These are the most common questions I get, but I’m sure there are many more.
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“Why does my drum sound weird/flat/pingy?”
Simply, Natural headed drums change with the weather. Cold and moist they go down, hot and dry they go up. For you Sweat Lodge folk, the humidity is extreme enough the temperature can’t make up for it. I’ve had similar problems with drums shipped to Southeastern part of the country. Let’s address things in order:
Drum sounds “flat” -I like to say that it sounds like you’re playing a wet paper sack. 90% of the time it’s cold and humid an the drum just isn’t happy. If this is the case, warm it gently over the fire, or with a hair dryer or space heater and it should bounce right back.
Drum sounds “pingy” or “metallic” – Too dry or too hot. Take a wet rag or a mister bottle of water to the head and lower the head temperature. It’ll settle. Repeat as necessary.
“Do I need to add oil to my drum and if so, what kind?”
Your drum will tell you. You’ll be able to see it. If it’s gotten too hot you can actually see the oil coming to the surface. If it’s just gotten dry over the years, you’ll see dry spots – much like your knuckles look in winter. This happens grab some lanolin (available at most health food stores), apply a little to a rag, and wipe it on to the affected spot. Wipe off the excess with a dry cloth. If you need to do the whole head, do small patches at a time, using the same method.
“How do I store my drum?”
Best way? Treat it like the art that it is! Hang it on a wall in nice climate controlled place where everyone can see it.
“Can I paint my drum?”
Absolutely! Acrylic paint works best. You might need to unlearn a few things, though. Instead of multiple deep layers of paint, go as few thinner layers a possible. Think “paint-by-numbers” if you can. First, sketch your design on in pencil. Then it’s blue parts blue, red parts red, you get the idea, then do you your highlights and outlining. FYI, if you don’t have the greatest fine brush skills, paint pens are your best friend at this stage.
Henna on light colored drums is also an excellent choice.
Sharpie? Yeah… but… It’s permanent and allows NO room for mistakes.
Tattoo ink? Yes… but… You’d need to start the process immediately upon finishing your drum in my Playshop.
“Can I put crystals or feathers or other decorations on my drum?”
Yes! By all means! But, I’ve learned that, no matter how well you think your knots will hold, if you just tie stuff to the back, they ALWAYS loosen up a little and it’ll only take days before your drum starts to sound like a buzzing whirligig from days gone by. If you want to play a “shamanic snare drum,” by al means. It’s not my place to say. However, assuming you’re like most folk, and that’s not what you’re looking for, approach your drum like a dream catcher. Get to know which end is top and bottom, attach some lanyards to the bottom (soft leather, sinew, yarn, whatever) and tie everything to them, and let them dangle from the drum. No extra sounds. Not in your way. And added artistic beauty when hung back on your wall. Bonus!
“I’ve moved and it just doesn’t sound the same. What do I do?”
OK, this is a tricky one. In such cases, I’ve found a trick that works a fair majority of the time, but not always. It never makes it worse, however. Take a flat basin (not a sink or bathtub) and put the drum in, face down. Pour in just enough water to fully cover the drum head – no more. Let it sit for a couple of days. Remove from the basin and hang it back up. Rotate the drum 180 degrees (top to bottom) every few hours so the water doesn’t settle in one end or the other. Do this until the head is dry to the touch then leave it alone for a couple more days. It should allow the head you acclimate to your new conditions. Worse case? It won’t change a thing.