Tabla Repair 13 Fixing the Buzz on the Shyahi

This video is part of a series of educational videos to help musicians with some of the basic maintenance of Indian musical instruments.
For more information, please visit www.tosslevy.nl/
© Copyright by Toss Levy 2024. All Rights Reserved.
The videos 1 - 9 of the Tabla Repair series shows, in numerical order, the full process on how to put a new tabla skin on. The Videos 10 - 13 are basic tabla maintenance videos. The making of a tabla skin is not included.
The Tabla Repair Series consists of the following videos:
Tabla Repair 1 - The tools.
Tabla Repair 2 - Removing the old skin
Tabla Repair 3 - Measuring and choosing a new tabla skin.
Tabla Repair 4 - Attaching the under ring and the skin
Tabla Repair 5 - Attaching the Badhi
Tabla Repair 6 - Removing the slack from the Badhi
Tabla Repair 7 - Adding tension to the badhi
Tabla Repair 8 - Balancing the pitch and adding the gittis
Tabla Repair 9 - Tidying up the badhi
Tabla Repair 10 - opening the sound with a thread (jiva)
Tabla Repair 11 - Re-tightening the badhi
Tabla Repair 12 - Cleaning the skin
Tabla Repair 13 - Fixing the Buzz on the Shyahi
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[@rishthefish7781]

Hi Toss, I really enjoy your videos and learn a lot from them. I think if you could do a series on doing jawari and the difference between an open, half-open and a closed jawari that would be awesome. Keep up the good work!

[@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507]

Thanks for your reaction. I am considering making a series of video's on the Jawari. Unfortunately, there is a shroud of secrecy surrounding this subject, and it is upheld in the Indian instrument makers tradition. However, it seems to be a dying trade, and apparently its difficult to find the real top builders who will do a great job. It is their right to have a trade secret, but if we want it to survive, I feel the real knowledge should be shared. I will discuss this subject with my fellow craftsmen.

[@s.h2335]

Brilliant

[@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507]

Thank you SH 🙏🏼

[@Music_Ram]

What if you don’t find the moving parts but it moves inside syhai?

[@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507]

That's a really good question. Simply, if you can't find the loose spot, then it's maybe under the outer surface. If that's the case and not accessible, then there is very little one can do. If the buzz is light, then in accompanying its not really disturbing as it is camouflaged within the music. However, a strong buzz will eventually be disturbing. If still unaccessable, then it will be time to take it to a tabla maker and get a new Shyhai applied, or, replace the complete head with a new skin.

[@Music_Ram]

@@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507 Buzz is light, but I think I can manage. Thank you.

[@astrofish5880]

I have similar issues with a couple of daya's. Sounds like dust buzzing on the bottom of the shyahi. I'm scared to take out random pieces. Is it possible to order shyahi masala somewhere and rub in a thin layer on top to fill up the tiny cracks??

[@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507]

​@@Music_Ram, I would just like to add that sometimes the buzz maybe not in the shyahi at all, but under the skin where na, ta is played. Sometimes a string is inserted there to open the sound. Removing this string may solve the problem. The buzz can be caused by vibrating dirt under the skin.

[@hardipkalyan4214]

Where do you buy that strap for your tabla? I’d like to buy that kind of strap.

[@jawari5]

You can buy the strap (badhi) from any tabla maker in India. Make sure you order a good quality... not too thick or too thin. Minimum 10 mtrs long for one dayan. Bayan strap is a little thinner than dayan strap.

[@hardipkalyan4214]

@@jawari5Thank you Jawari5, the strap in his is not a leather strap, I’d like to try out the kind he’s showing in the video.

[@tosslevyindianmusicalinstr5507]

Ask the tabla maker for the synthetic variation.