Name: Bodhran
Description: Basicaly a single skin frame drum used in Northern Europe. It is often associated with Irish music but is not exclusive to it by any stretch of the imagination.
Cost: From practicly nothing to a large hole in your bank balance; or make your own (much more fun if you are into things like that).
From: I had a beautiful one that a friend made for me but it done got its self nicked. The one I use at present is a fairly cheap on I got in a local music shop.
Being a frame drum it links into drumming world wide. I cannot think of any culture through history that has not used, at some time, a sort of frame drum. There is no right or wrong way to play it. But... it is played in different ways in different parts of the world. So listening to and learning the style of a certain country or tribe will give an associated feeling. I play it in the Irish Celtic tradition when I'm haveing fun and in the style of a Native American frame drum for serious ritual work.
For ritual use I tend never to damp or deaden the skin as this is to, for me, deaden and damp the Spirit working through it. If I am raising energy then I may start with a slightly muffled skin but would never ever finish that way. The drum should be open and sing out. However thats only my opinion and as I said before: no way of playing is wrong if it feels right and good for you.
There is often a problem for people playing for rituals with simple frame drums. You practise at home till you sound wonderful. Then you go out deep into the country side to play out your heart and soul. But instaed of of the wonderful roar of the drum it sounds like a wet fish on wood!. This is because a natural skin will absorb moisture from the atmosphere around it and the skin will become slack. So cool damp night air can kill your drum, but will return to normal when you go back home. This is especialy true in this dry centraly heated age. To get round this try, if you can afford, it to buy a tuneable instrument. Then if the skin goes slack you can tune it back tight again. Remember to detune it before it dries out again else you drum skin may split. The second way is to treat the surface of the drum skin (inside and out) with something like Neetsfoot oil. This will hinder the absorbtion but is not a perfect answer. (do not use a lot of oil else the drum will go dead even without moisture.)
Just one last point... The beater that comes with a standard Bodhran tends to have a lump at each end and a smooth central stick. Beware, you will never ba able to efficiently hang on to it. Have a look at the picture and you will see that mine has a central ridge to stop it slipping. But hey, whatever you find comfortable will do. I'm making a beater at the moment out of Hickory wood that a friend sent me from the States. It will have a carved central grip.
Just play your own way and fall in love with your instrument. 8#)
~Dave the flute~