Tunable Bodhrans

[Cynth]

I find that it is the perfect instrument to accompany TV commercials.

Now, this is okay, Doug. But if you find yourself moving along the oddity gradient much further than this............

[PJ]

check out this guy:
http://www.framedrums.de/videos/bodhran.mpg

That's great. Totally changed my opinion of bodhran players.

Martin, I do play the bodhran - have done for a few years. What gets me though is when I arrive at a session and see more bodhrans than people.

My view on bodhrans is that it's an easy instrument to learn to play but it's hard to learn to play it well. Many people (myself included) first get involved in sessions by playing a bodhran, which is fair enough. But no session needs more than one bodhran player (or perhaps two, for when one has to get a drink, take a whizz, etc). I attended a session a little while back and there were seven (count them, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) bodhran players. What's more amazing is that there were only 6 bodhran players. The lady who brought two had one tuneable and one non-tuneable. The explanation had something to do with atmospheric pressure and the lunar eclypse.

I would even get into the number, range and diversity of beaters but I will mention a few of the interesting accessories for dampening the sound of the bodhran. There were the usual collection of old t-shirts, towels, dish cloths, etc. But one guy had brought along an oven mit!! I MEAN, COME ON!!!

[Unseen122]

Tuanble Bodhrans. What will they think of next?

[Martin Milner]

check out this guy:
http://www.framedrums.de/videos/bodhran.mpg

That's great. Totally changed my opinion of bodhran players.

Martin, I do play the bodhran - have done for a few years. What gets me though is when I arrive at a session and see more bodhrans than people.

My view on bodhrans is that it's an easy instrument to learn to play but it's hard to learn to play it well. Many people (myself included) first get involved in sessions by playing a bodhran, which is fair enough. But no session needs more than one bodhran player (or perhaps two, for when one has to get a drink, take a whizz, etc). I attended a session a little while back and there were seven (count them, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) bodhran players. What's more amazing is that there were only 6 bodhran players. The lady who brought two had one tuneable and one non-tuneable. The explanation had something to do with atmospheric pressure and the lunar eclypse.

I would even get into the number, range and diversity of beaters but I will mention a few of the interesting accessories for dampening the sound of the bodhran. There were the usual collection of old t-shirts, towels, dish cloths, etc. But one guy had brought along an oven mitt!! I MEAN, COME ON!!!

With you 100% PJ.

At the new session I'm attending, there's two bodhran players, myself and a guy called Ed. I mostly play fiddle, but started bodhran to gain a greater appreciation of the instrument. It's definitely the "easy way in", but I rank myself #2 behind Ed, and only play if he's not. Unfortunately he doesn't do the same yet, but I'm sure we'll work out a system between us.

Ed carries three different bodhrans...

[jbarter]

Played well, they're great. At the Newmarket session we regularly play a tune (Pat a.k.a. Wjindbag can tell you what it's called) where each time through the A part a different instrument will play a few bars without the rest of us. The amazing Mr Marsden, our phenominally good bodhran player, actually plays the tune on it when his turn comes round.