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Bodhrán Technique

Taking Percussion to the Next Level with the Irish Bodhran

BODHRÁN TECHNIQUE - PROGRESSING ON FROM BODHRÁN BASICS

Bodhrán Technique is a follow-on course from Bodhrán Basics, which you are recommended to have completed first if you are new to the bodhran.

By the end of this course you will have a broad repertoire of percussion skills such as rolls, backhand motion, the use of syncopation and the ‘Bo Diddley Beat’ to accompany popular Irish tunes like Reels, Jigs, Slipjigs, Slides, Polkas and Hornpipes. The course has 13 lessons, broken into 3 to 4 tutorials each.

18 lessons teaching how to play 13 very popular Irish tunes
PDF sheet music & mp3’s to download & keep for each tune
Progress at your own pace, pause & repeat videos
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Your Tutor

Jim Higgins

Jim hails from Renmore in Galway. Born into a musical family, he went on to study music in University College Cork under Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin amongst others. While in Cork, Jim caught 'the bodhran bug', playing alongside players such as Mel Mercier, Colm Murphy and Frank Torpey. During this period Jim was an active member of 'The Stunning' rock band playing trumpet and keyboards as well as percussion. He went on to play drums with fellow Galwegians 'The Sawdoctors' following a four year stint with 'The Riverdance Show' which took him around the world.He is an honorary member of the…

Course Structure

A broad range of rhythmical accompaniments that cover a variety of tune types – Reels, Jigs, Slipjigs, Slides, Polkas and Hornpipes – are taught in this masterclass for bodhrán players. Over the course of the 13 tutorials, the tutor discusses and demonstrates rolls, backhand motion, the use of syncopation, the ‘Bo Diddley Beat’, and rim techniques to name but a few. As a drummer, the tutor frequently discusses how to translate a drum beat to the Bodhrán, so if you’re a drummer wishing to add the bodhran to your percussion selection, then this course is a must for you. The video tutorials are in a split screen format, so the learner can view the back hand as well as the forehand at all times.

Here’s a lesson by lesson breakdown of what is covered:

Beat To Accompany A Reel
Beat To Accompany A Hornpipe
Focus On The Jig Rhythm
Continue To Examine The Jig Rhythm
Beat To Accompany Slip Jigs
Expand Upon The Reel Beat
How To Accompany Slides And Polkas

Focusing On Hand Technique
Advanced Development Of The Funky Reel Rhythm
How To Strengthen The ‘Up Beat’
Rim Technique For Both Reels And Jigs
Bo Diddley Beats
Various Sticks And Drums

Funky Reel Rhythm

00:00

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Bodhrán Technique Lessons

1

Intermediate

Beat To Accompany A Reel

In this lesson Jim will teach a funky beat to accompany a, medium paced reel.

2

Intermediate

Beat To Accompany A Hornpipe

Hornpipe Rhythm

3

Intermediate

Focus On The Jig Rhythm

Jig Rhythm

4

Intermediate

Continue To Examine The Jig Rhythm

Jig Rhythm and Patterns

5

Intermediate

Beat To Accompany Slip Jigs

Slip Jig Rhythms

6

Intermediate

Expand Upon The Reel Beat

Accompanying Reels / Creating Variation in Tone Production and Contrast and Variation of the Beats

7

Intermediate

How To Accompany Slides And Polkas

Accompanying Slides and Polkas

8

Intermediate

Focusing On Hand Technique

Using the Hand as a Stick

9

Intermediate

Advanced Development Of The Funky Reel Rhythm

Advanced Development of the Funky Reel Rhythm

10

Advanced

How To Strengthen The Up Beat’

Strengthening the Up Beat

11

Intermediate

Rim Technique For Both Reels And Jigs

Rim Technique for Reels and Jigs

12

Intermediate

Bo Diddley Beats

‘Bo Diddley Beats’.

13

Intermediate

Various Sticks And Drums

Exploring Different Types of Bodhrns and Percussion Instruments

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Taking Percussion to the Next Level with the Irish Bodhran

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Your Tutor

Course Structure

Bodhrán Technique Lessons

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