Offer the bodhran player a switchblade tipper. Seriously. People should be told if they're playing too fast or loud - tactfully. I think its better to take them aside quietly, rather than in front of everyone. One idea that worked with a bodrhan player that used to come to our sessions and used to speed up and play all the time (including airs) the session leader took him aside and suggested that he might want to practice with a metronome. You always risk offending people but sometimes its better that they go away than to stay and ruin a session. The same applies to other instruments as well, especially rhythm - eg guitars. Not that many guitarists are aware that accompaniment for Irish music is more subtle - not just crashing chords, they should be more in the background - eg Dennis Cahill, Randal Bays.

As a fiddle player I play the bones sometimes, but after listening to a tape of a session I became aware of just how annoying it is, just a clacking sound. They should be used sparingly and a good bodrhan or bones player will actually play the tune. A bodhran should never set the rhythm and 1 bodhran or guitar for that matter should generally be the maximum for a session. cheers Petr