Ireland
- Local Products - Traditional
Crafts -
Musical Instruments
Celtic
instruments are the heart of Irish folk music: the bodhran, tin
whistles, fiddles and uillean bagpipes (Irish version of Highland
bagpipes) are essential to survival of the celtic music tradition.
The Bodhrán
Traditional
percussion played with a "tipper" or "beater"
by rhythmically hitting the skin with fingers. Usually the bodhrán
is made of goatskin.
It was rediscovered and reintroduced into folk music in during the
1960's. Occasionally the bodhrán is replaced by ordinary
dessert spoons in arrangements of Irish music because they produce
the same rhythm.
Whistles
Tin whistles and penny whistles play a key role in Irish folk music.
The
tin whistle is a vertical fipple-flute. The first tin whistles of
the 1800's were rolled plates of tin with a wooden block in the
mouthpiece carved to form the fipple. Modern tin whistles are made
of metals including nickel-silver, brass and aluminum and have a
range of two octaves.
Uilleann Bagpipes
The sweet sounding Irish bagpipes are filled with air by means
of elbow bellows - unlike Highland bagpipes.
Useful
links
Custy Music.com
Fiddle Irish
Music
