How to Tune a Tunable Bodhran
A bodhran may be tuned either tunable or non-tunable. When tuned tunable, its tension can be adjusted internally with lugs on an inner hoop.
Traditional drum heads were traditionally constructed from goat skin and appreciated for its warm and deep tone. Modern bodhrans can feature synthetic skins as well.
How to Tune a Tunable Bodhran
An accurate bodhran can be highly sensitive to changes in humidity. When in tune, its strings will vibrate tight in dry environments while loose in humid ones, producing deep tones when tuned correctly and high tinny ones when out of tune.
An optimal pitch will be reached when the skin is as tight as possible without making it uncomfortable to play, with even tension throughout the head ensuring it chimes with tone.
To loosen a taut skin, many players wet it with water before playing it, which will instantly lower its tone to lower notes but is harder to control over time than oiling and should only be done rarely. Dubbin available from shoe stores or ski shops can help make a bodhran less susceptible to humidity changes by being applied evenly over both sides of its skin.
Tightening or Slackening the Skin
Some bodhran players must contend with climate conditions that can alter the pitch of their drums, such as humid environments leaving tight and tinny notes, while dry weather makes loose and dull ones sound even duller. To counter these shifts in pitch, players may wet the skin to loosen it further and soften its sound.
However, repeated soakings can damage skin and increase its chances of coming off in tears. A better option might be applying dubbin on the skin, which has been said to make it less susceptible to humidity fluctuations.
Players may attempt to tighten the drum by inserting cardboard shims inside it; long thin strips work best for this and can be added gradually until desired tension is achieved. Unfortunately, however, this method may prove ineffective under humid conditions and it would be wiser to invest in a bodhran with adjustable tuning mechanisms instead.
Changes in Humidity
An adjustable tone ring on your bodhran can help you maintain playable tension in all types of humidity conditions, while simultaneously tuning to specific notes isn’t necessarily its goal.
Compensation for changes in skin tensions is of utmost importance and this can be accomplished in various ways. Some players drench the bodhran with water (or beer!) which can significantly lower its pitch but this method may prove less controllable over time and potentially damage its hide.
Add cardboard “shims” as permanent solutions inside the drum for instantaneous results, which can be added or removed as necessary depending on varying conditions. Shims may prove more efficient than wetting since adding them can be done quickly and easily; just be wary not to overfill as too many may cause overtightening of your bodhran.
Changing the Shape of the Skin
Most bodhrans sold at music shops or online are of the ‘non-tunable’ variety; if yours sounds too low or loose though, there are ways that may help adjust its pitch to make it sound better.
Simply moistening the skin can help loosen its tension and raise its pitch by several notes. You can do this using a hose, spray bottle, or rubber as needed.
Heating it can help tighten slack skin by placing it near a heat source such as a radiator, stovetop, or blow dryer. While initially loosening and decreasing pitch, as soon as it cools it should tighten back up again and rise in pitch.
Some bodhrans can be more sensitive than others to changes in humidity; when this is the case, applying dubbin will seal it and reduce susceptibility to changes.
