Replacing Timpani Heads Michael Barr

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Carmella Houston
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1 Replacing Timpani Heads Michael Barr BEFORE YOU BEGIN: - Plan time for 2-3 follow-up visits over the next 6-8 weeks - Ensure that you have the correct size replacement heads - Have all tools and supplies available - Work in the room that the timpani will be primarily used - Plan for silent work time when you reach the clearing (tuning) stage - Timpani Key - Standard Drum Key - ½ Line Wrench - Timpani Mallets - DrumDial - Hammer - Steel Driver / Punch TOOL & SUPPLY LIST - Parallel Action Pliers - Ruler - Timpani Mutes - Electronic / Strobe Tuner - Rubber Hammer - Wood Block - Pedal Wedges - Tape Measure - Yardstick - Rags - Clean, dry cloth - Cleaner / degreaser - Sharpie - Armor All - Teflon Spray 1. Inspect each instrument for mechanical issues, dents, and missing parts 2. Place the pedal in the heel-down position and block with a wedge between the toe of the pedal and the footboard 3. Loosen all tension rods 4. Remove the counterhoop and set flat on floor 5. Remove the old head 6. Inspect: a. The bowl for dents, trash, parts b. The spider c. The spider arms (bent, disconnected, broken) d. The bearing edge for dents & nicks 7. Correct any internal issues and wipe out the bowl with a soft, dry cloth 8. Lightly grease the spider arms where they enter the spider assembly 9. If the bearing edge is coated in teflon or similar covering, wipe off any dirt, grease or lubricant with a cloth DO NOT use degreaser 10. If the bearing edge is not coated, clean off with a solvent and place a VERY light coat of spray Teflon 11. Clean off the interior of the counterhoop with a soft cloth. Check that it is round (measure between tension rod holes) and check that it is level. If the counterhoop is warped it must be replaced. 12. Remove old grease from tension rods with a rag and degreaser

2 13. Place the new head on the bowl 14. Place the counterhoop on the head and rotate until the tension rod holes are lined up with the struts 15. Place a small amount of silicone grease on the end of each tension rod and insert them through the holes on the counterhoop. 16. Thread the tension rods BY HAND in to the struts until they make initial contact with the counterhoop a. VERY IMPORTANT STOP when the tension rod makes contact with the counterhoop! 17. Once all tension rods are threaded into the struts, the head / counterhoop must be centered on to the bowl by measuring the distance from the lip of the bowl to the counterhoop at four points around the drum (north, south, east & west). Once the head is centered make four small witness marks directly where the head touches the bearing edge. 18. Place a small cloth or timpani mute in the center of the head to eliminate unwanted overtones. Determine the low note of the drum s range and begin to tension the head by making EXACT half-turns of the tension rods in cross-tuning sequence: 19. Once the fundamental pitch of the drum reaches the low note of the range slowly move the pedal through the full range of the drum a few times. This will stretch the head and it will need to be re-tensioned in order to reach the low note. Repeat this step until the head no longer stretches when the pedal is moved through its travel. 20. Tap the head with a timpani mallet or fingers in the normal playing area in front of each tension rod. Listen to the fundamental tone at each area and adjust the tension rod to match the pitch from one rod to the next. a. This will be very difficult to do by ear. Don t spend too much time on this, just get it close. Try this both with the mute and without. 21. When you have gotten the low note closely matched all the way around ensure that the mechanics of the pedal and spider system are correct and that the pedal will hold the pitch through its entire travel. Correct spring tension and mechanical issues at this point. 22. Write the part number of the head in an inconspicuous area with a permanent marker. Let the instrument rest and move to the next drum.

3 When all heads have been installed you are ready to begin clearing (tuning) the heads. This can be done by ear but the task is made far easier by using a mechanical device such as a head gauge (TAP Head Gauge) or a tension measuring device (DrumDial, Tama Tension Watch). I prefer the DrumDial and is what I will use in this guide. 1. Set the pedal to the low note (heel to the floor) 2. Start at any tension rod on the drum. Place the edge of the dial so that it is sitting on the bearing edge of the drum and take the reading. 3. Continue to the next tension rod going either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Go around the entire drum and compare the numbers. Note which tension rod provides the highest number. If one is dramatically different check the area to ensure that the tension rod is seated in to the counterhoop, that there is no damage to the head or bearing edge in that area or that there is nothing jammed between the bearing edge and the head. 4. Starting with a tension rod adjacent to the one with the highest pressure (depending on whether you re going clockwise or counter-clockwise), check the pressure and tighten or loosen the rod until the gauge matches the number at the previous tension rod. 5. Continue around the drum several laps adjusting all the tension rods until they all match. Keep in mind that when one rod is adjusted it will change the pressure at the two-four adjacent rods. 6. Check the pitch of the drum and ensure that it is not higher than the low note of the range. If it is, lower the pitch of the drum and repeat steps Once the low note is reached and all tension rods read the same pressure you should be able to hear a strong fundamental pitch and (hopefully) harmonic overtones throughout the range of the drum. Allow the drum to rest and move to the next drum.

4 Fine Tuning 1. Set the pedal to the low note (heel to the floor) and place mutes on the other timpani so there will be no sympathetic vibrations 2. Using the cross-tuning sequence start at tension rod #1, hold a tuner over the playing area and strike the drum gently with a heavy mallet. The pitch should be close to the desired note. a. If the pitch is flat tighten the tension rod a small amount and re-check with the tuner b. If the pitch is sharp loosen the rod, gently press a palm in to the center of the head, and then check the pitch it should now be flat. If not, repeat this procedure. Once it is flat, bring up to tune by tightening the rod. 3. Continue to the next tension rod in sequence (see diagram) and repeat the same procedure. Always make small moves and make final adjustments by tightening, not by loosening. a. Work the rods in pairs back and forth. When the tension on one is changed, the pitch on the other will change. Make sure that each pair is balanced before moving to the next pair. b. When checking one rod and the tuner shows an initial flat or sharp pitch but then slowly centers, check the other rod first. 4. When this process is completed move the pedal to mid-range and strike the drum with the mallet in the normal playing position three times softly and once loudly. The pitch between the soft and loud strokes should match. If they do not, move the pedal back to the low note and repeat steps Finally, check the drum in all ranges for clarity of the fundamental and the harmonics. This is a difficult and time-consuming process. Don t work on any one drum for more than minutes. Give it time to rest.

5 Replacing the counterspring on Ludwig Timpani 1. Place the pedal in the toe position and unscrew the tension control knob. Remove the knob from the base of the drum. 2. Remove the head and counterhoop 3. Loosen the nut below the spider until all the spider arms drop clear. DO NOT move the spider itself. 4. Turn the drum over and rest it on its bearing edge. Ensure that there is nothing on the ground or table that can damage the bearing edge. 5. Loosen the nut attaching the main pull rod to the spring assembly. Unscrew the main pull rod all the way out from the spring assembly. 6. Locate the pin that attaches the spring assembly casting to the base of the drum. Drive this pin out with a punch from right to left 7. Measure the distance between the two clevis on the horizontal pull rod and note this measurement. Loosen the retaining nuts on each clevis, lift the spring casing assembly out of the base and unscrew it from the horizontal pull rod. 8. Mount the spring casing assembly in a vise. Using a pipe wrench, unscrew and remove the casing from the assembly counter-clockwise. 9. To remove the spring nut retaining screw, place the spring casing horizontally in a vise with an old, large socket on the end with the spring nut. Use the vise to slightly compress the spring nut and remove the spring nut retaining screw. The spring can now be removed from the casing. 10. Clean the spring casing, replace the spring and liberally lubricate with silicone grease. Reassemble the spring casing. 11. Screw the spring casing assembly back on to the horizontal pull rod. Recall the measurement from step 7 and stop when this measurement is reached. Tighten the retaining nuts on each clevis. 12. Screw the main pull rod back in to the spring assembly and tighten the nut. 13. Turn the drum back on to its base. Hold the pedal in its toe-down position and replace the tension control knob. 14. Replace the spider arms in to the spider and tighten the nut underneath. 15. Replace, center and tune the counterhoop and head.

6 Balancing Act Adjusting Ludwig Balanced Action Timpani Pedal tuned timpani must have some mechanism to maintain tension on the head so that the drum will remain at a set pitch. Ludwig Balanced Action Timpani work by balancing spring tension against head tension to hold pitch at any point in the drum s range. Balancing the Tension: The procedure for balancing the tension on the Professional, Standard and Universal model timpani follows some simple steps which, once understood, insure the proper action and tuning of your pedal timpani: 1. Place the foot pedal in the heel down position. Then tune the head to its proper fundamental pitch using the key tension rods. If the pedal has a tendency to move partially or totally to the toe down position, turn the string tension know in a counterclockwise direction, two or three half turns. 2. If the pedal refuses to hold upper pitches, turn the spring tension knob located at the base of your timpani in a clock wise direction, two or three half turns. Make additional adjustments if necessary. 3. Should the pedal still not function properly after making these adjustments, carefully repeat the above procedures. Minor slippage of the foot pedal can be easily adjusted by using a regular drum key, tightening the pedal pressure and adjustment screw at the base. Troubleshooting: If a drum tends to creep up or down from a set pitch, this can usually be corrected by increasing the pressure on the friction pads slightly (if the drum is so equipped). If you use too much pressure on the brakes the pedal becomes difficult to move. If the problem cannot be solved with a small amount of brake pressure, it may be necessary to adjust the spring tension knob. Increasing the tension on the spring (turning the spring tension knob clockwise) will help prevent the pitch from sliding down, while decreasing the tension of the spring (turning the knob counter clockwise) will help prevent the pitch from sliding up. If the problem is pronounced and localized at one end of the drum s range, it is probably Toe Snap, Heel Snap or Spring Lift Toe Snap: Symptoms: Typically, the drum will work in the lower range, but somewhere near the top of the drum s range, the toe o f the pedal snaps down and the drum goes to its highest pitch. Cause: Spring mechanism has too much leverage because it is positioned too far from the center pivot point. Cure: Re position the spring closer to the center pivot point by lengthening the horizontal pull rod. Heel Snap: Symptoms: The opposite of Toe Snap, this is where the drum works okay in its upper range, but somewhere near the bottom the heel snaps down and the drum goes to its lowest pitch.

7 Cause: The spring mechanism does not have enough leverage because it is too close to the center pivot point. Cure: Re position the spring farther from the center pivot point by shortening the horizontal pull rod. Spring Lift: Symptoms: When the toe of the pedal is pressed down for the highest pitch, the spring mechanism lifts out of the base casting. The drum will not stay at its highest pitch. Cause: The spring has run out of travel before the pedal is fully depressed. Cure: Increase the tension on the spring. This will extend the amount of travel that the spring has to match the range of the drum. Push the pedal all the way toe down, lifting the spring adjustment knob out of the base casting. While holding the pedal down, turn the spring tension knob until the bearing seats itself in the casting. The drum may now exhibit toe snap because of adding the extra tension to the spring mechanism. Limited Range & Spring Lift: Symptom: The timpani has limited range and the spring knob (and case) are coming up out of the base casting. Cause: Leverage is incorrect. Cure: Increase the spring tension by turning the tension knob clockwise. This will ensure that the spring case provides enough travel for the rest of the linkage. After doing this, the toe of the pedal will probably be stuck in the toe down position because the spring has too much leverage. Reduce the leverage by making the horizontal pull rod longer. A couple turns on the pull rod does not seem like much but it makes a BIG difference because of the way it re positions the spring. *The standard dimension between the two clevis is 8 5/8. Your set up may vary slightly due to adjustments made at the plant to properly balance the timpani. Adjusting the Horizontal Pull Rod: The horizontal pull rod connects the pedal to the spring mechanism. Drums made within the past 20 years have a flat section in the middle of the rod for friction pads to give resistance to pedal travel. Each end of the horizontal pull rod is threaded and is held a clevis by two hex nuts. One end of the pull rod has left hand threads so the length can be adjusted by turning the pullrod like a turnbuckle. 1. Carefully turn the drum on its side to gain access to the underside of the drum. 2. If the drum is equipped with friction pads ( brakes ), use a regular drum key to spread the pads enough to allow the pull rod to turn. 3. Position the pedal somewhere in the middle of the drums range. 4. Loosen the two hex nuts that are closest to the center of the pull rod (you will not be able to turn the ones trapped inside the clevises). Remember, one of them has left hand threads. If one is painted red, that is the one. If neither is painted red, you must look carefully at the threads to determine which one it is. 5. Adjust the length of the pull rod by turning it one or two turns. Two turns will make a pretty significant difference so start with no more than that. 6. If the drum has brakes, tighten the brakes enough to align the flat spot in the pull rod and then re tighten the hex nuts. Loosen up the brakes, stand the drum back up and try it out. You should at least notice improvement. Repeat the procedure as necessary.

8 7. Changing the length of the horizontal pull rod will change the lowest pitch of the drum, so you will have to re tune the drum to the correct range. Common Adjustment Parts Spring Tension Knob: It should be noted that the tension of the spring is to counter the tension of the head. The head tension moves the pedal heel down, and since the spring counters the head, it pulls the pedal toe down. When everything is in proper adjustment, the forces are in balance. If the pedal tends not to stay toe down, more spring tension is required. This is accomplished by increasing spring tension by turning the knob clockwise. Likewise, if the pedal tends to not stay heel down, decrease the pedal tension by turning the knob counter clockwise. It is always easiest to turn the knob with the pedal in the toe down position, because that is where the spring is under the least amount of tension. Increasing the tension on the spring also increase the amount of travel in the spring case and subsequently the range of the drum. Horizontal Pull rod: Changing the length of the horizontal pull rod affects the angle of the spring case and therefore adjusts the amount of leverage it has, and that is the big news when setting up timpani. Making the horizontal pull rod shorter gives the spring more leverage and lengthening it gives the spring less leverage.

9 Head Tuning: All Ludwig Timpani models are equipped with Ludwig s own WEATHERMASTER line of timpani plastic heads. Keeping the head in tune with the pedal balanced action, begin by bringing the head under even tension to its fundamental pitch by turning the key rods and tapping around the circumference of the head two to three inches from the rim at each tension rod. Then determine the highest pitch on the head at a tension rod point and even out the lower pitches to equal this higher pitch. After the head is in tune with itself apply hand pressure to the center of the head several times to seat the head properly onto the kettle edge. In order to help seat the head correctly raise and lower the pitch of the kettle with the foot pedal or crank several times. This will stretch the head and conform it to the seating area on the kettle edge. Once again, go through the operation of tuning the head at each tension rod. This should give you a properly balanced and tuned head. Timpani Tuning Range 32" 29" 26" 23" 20" D 2 B 2 E 2 C 3 A 2 F 3 D 3 B 3 F 3 D 4 Care & Maintenance: When removing the head, make certain that the foot pedal does not snap forward. To prevent this, place a block of wood under the front pedal while it is in the heel down position. Before unscrewing the tension rods, mark the head hoop and later the kettle edge for relative location. This will facilitate reinstallation of these parts in their original position. All Ludwig Timpani Kettles have slick no drag Teflon tape coating, allowing the head to move more freely over the bearing edge. Periodically clean the back of the head and bearing edge to remove gri t and dirt, but DO NOT lubricate the area with paraffin wax. Inspect the teflon tape, check for wear and replace as necessary. While the head is removed, clean the underside of the head with a solvent or alcohol. Remove all particles or buildup from the underside to insure easy movement of the head over the edge of the kettle. Before replacing the head, inspect all interal and external moving parts for proper lubrication. If lubrication is needed, a light waterproof grease may be used on these moving parts. The poitns to inspect are the tension transfer rods as well as each of the individual tension rod threads and seats. The tension rod nuts and pivot poitns must also be inspected. Once again place the head and the hoop on the kettle, making certain that your original marks coincide with each other. Be certain that the head is centered on the bowl so that the area between the lip of the bowl and the counter hoop is the same for the entire circumference of the kettle. This is commonly referred to as truing the head.

10 Continue by applying the tension rods while being particularly careful that each rod is tensioned with the same amount of pressure at each point around the circumference of the head. Proceed in adjusting each tension rod so that you can feel the resistance equal to the increasing tension. Check your sense of feel by string the head at each point to check that the tuning and pitch has been equally achieved around the head. Begin to bring the head into the playing range and follow the same procedures in balancing the head pedal tension as previously mentioned. Keep the fine fussing to a minimum for the first few days. The head tends to improve after several days of playing due to its seating and flexing inside the counter hoop. Once the head is properly adjusted, balanced and seated the instrument is ready for playing It is recommended that initially the timpano be kept in high tension when not in use. This assists the seating of the head on the kettle.

TP8300 series / TP7300 series TP6300 series / TP4300 series

PEDAL TIMPANI TP8300 series / TP7300 series TP6300 series / TP4300 series Owner s Manual English Thank you for purchasing a Yamaha Timpani. Please keep this manual in a safe and convenient place for future