(((o))) weaver . . .
  • DRUM BIRTHING
  • CALENDAR
  • DRUMWEAVER SHOP
    • IWD POSTER BY WEAVER
    • DRUMS AND RATTLES
    • MY MUSIC
    • TEE-SHIRTS + MORE
    • FAV BOOKS
  • WRITINGS
  • CONTACT
    • AYNI - GIVING BACK
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • NETWORKING LINKS
  • ABOUT WEAVER
  • WEAVER'S CD PROJECT

why does my rawhide frame drum sound flat?

4/22/2020

0 Comments

 
a rawhide drum birthed by weaver...rawhide drums are sensitive...
Here’s a tip i learned a long time ago...

Often i receive the question from folk asking me why their drum is sounding flat or even sounding dead.  It’s not the easiest question to answer - especially if i can’t see the actual drum in question... as it could be a number of reasons why.

For those who have birthed drums with me, i have written quite an extensive blog post about drum care + feeding that pretty much addresses how to take care of your drum and what can happen if care isn’t taken - including ways one can raise or lower the tone of their drum.

I feel one of the most important things to remember with any kind of natural hide drum, be it a frame/hoop drum or any other kind of rawhide drum, is to be aware of extreme temperature changes.  

Rawhide drums are energetically ‘living, breathing beings’... and will shift + change with humidity and changes in the weather.  They like to ‘drink water’ just like we do... and, what i mean by that is, because they’re made out of natural materials... ie., skin + wood... they shift and change with the weather + humidity.

I, also refer to the west coast style hoop drum where the hide face  is tied to the frame with either rawhide or synthetic lace.
​
So, examples could be...
  • If it’s raining and you + your drum live on the wet west coast of Canada (rain forest)... your drum will literally ‘drink’ lots of water or... if the skin/wood absorb lots of moisture, it will sound flat + low... so much so that it sounds almost dead, because it’s taken on so much water.
  • Or... if you + your drum live in a very dry + hot environment like Kamloops, BC or any hot area like in a desert, your drum’s skin/wood frame is going to dry out... the skin will dry out and sound higher... sometime so dry, that it could break - if that environment is extreme... 
  • Also, if the environment is dry + cold, your drum will sound high too...
What’s happening is that when the drum takes on water, the skin gets heavy with water and loosens = flat sounding.  Or, if the drum dries out, the skin tightens = high sounding.

So, refer to my blog post of drum care to learn simple ways you can raiser or lower the tone... 

Extreme temperatures can be very hard on rawhide drums... hence why i wrote that article on drum care to let you know what you can do to either raise or lower the tone.  So, another rule of thumb is to remember... you wouldn’t leave your child or a pet in a very hot or cold car - nor should you leave your drum in either of those environments.

if your drum sounds ‘dead’, too flat or low... here’s a possible easy fix...

Picture
If you’ve tried to raise the tone by the simple ways i mention in that post - here’s a cool trick i learned many years ago...

Back when i was a kid, when i acquired my first set of bongo drums... i remember, when my mom and i were walking out of the music store... the fellow who sold us the bongos, said, 

“Now, when you get home with your drums, turn them upside down and fill each drum with some cold water and them sit for a bit... what that will do, once the heads (hide) are dry is they’ll tighten up and they should sound nice + crisp!”

I remembered what he said... and tried the same procedure on a frame (hoop) rawhide drum that i had, that had gone completely flat... I’ve managed to fix a few drums this same way... though it hasn’t always worked - as sometimes a drum just needs to be taken apart, re-skinned or re-birthed.

Instructions:  How to re-tighten your rawhide drum...
  • these instructions are for laced natural hide drums only...
  • in a bin large enough to fit the diameter of your drum or in a bathtub, fill with about 3 inches of cold water...
  • place your drum upside down (face down) and float it on top of the water...
  • splash some of the water on the inside (back) of your drum as well - though don’t fill this side up with water - only enough to get the hide wet...
  • try not to soak the wood frame/hoop too much - place your drum ‘on top’ of the water - let it sit/float on top - the trick her is to try and not soak the wooden frame...
  • keep an eye - don’t let the drum sit in the water too long...
  • let the drum sit this way and soak the hide for about 20-30 minutes or sooner - as the water soaks the hide, you’ll see the hide change colour (darker) - if you keep an eye, this process could be shorter...
  • once you feel that hide has had a chance to soak, pull it completely out of the water, dry off with a towel, and allow the drum to completely dry - with hopes the hide will tighten up again - thus sound higher... 
NOTE:  It’s important to not soak the wood frame too much - as that could cause the frame to either buckle or depending how the frame/hoop was made, to come apart - as most hoops are laminated with glue... you don’t want the glue to loosen...

The goal is to soak the hide - with the hopes that this process may tighten + renew the sound of your drum.

Good luck and wishing you + your dear drum well...
with much love + light, weaver x (((o)))

• Drum Care and Feeding for Your New Shamanic Drum >>

• All of the above written and sourced by carol weaver
​© copyright 2020 - all rights reserved...

• If you found good value with this article, consider making a small donation towards supporting my work via paypal - with much appreciation, thank you!

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    i wish to acknowledge with gratitude that i live, work + play on the traditional and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation...
    carol weaver

    my blog writings...

    i'm a creative soul choosing to walk softly on our blessed earth mother's back... more here...

    Picture


    categories

    All
    Archetypes
    Caring For Your Drum
    Dreams
    Drum Birthing
    Gabriola
    Growing Up
    Laughing Wolf
    Musings
    My Birth Mother...
    Power Animals
    Prophecy + Wisdom Teachings
    Sacred Ceremony
    Sacred Drums I Have Birthed
    Shamanic Journeying
    Shamanic Legends + Stories
    Shaman Tools
    Songs + Poems
    Sound Healing
    Stuff That Really Happened
    The Healing Drum
    The Roxy Gabriola
    Videos
    What Is Remembered Lives!


    Subscribe

    Shamanic Journey Drumming

    Picture

    archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    September 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    December 2012
    February 2012
    October 2011
    August 2008
    February 2007
    March 2006
    November 2005
    September 2005
    August 2005
    July 2005
    June 2005
    May 2005
    January 2005
    January 2004
    June 1999
    May 1995
    April 1995


    links

    • Healing Drum Quotes >>



    Celtic wolf drum by weaver © 2019...

    Picture

    weebly logo

    Picture

    Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com
    Picture

This is the DivTag Drag & Drop Footer. If you don't insert anything here, this gap will be hidden when site is published

Picture
Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com
join my mailing list
JOIN MY MAILING LIST
copyright  © 2006-2015  carol weaver  |  proudly powered by weebly 
"creating safe, sacred space for healing to begin..."

BACK TO TOP

all content © copyright 2006-2021 - carol weaver - all rights reserved | site proudly powered by weebly |  contact weaver
welcome to the website of carol weaver, drum dreamer, artist + musician | networking links
all artwork + photos by weaver unless otherwise noted.
gabriola island, bc  |  privacy policy + disclaimer

(((o))) weaver . . .