How to Tune a Bodhran
A bodhran is a traditional Irish frame drum played with a beater. Traditionally, bodhrans are made with fixed skins that can not be mechanically tightened or loosened. Because the skins of bodhrans are extremely susceptible to changes in heat and humidity, they constantly go out of tune, sometimes several times in a long session. Fortunately, heat and moisture can also be used judiciously to tune the bodhran to the desired pitch.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Raising the Pitch
-
1
Rub the bodhran briskly with your hand in circles to heat the whole drum. You need to generate enough friction to actually physically warm the drum.
-
2
Wait for the tuning to change. The skin will initially loosen, causing the tuning to get lower. Then it will tighten as the drum cools, eventually getting tighter than it was to begin with. When it is all done, the tuning should be slightly higher than when you began.
-
-
3
Blow a hair dryer on the bodhran. Move it around to heat the bodhran evenly. Only heat it a little at first, as you don't want to over-tighten the drum and rip the skin.
-
4
Notice how your playing affects the tuning of your drum. If you are hitting your drum pretty hard, it will usually drive the pitch down slowly over time. You can learn to anticipate when you will need to take a break to tune up.
Lowering the Pitch
-
5
Decide on how long-term a change you want to make in the tuning. Are you trying to lower the pitch for a little while to compensate for changes in the weather, or do you want to make a more permanent change in the tuning?
-
6
For a short-term solution, get the drum head wet. You can either put a little water on your head and rub it around the drum head, or use a slightly damp cloth to do the work. Only use a few drops at first--a little bit can go a long way.
-
7
Rub skin lotion with lanolin into your drum head for a longer term solution. This will lower the pitch for anywhere from weeks to months. Keep adding lotion a little bit at a time until you are happy with the tuning or until the skin won't absorb any more.
-
8
Learn how the tuning changes during playing. If you are playing somewhere warm and dry, the water you put on your drum head will slowly evaporate, causing it to tighten up again. Oil, by contrast, will last for at least a few weeks before you need to reapply it.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can also use a candle or any other heat source to tighten your bodhran. Just be sure not to burn the skin or heat it unevenly.
Do not get your drum too wet. Some bodhran players believe that the skin can over-tighten when it dries, permanently raising the pitch and eventually causing the drum head to rip.
