drums

February 2015 Celtic music updates.

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..And so we have amazing tunes to start the big bang of Celtic music for 2015!

Welcome to my ‘conversational post’ where I talk like a normal person especially when I am not doing album reviews or interviews. 2015 brings us fantastic tunes in the trad and fusion department. Celtic music is colorful as it embraces many. I will

The winning image from the Bodojo Header competition by Matthew Olwell.

The winning image from the Bodojo Header competition by Matthew Olwell.

bring you fresh uploads from musicians you have not or probably heard already. But guess what they have in common? Yes it’s fantastic music. These are artists who dedicated their lives in perfecting their craft. They have released albums independently and I think their persistence is admirable. Especially in a world where ‘common’ or ‘ordinary’ music is praised. But think about it. What’s so great about common right? Why not spice up your life with something you seldom read up the Billboard or Rolling Stone reviews. Why be part of the herd when you can be different. Think different. Act different and dare to be you.

This is a fresh upload from Irish musician Enda Seery(with James Hughes). I think a new album is on the way. What do you think? I love this tune.

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I will be posting an album review of this amazing artist. He is John Breen. 

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Have a taste of Buan, the new album by Danu. Yes they have a new album out if you haven’t heard yet. It’s been creating quite a stir in the trad community these days. Worth a check! Thanks to Trad Connect for this link.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_eYEmuc0hM

Fans of Scottish artist Julie Fowlis will be pleased. She has released a new album called  GACH SGEUL – EVERY STORY. As always, her vocals are in between the haunting realm of Celtic music and the simplicity of indie pop. Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/juliefowlis

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http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVvUXsA7is

Bodhran Drum Solo – Abe Doron

Fans of bodhran music will love this! I love the bodhran and I am trying to be an expert but I guess I need more time. If you want to check out anything related to this instrument then be part of Bodojo https://www.facebook.com/groups/bodojo/?fref=ts

Have a great weekend everyone and more to follow!

Celtic Percussion with Matthew Bell(Interview)

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Matthew Bell

Attention drummers. It’s time to play Celtic Percussion with Matthew Bell! 

As we move into our drum-centric posts in the coming weeks, this interview with Matthew Bell is a good opener. I subscribed to his Contemporary Bodhran YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/mattbellmusic) several months ago and enjoy every update. He brings something different to the world of Celtic percussion. His teaching method has that Zen approach and he talks in that easy, friendly way. So it is really an honor to feature him in this site and to get insights regarding music and theory in general.

1. You must be enjoying your project Celtic Percussion Collective as I am seeing new video tutorials coming out.

Yes, indeed I am enjoying what we have going at the CPC at the moment. We’ve had a really positive response to our educational and performance projects so far and we have a bunch of new things in the works for the coming year!

2. Where do you get your ideas for your video shoots?

Great question! My ideas come from my teaching and performing experiences as well as having a music school background. I approach the teaching of the bodhran in exactly the same way as I teach pipe band drumming, or any other percussion instrument for that matter. I have found over the years that technique and a musical approach are often glazed over or not really taught at all to beginning students. Learning of the bodhran is just as fun, and playing the instrument is just as addictive if you learn proper technique from the start.

3. Can you tell us more about your other projects?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2S-h9wtc9E

Sure! I have more free videos in the works for my Contemporary Bodhran YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/mattbellmusic). I’m also working on a subscription-based bodhran educational website called the Contemporary Bodhran. The site will feature over 150 video tutorials, a chat room, bodhran-related merchandise for sale, and a host of other things. I’m also working on a signature bodhran tipper with the legendary tipper maker, Stevie Moises (www.tippermaker.eu). At the CPC, we’re expanding our clinic offerings to more universities, and we’re also working on a course for pipe band drumming.

4. Can you tell us about this new book you have and what can readers benefit from getting this book.

The Contemporary Bodhran book is a great supplement to my online bodhran videos, and is a good reference for new players of the instrument or people looking to expand their style and technique who have been playing for a while.

5. What’s your advice to those who are just starting to pick up their bodhran in terms of improvement?

Work on your fundamental technique as much as possible. Don’t be in a rush to get out playing sessions too quickly. If you really get the fundamentals down the first time, you’ll have a really solid base to then expand from. Practice a little bit every day- spaced repetition is key.

6. You play other kinds of drums. Why percussion?

Why not percussion!?!?! 🙂 Drums are cool, everyone knows that! Seriously though, I was drawn to percussion from a really young age. I love the sound of the instruments, I love what it feels like to play, and I love accompanying other musicians!

7. Where can people get in touch with you for tutorials?

The CPC website: www.celticpercussion.com

The Contemporary Bodhran YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/mattbellmusic

The CPC YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/celticpercussion

The CPC is also on Facebook and Twitter! www.facebook.com/celticpercussioncollective, @celtpercussion

8. Your message to music enthusiasts and lovers of Celtic percussion?

It’s never too late to get started playing Celtic music or Celtic percussion! My life is what it is because I was lucky enough to grow up in the Celtic music community, and I feel privileged to be able to pass on what I’ve learned to students from all over the world!

Rickie O’ Neill-Don’t You Just Love Drums?

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Rickie O’ Neill from Claremorris, County Mayo Ireland talks to us using his sticks(Interview via Facebook chat):

What are your projects for this year in terms of musical collaboration or individual performances?

Well, I will be recording an album with a guy in Galway. I have some gigs with Silver Circus. I must do a concert with the renowned singers Dolores, Sean and Matt Keane. I will hopefully shoot another drumming video with director/producer/good friend Curtis Morris. I will play a fund raising concert with some great friends in December. I have to keep practicing hard in order to get better. I think I have a musical coming up in April 2011 and I have a project to see through in Dublin but that is still pending.

In a band, how is a drummer different from the rest?

Oh wow that’s a tough one. Well, every member of a band serves the band in their own unique way, and each member has  responsibilities. A bass player is the backbone of the band, the guitarists provide the melodies and the drummer keeps the time for the whole band, so the rest of the players can sit on top off that groove and do what they do best. I wouldn’t say the drummer is any different from the other band members as each member carries equal importance. There is one thing different about drummers however…….we sweat more:-)

Any song(s) you like to play on drums?

Well when I started playing I loved to play along to Red Hot Chili Pepper songs as Chad Smith is a grooves master and there is so much you can learn from the way he grooves! As time went on I started improvising a lot more when is hugely beneficial to every drummer as it will eventually bring out your own style of drumming.

What do you love about Dublin?

I am not from Dublin myself, I live in the west of Ireland but I can say that Dublin is a great city. There are great people in Dublin. The social/night life is fantastic, there are some beautiful music venues. Also, there is a lot of history and culture in Dublin which everyone loves and respects!GO TO DUBLIN,IT IS A GREAT PLACE:-)YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!


The Bodhran: The Heart of Celtic Music

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ist2_4236704-traditional-irish-scene-with-bodhran-drum-on-wooden-bar-counterWe know that sound. A low ominous thumping recalling to mind ancient warfare and celebration. The Bodhran is known as the heart of Celtic music. For what is Celtic music without it? There is something about its geometry that is aesthetically pleasing. And the way it is played is like no other. Here are some good links on how one learns to play the Bodhran. These are guides to walk you through.

A Beginner’s Guide to Bodhran

Playing the Bodhran

Introduction to the Bodhran

Video1

Video2

All about the bodhran(Irish frame drum)

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bodhran

  Been a fan of this percussion instrument for God knows how long. There is something about it that calls to mind the feelings on anticipation, excitement,glee and of course sensuality.It’s the quality of the bodhran’s sound that is unparalleled by other percussion instrument.There is expressiveness there and yes love by its creator.My friend Brandon has a bodhran. Someone in Multiply asked me if there is a store that sells bodhran here. What” In the Philippines? Unless there’s a marooned Irish musician, then you’ll be in luck.

Quick info:

The bodhrán (pronounced /ˈbɔːrɑːn/ or /ˈbaʊrɑːn/; plural bodhráns or bodhráin) is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65cm (10″ to 26″) in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45cm (14″ to 18″). The sides of the drum are 9 to 20cm (3½” to 8″) deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side (although nowadays, synthetic heads, or new materials like kangaroo skin, are sometimes used). The other side is open ended for one hand to be placed against the inside of the drum head to control the pitch and timbre. One or two crossbars, sometimes removable, may be inside the frame, but this is increasingly rare on professional instruments. Some professional modern bodhráns integrate mechanical tuning systems similar to those used on drums found in drum kits.

History

There is evidence that the bodhrán was used during the Irish rebellion of 1603, by the Irish forces as a battle drum, or that the use of the drum was to provide a cadence for the pipers and warriors to keep to, as well as announce the arrival of the army. This leads some to think that the bodhrán was derived from an old Celtic war drum.