Mel Bay presents Bodhran: The Basics [Paperback]

Bill Woods (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mel Bay Presents | Publication Date: February 19, 2009

Bill Woods has used his decades of experience as a successful bodhrán performer and teacher to create this integrated instruction book and CD for the beginning bodhrán player. Using photographs, text, and audio examples, it takes you in easy steps from holding the bodhrán and stick through playing along with traditional Irish dance tunes. It shows you the basic accompaniment patterns for reels and jigs and demonstrates ways to make these patterns more interesting using rests, accents, and rolls. In addition to the audio examples, the CD has traditional Irish dance tunes recorded at different tempos so you can start playing along almost immediately and increase your speed as your skill improves. Also covered are the correct pronunciation of bodhrán, the history of the bodhrán in traditional Irish music, suggestions on playing with other musicians, suggestions on what to look for when choosing a bodhrán and stick, instructions on a simple and inexpensive way to make your own stick, and the basic structure of Irish dance tunes. An integrated bodhrán instruction book and CD for the beginning player Teaches the basic accompaniment patterns for reels and jigs Discusses what to look for when choosing a bodhrán and stick CD has traditional Irish tunes recorded at different tempos

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Woods is a performer, teacher, studio musician, and author. He started performing on the bodhran in the 1980s and still plays regularly with several bands. He taught at the Northwest Folklife Festival and theSeattle World Rhythm Festival for many years and still gives regular workshops in Seattle. He has played bodhran on recordings as varied as heavy metal, opera, new age, pop, and improvisational music as well as traditional Irish and Scottish music. He has written two books, Bodhran: The Basics and Bodhran: Beyond the Basics (forthcoming). Bill and his wife, Carole, live on a sailboat, and when Bill is not teaching or performing, they spend their time cruising in the waters between Washington State and northern British Columbia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications, Inc.; Spi Pap/Co edition (February 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786680040
• ISBN-13: 978-0786680047
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bill Woods Bodhran Basics, February 10, 2010

By 

Craig C. Orth "C. Orth" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Mel Bay presents Bodhran: The Basics (Paperback)

I found this book to be clear, concise and easy to follow. After four days of practice, I was able to produce a solid beat. After two weeks, I was able to pick up the secondary rolls that many bodhran players have such difficulty producing. This book is well-laid out and easy to understand.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bodhran Basics, June 8, 2011

By 

Irv (CHICAGO, IL, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mel Bay presents Bodhran: The Basics (Paperback)

This is a fairly good introduction to the "basics" of the bodhran as the title implies. It provides a series of exercises to develop reel and jig beats. I'd recommend it for learning the foundations of the bodhran

5.0 out of 5 stars Bodhran Basics, December 25, 2011

By 

R. Knapp (MT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mel Bay presents Bodhran: The Basics (Paperback)

I have prior drumming experience (doumbek). Remembering my initial stumbling blocks, I am adapting to the bodhran much more easily. I had my bodhran before I got Woods' book. Having used other resources, U-Tube, I was aware of what I was missing. Woods covers all the basics with clarity that leads to a reasonable depth of understanding.

How to say 'bodhran'. Short discussion of history, play & style, design, purchase, and care. Only two pages of Music Theory! Basic & short! Most 'basic' books go overboard. A non-musician gets very little out of theory until it can be connected to what is heard (i.e., keep it short). A musician won't do more than thumb past such pages.

A key value of this book is instruction, well-illustrated with pictures & words: Holding the drum, holding the stick, and striking. This is THE area I found U-Tube examples lacking: Still pictures clearly explained. Every sentence & photo has deliberate purpose. What beginners do wrong & how to fix it is another key instruction. How to practice. Irish dance rhythms: reels & jigs, playing with music. Elaborations: Rests, Accents, & Rolls. Then there are eight rhythms combining all that was learned. Finally: How to get better, grow with the instrument, and get involved.

These lessons require use of the CD, and there are charts in the book to provide visual connection (which I need). I very much appreciate that the book is succinct. There is quite a bit to it. It is thorough. If you work your way through this book you will know all the basics needed to satisfactorily play & participate with others. I've been through all this with the doumbek. I wish there were such a book for it.

Very well done! I recommend buying the book before buying the drum (which I didn't do).