Bodhráns & Irish Drums

Bodhrans & Irish Drums to Bring the Sounds of Ireland Home

If you want to bring the sound of the Emerald Isle into your living room, choosing one of the affordable bodhrans in this collection will help you to do just that. There are hundreds of different new and preowned bodhran models to choose from, and eBay makes it easy to find the exact style you're looking for. Learn more about how to pick out the ideal Celtic beater by reading these informative questions and answers.

Bodhrans are most commonly used in traditional Irish folk music. These drums accompany other traditional Irish instruments, and they provide the tempo that keeps the other musicians on track. You can also play these drums solo, and they produce a rich, booming sound that you can alter by striking different areas of the drum.

Most Celtic bodhran drums are relatively unornamented around their rims, but their hide centers feature intricate designs. Most of these designs follow the form of the Celtic cross and other symbols that incorporate twisting shapes and rich, dark colors. Some of these drums might bear special designs if they were used in certain events or celebrations in Ireland.

Here are some examples of the types of accessories that are available for your beater instrument:

• Mallets: The mallets that are used with these types of drums from Ireland are called tippers. They received this distinctive name because of the way in which a bodhran player uses these mallets; they balance the tippers between their fingers and tip them back and forth to hit the hide of the drum. Tippers are available in a variety of different colors, and the traditional form of these mallets from Ireland is made from bone.
• Carrying cases: Many of these instruments have carrying cases. While these Irish drums have handles on their backs, it's inconvenient to carry the drum and the mallets at the same time, and these cases provide space for accessories. They are generally made from fabric, and they zip up around the side to keep your drum safe.
• Stands: If you want to display your drum prominently and you won't be moving it for a while, you might want to get a stand for your bodhran. These stands are made from wood or metal, and they are designed to fit the contours of your drum. Most of these stands are either brown or black.

If you're new to the bodhran and you want to try it out, consider picking a relatively inexpensive drum that comes with all of the accessories you need to get started. Some of these starter kits even come with sheet music to help you learn how to play this type of drum, and they usually come with at least one tipper. If you're a collector of rare drums, on the other hand, you might want to pick up a goatskin bodhran.