Topic started by Ravi (@ ip68-105-2-91.br.no.cox.net) on Thu Apr 24 09:03:05 .
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I saw a mridangam recently with nylon 'vaaru' instead of the animal skin. I set on replacing the threads an old mridangam I have with nylon. Since it is my first attempt at tightening a mridangam cap. any advice or words of caution will be very helpful. |
Responses:
- From: Nick (@ mridangam.demon.co.uk)
on: Thu Apr 24 13:10:27 EDT 2003
If it sounds good the way it is then don't change it!
It really is chance whether it will still sound good afterwards. But it is probably too late for this advice.
Be prepared for some very hard work.
The hole in the lacing are the size of the flat vaar, not the circular rope, so it is difficult to get it through. You have to do this 32 times; you will soon wish you hadn't started!
Make sure you do not get kinks in the rope; they will weaken it considerably and may not even pull through when you come to tightening.
First of all make the heads a loose fit, the tighten to a snug fit, trying to acheive even tension. Now be prepared for some more Very Hard Work:-( ! Taking up the tension all round to make the thing playable is very tough on the hands, whether vaar or rope. Once you get to the point where you can get a note (hopefully) from your mridangam you need to go carefuly and start ensuring that the note is the same all around. Then tighten it to the required sruti all around.
You have probably disturbed the small reeds under the outer skin on the right hand head (which is another reason not to do this at all) which should be evenly placed and radial. If they have been there long they will probably fall apart into unusable strands (another reason not...)
When you *have* to replace a head, do it then, otherwise, leave well alone!
- From: Nick (@ mridangam.demon.co.uk)
on: Thu Apr 24 13:20:11 EDT 2003
Have a read through the thread
Mridangam Repair and Other Mridangam Aspects
herein. Click on Old Responses 'till you get back to the beginning. There is a lot of useful discussion in there
- From: Ravi (@ ip68-105-2-91.br.no.cox.net)
on: Sun Apr 27 23:51:04 EDT 2003
Thanks Nick. The mridangam had gone bad anyways. Plus i broke a vaar while trying to slip in a kattai. I did start it and as you warned..it is very hard work. but I am trying to work at it. I will go through the earlier threads.
Thanks again
Ravi
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