INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Tabla Forum: What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum?

 

Author Message
llyal
What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum? Mar 14, 2002 03:17 p.m.


What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum?

Hi,

I bought my first tabla set and it was in poor sounding condition- they drums sounded like badly tuned bongos! However, the tabla is rosewood and the bayan is brass; I took it apart to learn more about it and have found that the wooden tabla drum has a flat bearing edge; this is unlike bearing edges of other drums where the edge is rounded or angled; even the bayan has a curved bearing edge; is this normal for the tabla? If it is, how does this contribute to the tabla sound? If not, what should the bearing edge be like for optimum sound?

Thank you,

--Llyal

Shawn
Re:What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum? Mar 28, 2002 10:26 p.m.



llyal (Mar 14, 2002 03:17 p.m.):
What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum?

Hi,

I bought my first tabla set and it was in poor sounding condition- they drums sounded like badly tuned bongos! However, the tabla is rosewood and the bayan is brass; I took it apart to learn more about it and have found that the wooden tabla drum has a flat bearing edge; this is unlike bearing edges of other drums where the edge is rounded or angled; even the bayan has a curved bearing edge; is this normal for the tabla? If it is, how does this contribute to the tabla sound? If not, what should the bearing edge be like for optimum sound?

Thank you,

--Llyal


Hi. It is normal for the bearing edge of the tabla to be flat. There are sometimes variations on this, though, such as a totally square edge, or a rounded edge, or an angled edge (on the inside). Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any comparative studies on the matter.

Shawn
http://www.percussionist.net

llyal
Re:What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum? Apr 08, 2002 07:32 p.m.


Hi,

Thanks for the response. I gave it more thought and think that a flat bearing edge is not a good idea. You will get two points of contact on the skin from the bearing edge when the skin vibrates, which would dampen your tone. I am going to sand the outside edge rounded like i have seen on another tabla set to see if thst improves the sound - since i got these tablas cheap, i can afford to experiment!. This will make a single point of contact on the head like on other drums, as well as give me the smallest vibrating head area i can get, which will make tensioned tuning easier on the drum head.

--llyal

Shawn
Re:What is the Bearing Edge Suppose to be for the Tabla Drum? Apr 09, 2002 10:29 p.m.


Hmm, I'm not totally sure about that. But let me know what happens. . it'll make for an interesting study!
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