Re-heading a tapan

Happy tapan players after a successful performance with the brass band student ensemble at Balkan Music and Dance Workshop, August 2006

Historic notes: My tapan (a.k.a davul) was acquired from a drummer in Silifke, Turkey in 1989. One of the musicians in the band signed his name and "Arap Ali" on the calf-skin drum head -- visible here. The blue "money" on top features Dick Crum's face on special currency from a Kolo Festival ceremony years ago.

The calf skin head was old and patched in 1989, and by now (2006) had split along one edge. Note the odd shape of this drum shell. This drum had a beautiful sound, in spite of its funky appearance.

Another tear in the drum head.

The drum still played, even with the damaged head. But time had come to replace at least one of the heads.

I brought my drum to Dave Golber, expert in building and repairing tapans. He began to loose the old hemp rope while I watched.

Removing the rope

With one head off, we can examine the inside to the drum shell for the first time.

Removing the other drum head

This drum shell was extended with separate piece of wood.

This drum head (goat skin) is OK and will be used again.

This calf skin head will be replaced. But first, we need to separate it from the hoop.

Softening the skin by soaking in water (weighted down by the coffee cups so it stays underwater).

Dave unrolls the edge of the wet skin and removes the hoop.

The hoop is OK and will be re-used.

Dave checks the thickness of each goat skin to select an appropriate one. [I had brought 4 goat skins that had been purchased in Yugoslavia --probably Macedonia-- in the early 1970's by Peter Ward and Duane Austin. Still usable after being stored for over 30 years!]

Dave wraps a sample strip of the selected skin around the hoop to learn how much extra skin he'll need to measure for the new head. Answer: 3 3/4 inches.

The hoop has been pulled and warped in one direction; Dave will turn it over and reverse the direction of stress.

Marking the dry goat skin to indicate which side is the INside and also to mark the circumference of the drum plus 3 3/4"

Cutting along the pencil line

Soaking the "new" skin in the tub to soften it

Cutting slits (for sticks) around the perimeter of wet skin, 1/4" from edge. Dave had gathered sticks from a hedge while the skin was soaking.

Inserting the small sticks...

Dave prefers a twisting motion now (instead of inserting the twigs straight -- which also works).

Trimming a few sticks that seemed too long

Garden hose was handy for keeping the skin wet during this process of tucking the extra skin and sticks in around the hoop.

Now the wet skin is ready to be stretched over the drum shell. A team of strong men could do this, but the clamps make the process much easier. The hoop is gradually pulled down until it is level with the rim.

More clamps, more pressure

Almost done

The wet drum head is set to dry in this position, clamped securely. [I left at this point. Dave finished the job a few days later. He put holes in the skin --between hoop and drumshell-- and strung nylon cord between the two heads to hold them on the shell.]

Time out for a party! Seido drums with Zlatne Uste for the Serbian Festival at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Cambridge. Dave arrived and brought my drum...

New nylon cord and new skin on my old drum

My tapan is ready to play again

View of the new drumhead. (Note the stipled marks along what was once the animal's spine.)