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Q: What do I do when my heads wear out?A: You have to replace the heads. In India you can take your shell to the local tabla-wallah and have a new head made right on your shell. Outside of I …

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Q: There is a buzz in my tabla. What causes this, and is it bad? What can I do about it?A: It is a matter of taste, but some people want a small amount of buzz in their tabla. This is called …

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Q: There is a small crack in my tabla. Does that matter?A: Small hairline cracks are common in tablas. Especially if they are in the foot of the drum, they shouldn't be a cause for concern.. …

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Q: What materials are the tabla and baya made of?A: Tablas are made from wood (although we have on occasion seen some clay and even cast glass tablas). Most tablas are made of shishum wood. …

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Q: How long should the heads last on my tablas?A: The bottom line is your head is going to wear out and need to be replaced after some time. There are so many factors involved it is hard to …

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Q: How much of the sound of a drum is determined by the shell, and how much by the head?A: A really bad head is not going to sound much different no matter how nice the shell. On the other h …

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