According to research, the big drum was first made of a water tank and covered with cowhide. Later, because the water tank was fragile and the sound rhythm was poor, it evolved to be made of wood chisels. Generally, the original ancient camphor wood, pine wood or nanmu is chiseled into a drum barrel (drum body), and then covered with raw cowhide that has been ground and soaked. The shape determines the height and size of the segment wood. , drum tip, drum pad (cross frame, square frame), drum sticks, cowhide, drum nails and green strips, etc. The inner cavity of the drum body determines the sound of the drum. under the mouth. The drum feet are the audio frames that hold the drum body and form the cowhide vibration waves.

Yandun drums generally have a diameter of 1.3 feet and a height of 1.4 meters. The larger ones are also 1.5-1.8 meters in diameter and 2 to 3 meters high. The sound of the drum is related to the level of the drum maker. When the drummer chiseled the drum, he selected the wood according to the height and size. After the wood is selected, it is best to soak it in a pond for 1-2 years before using it to chisel the drum, which can prevent insect corrosion. The drum is chiseled with the upper section of the wood into the face. The chiseled drum mouth must be in a rock shape. The thickness of the circumference of the frame is about 3 cm. The chisel is chiseled down along the center point of the diameter. The bottom of the drum should be sharp. After accounting for about three-quarters, the drum feet are chiseled, and the drum feet are divided into four parts, which are divided into east, west, south, and north balance directions. complete.

The next process is to stretch the drum. Prepare a new buffalo or sand cowhide in advance. The adult Danzhu is 80-100 pounds. The cowhide is spread on the ground covered with rice or soft grass, and the large drum cavity ( Drum mouth) stand upside down, determine the size of the cowhide that stretches along the edge of the big drum, and insert the drum nails into the honeycomb shape of a unilateral circumference according to the taper of the cowhide nails. The cowhide drum nails are generally made into bamboo segment nails with a hard old bamboo head according to the shape of the nails.

Then use an iron cone to burn it red, break the cowhide into a cowhide nail according to the peripheral line of the cowhide on the drum surface, insert the cowhide into the drum nail, and then soak it in a pond for about 1-2 hours to make the cowhide semi-soft before taking it out. , At this time, you can break the red bamboo strips, stretch the drum with bamboo green, and wipe the circumference of the big drum with wax before stretching the drum. When stretching the drum, put the cowhide on the ground, and put the drum upside down on the pre-made cowhide. Then, use a pair of greens to wrap the cowhide on the drum head diagonally around the circumference of the big drum. When using greens to fix the cowhide, overlap the two drum pads on the upward drum feet.

After fixing the big drum, then according to the circumference of the drum nails that have been inserted around the mouth of the drum cavity, put the leather nails on the drum surface around the green drum, until the green piece has stretched the big drum barrel, and then use a piece of green tape on the drum. Between the drum barrel and the drum feet, the strips of green strips that have been stretched are tied around the drum, and the drum is completed. The stretched green greens are cut as big as an index finger, and when the green greens are connected, they are connected diagonally, that is, they are handed over with "Tangjiao fish locks", so that they are beautiful and beautiful.

After the drum is stretched, the drum tip is inserted diagonally between the drum pad and the drum stand. The drum tip is generally made of hard miscellaneous wood, and the drum tip is trimmed into a flat shape like an axe according to the size of the drum foot. Drum pads are made of pliable trees nailed to a square frame. Then hit the drum tip along the four corners of the drum pad, first slowly and then fast, into the drum tip.

When the cowhide drum surface of the big drum mouth is stretched to a certain procedure, it is symmetrical, and the drum surface is upright, and then use the broken porcelain bowl to scrape the cowhide hair on the drum surface. For the sound of the drums, the drums are generally tested by hand first on the drum surface. After the drum is taut, then the drum hammer is used to test the drumming. When the rhythm of the drum is gradually melodious and far-reaching, the process of the drum has been completed.

If it is a newly stretched bass drum, repeat the stretch 1-3 times to make the drum sound nice and loud enough. After the big drum is stretched, a pair of drum sticks is repaired. The drum sticks are 5-8 inches long, and they are made of hard miscellaneous wood strips. Form drumsticks. Generally, the cost of a big drum is about 2,000 yuan.