The Bodhrán: Experimentation, Innovation, and the Traditional Irish Frame Drum

In the past fifty years, the bodhrán, or traditional Irish circular frame drum, has undergone a rapid evolution. Traditionally, it is a shallow drum ranging from ten to twenty-six inches in diameter, covered in goatskin on the top (or drum) side, and open on the other. Unlike any other instrument associated with Irish traditional music, the bodhrán has been dramatically altered by its confrontation with modern instrument design, performance techniques, and musical practice. Colin Harte's Th...