Resources for Bodhran Players
Video Instruction
You won't have any trouble finding on-line bodhran instructors. Many are excellent. Search YouTube to find them. I have a few favorite video instructors. I have experience with all of the courses listed below. I have found each one to be valuable. You may find these unique approachs helpful too.
Eamon Murray
https://www.eamonmurray.ie/tutorials
I am a long time fan of Eamon Murray's playing. He offers a video instruction program called Bodhran Soup. The program is available for download and on a DVD. Eamon has a great sense of humor. He wastes no time getting to the critical points of mastering the bodhran. Eamon Murray also sells a signature drum manufactured by Christian Hedwitschak. The Eamon Murray Signature Line Bodhran is the drum I always use in performance. It delivers an astonishingly wonderful voice. It's stable. Beautiful too. Check out Eamon's drum at this link: lhttps://www.eamonmurray.ie/drums
Eamon is the percussionist in the Irish band Beoga. http://www.beogamusic.com/
Eamon Murray
https://www.eamonmurray.ie/tutorials
I am a long time fan of Eamon Murray's playing. He offers a video instruction program called Bodhran Soup. The program is available for download and on a DVD. Eamon has a great sense of humor. He wastes no time getting to the critical points of mastering the bodhran. Eamon Murray also sells a signature drum manufactured by Christian Hedwitschak. The Eamon Murray Signature Line Bodhran is the drum I always use in performance. It delivers an astonishingly wonderful voice. It's stable. Beautiful too. Check out Eamon's drum at this link: lhttps://www.eamonmurray.ie/drums
Eamon is the percussionist in the Irish band Beoga. http://www.beogamusic.com/
Modern Bodhran
https://modernbodhran.com/
This course is taught by Marissa Waite. First of all she is a fine player and teacher. Second, she's got impressive creds. She studied under Martin O'Neill at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She holds a BA from that respected institution. This woman knows her stuff and communicates it beautifully. I especially appreciate that she delivers the most modern techniques of playing a bodhran. Her courses are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.
https://modernbodhran.com/
This course is taught by Marissa Waite. First of all she is a fine player and teacher. Second, she's got impressive creds. She studied under Martin O'Neill at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She holds a BA from that respected institution. This woman knows her stuff and communicates it beautifully. I especially appreciate that she delivers the most modern techniques of playing a bodhran. Her courses are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.
Michelle Stewart
https://bodhranexpert.com/
The clarity and precision Michelle Stewart.brings to teaching bodhran is like no other. If you are a detail person, Michelle Stewart is the teacher for you. MIchelle and her husband used to make and sell Cape Breton Bodhrans. Safe to say, she knows the bodhran inside and out.
https://bodhranexpert.com/
The clarity and precision Michelle Stewart.brings to teaching bodhran is like no other. If you are a detail person, Michelle Stewart is the teacher for you. MIchelle and her husband used to make and sell Cape Breton Bodhrans. Safe to say, she knows the bodhran inside and out.
Contemporary Bodhran
https://www.youtube.com/user/mattbellmusic/featured
Matt Bell is a highly skilled percussionist and excellent teacher. His wide range of styles is impressive and very helpful in developing basic skills as well as advanced techniques. He offers both free and subscription instruction.
https://www.youtube.com/user/mattbellmusic/featured
Matt Bell is a highly skilled percussionist and excellent teacher. His wide range of styles is impressive and very helpful in developing basic skills as well as advanced techniques. He offers both free and subscription instruction.
On Line Academy of Irish Music
https://www.oaim.ie/
This subscription service provides instruction in all of the instruments you'd find playing in a session. OAIM offers two levels of bodhran instruction.
https://www.oaim.ie/
This subscription service provides instruction in all of the instruments you'd find playing in a session. OAIM offers two levels of bodhran instruction.
Books
Andy Kruspe
https://www.andykruspebodhran.com/teaching
Andy is a professional percussionist. A marvelous musician and gifted teacher. If you learn best by using a book, Andy's books are excellent tools for you.
https://www.andykruspebodhran.com/teaching
Andy is a professional percussionist. A marvelous musician and gifted teacher. If you learn best by using a book, Andy's books are excellent tools for you.
Bill Woods
His two books on playing bodhran are well crafted. They come with downloadable practice files search for:
Bodhran: The basic - A beginner's Guide
Bodhran - Beyond the Basics
His two books on playing bodhran are well crafted. They come with downloadable practice files search for:
Bodhran: The basic - A beginner's Guide
Bodhran - Beyond the Basics
Drums
I don't recommend any drum that I have not owned or at least played. That means, my list of suggested drum makers is short. There are an astonishing number of world class makers building drums. Many of the mass produced drums can be very good too. A drum with a diameter between 14" and 16" is a good choice. 18" diameter drums are very large and can be awkward to handle. These large diameter drums are traditional and generate a BIG sound. But, most contemporary players prefer smaller diameter drums.
When buying a drum make sure it comes with a case. I recommend tunable drums that have natural, skin heads. Synthetic head material just doesn't produce good tone and it's nearly impossible to change the pitch while playing. Drums without tuners are traditional. However, the modern convenience of being able to adjust the head tension to compensate for temperature and humidity changes is well worth the added expense. Get a tunable drum!
Starter Drums
A tuneable, drum made by Mid-East can be an excellent starter drum. You'll need to sand and tape the head.
After that you'll have a very serviceable drum. Find these drums at many retailers. Amazon is a good place to
look. You can buy direct from Mid-East, but usually the retailer price is lower.
https://www.mid-east.com/drums/frame-percussion/bodhrans/inside-tunable-bodhrans
Mid-Range Drums
McNeela Bodhrans
I own several McNeela products. All of them exhibit stunning qualities of manufacture. Two of us in the trio
3 Sheets liked the McNeela bodhran so much, we bought one as a gift for the third member of the trio. I am
very confident in suggesting that this bodhran should be at the top of the consideration list when looking for
a mid-range cost drum. I am impressed by how it sounds, who builds it and the price. If you are on a tight
budget, take a look at the McNeela 14inch deep rim, non-tunable bodhran. It costs under $100.
https://mcneelamusic.com/bodhraacutens.html
Meinl Percussion
14"x6", natural skin drum that's tunable, removable crossbar
Find it at retailers, Amazon or eBay
CoreLine by Hedwitschak
The price is at the highest end of "mid-range" The quality is at the custom level.
https://www.bodhranmaker.eu/bodhrans/coreline?lang=en
High End Drums
Metloef Irish Drums
http://www.metloef.com/website_eng/index_eng.html
Hedwitschak Drums
https://www.bodhranmaker.eu/en/
Tipper, Beater, Báta, Cipin
It's the thing you hit the drum with and it goes by these several names. Generally "tippers" are lightweight and used by top-end players. There are far more tipper, beater, cipin, báta makers than bodhran makers! Optional features in tippers seem endless. My only advice is to experiment. Length, diameter, material, shape are all highly personal choices. Tippers are not a "one size fits all" sort of thing. But here are a couple of ideas to start your search.
Stevie Moises
https://www.tippermaker.de/index.php/en/
Stevie is an innovative tipper maker. He is a brilliant craftsman and a superb percussionist. He builds all tippers that are sold with Hedwitschak drums. Stevie was a founding member of Troyan Drums. Troyan is a world class maker of kit drums located in Germany. Check out the videos on his website. Take a close look at the video showcasing the singer-songwriter Christian Lux. Listen to the amazing bodhran playing Stevie provides to her guitar and voice.
McNeela Instruments
https://mcneelamusic.com/bodhran-beaters-tippers/
McNeela offers many Celtic instruments including bodhrans and tippers.
My GO-TO tipper is the McNeela Fiddle Bow tipper. These tippers are recycled fiddle bows. The quality of their manufacture is stunning. For years I tried to play with tippers made out of fiddle bows. But, I found that these light weight tippers required too much energy to create the sound I wanted. McNeela has solved the weight problem by putting lead weight into the tipper shaft. The weight allows a player to utilize the momentum of the tipper to create accents. A perfect combination of size, density and weight distribution. Excellent for top-end style players.
Dry Bone Music
https://www.bonedrymusic.com/top-end-thin-bodhran-tipper-cippin-beater-s/177.htm
This company is famous for its extensive inventory of bones. But, they also sell bodhran tippers. Dry Bone Music is one of the few places offering bodhran tippers made from discarded violin, cello and bass bows. These tippers are lightweight. Some top-end style players love these feather-weight tippers.
Do It Yourself
I build many of the rod tippers I use in playing. It's inexpensive and easy to do. Look for instructions on YouTube.
Stevie Moises
https://www.tippermaker.de/index.php/en/
Stevie is an innovative tipper maker. He is a brilliant craftsman and a superb percussionist. He builds all tippers that are sold with Hedwitschak drums. Stevie was a founding member of Troyan Drums. Troyan is a world class maker of kit drums located in Germany. Check out the videos on his website. Take a close look at the video showcasing the singer-songwriter Christian Lux. Listen to the amazing bodhran playing Stevie provides to her guitar and voice.
McNeela Instruments
https://mcneelamusic.com/bodhran-beaters-tippers/
McNeela offers many Celtic instruments including bodhrans and tippers.
My GO-TO tipper is the McNeela Fiddle Bow tipper. These tippers are recycled fiddle bows. The quality of their manufacture is stunning. For years I tried to play with tippers made out of fiddle bows. But, I found that these light weight tippers required too much energy to create the sound I wanted. McNeela has solved the weight problem by putting lead weight into the tipper shaft. The weight allows a player to utilize the momentum of the tipper to create accents. A perfect combination of size, density and weight distribution. Excellent for top-end style players.
Dry Bone Music
https://www.bonedrymusic.com/top-end-thin-bodhran-tipper-cippin-beater-s/177.htm
This company is famous for its extensive inventory of bones. But, they also sell bodhran tippers. Dry Bone Music is one of the few places offering bodhran tippers made from discarded violin, cello and bass bows. These tippers are lightweight. Some top-end style players love these feather-weight tippers.
Do It Yourself
I build many of the rod tippers I use in playing. It's inexpensive and easy to do. Look for instructions on YouTube.