Detuning bongos after play

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Detuning bongos after play

Postby Beatnik07 » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:33 am

I believe I broached on the subject a long while before, but maybe I didn't ask the question quite clearly (and deservedly, as I recollect didn't get clear answers ...:))

Suppose you have tuned your natural skins bongos to "satisfaction". You live in temperate climate (say, Europe):

1--- After playing them, do you release the tensioning on your Macho and Hembra to avoid damage to the shell and skins ?
2--- If yes, how many turns or fraction of turns of the lug nuts do you use for the release ?
3--- Do you release both Macho and Hembra, or only the Macho ?
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Re: Detuning bongos after play

Postby Thomas Altmann » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:01 am

Hi Beatnik,

I detune both macho and hembra to save the skins only. I can't tell you how many turns, but the skins should still vibrate at a tone when detuned.

Thomas
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Re: Detuning bongos after play

Postby Chtimulato » Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:00 am

Hello guys.

After playing them, do you release the tensioning on your Macho and Hembra to avoid damage to the shell and skins ?


Yes. Always. A tuned skin makes a pressure on the shell.

If yes, how many turns or fraction of turns of the lug nuts do you use for the release ?


As many turns (rather 1/2 or 1/4 turns) as I had to give to tune the drums. Since we have about the same climate (maybe it's a little more humid or cool for Thomas), I usually give 2 1/2 turns (so a complete one) to tune them.

Do you release both Macho and Hembra, or only the Macho ?


I release both.
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Re: Detuning bongos after play

Postby Beatnik07 » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:07 pm

Chtimulato wrote:Hello guys.

If yes, how many turns or fraction of turns of the lug nuts do you use for the release ?


As many turns (rather 1/2 or 1/4 turns) as I had to give to tune the drums.



Thanks Thomas, Chtimulato.

This is a mechanical inquiry ... :)

My bongos came with a "factory" tensioning setting. I must assume that this level is the optimal, factory-recommended "at rest" tension level for long term bongos warehousing.
I don't know if this assumption is correct. But I have no other benchmark to go with.

This "factory" level, I have many time increased (ie changed) to tune the drums each time I played, and so I have "lost" where is this original tensioning level. In other words, through the weeks/months I don't quite remember how many turns relative to the factory setting I am now at. So that, relative to that "factory" tensioning level, I don't know now where I am tension-wise. I do suspect that these days, even at rest I am at a higher tension level than the factory at rest level, but can't say by how much.

If the drum can handle X turns and be played at that tension level, do I have to remove X turns or X/2 turns, etc.. to be safe after playing, knowing that those X turns are anyway from an arbitrary level which I have no idea where it is compared to factory at rest level ?

So to me the simplest thing is now to ask: let us say I grab my bongos at rest (whatever the level is compared to factory). Let us say I need to do 1-1/2 turns to tune them so that they sound fine. Then, for safety, do I need to de-tune them by let us say, the same 1-1/2 turns or 1 turn or 1/2 turn, etc.. ???
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Re: Detuning bongos after play

Postby Chtimulato » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:37 pm

So to me the simplest thing is now to ask: let us say I grab my bongos at rest (whatever the level is compared to factory). Let us say I need to do 1-1/2 turns to tune them so that they sound fine. Then, for safety, do I need to de-tune them by let us say, the same 1-1/2 turns or 1 turn or 1/2 turn, etc.. ???


The answer is... yes ! (to me at least)
Assuming you're playing in a temperate zone (Paris), the temperature can vary (hot in summer, cold in winter), so you may have to give one turn more in winter if you happen to play in a cold place, or outside. And vice versa, if you're playing in summer, you might have to turn less to get the wanted sound/tuning. But once you know your instrument, you know which notes you want to get, of course, and my rule is : as much turns (or 1/2 turns, or 1/4 turns) for tuning and detuning.
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