How to Learn the Bodhran
A one-sided drum with a wooden base and head made of goatskin, the bodhran (bow-rawn) plays a pivotal role in customary Irish music. "Bodhar" in Irish translates to haunting or deaf. When accomplished musicians play the bodhran, they strike the flexible goatskin in various ways to achieve complex rhythms. The well known Kerry style requires a quick and repetitive motion of the wrist.
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Instructions
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Learning the Basic Stroke
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Stretch the shoulders, arms and hands to warm up. For the stick hand, bend each finger back. Then bend the hand backward, forward and to either side. Clutch the stick hand with the other hand and rotate the wrist to the right and left. Repeat with forearm. Stretch both arms by reaching above the head and then extend the arms behind the back.
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Place the drum against the left thigh. Wedge the closest side of the drum under the armpit. The drum should rest on a plane perpendicular to the chest. In this position, the instrument is held fast by the upper arm and chest. Insert the left hand inside the drum, and press the drum head against the flat of the hand.
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Flatten the other hand. Place the middle of the beater in the wedge between the thumb and palm with the fingers curled and out of the way. The grip should be secure but loose enough to allow the beater to jiggle in the hand.
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Turn the beater hand in toward the belly. For the basic stroke, rotate the forearm and move the beater in an arc that is at a ninety-degree angle to the drum head. Strike the drum once at arc center and again on the return.
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Repeat the basic stroke until the rhythm is uniform and the volume and tone are consistent. While practicing this drill, permit the wrist to droop slightly and keep the beater hand in a neutral position. Try to avoid locking the wrist or tensing the fingers.
Advanced Techniques
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Strike the drum a bit harder in order to accent a beat on a downstroke or upstroke. By changing the accent, you can modify the rhythm for different dances. While a reel uses a 4/4 rhythm, a jig will need a 6/8 rhythm.
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Strike with the other head of the beater to add beats. This technique is known as doubling the downstroke. On a downstroke, the beater hand turns to the point where the upper head flips over and strikes the drum. The extra beat is inserted between the downstroke and upstroke, thus ornamenting but not changing the original rhythm.
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Try a four-beat roll. Do a doubled-downstroke, and then add an upstroke and downstroke (diddle-de-dum). To work on control, play four sets of four beat measures. Once the rhythm has been set, play eight sets with a roll on the initial beat of each set.
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Tips & Warnings
Begin with a heavy beater. The added weight is helpful when learning the basic stroke.
Don't overstress the wrist. If cramps arise, stop.
