5 Skills Every Bodhrán Player Needs
5 Skills
Not necessarily in order of priority here are the big five.
1. Patience with your muscle and skill development
Even though you have a strong sense of rhythm, you’ll still need to develop accurate and steady rhythms. This takes time. We’re talking about developing large muscles groups as well as small muscle groups dedicated to executing the sticking patterns as accurately as possible and for long periods of time.
You need to allow your muscles to develop. It’s like weight lifting and then, later, like long distance running. Accuracy and stamina are essential if you’re going to play for an hour or more. And most sessions do roll on for at least that. So, don’t go at it for long periods of time at first. You need to work up to it. Take breaks every five to ten minutes when you first start out. If you feel any pain, stop for the day and pick it up again tomorrow. Let your muscles respond to the new demand you’re putting on them. An over-night rest will allow the new muscle growth to develop. If you’re going at it day after day, take a day off. Let your muscles recover from the stress, and learn some stretches to keep your muscles safe. It will pay off in the long run.
2. A Comfortable & Effective Tipper Grip
There are multiple excellent methods for gripping the tipper:
a. Center Trad Grip
b. Top End Trad grip
c. Top End Two-Finger grip
d. Top End Thumb-Lock
e. “Palm” Grip
3. Time Keeping
At first this is not going to be your first concern, but it is certainly a concern once you’re started. Get a metronome. They even have virtual metronomes online. I prefer a physical metronome so I can practice with it without the needed internet access. But if you have online access, don’t wait to purchase the physical one. Get started.
4. Volume Control
Playing too loudly can ruin the fun for your friends and musical partners. So, getting control over how loud you’re playing is extremely important. Learn how to alter your volume levels without changing the pulse or the tempo.
5. Tune Rhythm Identification
Recognizing what rhythmic tune type melody players are playing is a skill everyone needs to develop. Is it a jig, a reel, a hornpipe, a slip jig? Before you join in on a tune you definitely need to know what rhythm category the tune falls under. Close listening skills are what this calls for. Listening to plenty of Irish trad music is the easiest method of developing this skill, and playing along with Irish traditional music is the most effective way to develop this skill. It’s also the most enjoyable method.