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.