Amazingly I have been informed, once again, that it is possible to play
the melody of a tune on bodhran. I remain skeptical.
Perhaps 'Brian Bohru's March' . . . but certainly not "Farewell to Ireland, Dinkie Dorian's . . . Fig for a Kiss' . . .nor the vast majority of trad tunes.
Is there a single member of thesession making such a claim?
If so take this challenge. Find the best trad player you know (after yourself, of course) & play a tune. Then ask them to name what you are playing.
Perhaps you could use one of those new "tuning" contraptions mentioned on another thread, tune the drum with you electronic tunes and record each note separately. Sample them and get your abc midi player thing to play tunes using the samples as notes. I bet that would sound great.
For all the jokes and teasing that will inevitably come with this thread, I have played with some very good bodhran players who did know the tunes well; by name and melody, and it greatly enhanced not only their enjoyment of the tunes but their fellow session mates as well. Their knowledge of the melody allowed them to accent where appropriate, put in breaks or tonal changes that complimented the phrase, and drive/pulse where strong themes encouraged it.
Dirtyheel are you out there to back me up on this?
I'm with Jusa in that a good bodhran player who knows the tune can play in a complimentary style - adding appropriate emphasis, breaks etc. It can sound great like that.
What drives me up the wall is bodhran players who forget they are playing a drum, and consequently play "the melody" in beats (but without the actual notes).
IMHO this just adds annoying rumble to the mix.
Give us a good regular repeating well emphasised pattern to drive the music.
1: Playing the drum as a solo instrument you could produce the necessary beats of a tune but you would be humming the tune in your head and no-one would be able to identify the tune, bar possibly "O'Neill's March". So to that extent it is not possible to play a tune on a bodhran.
2: It is possible to play a beat for every note of a tune while backing melody players, but is that "playing a tune?"
Thanks for all the responses.
I gather that accompaniment players should concentrate on complimenting the melody . . . Bodhran solos, however, they are free to do anything to which they* take a fancy.
* my colloquial use of they except where "they" implies an ensemble of goat whackateers.
Michael's apoplexy aside (and the most hilarious comment in weeks)...
I'm always thoroughly skeptical of folks who make this claim, if just for the fact that the tone of the drum head changes almost constantly due to temperature and humidity change. I guess I also wonder what the point of trying to play the melody, tones, rhythm and all, on the drum? It's just inferior to playing a real instrument if what you want to do is give voice to the melody. It's why a lot of the direction of modern bodhran playing doesn't make sense to me, and doesn't seem very connected to the actual music. It seems more a cult in and of itself.
Like Jusa said, I think the advantage of knowing the tune allows the bodhran player to know where it's going in terms of rhythms, pulses, emphases, breaks, etc. That allows the player to more deeply attend to what those around him/her are doing and compliment and emphasize what the melody players are doing, to support and lift the tunes they play.
On the other hand, bodhran solos are like premature ejaculation...you know perfectly well what's about to happen, but you can't do a thing about it...
That clip reminded me of people who play tunes by thwacking their fingers against their cheeks with their mouths opening to various shapes to change the pitch.
it is quite amazing... yer man did actually play the tune but I don't think this style would be any good at the session. Anywhom, I'm sure it should lead to some entertaining arguments on here.....
I have heard someone play a tune on a bodhran once, a long time ago, as a party piece in a session. Can't remember, who played it or what they played, but everyone shut up and listened. I remember it was a reel, and was perfectly distinct. However, after the party piece was finished, and the applause and cheers had died down, he went back to playing the bodhran 'normally' and the session just carried on as normal.
"That clip reminded me of people who play tunes by thwacking their fingers against their cheeks with their mouths opening to various shapes to change the pitch."
Now THAT I can do!
Hilarious Michael!!! That was my reaction as well. Well, we can be thankful it's just a 'party piece', I suppose.
..but at least anyone familiar with a keyboard had the advantage of being able to *see* which notes Cooper was playing on his dummy keyboard, and hence try to deduce the tune from that (as well as from the rhythm)
Has anyone actually heard Stevie Wonder?
His original version was 'lovely'. The ensemble clip is simply funny.
If all you need is funny then you can keep tapping out those melodies. Just remember to listen to the source from which you learned.
"I have some specific patterns I use on the bodhran for specific tunes; does this mean I know the tune on the bodhran?"
Very likely you know the tune & are complimenting the melody.
Thankfully no one is taking the original challenge in any serious way,
"Find the best trad player you know (after yourself, of course) & play a tune. Then ask them to name what you are playing."
Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Amazingly I have been informed, once again, that it is possible to play
the melody of a tune on bodhran. I remain skeptical.
Perhaps 'Brian Bohru's March' . . . but certainly not "Farewell to Ireland, Dinkie Dorian's . . . Fig for a Kiss' . . .nor the vast majority of trad tunes.
Is there a single member of thesession making such a claim?
If so take this challenge. Find the best trad player you know (after yourself, of course) & play a tune. Then ask them to name what you are playing.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by TheMuse
**
The fellow who told me this is good on bodhran.
Strong rhythm & nice tone. I just think the claim exceeds his ability.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by TheMuse
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Oooh, this is gonna be good.
Perhaps you could use one of those new "tuning" contraptions mentioned on another thread, tune the drum with you electronic tunes and record each note separately. Sample them and get your abc midi player thing to play tunes using the samples as notes. I bet that would sound great.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
The only tune I know on bodhran is :
boompity boompity boompity boomp. Ka-chunk.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Ron Foreman
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
For all the jokes and teasing that will inevitably come with this thread, I have played with some very good bodhran players who did know the tunes well; by name and melody, and it greatly enhanced not only their enjoyment of the tunes but their fellow session mates as well. Their knowledge of the melody allowed them to accent where appropriate, put in breaks or tonal changes that complimented the phrase, and drive/pulse where strong themes encouraged it.
Dirtyheel are you out there to back me up on this?
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Knowing' the tune is important.
"Playing" the tune is significantly different.
I know 2 drummer's who say they do both.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by TheMuse
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
I'm with Jusa in that a good bodhran player who knows the tune can play in a complimentary style - adding appropriate emphasis, breaks etc. It can sound great like that.
What drives me up the wall is bodhran players who forget they are playing a drum, and consequently play "the melody" in beats (but without the actual notes).
IMHO this just adds annoying rumble to the mix.
Give us a good regular repeating well emphasised pattern to drive the music.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by bodatcha
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Here you are my lovelies. Remember, it's just a bit of fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uta7eZUJzlQ
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Gran Cassa
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
1: Playing the drum as a solo instrument you could produce the necessary beats of a tune but you would be humming the tune in your head and no-one would be able to identify the tune, bar possibly "O'Neill's March". So to that extent it is not possible to play a tune on a bodhran.
2: It is possible to play a beat for every note of a tune while backing melody players, but is that "playing a tune?"
I doubt it.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
I have some specific patterns I use on the bodhran for specific tunes; does this mean I know the tune on the bodhran?
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Did anybody watch Gran Cassa's clip?
Apparently, the guy knows the tune to "Isn't She Lovely?" by Stevie Wonder and can play it on the bodhran. I'm quite impressed.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Which "Tunes" do you know?
Thanks for all the responses.
I gather that accompaniment players should concentrate on complimenting the melody . . . Bodhran solos, however, they are free to do anything to which they* take a fancy.
* my colloquial use of they except where "they" implies an ensemble of goat whackateers.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by TheMuse
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Well feckin hell. Dig my eyballs out with a spoon and force feed me them. I watched that Gran Cassa's clip ans YES.
YES ... YES ... YES ... YES ... YES ... YES ...
OH BLOODY HELL YES.
You can play tunes on a bodhran
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Michael's apoplexy aside (and the most hilarious comment in weeks)...
I'm always thoroughly skeptical of folks who make this claim, if just for the fact that the tone of the drum head changes almost constantly due to temperature and humidity change. I guess I also wonder what the point of trying to play the melody, tones, rhythm and all, on the drum? It's just inferior to playing a real instrument if what you want to do is give voice to the melody. It's why a lot of the direction of modern bodhran playing doesn't make sense to me, and doesn't seem very connected to the actual music. It seems more a cult in and of itself.
Like Jusa said, I think the advantage of knowing the tune allows the bodhran player to know where it's going in terms of rhythms, pulses, emphases, breaks, etc. That allows the player to more deeply attend to what those around him/her are doing and compliment and emphasize what the melody players are doing, to support and lift the tunes they play.
On the other hand, bodhran solos are like premature ejaculation...you know perfectly well what's about to happen, but you can't do a thing about it...
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by dirtyheel
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
That clip reminded me of people who play tunes by thwacking their fingers against their cheeks with their mouths opening to various shapes to change the pitch.
Cute, but that's not drumming.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
it is quite amazing... yer man did actually play the tune but I don't think this style would be any good at the session. Anywhom, I'm sure it should lead to some entertaining arguments on here.....
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by camwebby
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Its very difficult to play a goatskin in any of the minor keys.
And slow airs are no go area.
You can not play a scale on a skin.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by gooseinthenettles
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
I liked it. (The clip that is.)
I have heard someone play a tune on a bodhran once, a long time ago, as a party piece in a session. Can't remember, who played it or what they played, but everyone shut up and listened. I remember it was a reel, and was perfectly distinct. However, after the party piece was finished, and the applause and cheers had died down, he went back to playing the bodhran 'normally' and the session just carried on as normal.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
tap-diddly-tap-boom-boom - that is obviously a waltz
tap-diddly-tap-boom-boom - that is a reel
tap-diddly-tap-boom-boom - and that is a jig
which tune? - does it matter? Its only a bodhoran.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by geoffwright
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
WTF people!
Surely to play with any music a prerequisite is to know what you're playing first?!?
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by VocalDivaSteed
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
"That clip reminded me of people who play tunes by thwacking their fingers against their cheeks with their mouths opening to various shapes to change the pitch."
Now THAT I can do!
Hilarious Michael!!! That was my reaction as well. Well, we can be thankful it's just a 'party piece', I suppose.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9423
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
..but at least anyone familiar with a keyboard had the advantage of being able to *see* which notes Cooper was playing on his dummy keyboard, and hence try to deduce the tune from that (as well as from the rhythm)
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by domnull
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
Has anyone actually heard Stevie Wonder?
His original version was 'lovely'. The ensemble clip is simply funny.
If all you need is funny then you can keep tapping out those melodies. Just remember to listen to the source from which you learned.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by TheMuse
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
"I have some specific patterns I use on the bodhran for specific tunes; does this mean I know the tune on the bodhran?"
Very likely you know the tune & are complimenting the melody.
Thankfully no one is taking the original challenge in any serious way,
"Find the best trad player you know (after yourself, of course) & play a tune. Then ask them to name what you are playing."
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by TheMuse
Re: Which "Tunes" do you know on the bodhran?
paddy mc gintys goat and
i cant get no satisfaction and
the rose of arran more
# Posted on April 24th 2008 by Pat Duff