Any Bodhran players out there?

[Good Egg]

Last year I became the happy owner of a Bodhran. A birthday present from Mrs Courtmount which she arranged while she was in Afghanistan.

Bodhran was made by Belgrath Bodhhrans in the Orkneys and is thing of beauty.

Unfortunately I'm about as musical as something that isn't musical. I don't understand this thing about beats. If you listen to a fiddle it doesn't have a beat, not to me at any rate.

I am now having lessons and have joined a few jamming sessions in a local bar. I'm told that the other players don't keep to my rhythm but they don't complain too much so I'll keep on going.

Any other bashers of the goatskin out there?

[OC Richard]

Yes I play bodhran in my Celtic trio sometimes.

My first drum was one I made myself back in the 1970's. I bought a 16" Floor Tom drum shell that had been damaged on one end for a few dollars at a "normal" music shop, cut it down to around 6" deep, and put on a skin.

I bought an old mule skin. It had been a US Army mule, and you could see the "US" brand on the hide! I soaked that skin in the bathtub overnight and stretched it and tacked it on with uphostery tacks.

It was an OK drum, but later, around 1978, I bought a very nice drum from a maker in Central California. I can't think of that guy's name, but he shot and skinned the goat himself as well as made the rest of the drum.

I still play that drum, very nice, but quite "old school" by today's standards.

I don't know if you're aware of it, but bodhran playing has gone in a different direction nowadays.

The old drums were usually 18" diameter and rather shallow. They were often at a fairly low tension and provided a bass note, then with your hand you would change the pitch and get various tone colours.

There's an entirely new sort of bodhran being made today, with a 16" shell, rather deep, at a high tension. These have a heavy metal tone ring such as Bluegrass Banjos have. These drums are often played with a bundle of switches rather than a stick. They sound nothing like a traditional bodhran but more like a Trap Set, and the guys making and playing these often have a background in Jazz drumming etc rather than a background in Irish Traditional music.

[turpin]

I've been whacking the goat for about a year now. I have a Lite Line 2 from Art Bodhrans. I play in 2-3 sessions a week here at home with some pretty good musicians, and I alway hear the beat in the fiddles. You might try downloading a metronome onto your computer and using that to keep time, because, polite tho they may be, it is important to be in time with the tune.

[Good Egg]

I've been whacking the goat for about a year now. I have a Lite Line 2 from Art Bodhrans. I play in 2-3 sessions a week here at home with some pretty good musicians, and I alway hear the beat in the fiddles. You might try downloading a metronome onto your computer and using that to keep time, because, polite tho they may be, it is important to be in time with the tune.

I downloaded a metronome App on my iPhone - doesn't help much. There is also a Bodhram App - looks pretty but it doesn't really work.

[auld argonian]

My buddy John Devens won the Gold Medal at the Fleadh here in Chicago the first year that he took up the bodhran...you guessed it...he was the only contestant that year.

He went on to open a music store and stocked a very impressive array of bodhrans...things of craftsmanship and beauty (some of them had the Greyhound skin...sorta icky...). In spite of the popularity of the bodhran and the fact that this is a solidly "Irish" neighborhood (I use the quotes because it's all like fourth and fifth generation by now), he sold nary a one. We used to joke that we were going to hold a "turn your bodhran into a banjo" class in an effort to shift some of them.

John also had a young fella named Dan in his band for a while and this cat was a magician on the bodhran and the tin whistle. I've seen quite a few bodhranistas in my time but Dan totally rocked that instrument. I always wanted to do a photo session of him while he was playing and try to freeze some of the moments with the studio flash but, sadly, we never got around to it. And...stop me if you've heard this one before...he got married and his wife talked him into quitting the band...aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!

Best

AA

[Riverkilt]

I love drums and drumming circles and have a bazillion drums. Bought a bodhran a few years ago AND a "how to" tape. Living in a multi-housing unit I can't just whack away whenever so haven't played in a while. Want to more. Go to concerts where the bodhran is used and marvel at the players.

Can't decide if it would be therapy for my carpal tunnel or exacerbate it.

Mine was made by Walton's in Dublin from a dead goat.

[xman]

I've a bodhran and have played it, but I wouldn't really call myself a drummer. I'm a guitar player who has learned to handle that drum a bit. My brother Nathan is an excellent bodhran player who has been forced to learn more guitar. I think he still has a regular gig at the James Joyce on Bloor on Toronto. If anybody's free on a Tuesday night I highly recommend going down to see him play. Tell him X sent you.

[JimB]

This lady will teach you all you need to know about the Bodhran, A lot of it is for free.
http://bodhranexpert.com/
Go there. You'll be glad you did.

[toadinakilt]

Yes I play bodhran in my Celtic trio sometimes.

I don't know if you're aware of it, but bodhran playing has gone in a different direction nowadays.

The old drums were usually 18" diameter and rather shallow. They were often at a fairly low tension and provided a bass note, then with your hand you would change the pitch and get various tone colours.

There's an entirely new sort of bodhran being made today, with a 16" shell, rather deep, at a high tension. These have a heavy metal tone ring such as Bluegrass Banjos have. These drums are often played with a bundle of switches rather than a stick. They sound nothing like a traditional bodhran but more like a Trap Set, and the guys making and playing these often have a background in Jazz drumming etc rather than a background in Irish Traditional music.

Hey, it's the evolution of music. It's a beautiful thing.

[Kilted Rogue]

I am taking a one on one class in June. But i have been "studying" with Michelle Stewart on Bodhran Expert. com for about a year now. She is to have a DVD released soon. with all of her teaching on it plus new stuff.