Rawhide Drumhead, Crafted in Germany Using an Ancient Technique

Description

Round blanks of rawhide for making drums – for instruments of any diameter. We offer a wide selection of rawhide from different animals!

Our rawhide is crafted by a professional, hereditary tanner from Germany who uses only traditional leather processing methods – without chemicals, without artificially accelerating the tanning process.

 

Characteristics

Diameter: from 40 to 120 cm (in 5 cm increments)

Animal: Wild boar, Deer, Bull (Split / Scar Texture, Horse, Goat)

Surface: Smooth, without hair (to order rawhide with a hair-on surface, please contact us by email)

Uniformity: We select the material without any defects: the cuts have no holes whatsoever, and the thickness of the cuts is as uniform as possible.

 

Rawhide Drumhead Properties

Horse

Considered the benchmark for many traditional drums, especially in Siberian and Central Asian shamanism. Suitable for powerful, rhythmic playing.
Sound: Very loud, rich, with a broad spectrum of overtones. Produces a long, “soaring” sound with a pronounced low-frequency component. The sound is deep and “cosmic”.

Bull

Extremely durable. Often used for large shamanic drums and concert drums. Very thick and heavy, requiring significant effort to play and stretch. The resulting drum is heavy.

Rawhide with Scar Texture

Sound: The loudest and lowest among the common options. The sound is very powerful, “heavy,” with an emphasis on the fundamental tone, but with fewer overtones than horse rawhide. Ideal for large ritual drums where the physical palpability of the sound is needed.

Bull Split

Sound: Deep, muffled, “rough.” Fewer overtones compared to horse hide membrane. Has a shorter sustain due to its thickness, resulting in a dry, “woody” sound.

Deer

Responsiveness, brightness of sound. The rawhide holds sacred significance for the peoples of the North.
Sound: Warm, soft, melodious, yet simultaneously quite strong. The sound is less aggressive than bull or horse, with a clear and pure tone.

Goat

Responds easily to light touches. Ideal for fast rhythms and using a variety of techniques. Lightweight, so a goat-rawhide drum is well-suited for women.
Sound: High and dry. Clear, focused, with pronounced mid-range frequencies. Short sustain, but good attack.

Wild Boar

Stiff, requires good stretching and a strong hand. Due to its stiffness, it can be finicky to tune, but offers a completely unique sound.
Sound: Very characteristic, rough, with a raspy quality and many overtones. The sound is gritty, “earthy,” powerful, but not as low as ox. Creates a feeling of antiquity and power.

 

Additional Information

Membrane Size

Always remember to order a larger diameter than the diameter of your frame. Depending on the lacing method, you need to account for:

• the diameter of the drum’s playing surface
• the thickness of the frame’s staves (possibly multiplied by 2 if the hide is folded over them)
• the height of the frame
• the overlap allowance on the back side.

 

Other Materials for Making a Drum

To make a drum, you need a frame and strap, which you can also purchase from our shop.

 

Non-Standard Cut / Other Questions

Need a non-standard rawhide drumhead cut? Contact us by email.