If you’re into music production and love discovering unique sounds, you’re going to want to check this out. The Crow Hill Company has just released VAULTS – SOLO BODHRÁN, a free virtual instrument that brings the heartbeat of traditional Irish music right into your DAW.
The bodhrán is a traditional Irish frame drum, instantly recognizable for its deep, resonant tone and rhythmic drive. It’s played with a tipper or beater while the non-dominant hand controls the pitch and timbre from inside the drum. While it’s typically used in Irish folk music, this instrument has the potential to add a unique percussive element to almost any genre.
I’ve tested VAULTS – SOLO BODHRÁN, and it’s got some seriously cool features. The library is split into two sections: the white keys trigger a variety of accented grooves, while the black keys offer multi-sampled hits ranging from low to high tones. Everything is velocity-sensitive and time-synced to your DAW, meaning it adapts to any BPM effortlessly.
The interface is clean and intuitive, following the same layout as other VAULTS instruments. Here are some key features that make it stand out:
- RHYTHM Dial – Switch between two grooves, one simple and one more complex, just like flipping between A and B sides of a vinyl record.
- DISTANCE Control – Adjusts mic placement between close and spot mics (recorded with Neumann TLM103s and KLM184s).
- CRUSH – A wild distortion effect that can take the sound in unexpected directions.
- SQUEEZE – A multi-band compressor that tightens up the tone beautifully.
- ECHO & SPLOSH – Stereo ping-pong delay and lush reverb for adding ambiance.
This instrument is super versatile. Whether you’re scoring a chase scene, crafting a cinematic trailer, or looking to inject organic percussion into an electronic track, the bodhrán can add energy and movement in ways you wouldn’t expect.
The best part? It’s completely free. The Crow Hill Company continues its mission of making high-quality instruments accessible to everyone, and this is no exception. Just head over to their website, download VAULTS – SOLO BODHRÁN, and start experimenting.
If you’re looking for an authentic and expressive drum to expand your sound palette, this one is a must-have. Let me know how you use it in your productions!
You need to create an account on the website, download the Crow Hill app, register on the website, and enter your email and password from the website into the app to log in. Then, you can download the software from the app.
