Bodhran Tippers
The bodhran is an essential element of Irish culture and tradition, helping connect Irish music to an international audience. Ramin Djawadi’s iconic score for HBO series Game of Thrones often features bodhrans to emphasize Celtic battles and cultures.
Tippers are drumsticks used to strike the skin of the bodhran and create rhythm and texture with striking, tapping or scraping movements. Each tipper type offers its own distinct feel and sound so players can experiment until they find one which perfectly complements their individual playing style.
Weighted beaters
A great bodhran tipper is an indispensable tool for any bodhran player, helping them to brush the skin of the drum and produce those iconic Irish tunes we know so well. Additionally, it helps them feel at ease as they play. A high quality tipper usually features black tape but some makers such as Seamus Eckermann have additional inner skin influence through an applique.
A good bodhran tipper should also be long enough to enable experienced players to create rolls and triplets with ease, yet short enough so beginners won’t experience wrist strain from long beaters. As with all personal decisions, your SO will know which beater works best for them – to help make an informed decision, try buying multiple types and testing out what suits their style best by watching tutorials from Albert Alfonso or Paul Marshall on YouTube.
Straight tippers
The Bodhran is an ancient musical instrument that has won over many hearts over time. While some instruments may be harder for beginners to learn, the Bodhran makes an excellent choice for anyone wishing to play traditional Irish music. A good Bodhran player requires quality beaters (tippers).
Tippers can have an enormous effect on the sound of a bodhran and how comfortable a player finds playing it, which is why it is recommended to experiment with various tipper types before selecting one for your drum.
Straight tippers are the most widely-used bodhran tippers, featuring a simple cylindrical design well suited for traditional techniques. However, other styles are also available, including curved tippers and split tippers which produce double strike effects popular in modern playing styles. Experimentation is key when playing the bodhran as each option provides its own feel and sound signatures.
Crafted heads
A bodhran can be played either by using just your hand, or with a piece of wood cut on a lathe and called a beater, tipper, stick or cipin. While wood type has limited impact on sound production, its comfort in hand and grip on drum determine how effective its use will be.
Electrical tape can help reduce edge-loading and dampen any unwanted overtones when struck by the beater, as well as adjust skin tension based on atmospheric conditions. Other methods of modification for bodhrans may include lightly sanding the skin to reduce rasp caused by hard beaters.
Hard ends
The skin of a bodhran is the center of this frame drum, but the striker you use to strike it has an immense influence on its sound. Soft-ended tippers with padded or coated ends produce muted sounds ideal for gentle playing styles and quiet performances while hard-ended tippers offer sharper strikes better suited for dynamic performances.
Hard end tippers can be quite heavy and put added strain on both stick hand/arm when used for extended periods. Furthermore, these tippers produce louder clicks that may strain hearing. On the upside though, these hard end tippers do produce strong resonant tones which can create special effects when choked on with right finger (as you’d do when playing toons). Many types of these hard end tippers feature tighten/loosen dowels to provide endless variations in sound options and sounds!
