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C’mon Let’s Learn How To Play The Bodhran!

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  I have been watching the videos of bodhran instructor for a few days now. This happened after stumbling into the bodhran lessons of Jesse Ferguson. I have to agree with Jesse that Michelle is very technical when it comes to teaching. I admire her detailed discussion about how to holding the instrument, how to generate a pleasant sounds (when you get one out of the box), how to hold the tipper (beater) properly and so much more.

Michelle Stewart: blog.ryanmacdonaldphotography.com

Michelle Stewart: blog.ryanmacdonaldphotography.com

 

Her channel also contains inspirational videos to help you maintain your creativity. I think these videos speak to all types of persuasions be it musical, visual or literary. I encourage you to visit her Bodhran Master Class youtube channel and subscribe because she has lots of ideas to give you. Especially if you are learning how to play the instrument for the first time.

I enjoy playing my bodhran because it gives me a sense of diversion from all the online work do. It is also a good way to really get to the bottom of traditional Irish music. The lessons provide me the understanding why they are called jigs, reels, slip jigs or hornpipes. I learned appreciate various rhythms that serve as foundation of traditional Irish music.

I also discovered many youtube channels where you can learn for free and I will be posting them at the end of this blog.

Learning the bodhran is therapeutic. You have options to buy less expensive ones if you are a beginner. Professional ones cost around $125.00 or more. I think it is a very flexible percussion in terms of generating tones. I learned that you can either play it loud or soft depending on how you move your left palm and also the amount of pressure you apply. I am an enthusiastic student and I hope you join me in this musical journey. I will be posting more about bodhran resources online in my future articles.

Michelle Stewart: http://bodhranexpert.com/  and http://www.youtube.com/user/BodhranMasterclass

Jesse Ferguson- Bodhran (Irish Frame Drum) Tutorial:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=790kmxPtHwA

Chris Weddle – Bodhran Lessons  : http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpwnIRlFS1ivyeMmCp7sKZSWbnBBTjxbU

My big thank you to Paula for the Walton’s Bodhran: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4M60O1l5yTWh-_Hl-u1EVA

 

 

A New Year’s Message Plus Podcast #18

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

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My peers have already their 2013/reflection up so I guess I have to add my own. A brief one. I started this site around 2009 as a way to relieve boredom. I was working on a night shift in another part of the country. I remember that my first article was all about Planxty. Back then I had no idea as to what kind of direction this blog was going to take. But I knew I need one in order to connect to the world. I knew back then that there’s a big world out there. All I needed to do was to tap into that energy and things will just happen.

And things happened. Good and bad. But they are part of the bigger picture. They had to happen so that life can unfold. That way, things will be set in motion. Bands come and go. Friends arrive and leave. But it’s just the natural order of things. We ebb and flow…and strangely find our paths to each other again. All we need was to have patience and to have a sense of detachment and trust that things happen so that they can set our destinies in motion.

It is beautiful to devote one’s life to music. Be it as a performing artist or a chronicler of the music. There are many wonders to be found. There are blessings that await us. Celtic music opened doors for me. Because of this site I got recommended and now I have other affiliations. www.celticmusicfan.com

www.spheremusic.com

 

www.expatspost.com

 

http://www.mixcloud.com/thecelticmusicfan/

 

www.radiohappy.eu

 

and www.subkulture.net

It is good to be part of bigger things. But it is also great to remember where we came from. I think that naïve, provincial and awkward part of us is that part what we should always hold close. The world will always try to shape, pound and level us into something that’s acceptable and ‘normal.’

But to be like a sponge requires good memory and persistence. They can confine us, hold us and put us in a box for a moment. But we will always return to our original form. And this is what makes us who we are. Happy New Year.

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For those who missed my radio show this Saturday  Podcast #18 is up!

Playlist:

Robert Doyle-Flags of Belfast
Michael (Blackie) O’Connell and John Joe Kelly – Traditional Medley
Eamon Murray- Bodhran Solo
Paddy Keenan-Uilleann Pipe medley
Tri Yann-L’Irlandaise
The APRILL-Fun Times
Nouvelle Electro-Radio
Sean McCarthy-Anami ( A prayer for Earth)
Joel Sarakula-I Will Deliver
Sarah Vaughan-The Man I Love
Gavern-Crystal Clear & Light is Passion (Incantation)
Samuel Smith-Bantry Bay

Folk Music Chronicler Peter Simmonds

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Peter Simmonds already shot and uploaded 10,325 music videos in his youtube site. All of them are live, taken from concerts and folk festivals around the UK. He’s from West Yorkshire and runs the Garden Care Maintenance business in Macclesfield.

He uploads  high quality videos daily using his Sony Pro(see the picture). From Capercaillie, Steeleyespan to the Strawbs. He’s got them all. Folk music should give this man an award as he keeps the scene alive and encourage music fans to check out what folk music has to offer.

Contact information:

simmo7ts@gmail.com

01625610021

 

Listen to Flags of Belfast by Robert Doyle

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Two years ago, Life in Shadows was released. It is still one of albums I listen to because of its timeless appeal. Artists are like heavenly bodies that shine when its their moment, and then they leave the orbit to give way to their creative period. In this gestation time, they leave us wondering about what might be in store when it’s their season to arrive once again. 1424447_662344490464319_103253994_n

The thing about Irish singer/songwriter Robert Doyle is that his songs always touch the human soul. They are always about life, the internal and external struggles one must face. No matter how we try to divorce ourselves from the politics of life, we can’t deny that everything affects us. In every discord, in every violence, life is always threatened. Sometimes it happens to people close to the artists ..and sometimes it happens to them.

We all want a better world and this is what the song Flags of Belfast is all about. The song features uilleann piper Eoin Dillon, who plays with the Irish band Kila, and also a singer named Aoife Dermody. Doyle explained that it is a traditional melody and the lyrics were written during the protests which took place in Belfast earlier this year about the flying of flags although the song is not political.

It has the unmistakable vocal style of Doyle which is very unique as I am yet to hear anyone who sings that way. It also has his signature guitar technique which he elaborated in the interview I did with him two years ago. Will this be the start of a new collection of songs that will become another album? Only Robert Doyle can say.

Robert Doyle – guitar and vocal
Aoife Dermody – vocal
Eoin Dillon – uilleann pipes

http://www.robertdoyle.net

Flags of Belfast

Boundaries are drawn
On council walls
Divisions are made easily
When a vote was called
The decision did say
The flag won’t fly daily

The Union remains
But the North had changed
Some divisions are the same
Next time you hear the Lagan sound
See the flags of Belfast town

When the protests began
Where are the leaders now
Heard with nothing to say
If there was a chance or a call for calm
It was soon swept away

Living on the sides
Of religious divides
Faith not faded with time
Next time round can you ask the crown
Has she seen the flags of Belfast town

At the start of the night
Through empty streets with dark light
Marches begin to pass
Along an enclave
Calls of an old age
Armed guards to defend both sides

Segregation in schools
Teaches old rules
Lessons begin early
As the children plan
To not let tradition down
And wear the flags in Belfast town

With the city closed
Blockades along the roads
Wasn’t this all a thing of the past
A sectarian divide
A part of city lives
No need to portray any side

Masks leave faces with no names
One after another taking aim
As broken bottles fall all around
The flags of Belfast town

You can buy Flags of Belfast, a new single by Irish singer/songwriter Robert Doyle through iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/flags-of-belfast-single/id775461242

Serundal:Channeling Celtic Myths on the Coil of New Age

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Hypnotic, soothing and beautiful. It is always a blessing when musicians reach out to CMF to let me hear what they are doing. Wales is the homeland of Serundal, a duo composed of David king and Maxie. Maxie reminds me a bit of the lead vocalist of another Welsh duo Ceredwen. But Serundal’s songs are less wispy and more organic.

Like their New Age peers, Serundal relies heavily on atmospheric tunes and steady beats. These aspects give each songs room to breath on the part of the listeners. Whither you want something soft to play on the background while doing something else or you really want to dissect the mythical inspirations behind the tracks, Serundal has them.

Stone of Destiny, The Hag of Winter, White Stag and The Water Dance are among the best examples of their captivating sound. Their music can be described as electronic/New Age with songwriting structure heavily influenced by folk music. You can sample more of their tracks if you go to their CD baby page http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Serundal.

Band bio(from their facebook page)

Biography
UK Songwriting Contest 2010 four tracks submitted- Three from ‘Land of the     Sixth  Moon’  one from ‘Yule’ all voted semi-finalists 2010. 2009 Semi-finalists in the UK songwriters Contest for ‘Lady of the isles’
Members … David: producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist/lyrics / vocals Maxie: research/ lyrics/lead vocal
Hailed by one reviewer as ‘the new Clannad’ since 2006  Serundal has produced eight full albums and two E.Ps have been released.       Maxie has been a published poet since the age of  fifteen, and Serundal was first born through a    combination of her ideas set in poetry and David’s musical  creativity.      Together, born of Scottish, English and Welsh ancestry they have managed to weave together what has been described as ‘a truly magical mix of  Celtic and Anglo-Saxon storytelling traditions with the energy of 21st century arrangements.’      Their music has been described as ‘timeless’ ‘cinematic’ and ‘visual’ and since 2007, they have been a featured artist on www.ubl.com      Their track  ‘Lady of the Isles’ (Waiting Rooms) has reached number 20 in the world chart of 521 artistes in  www.iacmusic.com      Through listeners votes their songs have scored highly in charts like www.songvault.fm where Serundal was the first artiste in the folk genre to have  fifteen tracks on the songvault directory and to receive permanent airplay
‘The Elven Robe’  featured on Gene Godfrey’s Classic f.m  www.angelfire.com      ‘The Storm’ featured on Andrew John’s station on www.celticaradio.com       ‘The Elven Robe’ played on Bill Everatt’s Underground www.celticaradio.com       ‘Lady of the Isles’ played on Highlander radio (Live 365) www.celticradio.net       ‘Snowy Owl’ on Deep Cuts radio    http://www.live365.com/stations/4music2       ‘Incantation’ reached number 2 in the folk charts on www.somojo.net
Both Ab Initi (2006) and ‘Leylines’ (2007) have received excellent reviews.
Christmas 2008 saw the release of ‘Dark Days White Knights’ an album based on medieval Celtic and Arthurian legend, which has taken their musical journey into the world of progressive folk.
In the summer of 2009  ‘Lady of the Isles’  (Waiting Rooms 2006) was voted one of the songs to make it to the semi-finals of the prestigious UK Songwriter’s Contest, a remarkable achievement since this was Serundal’s first submission and there were over 6,500 entries of a very high standard.
Christmas 2009 sees the release of ‘Yule’ a special edition Christmas E.P  a magical mystical blend of the Winter Solstice and the Christmas story.
Follow Serundal on twitter www.last.fm/serundal www.myspace.com/serundalmusic www.serundal.com www.cdbaby.com
members of:  http://www.songwriters-guild.co.uk/

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To those who are trying to get in touched with me, I took a one month off from facebook. Please use my email joseromel.labatos@gmail.com. To current contacts all my fb messages go directly to my windows mobile but I would not be able to see your posts.