Irish Percussion > Irish Percussion

Information about Irish percussion, sometimes referred to as Celtic traditional percussion, is available here for your review. There are three different types of Irish percussion instruments. The spoons, the Irish drum, and the Celtic bones. The "spoons", as an Irish percussion instrument, are the later cousins of the ancient, Irish bones. Spoons are two pieces of flatware held in one hand and rhythmically struck back and forth between the hand and thigh. Combined with a series of different hand positions and finger manipulations, this Irish percussion instrument can produce intricate rhythms. Spoons are usually made of varying types of wood and metal.

Second to that of the human voice, "bones" are the oldest Irish percussion instruments and instruments in general, known to man. 2.5 million years ago, bones, stones and wood, then used as tools, were also one of our first forms of musical instruments. Idiophones, like the Irish percussion instruments the bones and spoons, are instruments that produce their sound from the substance of the instrument itself. Similar styles of playing bone, wood and even stone are found all over the world stretching from South India to Mongolia, to the six Celtic regions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Bretagne, France and Asturias-Spain. To hold and play the Irish percussion instrument, two bones are cradled in one hand and balanced vertically while the forearm and hand produce a rotating and waving motion, allowing the bones to pendulum and strike each other producing sound.

The third Irish percussion is pronounced (Bough-rawn). This Irish percussion instrument is an Irish drum constructed from a laminated, shallow, round, wooden frame and in some cases, is reinforced with a wooden crossbar in the center. Ireland is one of six Celtic regions that utilize this Irish percussion drum in varying styles and techniques. Membranophones, like the Irish percussion drum, are drums that are covered with skin stretched across a frame and then struck to make sound. The skin, of goat, calf or even greyhound, covers one side of the Irish percussion drum, and that side is struck with the hand or stick (tipper). The stick comes in many shapes and sizes, and varies completely based on the individual style of the player, and the region from which the player comes. Since the Irish percussion drum is open-ended, various shifts of timbre and pitch can be achieved by manipulating the hand, fingers, or arm on the inside of the skin. In some cases, players have developed this technique to such a high degree that the melodic line of the song can be heard or played in counterpoint. If you would like more information about Irish percussion instruments or to purchase Irish percussion instruments, please click here to continue on to the rest of our website where you will find great information about Irish percussion instruments. Please feel free to call us at 818-569-5465 if you have any questions about or need help buying Irish percussion instruments.