How Do You 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. 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. 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. 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 d
