To tune a tunable drum, you use your tipper, and strike the edge of the skin about 1 1/2 " in from the rim. Then strike it in the center. Adjust the tuning keys evenly around the drum and repeat the process until you reach the sound you are looking for. A harsh metallic sound means that the drum is too tight, and a deadened "THUD" means that the skin is too loose.

To tune a fixed head, you will adjust it with heat and water. If the skin is too tight, spray the back of the drum skin evenly with small amounts of water until it is loose enough. It also helps to rub the water the water in every time you spray. To tighten the drum, hold it over a heat source - with the back of the skin toward the heat. There are two reasons for this procedure:

1. The rim of the drum will hold and circulate the heat evenly over the skin.
2. If you are holding the drum and your hand is too hot, then so is your drum.

Grab the drum by the cross bars in the most comfortable fashion you can. It should be comfortable enough for you to move the drum if you want. If you have a single bar, you may want to try holding it in different places until it is stable and comfortable. Try holding the bar, and resting the edge on your forearm for support.

If you don't have a bar, you can grab the far side of the rim with your hand, and rest the close side of the rim on your forearm. Or you may rest the bottom of the drum on your thigh, and place your hand - palm toward skin - on the inside top of the rim.

If you move your hand or fingers to the skin of the drum, you will change the sound of the drum. You will have to experiment with this to find the different sound qualities your drum will produce. This will be dependent on the size, depth, and type of skin on your drum.

There are a variety of tippers on the market today. The most important thing to look for in a tipper is comfort. You don't want to try and play with a tipper that is too heavy, too light, too short or too long. I suggest that you take your drum along with you when you buy a new tipper, and try before you buy. Find the shape, size and weight you like. It is also a good idea to buy one or two extra, you never know when you may lose or break one.

Regardless of your tipper style, you hold it the same way. Grab it like a pen, below center. The grip should be firm, but not tight. Loosen your wrist and turn your wrist so that your fingertips are parallel to the drum skin. This should put the tipper at about a 45 degree angle from the skin. Now move your wrist in an up and down motion. You should notice that the striking end of the tipper creates an arc. The peak of this arc should be at the skin, with the end points away from the skin. The peak is the striking point for both the up-stroke and the down-stroke.

The best way to start is to move your tipper using both the up-stroke and the down-stroke. When the arc reaches it's peak, allow it to strike the skin as it passes by. Continue to do this until you reach a steady rhythm. Once you can control when the tipper strikes the skin, you can progress to different beats. This is easily done if you follow the same motions you would if you were keeping a steady rhythm, but now, you will pull the tipper away on the beats that you don't want. Don't pull away too far, though. Just far enough that you don't strike the skin. At this point, you should begin familiarizing yourself with the different ways top hold and play the drum. this means a lot of practice to get ready for the next step.

The most common rhythm played with a bodhran is the Jig. The Jig is a very distinctive rhythm, mostly because of it's time signature. The Jig is played in 6/8 time. This means that there are 6 beats in each measure, and each beat is equal to an 1/8 note. The most difficult part of learning a Jig, is learning the alternating down beat. The down beat is on a down stroke the first time, and on an up stroke the following time, followed once again by a down stroke. This pattern repeats itself, changing with each particular song.

The second most important rhythm is the Reel. The Reel is played in 4/4 time, or Standard time (4 beat - each beat 1/4 note). The Reel has one down beat per measure, and it is always in the same place throughout the song, with maybe a few variations for spice.

The arrows indicate the stroke used. The large arrows indicate the down beat.

Notice that the down beat is in the same place.

Now the only thing left to do is practice. So find yourself an understanding spouse, or a sound proof cave over the horizon, and get to it.

You may notice that your hand may occasionally want to tilt and let the top of the tipper hit the skin. When this happens intentionally, it is called a triplet. It should occur between the down stroke and the return up stroke. It should be one motion, giving a rapid sound. Try it, but don't despair if you if you cannot do it for a while. It takes about six months to learn, on average.