There are multiple excellent methods for gripping the tipper.

The best idea here is to find a grip that feels most comfortable to you while allowing you to also maintain a gentle though firm grip on the tipper that allows enough tipper movement to bounce off the drum skin. If the tipper flies out of your grip after you’ve been playing a while, that may be an indication that you’re relaxing, and you relaxed so much that the grip became too gentle. This is a good thing. A white knuckle, thumb, or finger grip is never a healthy, efficient, or technically practical method. So, do pay attention to the firmness and effort put into your grip, especially when starting out. Gentle and firm - gentle and firm. That’s what we need and want.

So check out these grips:

Works Cited

Chastain, Blayne. https://www.blaynechastain.com/i-teach/\

Hannigan, Steáfán. Bodhrán Book. Ossian Publications Ltd, 2005.

Leonard, Kieran. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64Hsus6aPzE

Leonard, Kieran. Kieran Leonard Percussionist: https://www.kleonardmusic.com/

Mercier, Mel. Bodhrán and Bones. Interworld Instructional, 1998.

Ò Snodaigh, Rónán. How to play Bodhrán: 1. Basic Stroke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kks-6c_tHA