Drum tuning: An experimental analysis of membrane modes under slightly nonuniform tension.
Randy Worland · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 2008
Results of an experimental study of normal mode vibrations in single-headed musical drums under nonuniform tension will be presented. Although uniform tension is often assumed in theoretical treatments, in practice the musical drum only approximates this condition, even after careful tuning by the drummer. This study investigates the behavior of normal mode shapes and frequencies under (slightly) nonuniform tension, as they relate to the tuning process. In particular, the role of the (1,1) mode will be described. Experimental results include electronic speckle pattern interferometry images of modal shapes along with the associated frequencies. A finite element model will be used for comparison with the experimental results.