Bodojo

I have been thinking about trying another kind of drum besides the bodhran. Possibly the djembe, doumbek or frame drum. Who else plays another form of percussion, and is it as satisfying as playing the bodhran?

Cheers

Ian

i started playing snare drum in grade school at 10 yrs old
started playing kit drums at 11...started gigging in rock bands at 16
started playing congas at 30 and got into bongos, djembe, ashkio, tar, rig, doumbek and finally bodhran

for many years bodhran was the only drum i would pick up daily. these days, i only get to it for a rehearsal of a gig...same for kit drums

i joined a samba band for a while and played Surdo and Cuxio....lots of fun

joined a drum circle and got to play djembe/ashiko and finally settled on bringing a set of bongos

have tablas but cant do too much. i think tabla will be my next obsession if i can ever find the time!

over all i enjoy playing kit as much as bodhran and vice versa
aftet that, i like bongos as they are portable and loads of fun to play

Hi Ian

If I can hit it I usually like it :D

The bodhran is a frame drum. so that is already covered.

A doumbek is fun to play, but why not go for something a bit more outre' like an udu drum.

Hi Kip,

Thats some collection of drums you have. How do you get the time to practise with so much to choose from? :) Some of which I have not heard of so more researching for me. I would like to be able to play kit but unfortunately dont have the space.

Hi Davy,

So is it possible to play the bodhran and get as good a sound as you would out of the other specifically built frame drums?

Wow! now that udu sounds amazing.

i rarely get to play them except for a rehearsal or gig.

i'm down to 2 bands at this point, one Celtic band w bodhran, the other Rock band on kit.
the african drums (djembe, ashiko) were pretty easy to pick up from my years drumming since its open handed

the conga and bongos required a subtle technique , and in 1996 i bought i video on conga drumming to get some idea of technique… and i just play when i have the change

doubek has open hand technique but also some very subtle techniques that would require some serious work.

tabla…. i own a set…. more then play a set

i focused so much on bodhran over the last 5 years, i really left everything go.

i have enough technique to get by on most hand percussion and will use it for recordings or a gig, but really only consider myself proficient on drum kit and bodhran at this point, but I can hang on bongos pretty well as well

day job twin 3 year olds, wife, 2 bands…. teaching drum lessons… band rehearsals and gigs….. doesn't leave a lot of time these days

you got to find something that you enjoy and moves you.

bodhran did it for me for sure

I like Kip started playing many years ago: percussion technique; snare drum; drumkit, etc. Moved on to djembe and dununs, which I preferred over djembes. I then found the bodhran and fell in love all over again with percussion. It is such a unique percussion instrument, as you don't really make use of all those years of percussion technique, at least not in a direct way.

But to the question, I find the drum kit fun to play and very expressive, but a absolute pain in the arse to tear down, move/carry, move/carry again, set back up, play, then do it all over yet again. The bodhran is small, light weight, simple to set up, and can be - in the right musical situation - as expressive as an entire kit.

So what else to consider:
Keeping in mind the old expression "jack of all trades, master of none," try one that has a sound quality that draws you in, or that can complement what you're now playing, but can't quite accomplish with just the bodhran alone.

Bruce

I like Kip started playing many years ago: percussion technique; snare drum; drumkit, etc. Moved on to djembe and dununs, which I preferred over djembes. I then found the bodhran and fell in love all over again with percussion. It is such a unique percussion instrument, as you don't really make use of all those years of percussion technique, at least not in a direct way.

But to the question, I find the drum kit fun to play and very expressive, but a absolute pain in the arse to tear down, move/carry, move/carry again, set back up, play, then do it all over yet again. The bodhran is small, light weight, simple to set up, and can be - in the right musical situation - as expressive as an entire kit.

So what else to consider:
Keeping in mind the old expression "jack of all trades, master of none," try one that has a sound quality that draws you in, or that can complement what you're now playing, but can't quite accomplish with just the bodhran alone.

Bruce

Hi Ian

My bodhran gets played by hand as well as stick, it can even be stuck between my knees and played like a djembe. http://www.metloef.com/Pop_ups/drum8.htm this link is to a picture of my drum on the metloef website.

Like kip I have tried lots of different drums, other than bodhran. Kit drumming never appealed to me as I felt disconnected from the instrument.

My personal favourites to play are udu/ibo drums and doumbek (the Alexandria style ones are easiest on the hands btw Alexandria doumbek

ops..forgot about my udu!
I have one of the early frank giorgini models. it is a fantastic sound, and i find it very intuitive to play...like a djembe or ashio

never get a chance to play that though.

years ago, i was doing percussion in a band and was lugging all kinds of stuff to kids. I ended up buying a Roland Handsonic HPD15.
Fasntastic instrument as its digital but allows allow types on hand drum techniques to be applied.

If i need a djembe or a bongo or a timpani or a surdo or an udu or a tabla at a gig...i just bring that along.

-Kip

Sounds like a pretty hectic lifestyle Kip.
I started to like the sound of the doumbek after watching some videos of it being played. Probably best to try and have a go of playing different drums before I buy anything. Though the bodhran is very satisfying, so sometimes I think I should just concentrate on it.

Ah, I know that bodhran Davy, you gave me a go at Newcastleton last year, nice drum. Easy on the hands, is the doumbek pretty hard on them?

Ian

Hi Ian

Certain types of doumbek/darbuka have a head adjustment system that can cut into your fingers when you play them.


for example.
A drum with a rounded edge like this

will be less of a nuisance to play. In fact if you get one with a larger head, it does double duty as a djembe as well.

David

Ah got ye, thanks for that Davy. Just as well you mentioned it as I was looking at the silver doumbeks.

BigDavy wrote:
Hi Ian

Certain types of doumbek/darbuka have a head adjustment system that can cut into your fingers when you play them.


for example.
A drum with a rounded edge like this

will be less of a nuisance to play. In fact if you get one with a larger head, it does double duty as a djembe as well.

David

REMO has a new lne of doumbeks w syntethic fish skin head

Alexandria drums are workhouses as well

Check out Pete Locketts web site for a short over view

Robin. Andan Anders was the first guy I heard play doumbek w 3 Mustufas 3

He used to play in Boiled in Lead

Hi kip

Alexandria drums are my workhorses (aluminium alloy body with vinyl covering and synthetic head).

The synthetic fish skin head sounds interesting.

David

Hello Kip, Davy,

Thanks for the help in recommending the different makes of doumbeks. Hopefully I can make a better decision now before I decide to buy anything :)

I just treated myself this past August to a djembe and a cajon for my birthday. I love the sound of the djembe and had always wanted one, finally got around to getting one -- glad I did. I never heard of the cajon until this year, but when I stumbled across some YouTube vids featuring that instrument, I told myself I had to get one! I have an LP Aspire model with fixed internal snares, and it is a real kick in the pants to play, as well as very versatile. I play it in the worship band at church, and most of them had never heard of a cajon, either, but they are surprised at how much like a drum kit it can sound. I also use wire brushes with the cajon to vary the sound.

I also just got a Hedwitschak EF3 tipper for Christmas and can't wait to try it out, but my drums are at home, and I'm out of town at the moment. :( I tried it out on the shipping box, though, and that was some fun in itself. Adding some effects tippers to one's arsenal can really push the bodhran envelope.

Hi Ian,

I started out on a seven piece kit with lots of additional hardware that wasn't really needed (but I was after the 'rock god' image at the time!); grew up a bit and stripped back to a four piece kit. Then went down to two in the form of a set of congas. My cultural heritage then became important to me and and evolved to one drum, the bodhrán.

Of course at some point I hope to reach the Zen of percussion, no drums. The drumless drum? Unfortunately what will bring me to that is probably old age or infirmity rather than enlightenment.

I also play, cajon (both Cuban and Spanish types), djembe, udu, roland handsonic and would love a dhol!

In terms of satisfaction, no, nothing comes close to the bodhrán for me. On a personal level probably two reasons. I am above average playing a bodhrán and took to it very, very quickly. I am not above average on any other drum.

I love the way that (like the tabla) it uses melodic rhythm patterns as opposed straight ahead beat/time keeping. Although obviously it can do that as well.

One last point seen as we are on about different drums/percussion instruments. What makes a bodhrán a bodhrán is the way it is played. On your lap, right angles to the player, one hand knocking out a beat (with or without a tipper) and the 'spare' hand round the back doing all the clever stuff. If that isn't happening it's not a bodhrán, or a 'neo bodhrán. It's a frame drum. Just my opinion.

Peace, Frankie.

I unlike most that responded to this topic started on the Bodhran when I was 8. Then moved on to other percussion.
I was lucky to meet and study with some great percussionists in the Chicago area.
My advice to anyone thinking of picking up another percussion instrument is to figure out what sounds you like and go there. If you don't like the sound of the instrument you won't play it!
The Doumbek and Darbuka are small and easy to get a sound out of at the beginning but you should get some instruction on how to play them correctly. If you play them properly they should not hurt your hands.
Darbukas normally have a flatter head to allow for more snapping techniques. Doumbeks normally have curved edges they are called Tabla in Egypt. FYI: Tabla is the Arabic word for drum. In India the drums are called Dayan and Bayan.
If you want to increase your rhythmic knowelege then study as many drums as you want. If you want to get better playing Irish and other Celtic music I would suggest moving to a melody instrument. The best way to completely understand a tune is to be able to play the melody yourself.
Happy Drumming!
Jackie Moran