How to Play the Bodhran
A bodhran is a large, round drum made of farm tools. Music historians believe that peasant folk adapted large, round grain sieves as drums.
Airs (song-like) tunes don’t provide much playing opportunity for the bodhran; dance tunes, however, offer ample chances to add dynamic support in Irish traditional sessions.
Stroke
The Bodhran is one of Ireland’s most iconic musical instruments and an integral part of Irish culture and heritage. While its accessibility may make it attractive, obtaining proper training before beginning to play can ensure optimal results and success with playing this iconic instrument.
New bodhran players should begin by seeking out an instructor or series of lessons online, listening to professional bodhran players and trying to imitate their rhythms.
The Bodhran is a hand-held frame drum played with a tipper or beater stick, held in your right hand (if right handed). To hit its goatskin head, this stick must be held by your right hand and rotated forwards and backwards to strike different parts of the drum; this style is known as Kerry style and requires practice before becoming masterful.
Rhythm
The Bodhran is an Irish frame drum that forms an essential component of traditional Irish music. It is played using a stick known as a Cipin, Tipper or Beater which strikes against its goatskin head with rhythmic up and down movements to produce its traditional sounds. Learning and practicing basic strokes for playing the Bodhran are fairly straightforward, while mastering all its manoeuvres and hand movements that go along with modern playing styles may prove more challenging for beginners.
First, observe professional bodhran players and carefully observe how they articulate beats with their instrument. Next, replicate this same style on your own bodhran.
Make sure to practice often, even if it seems as though nothing is happening. Master bodhran players didn’t become experts overnight; mastery takes years of dedicated practice. If you are serious about learning the bodhran properly it will pay dividends!
Technique
The bodhran is an easy drum to learn, though some of its hand movements and stick manoeuvres may require practice before becoming proficient at playing it. To become adept, make sure that you practice all necessary hand and stick movements and manoeuvres regularly to become an accomplished bodhran player.
First, place the bodhran against your body with its front side facing right. This will provide a sturdy base upon which to play this instrument.
Take the bodhran tipper (beater) in your right hand and hold it about one third down from its highest position (if you are right handed). Make sure it wiggles freely without becoming unwieldy in your grip.
Now, strike downward on the goatskin head of your bodhran in a straight motion using only your wrist, not arm – this is known as Kerry style and once you have mastered its basic strokes you can move onto more complex rhythms.
