Creating Tones on a Bodhran

​It is possible to create three distinct tones on the bodhran.  These are: 1) the open tone, 2) the mid-tone, and 3) the high tone. Players use a combination of these three tones to enliven their performances.  

Creating the tones requires attention to four things:  1) the shape of your hand and fingers inside the drum, 2)  the position of your hand in the drum, 3) where and how hard the tipper strikes the drum.and 4) how much pressure your hand puts on the drum head.  

Old school bodhran technique called for a lot of up-and-down hand movement inside the drum.  A new generation of players has a different approach.  This technique is easier to understand by seeing it performaned than trying to read text describing it.  So,  give this video a careful viewing (probably multiple viewings!).

Move to 7:40 in this next video to hear and see another explanation of how to generate the three tones of a bodhran.  If you have not yet watched this video to learn about how to grip a tipper, sit through the entire video.