Adding Some Rhythm to My Life

About 4 months ago, right around the time my new guitar arrived, I also picked up another instrument - the bodhran. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy learning/playing it and didn’t know how long I would stick with it, so I picked up an off-the-shelf model by Roosebeck from the store at the Old Town School of Folk Music (OTS).

As it turns out, I love playing this. I’ve been taking lessons at OTS from Mike Austin along with a few other students these past few months. I’ve gone from barely being able to strike the drum with the stick to really getting the hang of the rhythms, tones, and ornamentation. Beginning in late October I’ve even started taking it to a few sessions around the city.

So far, no one has put a knife through it or chucked it into the fireplace when I wasn’t looking, which I am taking as positive encouragement. I plan to continue my lessons through the end of the year and then look into having a new high-quality drum made from a professional builder.

Roosebeck Bodhran picked up in June 2019

You may have heard the bodhran appear in accompaniment on my last two Tune of the Week recordings - Out on the Ocean and The Snowy Path. I am still getting the hang of recording and mixing the drum with my limited knowledge of audio engineering. It still sounds a bit flat through the microphone, but I’m starting to learn a few tricks.