Chtimulato wrote:From what I've read and heard, it is very tedious, not so easy as it appears on the videos. The Cubans invented this because they had no other choice at some times.
I had been told this would fit only on the macho, and folks sometimes use 2 films, one on another, certainly because it's sturdier.
I wanted to try this out once, but never did it.
What I can suggest is to use carabiners (https://www.decathlon.fr/p/mousqueton-scd-70-mm-de-plongee-sans-illet/_/R-p-173626 or https://www.manomano.fr/p/mousqueton-ovale-zingue-taille-4x33-mm-capacite-de-charge-90kg-7607418#/) or S-hooks (https://www.manutan.fr/fr/maf/crochet-en-s-symetrique-acier-inoxydable-a2-54619) instead of the wires used by both guys. And it works fine with natural / flat skins too. I now use extra-long hooks I had a guy make for me, but have used the carabiner or S-hook trick for a while.
Siete Leguas wrote:I recently decided to give that a try and mount an X-ray film on the macho of an Afro fiberglass bongó that I had bought for little money on the internet. I didn't find the mounting particularly difficult! I got the tip of warming up the X-ray film before mounting it, by holding it 10-20 cm above a hot stove (electric in my case) for a short while. That makes the film a bit flexible, so that you can bend it more easily when you wrap it around the flesh hoop (kind of the equivalent of soaking a skin). After that, I just used tape to keep it together.
I haven't had the time (or place) to test it properly, but it feels and looks nice so far. The feeling on the hands is very different than an animal skin, since it is completely smooth, and the sound is also quite special (not sure how to describe it), but I like it. I am looking forward to playing it loud, hopefully with other musicians some time.
Another tip that I read somewhere (and sounds important!) is washing the X-Ray film, with bleach for example, before mounting it. This is because X-Ray films have a coating of metallic compounds (the ones that are sensitive to radiation, I think they contain silver) that could be potentially toxic if you are going to be playing the drum with your hands. After washing it, the film color turns from black/dark blue to light blue. I didn't have to do this step though, because the film that I got was already washed.
If somebody wants to try it out and doesn't have access to X-ray films, I have a few films left that I could send. Just send me a PM.
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