PERCUSSION
Bodhrans & Drums
The bodhran is the heartbeat of Irish music. T-bar tunable shells in three sizes, frame drums older than written music, and hand-turned tippers that change how the drum responds. Built in the same workshop, by the same hands, for over fifty years.
Year founded
Roosebeck has built folk instruments since 1973. The bodhran has been part of that range from the start.
Shell sizes
14, 16, and 18 inch bodhrans. The 14 inch suits younger players and travel; the 16 inch is the standard session size.
Tunable system
The T-bar cross-brace lets you tighten or loosen the head by hand to adjust pitch and response to the room and the temperature.
About Bodhrans and Frame Drums at Roosebeck
The bodhran in Irish music
The bodhran entered the Irish session repertoire in the mid-twentieth century and became the defining percussion instrument of Celtic folk music. Its shallow frame, natural goat skin head, and T-bar tunable system give it a sound that sits underneath fiddles, uilleann pipes, and flutes without overwhelming them. In a session it provides the pulse; amplified or in solo contexts, it can carry a surprising range of dynamic and tonal colour.
T-bar tuning
Roosebeck bodhrans use a T-bar cross-brace system. The brace sits inside the shell and, when rotated, applies tension to the head. This lets you adjust pitch and response on the fly, which matters because natural skin heads change with humidity and temperature. A drum that sounds right at the start of a summer session may need tightening by the time the room has warmed up. The T-bar handles that in seconds without tools.
Frame drums
Beyond the bodhran, the Roosebeck range includes frame drums from traditions older than the Irish session. These simpler instruments, played with the hand rather than a tipper, suit world music, meditative practice, and players who want the warmth of a natural skin drum without the specific technique the bodhran requires. Solid wood shells, no hardware, nothing between you and the sound.
Tippers
Roosebeck tippers are hand-turned from hardwood and weighted so they balance naturally across a long session. The finish is smooth enough to glide on the head without catching, and the weight distribution rewards the wrist-flick technique that produces clean, fast rhythms. Tipper choice is personal; the weight and balance that suit one player may not suit another, which is why Roosebeck offers several styles.