Drum Tuning
Seems as though every year, right after school is out and the rainy season begins, the fleet of drums is in dire need of tuning. All those little hands and all those humid days. On December 31st, every drum was unloaded at Straub Park, in the moist grass and heavy dewy fog for First Night St. Pete. A wonderful gig with thousands of people and ended with 100 wet drum heads.
Anyway, now is tuning time. It's a process that always brings so many thoughts in my head. One thought that repeats yearly is "why not fiberskin heads?" Then, I complete tuning one and remember the wonderful sound of goatskin and that thought quickly passes. The actual process feels like therapy to me. Each skin is different and responds differently to my pulling and tugging. I have developed a real system now and my favorite part is that final test of the sound before tying off the remaining rope. There is nothing like instant gratification!
If you want your drum tuned, just ask. I don't charge money for tuning drums...just a coffee or smoothie when the time is right.
Have a safe holiday!
The Drum Lady
