Nice Job Martijn!

I would say that it would be okay to tape a drum even if it hasn't been "played in"... I know that I had my bodhran for about 18 months and didn't know why it sounded so terrible... there is nothing that was more frustrating that trying to learn how to play as a total beginner and hearing the pinging sound... I'd say GO FOR IT!

ED

I'd say you'd 'especially' want to tape an unplayed drum :)

Without, it would ring like ...well.... a drum.

Exactly what you'd want with a neo bodhran :)

P

Thanks for the compliment, Paul !!

I still think it's miraculous what a role of tape can do to both sound and appearance of a cheap Walton's drum :-)

grtz,

Martijn

Hello all,

I've taped my drum and I have to say that it makes a great difference in the tonal qualities, one problem has come up, however.

I've found that though the tape holds well initially after taping, the next day i open my bag to find that it's slipped off the rim.

As far as I can figure there may be three causes:

1. I went too far onto the skin (the tape, with far too little flat surface area on the rim, slipped off and pulled the rest of the tape with it) [cause 2 might have also contributed]

2) The rim of my drum doesn't have an acute edge (it's rounded smoothly inward), so this might be the reason why it's slipped off.

3) the distance from my tacks (and band) to the rim is long and i have to tape several times around the drum (gradually working my way up)to get to the drum head itself (I've so far used 19mm and 38mm tape...still looking for wider examples).

I use electrical tape, but either the adhesive on it isn't strong enough for the shear force acting on the tape surface, or i'm taping the wrong way.

Is there a way of taping (I start from the band and move toward the skin), or type of tape that would hold regardless of the shape of the rim, etc?

thanks,

dt

Depending on the skin, I'll use a bit of neoprene contact cement to help the tape hold. What you'd do is apply a bit of the cement around the edge of the head (where you plan to tape), let dry for 10-15 minutes, then tape as usual. Dunno what others do, perhaps nothing!

Cheers
R