The Strike
Key Points
- The edge of the tipper is used for most strikes. That may be the top or bottom edge. But, the strike is always done with the edge, never the blunt end of the tipper.
- The top of the tipper is used for double end triplets and some fancy playing on the wooden rim but not much else.
- The side of the tipper is used for rim shots.
- MOST strikes will be made in the front half of the drum head – that part most distance from the drummer. If your arm moves too close to your chest you run the great risk of catching the tipper in you clothing!
- Most playing will be done just above the center of the drum head. DO NOT play in the center of the drum head. This region is somewhat of an acoustical dead zone. You won't produce the best tone by striking the center of the drum. Play just above the center. Don't try to wander all over the drum head. That will only waste energy. Moreover, in fast tempo tunes, you won't be able to keep up.
- Play for accuracy and crispness. Don't attempt to play as loud as possible. It isn't necessary and it will diminish the quality of your playing.
- For the DOWN stroke and the UP stroke use a GLANCING blow to the drum head. Don't slam the tipper square down on the head. The glancing blow is the only way to create good sound AND keep up with the tempo of the music. The Flat stroke does strike directly into the drum, however, it relies on the tipper bouncing off the head.
The motion of the strike MUST be relaxed.
- Watch the right hand of a good rhythm guitar player. That’s the fluid sort of motion required to play the bodhran.
- Move your wrist as though you were trying to open a door or turn a key in a lock. Make the movement snappy like you arer trying to shake water your hand.
- The motion of the strike is mostly accomplished by twisting the forearm. It may appear that a bodhran player engages the full arm. But, that is an illusion. Energy and technique emerge from a twisting action of the forearm. Engaging your shoulder and entire arm will exhaust you and cause serious shoulder pain.
The Three Basic Strokes: DOWN Stroke - UP Stroke - FLAT Stroke
Details about how to produce each stroke are below. The Down stroke will be the most natural of the three. Plus, gravity is helping! The Up stroke is not at all natural. It will require significant time to master this stroke. The movement isn’t natural and gravity works against the flow of the movement. The Flat stroke is the least natural of the three strokes. It requires a direct hit on the drum. No glancing blow. The Flat stroke is done straight into the head and, until you master it, this stroke feels really weird.
Details about how to produce each stroke are below. The Down stroke will be the most natural of the three. Plus, gravity is helping! The Up stroke is not at all natural. It will require significant time to master this stroke. The movement isn’t natural and gravity works against the flow of the movement. The Flat stroke is the least natural of the three strokes. It requires a direct hit on the drum. No glancing blow. The Flat stroke is done straight into the head and, until you master it, this stroke feels really weird.
To execute a single down stroke:
Only a portion of this arc will be used when playing. The motion centers in the wrist and forearm. Move as though you were mixing pancake batter or shaking water off your hands. Do not move your fore arm up and down. That movement will make a loud noise, but this coarse movement does not allow the play to create any finesse. Techniques including triplets and dynamics will not be possible. Playing with excessive motion of the full arm will fatigue the player and eventually produce shoulder pain.
The arc of the tripper will begin at about 1 o’clock on the drum head and end at about 4 or 5 o’clock.
Keep your non-tipper hand inside the drum with the fingers on the drum head to stabilize the bodhran.
- Hold the tipper close to the drum head and at an angle of about 20 degrees with the head.
- Point the tipper and the fingers of your hand over your shoulder
- In a single, smart snap, move the tipper so that your fingers point toward the floor. Don’t try to stop the tipper immediately after you strike the head. Follow through the strike until your fingers point toward the floor.
Only a portion of this arc will be used when playing. The motion centers in the wrist and forearm. Move as though you were mixing pancake batter or shaking water off your hands. Do not move your fore arm up and down. That movement will make a loud noise, but this coarse movement does not allow the play to create any finesse. Techniques including triplets and dynamics will not be possible. Playing with excessive motion of the full arm will fatigue the player and eventually produce shoulder pain.
The arc of the tripper will begin at about 1 o’clock on the drum head and end at about 4 or 5 o’clock.
Keep your non-tipper hand inside the drum with the fingers on the drum head to stabilize the bodhran.
To execute a single up stroke
Reverse the directions for the down stroke.
This description is somewhat exaggerated. However, it accurately describes the arc followed by the tipper. In practice, you will use only a section of this arc. The faster the tempo, the smaller the section of the arc that will be used.
Reverse the directions for the down stroke.
- With the tipper and fingers pointed toward the floor, execute a single, smart snap that ends with your fingers pointing over your shoulder.
- Follow through with the motion. Don’t stop the motion after striking the head. End with the tipper pointing over your shoulder.
This description is somewhat exaggerated. However, it accurately describes the arc followed by the tipper. In practice, you will use only a section of this arc. The faster the tempo, the smaller the section of the arc that will be used.
For both the down-stroke and the up-stroke
The movement must be fluid and relaxed. Look at the way a rhythm guitar player works the right hand. The motion is fluid, loose and not exaggerated. Move your wrist as though you were trying to shake off water. This is the fluid motion required to play the bodhran. At the same time you work to be fluid, the strike on the head must be smart and snappy. Make it pop! Aim for a glancing blow on the head. Remember to follow through on the strike.
The movement must be fluid and relaxed. Look at the way a rhythm guitar player works the right hand. The motion is fluid, loose and not exaggerated. Move your wrist as though you were trying to shake off water. This is the fluid motion required to play the bodhran. At the same time you work to be fluid, the strike on the head must be smart and snappy. Make it pop! Aim for a glancing blow on the head. Remember to follow through on the strike.
To execute a flat stroke
Various names are applied to this stroke. Some call it the “IN” stroke. That’s because the stroke is done by hitting directly into the drum head. Think of this as a truncated down stroke. But, instead of following through, hit and pull the tipper OUT of the drum head. The flat stroke begins just like a down stroke. That is it begins with the twist of the forearm.
You may find that this stroke demands more effort by the thumb and index finger to execute it well. But, mostly the flat stroke is done by sort of “flicking” the tipper into the head and letting it bounce off. It will take time to master the flat stroke, but in the end it will become a valuable tool, especially when playing jig rhythms.
Video Help!
An excellent explanation and demonstration of the three basic strokes is provided by Matthew Bell at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCGxkInEn4&t=609s
An excellent explanation and demonstration of the three basic strokes is provided by Matthew Bell at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCGxkInEn4&t=609s
Problem Solving
1. Sliding tipper:
2. That awful scratchy sound
1. Sliding tipper:
- Put a rubber band at the center of the tipper
- Apply grip tape to the center of the tipper. Grip tape used on snare drum sticks or tennis rackets or bicycle handlebars can work. Even cloth-based adhesive tape can work. Do not use compounds like “gorilla grip”. That just makes every thing you touch sticky!
2. That awful scratchy sound
- Every player begins with a scratchy sound. This will pass as your strike gets more confident and snappy. The scratchy sound is caused by dragging the tipper across the head rather than striking the head smartly. The UP stroke always seems to generate more scratchy sound than the DOWN stroke. That's normal.
- The drum head may need sanding and/or moisturizing. See the section on drumhead care.
- Your strike may be tentative. Hit the drumhead smartly and get the tipper off the head. Don’t drag the tipper along the head. Smack that thing! The strike should be an arc. The apex of that arc is where the strike occurs. That contact point should be small even though the arc of the strike may be rather large. Be assertive.
- If the drum head has a tattoo, that decoration may be the source of the problem. Painted logos or symbols on the drum head of a bodhran can deaden the voice and cause a scratchy sound. If the drum is a wall-hanger, decorations are just fine. But, if you are going to play the drum, forget the corporate symbols and cute Celtic-ish paintings.
3. All drums “play in”
That means as you play the bodhran the tipper will polish the head. The more you play, the smoother and quieter the head will become. High-end drums rarely suffer a scratchy head sound because the builders take great care to make the head ready to play.
That means as you play the bodhran the tipper will polish the head. The more you play, the smoother and quieter the head will become. High-end drums rarely suffer a scratchy head sound because the builders take great care to make the head ready to play.