An Bodhran - The Irish Drum
Introduction.
Contrary to some beliefs the Bodhrán is the heartbeat of popular Irish music but in the hands of the wrong person it could become the heart attack!! It is because of this that in some circles the Bodhrán and its player are considered to be second class citizens. One famous piper was once asked how he would like to hear the Bodhrán played, his reply was ‘with a pen knife’!!
The unfortunate thing is that the Bodhrán is a relatively
easy instrument to play and it is a shame that unthinking people
turn up to a session with only a little knowledge and musicality
and just ‘bash’ away. If you are serious about the instrument
and want to play well, listen to the music, research the history,
talk to good players and most importantly of all, PRACTICE.
The Frame Drum Family
This ancient frame drum is traditionally made with a wooden shell and a goat skin head. Frame drums are to be found all over the world with references to them even in the bible, i.e the Tambour. A frame drum is a drum where the diameter is greater than the depth of the shell.
There are a couple of theories as to the origins of the Bodhrán, either that it made its way to Ireland via the Middle East or that it evolved from the common sieve that was used by farm workers generations ago. Historians are still undecided as to which of these definitions is true and probably the argument will go on forever but who cares! The instrument is here to stay and it’s wonderful. The one thing that sets the Bodhrán apart from all other frame drums is that it is the only drum that is authentically played with a stick though this is not always the rule as we shall see. The stick is a double headed stick called a Cipin, Tipper or Beater. The Irish translation of the word Bodhrán believe it or not means deaf person!!
Stick Styles
The most common style of play is the Kerry style, with a two-headed tipper played obliquely to the drum head, the main beats being produced by the bottom end of the tipper and the upper end used for rolls and ornamentation. There are other styles which produce slightly different tones and rhythms. Tommy Hayes for example has developed a style that is very unique to him and in his own words ‘that it is a style that is a devil to learn if you are proficient at another style’. He believes that his approach allows him to play much faster, very precisely, and thus to play much more complex rhythms but because the stick ‘snaps’ into the skin, there is less bounce and he gets a sharper, less resonant tone.
Using the left hand for pitch and control
In most styles your left hand is held against the skin of the drum, free to be used as you see fit. Most commonly, players press their hand against the skin in various ways to modify the pitch and tone of the drum. The great Bodhrán player Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh was the main influence in using the left hand on the back of the drum and as with all great ideas the method has progressed greatly over the years with fantastic players from Ireland like Colm Murphy, Steafan Hannigan, and Tommy Hayes or from Scotland, Jim Sutherland. Some of the players who are now taking things just a stage further are Mel Mercier (Head of Percussion, University of Cork), Frank Torpey who plays with a band called Nomos, John Joe Kelly with Flook and a monster player by the name of Junior Davey.
A flat palm held against the skin will dampen the sound, producing a flatter, duller tone. The edge of the hand pressed into the skin will make it ring; by varying the pressure and position of your hand you can change pitch by an octave or more. A good exercise is to play regular sets of four beats and alternate between a flat palm against the upper edge of the skin, the inner edge of your hand pressed at the top edge of the skin, the outer edge of your hand pressed against the middle of the skin and an open skin allowing the drum to ring freely. These four tones are the basic tools that you have available.
Tricks and Gimmicks. Bodhran players have developed many ways to add to their repertoire. These are the most common ones.
There are two methods of playing the rim of the drum. The older method, which probably dates back hundreds of years, is to turn the drum sideways and play on the shell, just as you would on the head. More recently, Johnny McDonagh developed the rim shot; occasionally beats are played on the edge of the skin where it passes over the rim or on the very edge of the rim. Rim shorts can be thrown into any rhythm; here are two common approaches: In a jig, many drummers add a rim shot on the fourth beat of the six-beat rhythm, which is the second accented beat. This beat is usually an up-stroke, so the rim shot is produced by sharply striking the bottom edge of the rim as the tipper swings upwards. Of course, any up-stroke can become a rim shot in the same manner. In a reel it is more common to put a rim shot on the down-stroke by striking the upper quarter of the rim close to the body. If you move the drum slightly away from your body you can play rim shots on both the up-stroke and the down-stroke and freely mix rim shots with normal beats. Brush Stick The first bodhranist to play with a brush was Johnny McDonagh who still use a narrow hair brush with soft bristles pointing outwards on all sides of a cylindrical shaft. The double headed brush was invented by Jim Sutherland. It is simply two soft brushes connected to the ends of a short, stout stick and it is played exactly like any other Bodhrán beater but produces a lovely soft sound. Shakers, Jingle and Bells You can produce a variety of special effects with shakers and bells. A large tambourine could be played like a Bodhrán with the jingles providing interesting effects (listen to ‘Natural Selection’ by Stefan Hannigan). A shaker or ‘chicken egg’ shaker can be used in a similar manner held in either hand. I’ve found that holding a shaker in my beater hand produces a nice counterpoint to the rhythm. Other Uses of the Left Hand Since the left hand is free to move in most styles it can be used in ways other than that of simply dampening the skin. Middle Eastern frame drum styles offer a large range of techniques for slapping, snapping and striking the skin to produce different tones; there is no reason that these methods cannot be combined with traditional Bodhran techniques. They may not be well received at some sessions but be courageous and adventurous. However, always play for the music, never for yourself!! Non-traditional Methods Musicians in genres other than Irish traditional music have adapted the Bodhrán to their needs. In particular the Bodhrán is quite popular among Middle Eastern percussionists, perhaps because of its similarity to the North African Tar drum. In this style the drum is held upright in front of the body, skin facing to the front with one hand supporting the drum from below. A traditional Tar has a hole or semi-circular notch cut into the frame to allow the drummer to anchor it with his thumb. The drum is then played with the fingers of both hands. Glen Valez (America) is one of the top practitoners of this style. Some traditional Bodhrán players have found that this style of playing allows them to play some rhythms more easily than the traditional stick styles. |
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