Hi Steve / Dirk / all

I've been using one bone on the other doing top-end stuff. I'll stop doing that on my 'Steve Browns' immediately - I never thought about damaging the bones. I'm sure they'll put up with my daughter's toothbrush though :)


Steve I think a drum practise pad may need to be less grippy than most practise pads if it is to replicate the strike off a drum skin. I tried several different materials before settling on cork on my practise pads. I think that a covering of skin over a rubbery layer is probably best.

Dirk, Zils are small finger cymbals from middle eastern musics - also called sagat. Did you fix those to bones like mini hi-hat cymbals Steve? If you didn't, I'm probably going to try a couple of bottle tops or light pieces of metal on some scraps of wood :) I've had a little success with those cheat 'maracas on a stick' too, but unpredictable so far :)

I had written a lengthy response to a recent post on top end stuff but managed to lose it through my own stupidity :S I'm finding learning bones on the left hand to be a humbling experience and that learning process is forcing me to consider and evaluate the more natural movements in my right hand. I'm doing this with the bodhran too because that's where my mind's at so I'll have a little more info on 'what I do' when I work it out myself :)

Paul P and I were speaking about this in the days before his death, we have a different approach to how we achieve rolls, same principle, different mechanics. His focus was on movements of his first finger and thumb (nail), mine is on my right hand ring finger and thumb.

My ring finger is my roll 'engine'. It's easier for me to start rolls on the upstroke and I think that is due to the frame drumming'tek' stroke where the hand rotates about the thumb and the ring finger hits the skin. My roll is the same thumb & pinky roll I'd do instinctively on a framedrum.

Anyway, I'm thinking about how best to demonstrate that and when I work it out I'll do a wee vid to try and explain it - a picture , words and all that.

Nice eclectic thread, yum!

P

Paul, Dirk et al,

Yes the zils have a hi hat sound, but several others as well. I got into the zils from the company I get doumbeks from and just slid the zils over the bones with the little elastic holders they come with. The wider bones work best with them.You can either put zils on each pair, or work the zil sound against the regular sound, fun stuff. I have sold more zils sitting behind my table at a festival fooling with them on the bones. Jerry Bell, great scotish muscian, was walking by one time, noticed the zils, became facinated with them. Looked up at me and said, "Consider that idea stolen!" I made him buy a set.
Thanks for your info on practice pads,Paul. Tell me how I can get one of yours or make my own. The left hand can be a bit of a challenge with the bones, I haven't been working on it much lately, and rely far too much on the right. When I'm working with it, I do each movement with the right and immediately do the same with the left. When I was working on the double tap with the left, I used practice while running, the double tap and foot steps intertwining as I would go. The left will come Paul, just keep to it, but I'm sure you know that.
Actually hard to say if the Tipper on the bone would harm it. I have a little trouble with cracking, usually from dropping them on a hard surface like a concrete floor. Sometimes when I do the initial cut with the table saw, cracks can appear, but don't seem to get worse with playing. Bone does chip, of course, usually the older they get, and again when hit against a harder surface. So its hard to predict with the tipper, maybe you guys have nothing to worry about with the light tippers you use. hey keep me informed, you both can be my test study!
Looking forward to the vid Paul, seeing is so much more instructional for me. btw, I have a large supply of zils I purchased for what I was sure was the great run on zils at bones fest which never quite materialized. All the best, Steve Brown

"Eclectic" is the word Paul. I was looking for some top end experiences and found lots of info about playing other materials besides a traditional bodhrán. Fascinating though. One of my favorites is a pint glass, though John Mullen plays it better than I do.

In fact, John used to do an entire beginning bodhrán workshop with pizza boxes and dowels from the hardware store.

We've played sideways on the rim of the bodhrán, but never on bones and such. Have to try that.