Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
16
Time Required
45 minutes - 1 hour
Sections
1
- Skin
- 16 steps
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Introduction
This guide is for musicians who have a tabla and notice the sound is not optimal, or may have ripped the tabla skin by accident and now is not playable. Fortunately for you, this guide goes in depth on how to re-strap a new skin onto a tabla.
The process of re-strapping the skin can be tedious, but with patience it can be done. This will be beneficial, because unfortunately tablas do get worn out over time and instead of having to buy a new tabla each time you can do the repairing yourself and save money.
What you need
Step 1
Skin
- Start by having your tabla on the ground to begin the repair process.
Start by having your tabla on the ground to begin the repair process.
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Step 2
- Take out the wooden pegs around the whole Tabla.
- Open up the knots at the bottom of the Tabla using pliers.
Take out the wooden pegs around the whole Tabla.
Open up the knots at the bottom of the Tabla using pliers.
Step 3
- Pull the straps out of the bottom ring of the tabla and out of the tabla skin. Go around the whole Tabla.
- You will be left with the old tabla skin, wooden shell, Straps, and the bottom ring.
Pull the straps out of the bottom ring of the tabla and out of the tabla skin. Go around the whole Tabla.
You will be left with the old tabla skin, wooden shell, Straps, and the bottom ring.
Step 4
- Using a ruler measure the size of the tabla shell in order to get the correct skin size. Place to the ruler across the middle of the shell to get an accurate measurement.
- Do the same for the skin. Be sure to measure the skin from the inner skin portion and not from the edge.
- Note: The shell that is used here is 5 1/4 inches so that requires a 5 1/4 inch skin.
Using a ruler measure the size of the tabla shell in order to get the correct skin size. Place to the ruler across the middle of the shell to get an accurate measurement.
Do the same for the skin. Be sure to measure the skin from the inner skin portion and not from the edge.
Note: The shell that is used here is 5 1/4 inches so that requires a 5 1/4 inch skin.
Step 5
- Place the ring at the bottom of the tabla.
- Place the skin at the top of the tabla shell.
- Tie down the skin and bottom ring with a rope so it stays in place throughout the re-strapping process.
Place the ring at the bottom of the tabla.
Place the skin at the top of the tabla shell.
Tie down the skin and bottom ring with a rope so it stays in place throughout the re-strapping process.
Step 6
- The tabla skin has 16 holes around the edge of the skin.
- Take one end of the strap and put it through any hole.
- Pull it through with pliers.
The tabla skin has 16 holes around the edge of the skin.
Take one end of the strap and put it through any hole.
Pull it through with pliers.
Step 7
- Pull the strap through the bottom ring. Making sure to go over the ring.
- Pull the strap to get more slack and bring the strap up to the next hole and put the end of the strap through the hole making sure to go over the edge of the tabla skin.
- Note: Use the screw driver to lift the bottom ring to easily put the strap through, if needed.
Pull the strap through the bottom ring. Making sure to go over the ring.
Pull the strap to get more slack and bring the strap up to the next hole and put the end of the strap through the hole making sure to go over the edge of the tabla skin.
Note: Use the screw driver to lift the bottom ring to easily put the strap through, if needed.
Step 8
- Pull about half of the strap slack through the hole of the tabla skin.
- Repeat the process of putting the strap over the tabla skin through the hole and over and through the ring at the bottom of the tabla.
- Repeat this until the slack of the tabla that you pulled through is gone around half of the tabla.
Pull about half of the strap slack through the hole of the tabla skin.
Repeat the process of putting the strap over the tabla skin through the hole and over and through the ring at the bottom of the tabla.
Repeat this until the slack of the tabla that you pulled through is gone around half of the tabla.
Step 9
- Once half of the tabla is strapped, turn the tabla to the other end and start the strapping process with the rest of the slack that’s left over.
- This process is similar but instead of going over the tabla skin and over the bottom ring, go under the ring and under the tabla skin.
- Note: Make sure when starting from the other end the strap has no twists, before putting it through the hole.
Once half of the tabla is strapped, turn the tabla to the other end and start the strapping process with the rest of the slack that’s left over.
This process is similar but instead of going over the tabla skin and over the bottom ring, go under the ring and under the tabla skin.
Note: Make sure when starting from the other end the strap has no twists, before putting it through the hole.
Step 10
- Take the strap and put it through the tabla hole from the bottom.
- Pull and remaining slack as you go with pliers.
Take the strap and put it through the tabla hole from the bottom.
Pull and remaining slack as you go with pliers.
Step 11
- Repeat step 10 until the slack is pulled all the way around the tabla through each hole.
Repeat step 10 until the slack is pulled all the way around the tabla through each hole.
Step 12
- To tie the knot, take the extra slack loop it under the last strap.
- Take the strap put it through the loop.
- Pull with pliers to make it tight. Repeat on both sides to create two knots.
To tie the knot, take the extra slack loop it under the last strap.
Take the strap put it through the loop.
Pull with pliers to make it tight. Repeat on both sides to create two knots.
Step 13
- Starting from the first knot going right to left pull any extra slack around the whole tabla trying to keep the tension tight and even as possible.
- When you reach the other end open up the knot to pull any extra slack . Repeat step 12 to tie the knot and keeping the tension tight.
Starting from the first knot going right to left pull any extra slack around the whole tabla trying to keep the tension tight and even as possible.
When you reach the other end open up the knot to pull any extra slack . Repeat step 12 to tie the knot and keeping the tension tight.
Step 14
- Take the extra strap and tuck it under the straps around the bottom of the tabla
Take the extra strap and tuck it under the straps around the bottom of the tabla
Step 15
- To put in the pegs, start from the second strap after the knot going left to right.
- Place one wooden peg under the second strap and count 4 straps, and under the 4th strap place another wooden peg.
- Repeat this around the whole tabla.
To put in the pegs, start from the second strap after the knot going left to right.
Place one wooden peg under the second strap and count 4 straps, and under the 4th strap place another wooden peg.
Repeat this around the whole tabla.
Step 16
- Once you have placed all the pegs you have completed your tabla.
- Using a hammer you can tune the tabla.
- You can hit the tabla along the edge to tune it.
- Or you can hit the wooden pegs to tune the tabla.
Once you have placed all the pegs you have completed your tabla.
Using a hammer you can tune the tabla.
You can hit the tabla along the edge to tune it.
Or you can hit the wooden pegs to tune the tabla.
If the skin gets loose over time, take the wooden pegs out and pull the straps around the Tabla to take out any slack, and put the wooden pegs back in again.
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Author
with 2 other contributors
Sahib Sandhu
Member since: 01/18/2022
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1 Guide authored
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Team
York University, Team 2-25, O'Regan Winter 2022
Member of York University, Team 2-25, O'Regan Winter 2022
YORK-O'REGAN-W22S2G25
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