Things You'll Need:
- Set of new timpani heads
- Mallets
- Drum key
- Pitch pipe or fixed-pitch instrument
- Drum dial or similar device
- Steel wool
- Teflon tape, graphite powder or wax
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Step 1
Remove the old timpani head. To do this, you must first push the pedal with your foot to its highest position (this is usually parallel with the floor). Keeping this pressure, use a drum key to loosen the tension rods, remove the hoop and remove the old drum head. Return the pedal to the lowest position.
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Step 2
Clean the edge of the timpani bowl with steel wool and apply adhesive Teflon tape, graphite powder or wax to the bearing edge. Apply the new head, place the hoop over top of it and install the tension rods. Turn the tension rods evenly to finger-tip tightness.
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Step 3
Set of two timpani.Turn each tension rod a half turn in a crisscross pattern, that is, once a rod has been turned, turn the one across from it, then go back to the original rod and proceed to its neighbor and repeat. Continue this process until the head is reasonably firm. Some musicians advocate a clockwise or counter-clockwise system, although this sometimes causes drumheads to rip.
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Step 4
Use a pitch pipe or fixed-pitched instrument such as a piano or xylophone to tune the lowest note on each drum. Reset any note gauges after this has been achieved. Common measurements and lowest pitches of each drum are as follows: 32-inch drum = D; 29-inch drum = F; 26-inch drum = A; 23-inch drum = C.
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Step 5
"Clear" the head by using a drum dial or similar device. Get a reading from the dial at a location and proceed to move clockwise or counterclockwise around the drum, adjusting tension rods to conform to a common reading. Check each position before changing individual tension rods. Once they match, the head should be evenly stretched. Repeat the tuning process in Step 4. Now use the pedal to adjust the pitch as necessary.
