Creating A Drum

Drums are one of the worlds oldest known and simplest instruments. Unlike most other instruments, they can be created using regular items and there sound can be recreated using many different kinds of items. The traditional drum form is a membrane stretch over a hollow shell. This membrane can be made of many different kinds of materials but were originally made from animal skin.

The animal skin is typically wet when it is first stretched over the drum. The skin is easier to work with when it has been wet and becomes increasingly difficult to handle and manipulate as it dries. The wetness of the skin is particularly important as this will allow the skin to be stretched, thus creating the tension necessary to create resonance in the drum. It is also important that the work area is very clean when the skin is dry so that dirt and debris do not get caught up in the skin and damage it. The skin that goes on the drumhead is traditionally soaked and stretched twice. The first stretch is employed in order to shape the skin to the head of the dream while the second stretch serves to make the skin taut enough to create an effective musical instrument.

Drum skins can be...