Hey. my dayan is 5 1/2 inches - it was originally tuned to a B, but i tuned it up to a C# - it was slightly reluctant - is this too high for the diameter? also, just out of interest, i've heard zakir hussain modulating the pitch of his dayan over a wide range of notes - how does he do this? jimmyx
Jimmy (Apr 04, 2004 06:10 p.m.):
hey. my dayan is 5 1/2 inches - it was originally tuned to a B, but i tuned it up to a C# - it was slightly reluctant - is this too high for the diameter? also, just out of interest, i've heard zakir hussain modulating the pitch of his dayan over a wide range of notes - how does he do this? jimmyx
Jimmyx,
Taking other factors into account such as the thickness of the pudi, the size of the syahi, quality of the tasma, and the size and weight of the shell, a 5 1/2 inch dayan at C# should be no problem. Depending on the weather conditions in your area don't be surprised if that drops back down to a C or B# rather quickly until the pudi finally settles in. If you have the gatta under three or four straps and you've hammered the gatta all the way down to achieve your tuning it's likely you're not going to keep a C# tuning for very long. The best way to raise the tuning is to "pull" the pudi by taking up the slack in the straps to where it's close to where you want it or a half step below before putting the gatta back in under one or two straps. That way you have room to take the tuning back up when it settles in increments over time without stressing out the head with a lot of serious hammering. It's better to break a strap than to hammer your pudi completely out of shape. The strap would break before you split the pudi by pulling it and a tasma that has any weaknesses in it already will always give you problems with tuning to any step.
As to your second query, the varying of notes on the dayan is probably (not knowing exactly what you're referring to) done by varying the extremes of tin and na and the speed of or lack of release. A real woody na at the rim of the shell has a lot more "tick" to it and therefore higher partials whereas closer to the tin introduces more of the fundamental. In tabla science he does a trick of sliding the hammer over the pudi which gives almost a musical saw effect , though certainly not a traditional bol I'd imagine.
Thanks for your help! Yeah, tabla beat science was where I heard him doing this - at the show at stern grove. I'm sure it isn't a traditional bol as I'd imagine some orthadox individuals would find the idea of playing the dayan with a hammer slightly crude! I've tried modulating the pitch of of the 'too' sound myself and this is the only way I could think of doing it. As regards the tuning advice - thanks anaahdaa - the c# has remained so for quite a while now - although I live in Scotland - which is damp and cold - so i cant see it lasting much longer! There's still a bol I'd like to have explained - forgive my ignorance - but I'm sure its executed by flicking 3 fingers down quickly on the syahi - can anyone help me out here?
jimmy
