Bill Troxler
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Practice Tracks

Practice as often as possible.  Don't "binge practice".  Ten minutes a day will generate much faster skill development than one two-hour session on the weekend.  Frequent and short is superior to long and occasional. 

At the outset of learning to play the bodhran you will likely find the tunes move to fast.  Software tools exist to slow down the tempo of recorded music without altering the pitch.  Some of these tools are free.  Get one and use it slow down the tempo on recorded music and begin building your technique.

Below are two helpful links. One is a page that links to freeware that will slow down recorded files.  The other is to a set of short recordings of Celtic music you can use as practice material.  
Slow Down Software
Download recordings of Celtic Music
Below are a few practice tracks you can download. These have been trimmed so that music can loop without skipping a beat. You can load them into a player, hit the repeat button and practice as long as you want.  The tracks run about three minutes long.  

The reels were recorded at 120 beats per minute (bpm).  Reels are usually played between 120 and 140 bpm.  

The jigs were recorded a 90 bpm.  The count for a jig assumes two beats per measure.  That means each beat will span three notes or at least the space for three notes.  This way of counting ensures that you get the pulse of a jig.  Jigs are generally played between 85 bpm and 100 bpm.

Use the slow down software to increase or decrease the bpm to suit your needs.  
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Reel Sets
reel_set_1.mp3
File Size: 4609 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

reel_set_2.mp3
File Size: 3085 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

Reel Set 1 is:  Over the Moore to Maggie - Sgt. Early's Dream - Broken Pledge

Reel Set 2 is:  Joe Banes - Rannie MacLellen's Reel
Jig Sets
jig_set_1.mp3
File Size: 3585 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

jig_set_2.mp3
File Size: 6670 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

Jig Set 1 is: American Dwarf - Out on the Ocean - Blarney Pilgrim

​Jig Set 2 is: Miss William's Delight - Maids of Montgomery - Jenkin's Jig
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