
Hand crafted in Northern Ireland for Lambeg drums by legendary maker Seamus O’Kane and first used for the bodhran by him as well, these skins are clear with great top end and rich deep bass with good volume for session playing.
Bodhran skins tend to be more sensitive to climate conditions than other materials and take some time to break-in and soften, although you can speed this process by holding your bodhran for brief periods in front of a low source of heat (such as radiator). As the skin warms it loosens up, and pitches drop. As it cools back down it tightens back up again.
Vellum Skin
Vellum is an extremely durable material and will not tear or disintegrate over time, unlike paper. With an almost invisible surface and lasting over 1,000 years, vellum can last generations when prepared properly. Vellum can be made using skins from calves, goats or sheep before being stretched on frames before scraped using a nam (parchmentar) to remove imperfections such as dark skin and tissue growths.
Vellum and parchment surfaces provide a suitable surface for illumination, gilding and painting. Both vellum and parchment can be exceptionally durable when mounted with archival materials in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment; extreme heat or pressure could damage either skin however, so mounting should only occur within a controlled museum setting.
Tuneable
Tunable is an adjective used to refer to things that can be adjusted, adjusted finely, or tweaked for performance or economy purposes. White-tunable lights fall into this category of adjustable devices. Tunable is not limited solely to lighting systems but can apply to any system that can be fine-tuned for optimal performance or economy.
To choose the appropriate tunable white product for your space, first consider your goals and usage patterns when making this selection. It can also be beneficial to request a mockup so you can inspect it up close before purchasing; this way you’ll know exactly how its effects play out in your environment.
14 Inch Bodhrans
Bodhrans are traditional Irish drums made of wooden frames clad in animal skin. An experienced player of a bodhran can perform an array of rhythms that elevate any piece of music.
A tunable bodhran allows you to easily and quickly adjust pitch and tone with just the pressure of your hand, providing much quicker access than using traditional cross bars; plus it can be set up within seconds!
This 14-inch natural tuneable bodhran from Roosebeck is an ideal option for anyone interested in learning this classic instrument. Featuring a mulberry shell and goatskin head for comfort, its adjusting hardware is neatly hidden away inside for a sleek appearance.
Cutout Bodhrans
The Bodhran is at the core of Irish traditional music. Capable of intricate rhythms, its sound elevates any song. A bodhran is a frame drum constructed out of animal skin (traditionally goat-skin but increasingly other animal hides).
McNeela goat skins are natural and sustainably sourced, treated in lime to produce its distinctive bass tone before being stretched and sun dried for an elegant, clean, ‘bleached’ finish. Every skin will possess its own character.
Choose the rim depth depending on arm length and personal preferences, as well as whether or not your bodhran has bars at the back (T, cross or single); an unbarred version is easier for beginners.
Frame Drums
Frame drums occupy a special niche within the world of percussion instruments, found across cultures worldwide and characterized by circular frames with one drumhead. Playable either upright or lapstyle, frame drums provide rhythmic solutions in many situations.
Krista employs frame drums to assist individuals in reconnecting with their unique voice and natural rhythm. By employing voice, sound vibration and music as part of her approach, she helps them feel uplifted, revitalized and renewed.
Each training session builds seamlessly upon its predecessors and you’ll develop a holistic understanding of the practices, tools, and principles needed for playing as sacred practice. Our foundational Rhythms & Myths of the Sacred Frame Drum course is included with your registration.
