What tunes are on the CD?

Reels - Sally Gardens, Swallows Tail, McMahons, Silver Spear, Drowsie Maggie

Jigs - Blackthorn Stick, Father O'Flynn, Rakes of Kildare, Lannigans Ball, Irish Washerwoman, Brian Boru

Hornpipes - Boys from Bluehill, Harvest Home, Off to California, Rights of Man

Slip Jigs - Foxhunters, Rocky Road to Dublin, Butterfly

Marches - Lord Mayo, War Hent Karrigouarch

Polkas - Rakes of Mallow, I'll Tell me Ma, 40 pound float, Pat Horgans, Siege of Ennis, Rattlin Bog

Waltz - Carolan's Welcome

I have now listened to your CD three times (the third with drum in hand) I must say I am impressed, the concept has often been bandied about but has until now not been done and you have done it in grand style, "eggs and bacon and sausages" indeed!

This great product would also help learner melody players, your choice of tunes is perfect and the conundrum of Irish music is laid bare for anyone .

Congratulations for lifting an aural tradition into a new dimension.

John McKnowall (bodhran maker in Kyogle NSW)

Bodhrans are everywhere! Now at last there is a way to practice them humanely, without the dirty looks bodhran players tend to get at sessions, (often before the drum even makes it out of its case!) It is a great joy to play with the best musicians in the world from the comfort of your own lounge room. The technique is simple, insert CD, press play, put one ear close to the drum, and with the other ear fixed firmly on the music, just go for it.

For those of you who would like a bit of moral support throughout this period I can thoroughly recommend a bodhran practice CD from the lovely and talented Alison Boyd. The tutor covers all of the basic rhythms, giving them juicy phonetic nicknames such as "sausages bacon & eggs". A great selection of common session tunes are first played at half pace then punched up towards full speed, and all is explained with such delicious simplicity that even a drummer could understand it!

John McKnowall (edited from an article in Trad & Now - Autumn 2003)

I've not heard one like that before so it was a nice change and something I feel could be invaluable to beginners in the future.

Bodhráness Catherine - The Bodhrán Forum

Your CD is great. It's a real help and I find it particularly good for a beginner.

Don (New Zealand)

I got the CD today, and it is GREAT! I really had fun to have drum in hand, and I have to say it was the easiest drum instruction to understand that I've heard.

I was delighted with the easy and uncomplicated way Alison introduced each rhythm pattern with her own sense of fun and humor. I've watched instruction videos for the bodhran that were much less helpful than this simple CD of rhythm mnemonics and tunes. The pace of the tunes is slow enough for any beginner to follow on the drum or other instrument, but fast enough to be fun.

I think you are going to have a lot of bodhran student fans around the world.

Alice (USA)

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