Australian Wood Review – June 2019

52 Australian Wood Review

PROJECT

Tuning

Tuning is critical to make a musical instrument as

opposed to making a fun project. The pitch of a key

can be raised by shortening it, and raised or lowered

by removing material underneath. This is why you

assemble the piece without the base – to allow access

to the bottom of the keys.

To lower the pitch remove wood from the outer end

of the key, to raise the pitch remove wood from the

tip. This is a very slow process. Either make a quick

adjustment in length and risk error, or spend an hour

removing wood from the base of the key aiming

for that sweet sound. Drilling a shallow hole with a

forstner bit was the method I used.

To raise the pitch by shortening the length of the key

I use a plunge router with a guide as it is a cleaner

cutting process to not have to drill away waste

underneath the key. For the higher keys however you

don’t want to make them too short, so drilling these

is sometimes preferable.

Pitch

I downloaded two tuning apps and tried to establish

pitch correctly averaging the sound to both apps.

However there was variance, for examples one tuner

would read an A while the other app was reading an F.

Then the original tuner would change again. Without

a microphone and computer link or whatever this is

out of my league.

Currently I tune them ‘to themselves’, that is

I establish my lowest key first with what is to me

a satisfying note. The following keys are then tuned

to be progressively higher.

If you decide to make some of these drums you may

find other ways to construct and tune them that suit

you better. As a small project they are fun way to

combine contrasting woods and the bonus is you end

up with a musical instrument as well.

Photos: Raf Nathan

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