I became an official member of bodojo(known as THE Bodhran Site & Community) this week. If you find that your bodhran lessons seem too technical and complicated then you should check bodojo. The members are always helpful whither you are a beginner or an expert. People are always there to answer your questions. You don’t even have to post questions. All you need to do is just check out any thread and there will always be people posting answers (or asking questions) relevant to you.
The website started in 2001. With new great information and discussions every day, I know that even those with no inkling on the instrument will be encouraged to learn. The bodhran has gone a long way. It is now raised beyond its pulse-keeping past. I confess I get that want to own many bodhrans as there are lots of shapes and sizes being made out there.
I really thank the people in the bodojo community for getting me started.
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Please don’t miss my radio showon www.radiohappy.eu every Saturday afternoon (4:pm German time) where I play mostly Celtic music along with other genres.
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.
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.
Celtic Music Fan 