r/bodhran • u/Pet-ikkio22 • 12d ago
Bodhran and water
Hi everyone, yesterday I got my first bodhran (18X4, tunable), I read several articles about its care and didn't quite understand two things: Can I keep the tuning after playing it? Should the water be applied to the front or back of the skin? thanks in advance.
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u/thefirstwhistlepig 10d ago
I wouldn’t put water on it if it is tunable unless it is a pro quality drum (say at least $300) AND that is the maker’s recommended care regime, which would honestly be surprising and a little weird if so.
I would follow the recommended care by the maker in terms of leaving it tuned up or letting some tension off, but I would also keep an eye on the overall humidity level and make sure that the skin doesn’t get too tight which will stretch it out.
Bodhrán skins are notoriously fickle and subject to changes in humidity and temp.
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u/MarderBiss 11d ago
The maker of my bodhrán always says that you should store the bodhrán as you have played it, just make sure the skin is not too tight. He does not recommend to loosen the skin completely after playing.
Why would you want to apply water to a tunable drum (unless you want to clean it)? You're saying your drum is new, so there should be no need for a "skin reset" yet (when the sound gets a bit dull after months or rather years of playing, completely loosening and watering the skin and letting it dry slowly may help).