Triplets on the Bodhran
Triplets are frequently encountered in Celtic music. Many tunes were composed using triplets. Because the instrument has a very short sustain time, tenor banjo performances make extensive use of triplets. Bodhran performances are enlivened by the technique too.
What is a triplet?
A triplet is three tones played in the same time that normally two tones of the same time value would be played. There is much to say about triplets in music. However, this is a class about playing bodhran, the Irish Drum. So, the focus will be on how the triplet is used In Celtic music. For the most part, a triplet in Celtic music is constructed so that three eighth notes are played during the time that two eight notes note would have been played. If you want to learn more about the theory of triplets, a good starting point is this 10-minute YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=27&v=lAIorU3lNBE
How to play triplets
There are two methods for playing triplets on the bodhran - double end and single end. Both techniques should be mastered.
Double End Triplets
A triplet jams three beats into one beat. Most often in Celtic music it’s three eight-notes squished into the same time value as a quarter-note. To do this on the bodhran we use the upper end of the tipper.
An important issue in the double end triplet is how the tipper is held. To execute the double end triplet requires that the tipper be held in the middle. Double end triplets tend to sound a bit softer, less powerful than a single end triplet.
The other difficulty with the doubled end technique is that it doesn't sound like much until you get the movement up to speed. Because of this lack of feedback during practice, it can be frustrating to master this technique.
Here’s how it works.
1. Hit one down stroke
2. Follow through, in the extreme so that the bottom of the tipper not only points at the floor but begins to point UP from the floor. This motion will force the top end of the tipper to strike the head.
3. Your wrist must be relaxed to achieve fluidity in this technique. DO NOT engage your shoulder to play this technique. It's ALL in the wrist
DO NOT tilt the drum in an attempt to assist the top end strike.
Master this movement to produce TWO distinct sounds. The hit by the top of the tipper is NOT a separate movement. It is a follow through of the down-strike. It’s one fluid motion.
Once you have this single motion strike that produces two sounds, add the third strike.
The third strike is simply an up-strike.
This pattern is the triplet. It may help you to get the rhythm if you say aloud the word “triplet” in three distinct syllables: Tri –pl – et. Or in stroke-language DOWN – UP (top end following through) - DOWN. "A - pri - cot" works too.
Single End Triplets
The single ended technique is the most versatile way to play triplets. This is especially true when playing a jig. You already know how to do this motion. It’s just DOWN-UP-DOWN or UP-DOWN-UP at a high rate of speed. The top end of the tipper is not involved at all.
To master this technique practice DOWN-UP-DOWN and UP-DOWN-UP at ever increasing tempos until these patterns become natural at high speed. It helps to minimize the range of motion of the tipper while playing the triplet. Confine the distance the striking end of the tipper travels while playing triplets.
A good place to start mastering the technique is by learning rolls. Here’s a helpful video for that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0dddQYikw
Here’s a video showing the triplet move starting slowly and then speeding up to performance tempos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4uR6e1m5p4
When playing a jig, it works best to play the triplet as UP-DOWN-UP. In a typical jig pattern, the triplet appears on beats 5 and 6 of the 6|8 measure. Using the UP-DOWN-UP pattern at the end of the measure puts the first beat of the next measure on the DOWN stroke. The is important to maintain the phrasing of the groove. The full measure with the triplet at beats 5 and 6 then becomes: DOWN -UP-DOWN-DOWN-[UP-DOWN-UP]. The triplet is shown in brackets. The technique requires use of the "double down" stroke that is common used when playing a jig with or without triplets
What is a triplet?
A triplet is three tones played in the same time that normally two tones of the same time value would be played. There is much to say about triplets in music. However, this is a class about playing bodhran, the Irish Drum. So, the focus will be on how the triplet is used In Celtic music. For the most part, a triplet in Celtic music is constructed so that three eighth notes are played during the time that two eight notes note would have been played. If you want to learn more about the theory of triplets, a good starting point is this 10-minute YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=27&v=lAIorU3lNBE
How to play triplets
There are two methods for playing triplets on the bodhran - double end and single end. Both techniques should be mastered.
Double End Triplets
A triplet jams three beats into one beat. Most often in Celtic music it’s three eight-notes squished into the same time value as a quarter-note. To do this on the bodhran we use the upper end of the tipper.
An important issue in the double end triplet is how the tipper is held. To execute the double end triplet requires that the tipper be held in the middle. Double end triplets tend to sound a bit softer, less powerful than a single end triplet.
The other difficulty with the doubled end technique is that it doesn't sound like much until you get the movement up to speed. Because of this lack of feedback during practice, it can be frustrating to master this technique.
Here’s how it works.
1. Hit one down stroke
2. Follow through, in the extreme so that the bottom of the tipper not only points at the floor but begins to point UP from the floor. This motion will force the top end of the tipper to strike the head.
3. Your wrist must be relaxed to achieve fluidity in this technique. DO NOT engage your shoulder to play this technique. It's ALL in the wrist
DO NOT tilt the drum in an attempt to assist the top end strike.
Master this movement to produce TWO distinct sounds. The hit by the top of the tipper is NOT a separate movement. It is a follow through of the down-strike. It’s one fluid motion.
Once you have this single motion strike that produces two sounds, add the third strike.
The third strike is simply an up-strike.
This pattern is the triplet. It may help you to get the rhythm if you say aloud the word “triplet” in three distinct syllables: Tri –pl – et. Or in stroke-language DOWN – UP (top end following through) - DOWN. "A - pri - cot" works too.
Single End Triplets
The single ended technique is the most versatile way to play triplets. This is especially true when playing a jig. You already know how to do this motion. It’s just DOWN-UP-DOWN or UP-DOWN-UP at a high rate of speed. The top end of the tipper is not involved at all.
To master this technique practice DOWN-UP-DOWN and UP-DOWN-UP at ever increasing tempos until these patterns become natural at high speed. It helps to minimize the range of motion of the tipper while playing the triplet. Confine the distance the striking end of the tipper travels while playing triplets.
A good place to start mastering the technique is by learning rolls. Here’s a helpful video for that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0dddQYikw
Here’s a video showing the triplet move starting slowly and then speeding up to performance tempos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4uR6e1m5p4
When playing a jig, it works best to play the triplet as UP-DOWN-UP. In a typical jig pattern, the triplet appears on beats 5 and 6 of the 6|8 measure. Using the UP-DOWN-UP pattern at the end of the measure puts the first beat of the next measure on the DOWN stroke. The is important to maintain the phrasing of the groove. The full measure with the triplet at beats 5 and 6 then becomes: DOWN -UP-DOWN-DOWN-[UP-DOWN-UP]. The triplet is shown in brackets. The technique requires use of the "double down" stroke that is common used when playing a jig with or without triplets