Bodhran playing, hand or beater?

First of all I would like to thank all who have contributed their thoughts and opinions on my last thread “ Don’t want to become strung up on strings”… Thanks to ye all, I have pick up my friends guitar and its painful typing at this very moment… not to mention I had to do 8 pages typing yesterday to add to that!!!

Any hoo, what I was going to say, does anyone here ever play the Bodhran with the tips of their fingers instead of the beater? I have done a few times in sessions and personally I like the sound. I have never seen this before by anyone and a fella I was playing with was pretty amazed at how good it sounded ( there was a banjo, mandolin, concertina and whistle). I know ye are probably thinking… what is this girl on and thats not how you play a Bodhrán but I have seen a guitar been played upside down!

Actually, on one of my tutorial tapes they demonstrate playing with the thumb and small finger extended. The hand motion is similar to that when using the cipin.

I used to do that sometimes when I was first getting into the drum and wanted a softer sound (then I got a cool brush tipper). I still do that on my steering wheel as practice when I’m driving to and from work. I’m sure I get some strange looks, but doing that enabled me to pick up the bodhran without too much difficulty. I’d been drumming on the steering wheel for a couple years before I ever owned one.

Don’t use the tips of your fingers, you use the knuckle. Turn your hand parallell to the drum, and just use the knuckle of your index finger. After a while get a thin stick, use one side as an extension of that finger.

Then you have a choice. And that is the only bodhran lesson one needs.

Bodhrans are not bongo drums, which is what I use the steering wheel for, although power steering makes it more difficult.

I suppose it depends on how you drum on it. I use just my right hand, in a motion just like what I do if I’m holding a tipper, only with my hand open. It seems to work well for me.

I tried using my knuckles but that hurt too much.

Finger drumming can be ok for some applications however it won’t lend much volume to the drum. I use a nylon brush sometimes to soften the sound but I am an advocate of using a proper tipper. With varying grip styles tippers can come in so many differnt styles, lenghts, weights etc.etc. There is a whole new headache of a thread there for ye. I’d definitely agree with Bliss about using the knuckle as I’ve seen a few players use their knuckles and made a fine job of it at that. It also encourages one to use the right approach and wrist motion for using the tipper. Any way you look at it, as long as you are getting proper rythm and not just tub thumping, use your fingers all you want. Just get used to the strange looks for a while as others observe you. Like anything else it takes time for something n ew to become acceptable.

feather

I don’t play it, but prefer when it’s played by hand rather than beater.

Have never tried the knuckles, would that not be sore! I have a good bodhrán but it is “virginal” you could say! Must try that when I get home tonight.

I’ve seen the bodhrán played using the thumb and index extended outward from the palm whilst the three fingers between were curled under. I’ve also seen the thumb used for the down stroke and the tips of the other fingers used to vary the rhythm of the upstrokes. I enjoyed hearing this last technique used to accompany song. It is brilliant. Of course the technique Bliss detailed is used quite frequently as well as the technique were-by the backs of four fingers are used. When I use this four finger technique I strike the drum with the part of my fingers between the two top knuckles.

I suppose that there is really no “set in stone” technique for striking the bodhrán either with hand or stick. There is of course, and as it should be, one axiom that should never be violated and that is your playing of this noble drum is to become a part of what is being played and never detract from it.

Peace,
Ed

Glen Velez, a wonderful percussionist, plays frame drums very similar to a bodhran in the eastern way, with fingertips.
I’ve not heard any Irish players play that way.

Bing Smedberg, who now lives in South Carolina, plays bodhran bare-handed, with his knuckles. He told me once that he heard Christy Moore and Tommy Hayes play that way.
When Bing does it, it’s really emotive, really deep.

stv

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