Updated: November 3, 2005
Roping Method 3 (Tuning Rings)

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A step-by-step guide to the latest method of roping an ikigala drum.

Supplies & Tools

Rope
Any strong, non-stretching rope (avoid pure nylon) works. In the cold months, I use static climbing rope with a kevlar core (there is also shock rope; don't use this because it stretches). 5mm (3/8") seems to be a good size. I got my most recent rope from Rhythm Traders. They have solid colors made sprecifically for drum making.
Rhythm Traders

Most of the year, my choice is natural hemp. I change it to synthetic to get tighter heads in the winter. If you are interested in using hemp on your drum, here are some links to websites for ordering.
Scientific Nature Hemp Emporium
 Dragonwing
TerraWear.

Rings

I use 1" steel rings sold in an Indian store for making tiny dreamcatchers. They don't seem very strong, but they have held up under a great deal of tension so far. 3/4" rings would be better, but they're not as available to me.

Tools

  • If you choose wood, you will need to put an edge on the shell. I use a Dremel tool, but you can do the same with a good wood file. Coarse sanding blocks work as well.
  • white chalk for marking the hide.
  • A clamp to hold laces and rope in place while tightening.
  • X-Acto knife or 1/2" leather punch (good luck finding one).
  • Razor blade to cut the hide.
  • Spray bottle filled with water for keeping the hide damp.

Roping Method

Roping the Head to the Drum

We start this part of the ikigala construction process assuming you have already cut out and prepared the heads for mounting. The photos in this series, like most of the tiny photos on this page, are thumbnails. Click them for a larger image.

Tie a bowline knot in one end of the rope. Leave an extra about 50cm (20") as a "tail' at the end. For help tying a bowline knot, visit this website Roper's Knot Pages

Wedge the knot up against a loop of hide with the long end passing through the loop ready to wrap around the drum. The "tail" should hang free. You will tie the tail to the other end of the rope when all roping is finished.

Before you start threading the rope through more loops, slide a tuning ring over the end of the rope. Until later, there should be only one rope through this first ring. All other rings will have two ropes through them.
Pass the long end of the rope through the next available rawhide loop on the bottom head. The ring should be between the two heads.
Before threading the long end of the rope through the next loop, slide it through a ring.
Pass the rope through the next available top loop.
Now, slide the rope back through the same ring. This is the second ring on the drum. It has two ropes through it (actually one rope twice).
The photo at right shows what you should have now. On the first vertical rope, one ring. The next two verticals are gathered through one ring.
Keep working around the drum. The photo at right shows the second gathered pair of verticals.
After circumnvigating the drum, the last vertical is passed through the first ring. There are now two verticals through this ring, just like all the others.
Pass the end of the vertical rope through the bowline knot and back down towards the bottom of the drum.

Inserting the Lateral Tuning Ropes

To help tighten this drum as much as possible before drying, I run a lateral rope through the verticals. This rope gathers them together tightly, stretching the heads down the sides even farther. The rope also creates a V shape for the tuning rings to slide on.

I have lain the drum on its side for the next serious of shots. The photos in this series, like most of the tiny photos on this page, are thumbnails. Click them for a larger image.

Pull all the tuning rings down toward the bottom of the drum. Don't forget to do this. In one of the photos below, you will see that I forgot for this demonstration.

Pull the long end of the rope toward the vertical pair the opposite way you went when you threaded the vertical ropes. You will now go backwards around the drum.
About 3/4 of the way up the drum, pass the rope over the first vertical pair you come to. Then run it back under this pair. Pull it all the way through. This lateral line should be much closer to the top than the bottom.

To complete this manuever, wrap the rope around the vertical pair. Don't tighten it.

This part is a little more difficult to explain. First of all, it is important that the gathering of the next two ropes is done closer to the top of the drum than the gathering you just made. Pass the end of the rope between the next vertical pair and tuck it under back the opposite way.

The tuning ring in the photo at right is in the wrong place. It should be to the right of the tuning rope, like the two rings in the upper right of the photo. In the second photo you can see where I had to correct my mistake.
Now pass the rope under the previous vertical pair, the ones you just gathered together. Wrap the rope around only the nearest of these two verticals. Then bring it back toward the next vertical pair.
The photo at right shows what you should have now.
Next you're going to make another gathering like the first one. This one is closer to the bottom than the gathering you just made.
Wrap the rope over, then under the vertical pair.
Continue around the drum, gathering vertical ropes and wrapping the lateral tuning rope around them. Your drum should start to look like the one at right.

In the bleary photo at right, the lateral rope is almost complete. You have now reached the beginning point again.
The last vertical pair is the one with the bowline knot in it. Do not gather the "tail" in the last gathering; leave it free. Wrap the rope once again through the last of these ropes, the one without the bowline. This leaves it in position to be tied to the tail.
Tie the long end of the rope to the tail. You have finished the lateral tuning rope. From the top of the drum to the bottom, you should have a lateral rope snaking through all of the verticals and then, immediately below that, a ring on each vertical pair.
At right is the finished drum with the rings in the loosened position. By pulling these rings down, the ropes are pulled closer together and the drumheads tighten.


Tuning your Ikigala

Let us not forget that you will want to keep your drum tuned. They will steadily get lower in pitch as the heads stretch out, especially shortly after they are built. In fact, you will want to tighten them a couple of times as you break them in.

For while, you will probably be able to keep the drum taught by tightening the lateral tuning rope. Once this rope is tightened all the way, you will have to undo it and tighten the vertical ropes.

This will work with dry heads, but you can go even farther by soaking the heads in water. You can use wet towels or throw the drum in a swimming pool. Then pull the ropes tight. Probably, you will have to do this at least twice before the heads are stretched out. The drying time will be the same as for the original construction, so you will need to tune your drum three or four days before playing it again. A more time-consuming, but more effective, way is to remove all of the ropes, and soaking the heads by submersion.

For a quick tightening (one or two day's drying), you can just wet the center of the head. When it dries, it will tighten up a bit.

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