On one of planxtys albums called words and music, the first song is called :The Queen Of Rushes/Paddy Fays Jig. The song is started off with the bodhran. I was just wondering has anyone who is familiar with the song and the bodhran got any ideas on how one might reproduce this wonderful sound, with regards to style of playing, timing, dampening andupstrokes/downstrokes?
I seem to remember Christy Moore as being the bodhran player on this track - I have a live TV recording on video tape somewhere. Christy is one of the few players to use his hand to do the beating rather than a stick. That's what probably gives the accompaniment a softer sound than usual.
Hey Iluvpints - if you like that track, try and get hold of The Clare Jig set from the Live 2004 album where both Christy and Donal play that way, but with Donal playing a bass bodhran.
yeah, saw the lads play it live, amazing! On the other track though, the bodhran stays for a bit and once the rest of the instruments join in, just at that second-you can really hear great bodhran playing, don`t think todays contempory styles can come close to it. Anybody know any bodhran teachers in the midlands of ireland?
Brilliant thread title. If it was "Bodhran help" it would be not so near as good. But "Bodhran Help", with the cap H, gives just the right pause between the two words.
However, yes, hit it with your hand, or more specifically, the middle knuckles on your first two fingers. It's more like stroking that hitting. And the specific technique you ask about is to hit/stroke it really really quietly. Learn to do that and you can come and play in my session any time (provided you sit far enough away of course)
Just listen to the tune and play along with it, naturally. If you are trying to remember up and down strokes, you are not concentrating on the music, and this way lies disaster.
Christy would not be good on tunes, he is better singing along with the drum. Lunny is a good player.
Bodhran Help
Bodhran Help
On one of planxtys albums called words and music, the first song is called :The Queen Of Rushes/Paddy Fays Jig. The song is started off with the bodhran. I was just wondering has anyone who is familiar with the song and the bodhran got any ideas on how one might reproduce this wonderful sound, with regards to style of playing, timing, dampening andupstrokes/downstrokes?
cheers folks
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by iluvpints
Re: Bodhran Help
No beater, I think. Just your hand - that's how Christy Moore usually does it. Very distinctive.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Alister
Re: Bodhran Help
I seem to remember Christy Moore as being the bodhran player on this track - I have a live TV recording on video tape somewhere. Christy is one of the few players to use his hand to do the beating rather than a stick. That's what probably gives the accompaniment a softer sound than usual.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Kenny
Re: Bodhran Help
Same reply posted twice at the same time !
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Kenny
Re: Bodhran Help
yeah, i gathered as much. But if you listen closely to the track and imagine it being played by hand, it seems pretty amazing!
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by iluvpints
Re: Bodhran Help
Hey Iluvpints - if you like that track, try and get hold of The Clare Jig set from the Live 2004 album where both Christy and Donal play that way, but with Donal playing a bass bodhran.
I think that track is about as good as it gets.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Alister
Re: Bodhran Help
yeah, saw the lads play it live, amazing! On the other track though, the bodhran stays for a bit and once the rest of the instruments join in, just at that second-you can really hear great bodhran playing, don`t think todays contempory styles can come close to it. Anybody know any bodhran teachers in the midlands of ireland?
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by iluvpints
Re: Bodhran Help
Brilliant thread title. If it was "Bodhran help" it would be not so near as good. But "Bodhran Help", with the cap H, gives just the right pause between the two words.
However, yes, hit it with your hand, or more specifically, the middle knuckles on your first two fingers. It's more like stroking that hitting. And the specific technique you ask about is to hit/stroke it really really quietly. Learn to do that and you can come and play in my session any time (provided you sit far enough away of course)
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: Bodhran Help
lower case is ok but you'd need a comma in between.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Dr. Dow
Re: Bodhran Help
yeah thanks lads, if i`d have wanted help on punctuation i`d have started a different thread, - Punctuation for Dummies!
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by iluvpints
Re: Bodhran Help
Christy starts the jig on the upstroke rather than the down stroke. If the upper case letters are where he emphasises the beat then the rhythm is:
UdUduDudUDud
In fact the non-emphasised beats in lower-case aren't so much played as implied, which is why the rhythm sounds strange until the pipes come in.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Bodhran Help
Correction:
UdUdUDuDUDuD
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Bodhran Help
Correction
Duh
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: Bodhran Help
thanks Conan, by implied, do you mean basically left out?
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by iluvpints
Re: Bodhran Help
Yup. I think he barely touches the skin for those beats.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Bodhran Help
Just listen to the tune and play along with it, naturally. If you are trying to remember up and down strokes, you are not concentrating on the music, and this way lies disaster.
Christy would not be good on tunes, he is better singing along with the drum. Lunny is a good player.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by bodhran bliss
Re: Bodhran Help
"Yup. I think he barely touches the skin for those beats."
Careful now -- this is a family website.
# Posted on December 6th 2006 by Phantom Button