Tabla supplies

[Mountainweed]

Hey there chandrakantha users. I am a brand new user here. I have been playing tabla for ½ a year or so. I am from Denmark, and playing tabla here is very unusual. I think there are like 1 or 2 underground tabla teachers here...

Got (found) my first set of tabla 2 years ago or so. I am an avid percussionist and play all sorts of different percussion, doumbek, djembe, cajon, congas, bongos, pandeiro, framedrums etc...
I practiced, learned the bols, the technique, tuning and everything else via the internet.

Anyways, i was recently given a pair of pretty trashed tabla, the skins at least. Ive taken off the skins and the wood and metal looks fine and now i wanna try giving reheading them a shot.

SO, where do i buy skins and straps for the bayan and the dayan and do you have tips and/or homepages that could help me?

EDIT: If you've just got a homepage that ships supplies that would be fine too!

[TablaPlayer22]

http://www.marcuswise.net/reheading-tablas

Watch that video, at-least TWICE before STARTING your re-heading. Balancing the heads is absolutely important. Find pictures of the bottom of tablas and look at how perfect the circle is. I find the Dayan to be the harder of the two.

It is VERY time consuming. I would recommend taking a week or so to re-skin the drums. This means taking TIME!! Puling the straps is VERY important also and can hurt your hands. As its your first attempt.

Get gloves so you dont hurt your hands,

Flat head screw driver, for the new skin------You will need to just pry open the holes along the edge on the new skin a little so the strap may fit in.

Pay attention to how you put back on the strap as it follows a pattern, be mindful of this. If you do this right, you would have done it nicely and correctly

No bad habits.

and pay attention how to 'knotting' the bottom after the pulling has been completed



As for supplies,

Keep looking around on here. I dont recommend Kala Kendar, or AACM its quite expensive.

Try sohum musicals or something. He's a guy on here that sells. I've never bought from him, but its all good reviews from what i've seen.

There are other great people on here that may be willing to sell you stuff, depending on what you need and the exchange rate.

One last thing...... ==============YOU WILL NEED A TEACHER to learn this instrument============


There is ABSOLUTELY NO question about it. Its not like guitar or djembe where you could just get the hang of it. Tabla is different.
Most couldn't just pick up a Cello or violin or sarod and jam. You cant just hippity dippity hopppity pippity into it.


Go to www.worldmusicguru.com and get in contact with Raj. He is a very nice man and ask him to put you in touch with Ganjesh.

Your other option-- you can get in touch with me and I WILL get you in touch with Ganjesh directly. You have the option of learning from good people and even USTADS via skype. I know two senior decisples that teach over skype if your wanting to spend a little more on the lessons aspect. It isnt always the best to learn online, but its an option.

Classes varies from state to state here in the USA... Normal people charge $25 for half hour and $50 for an hour

Some get carried away and float the prices. Figure out what the average is by you so you dont get ripped off, Also find a teacher you will have chemistry with------VERY VERY VERY VERY important.

Hope i've told you enough to be successful at this attempt. Good luck

[Acelga]

Hi Mountainweed,
what dayan size is it? Maybe I can help.

[Mountainweed]

Well i'm not sure whether you measure the size from the insides or the outsides but on the outsides it's 5.4 inches in diameter and on the insides it's 4.33 inches in diameter.

[hbajpai]

Always look at OD. Based on your measurements above, you need a 5.5" head.

[Acelga]

That´s right, a 5.5.
Sorry, I only have a 5.75.
If you´re in Europe you can always order to Tarang in Germany. The quality is quite good, only a little bit overpriced and you can always get a buzzing Pudi, but maybe you wanna give them a try.

[Mountainweed]

Could you direct me to some bayan tuning as well? That would be great!

My bayan is 9.2 inches...