So you want to play the BODHRAN!

**SoulFyre777** · 24th June 09, 07:23 AM

Hello all!
Just a quick note to let you all know I've found a WONDERFUL site for learning the bodhran! Bodhran Expert These are a collection of videos taught by a Miss Michelle Stewert who is a wonderful player and has taught well over a thousand drummers to play the bodhran through her workshops and private tutoring in Scotland. She and her husband are also the owners of Cape Breton Bodhrans. Check this site out! I promise you'll get more info than just "Hold the tipper like a pen..." lol

**The Vicar** · 24th June 09, 07:57 AM

Thanks SoulFyre,

I have one and never had the time to sit down and learn it.

Maybe these videos will help out?

Robert "V"

**Phogfan86** · 6th July 09, 07:02 PM

There's an old Irish saying: 'Tis a gentleman who knows how to play the bodhran...and doesn't.

**george7** · 6th July 09, 07:22 PM

This is great! Thanks for sharing.

**dfmacliam** · 6th July 09, 08:01 PM

I have always wanted to learn... and never knew where to turn... thanks for this site... it gets me in the right direction...

**Marshal Moroni** · 6th July 09, 09:24 PM

SoulFyre,

Thanks for sharing the site. I built my own drum a while ago, and am anxious to learn how to play it! I checked out the site and it looks to be a good one.

Cheers,

Marshal Moroni

**SFCRick** · 6th July 09, 09:28 PM

thanks

**Riverkilt** · 6th July 09, 09:45 PM

Thanks, have the bodhran, and an instruction tape...I too need to dust mine off and practice. Thanks for the link.

Ron

**Galician** · 7th July 09, 06:24 AM

I was just at some Games, and somebody asked me if the bodhran was primarily Irish, or used by the Scots as well.

I didn't know.

**BagpiperDon** · 21st October 09, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Galician

...somebody asked me if the bodhran was primarily Irish, or used by the Scots as well.

Specifically, I don't know. My understanding -- and I'm of course not here to get anyone's hackles up -- is that bodhran's have a consideration w/in Ireland as being a Catholic drum whereas the drum as-seen in River Dance (go blow the dust off your VHS copy, right) carried like a bass drum and played (as I recall) with curve-ended sticks is a Protestant drum.

In my experience it can be interesting when talking w/ people of different cultures about drums of this nature -- different groups think the hoop-style drum is their thing and theirs alone .... but it shows up in many cultures (Ireland, mid-east, Native American, to name a few). I am no expert, but bodhrans are the only such drum I've seen played in the manner w/which bodhrans are (typically) played and with the stick-motion.

I've lost track of how many years I've been playing on/off -- quite enjoy it -- would like to get back into it and play better, both for my enjoyment but also for my album-work. Apparently more & more players are going to these smaller head diameter drums -- I have an 18", I'd love to get a 24", played one once and had a ball.

Also with getting into bodhran, be sure to get good information on how to care for your drum. Get a case for it, be it a wooden box or one of these padded nylon bags. Be careful where you leave it so the head doesn't get damaged (eg cars parked in full summer sun w/ shut doors/windows are bad, etc). Treating the head w/ lanolin is good, but I found non-homogenized sweet almond oil much more preferable (the lanolin gets sticky on your hand) -- makes me bonkers when a bodhran dumkoff tells me they treat their bodhran head with water (no, that's how you tune it, not treat it -- water dries out leather and skins).