Learning how to play the bodhran can be a challenge for anyone just starting out, so I’ve tried to make things easier by giving beginners 5 easy steps to follow to get them started playing their bodhrans right away. Dubbed the heartbeat of Irish music, the bodhran is an ancient frame drum originally made with goatskin … Read more
It is believed that the sound of the Celtic harp, sometimes called the lever harp or folk harp, is so melodious that it is akin to the music heard in the heavens. With deep roots in the traditional history of Ireland, the Celtic harp is a rather simple looking wire strung Celtic musical instrument that requires one to possess great … Read more
Similar to various accordions and harmonicas, the concertina is a free-reed musical instrument with buttons and bellows on both ends. The concertina was invented in Germany and England independently along the same timeline. The first English concertina was developed by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1829 while its German counterpart was invented five years later by … Read more
Looking to learn how to play the hammered dulcimer? First, let’s explore where this fantastic instrument came from. The hammered dulcimer was invented in the Middle East somewhere around 900 A.D. and was brought to North America by way of Europe during the 12th Century by the Spanish Moors. However, legend has it that the hammered dulcimer existed … Read more
The tin whistle, popularly known as the penny whistle, is considered by many to be the most recognizable instrument within Irish traditional music. In England, it is recognized by various names like the Clarke London flageolet, the Irish whistle, the Scottish penny whistle, and the English flageolet. The tin whistle is quite similar to the Native American … Read more