Tag: bodhran

How to learn Bodhran?

Best Bodhran Learning Techniques

There are various methods for learning the bodhran, such as listening to music and watching videos as well as practicing.

The Bodhran is an instrument which can be played in many different styles and makes an excellent addition to Irish traditional music sets.

1. Listen to Music

As you begin learning a new instrument, listening to music is a great way to kick-start your learning experience and establish how the drum should sound; this can provide invaluable feedback when practicing.

Listening to music can also help you gain a better understanding of different bodhran styles and their variations, which will make learning how to play one properly much simpler.

Learn the bodhran by watching video lessons online – many websites provide free videos that will teach the basic techniques.

The Bodhran is an Irish frame drum dating back to the 19th century, originally used for rhythmical playback of traditional Irish music but more recently integrated into modern genres as well. It produces an exquisite rhythm reminiscent of its traditional predecessor but versatile enough for use with contemporary forms of musical expression as well.

2. Watch Videos

As an absolute beginner on the bodhran, watching videos can be extremely helpful in building confidence and skills. Watching well-known bodhran players’ videos can teach you how to play properly and with poise.

The best videos will teach you all of the fundamentals of bodhran playing, from how to hold and stick a drum properly through to Irish traditional music basics. Plus, these videos provide an excellent opportunity for practice as you refine and develop new skills over time!

There are multiple methods of watching videos online that may suit you best – this may involve taking lessons online, or just watching clips of your favourite bodhran players.

3. Practice

One of the best ways to learn to play a bodhran is through practice. Doing this will enable you to improve at playing it while picking up new techniques along the way.

The bodhran can be played in various styles. Kerry style is perhaps most widely-known, though there are also top-end and bottom-end techniques you could try out.

Try playing the drum bare-hand, which involves striking it only with your fingertips. This method produces softer tones than using tippers or beaters; however, it may be difficult to achieve an authentic Irish bodhran tone using this approach.

The best bodhran is a beloved instrument in Irish folk music and an effective way of adding traditional rhythms and grooves. Learning how to play can be both exciting and rewarding; however it takes patience to become proficient at this form of expression.

4. Read Books

Reading is one of the best ways to enhance your bodhran playing abilities, because reading stimulates a complex network of circuits within the brain which becomes stronger with practice.

Reading can also help expand your vocabulary. According to studies, children who read regularly from an early age develop large vocabularies and experience increased academic success.

Reading books about Irish traditional music can teach you to focus on the music and tunes when playing the bodhran, an integral component of Irish traditional music. Reading also can teach rhythms that match up well with musical passages as well as ornamenting notes with ornamentation techniques.

5. Join a Group

Joining a group is a fantastic way to develop the necessary skills and build confidence while learning to play the bodhran. Joining will enable you to benefit from hands-on practice that can only come from actual playing, providing invaluable learning experience that will develop both skills and confidence in an instant.

The bodhran is an Irish frame drum with unclear origins; experts generally consider its similarities to tambourines found throughout South-of-Continental Europe to be likely.

Over time, this simple instrument has become one of the cornerstones of Irish Traditional Music. It was introduced into Irish traditional music by Sean O Riada of Ceoltoiri Chualann (also known as The Chieftains).

Other legendary bodhran players include Peadar Mercier, Tommy Hayes and Christy Moore who have elevated the instrument.

Tunes to play on a bodhran

Bodhran’s History

The iconic Irish drum the bodhran, is one of a few Celtic instruments that predate Christianity. We are all familiar with Ireland’s rich and deep-rooted musical heritage. What do we know about the distinctive Irish drum?

Although the bodhran drum has been around for thousands of years, its first appearances were in paintings in the early nineteenth century. In contemporary culture, recordings of the drum began to make their way onto the music scene in 1960s.

Many genres use the bodhran, including the one below.

  • Classical music: Maxwell Davies Symphony No. 5
  • Contradance music: Hillbillies, Swallowtails from Mars
  • Folk: John Lionarons Philadelphia, PA
  • Rock: Jim Sutherland and Johnny McDonagh, Cordelia’s Dad
  • Tammerlin: World music

What is the Bodhran Drum?

The bodhran has been a part of Ireland’s culture since its popularity. Modern Irish music now includes the Irish drum. This adds a sense of authenticity to those with strong Irish heritage connections.

How to play a Bodhran ?

There are many ways to play the bodhran drum. A tipper is a small, double-ended drumstick that is used to play the bodhran. The tipper is much smaller than traditional drumsticks and allows the bodhran player to create many musical sounds.

Kerry Style – With the Kerry style, both ends of the tipper’s hand are used. The tipper is held with the dominant hand by the player who holds the drum on one knee. The person can create a stunning sequence of beats by twisting and fluttering their hands.

West Limerick This style uses only one tipper and sounds more like traditional drumsticks.

Hand The hand is used for striking the bodhran. The heel creates a loud beat while the flat of your palm makes soft sounds. With gentle taps and slides as well as hard rapping, the fingers are also in play.

Why I play the bodhran

Would you like to play the fun-loving sideline skit on the radio in supporting Chris union’s new band – Spvari-tech? On a day when the guys are partying and the song has been playing non-stop at the bar, I play a part. I love it. At the end of the commercial, I’m play-off a cutaway that shows the socially-conscious Death CDs in action.  On the downside, it reminds me of a couple of nights when I had to stage a full MOT equivalent (I don’t want to get into that topic), playing up to the legit part of my abilities.

Although the bodhran is easy to master, some of its hand movements are not so simple. These hand placements and movements help you control the pitch and timber of the instrument, so it is an essential part of learning how it works.

How long did it take you to learn bodhran

The basics were easy to learn in just four hours. But the key is continuing the learning process, emphasis.

Playing with Real People

Find a session near you once you are ready to start playing with other musicians. I went to the session and introduced myself. I have found that most sessions will accept a beginner if he is polite. If it’s a large session, you may not want more than one drummer at once. You may need to lower your volume and reduce the amount of ornamentation at first. This will allow other musicians to hear you clearly and recognize you as a professional. Once I was able to sync in, the beats were at the right pitch and the beats hit the right rhythm.  Playing with other musicians, bodhran takes the gigs to a new level, This is the main reason I chose to go with Bodhran

This is why I chose Best Bodhran.

Few tips for your first gig

  • Warm up before playing.
  • Don’t over-stress your wrist.
  • If you hurt, stop.