How to Build a Hank Drum

Step 6 Tuning

Now for tuning. Be very careful not to tune too far as it is a pain to raise the pitch of a note. To tune start by taping down all the notes not being tuned to eliminate overtones and harmonics. Then, starting with the lowest note, proceed to slowly hack-saw (using only the blade) the tongue longer constantly tapping and measuring with the tuner to see when the note is in tune. Do this for all the tongues and do not get impatient. If you do mess up and cut too far, you must slowly trim down the top of the tongue to make it lighter and thus raise the pitch. Pleas note though that this is an extremely lengthy process.