#drummaking

[motorcyclingyogig]

At the cabin, the work begins with what has fallen. A lightning-struck oak, opened by time and water, becomes a drum. I stand in the lake and carve, an eagle circles overhead. Everything tries to become round.

The Wood Duck Drum: A Father’s Measure, A Son’s Keeping

[shamandrummer]

The Drum Makers of Cochiti Pueblo

Brothers Carlos and Tomas Herrera, along with their father, Theodore "Arnold" Herrera, of Cochiti Pueblo, produce some of the most sought-after drums in the Native American craft world today. Drummers from all 19 of New Mexico's Pueblo communities come to Cochiti to purchase these drums, which are still made according to ancient practices. Over the years, the Herreras' craft has taken them from Guadalajara, Mexico, to Washington, D.C., for the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival.

While Carlos, an environmental scientist, does drum-making in his free time, Tomas recently left the home construction business to focus full-time on making drums. To find the materials for the perfect drum, the brothers wander riverbanks looking for cottonwood boughs and trek into the mountains to collect recently dead aspen logs. Being a relatively soft wood, aspen is not only easier to hollow out, compared with other woods, it also emits a soft reverberation. Cottonwood, having similarly desirous properties, is often used for the large drums that the Herreras make for Plains Indian powwow groups.

While a drum has only a few parts, the process of making one is not simple. The multiple steps include aging the logs, cutting them to length, and removing the interior wood, a process for which the Herreras use homemade chisels culled from heavy metal scraps. Then, after preparing rawhide for the drum's head, a lengthy process in itself, the Herreras stretch the rawhide, secure it to the drum with sinew, and do whatever trimming is needed. These steps alone can take up to 16 hours, and that's before they've gotten to painting the drum, or making the drumsticks.

While plenty of other Native Americans make drums, Carlos says that their use of ancient, traditional methods for turning an animal hide into a drum head "is something that sets us apart." Today, he says, most drum makers use harsh chemicals, which dry out the hides and make them brittle. The method the Herreras' practice allows their hides to retain some of their original fat and oils, which Carlos says keeps them supple for decades.

To accomplish this feat, the Herreras bury their hides, which are sometimes made from elk skins but usually from cowhide, in damp earth for a week or two. They then remove the hair, using old metal files, and degrease the inside, which will still be covered with a lot of fat. To finish the hide, they never use salts, preservatives, or any other special treatment; by the time the hide is fully dry, it has been transformed into odor-free, resonant rawhide.

This whole process was passed onto the Herreras from their father, and their grandfather before him. "Even with the knowledge base we have, we struggle at times in getting the hides just right," Carlos says. "There's a lot we don't have control over. Every hide is different, and this is one of the biggest challenges we face. The drying process of the rawhide is out of our control. We can do everything right -- log selection, the carving, the hide preparation, and stretching it with the proper tension. Then maybe the humidity changes or the air pressure, and it loses its tone. At that point, the only option is to remove the leather and begin again with a new hide. We always have to wait until a drum is perfectly dry to find out if it works."

"To try to ensure success, we always reach out to my grandpa's spirit and ask him for his help," Carlos says. "We say a little prayer to the spirits to help guide us."

To learn more about Cochiti artisans, read "Storytellers and Drums," an excerpt from my memoir Riding Spirit Horse.

[firchie]

3 position memory throw off prototype (from ‘91) just jumped out of the box to say Hello! #drummer #studiodrummer #drumporn #drummaking #customdrumbuilder #drummersofinstagram #firchie #firchiedrums #snaredrum #snaredrums #snarebuild #snare #snaredrumfreakz #snareporn #snareaddict #snares #snaredrummer #bigfatsnaredrum #snarecustom #snaredrumcustom #snaresnaresnare #snaredrumfreaks #snareshell #snarecollection #snarelove #snaregeek (at Firchie Drums) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK4QFrLB1P0/?igshid=rilvrfhw98il

[thewhirlingrainbowfoundation]

In Drum 🥁 making ceremony today making 20 sacred Buffalo and Elk drums. And the beat of our love 💕 goes on! Order at www.whirlingrainbow.com #nativedrums #drummaking #hoopdrum #shamandrums #whiteeaglemedicinewoman #thewhirlingrainbowfoundation https://www.instagram.com/p/CDNq46FsYV8/?igshid=lmi61ozsmoew

[candelariveros]

*100% funds collected will be donated to Red Cross. Donate, and enter the prize draw!* Here you have it guys. The #snaredrum I've worked on, made by @kentville_drums and @evettsdrums . More info on their pages! . . . . . . . #redcrossbushfireappeal #drum #drummaking #kentvilledrums #evettsdrums #australia #australianbushfires #australianbush #natureillustration #ink #Gumtree #eucalyptus #illustration #naturalhistoryillustration https://www.instagram.com/p/B7SWTwYgP_J/?igshid=1bg38s8961pyg

[sotanakamura]

ぐーぐる翻訳しました↓ [Question] [For drum manufacturers] If the tom size is based on 12 x 8 inches, I think it would be easier to get a consistent size ratio if you set it to 10 x 6.6 inches, but what about the sound in practice? There seems to be some reason why not every manufacturer can make this size. #drums#drummaking#drummaker#drumsize#toms#tomtom#tomsize https://www.instagram.com/p/B6P7xfXJc9X/?igshid=1iim8iisizyzy

[thewhirlingrainbowfoundation]

Last few spaces left for our Sunday Nov3 Ceremonial Drum making. Call to register at 907/715-4433 or email [email protected] #drummaking #nativedrums https://www.instagram.com/p/B4K-_yMArcu/?igshid=s1pdkg3gahet

[bridgingthegapwellness-blog]

Debra Tate, One with Nature, from Manitoulin Island, will be offering a Traditional Drum Making Workshop at Bridging the Gap Wellness Center! Join us on August 31st from 1pm-4pm to build your own hand drum with Debra and enjoy a snack together. Grandmothers require to dry first (usually a week after they're made). We will invite Debra back as we gather under the Full Moon on September 14th to "birth" your drums and enjoy a wonderful Potluck Feast. Cost for this workshop is $325 and includes all materials (drum and drumstick). Drums are either a 12" or 14" drum with handmade cedar rings and deer rawhide for the face. #DrumMaking #MoonMedicine #healingcircle #rollieallaire #membership #womenempowerment #journey #womeninspiringwomen #TSACC #mpltribe #ilovewobc #stress #anxiety #mentalhealth #trauma #survivor #coach #mindbodyheartsoul #coaching #life #soulsisters #MovingMeditation #lifeandwellnesscoach #bridgingthegap #wellness #holistic (at Bridging the Gap Wellness Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WF323A0GA/?igshid=10fnqsorbch00