Drum Making Masterclass — How to Stretch the Skin on a Frame

Almost anyone can lace a skin onto a wooden frame. Far fewer can bring it to the right tension — the point where wood and skin stop being materials and the drum starts to sound. That is the skill this masterclass is about: the whole stretching process, done the way that makes a drum come alive.

My name is Max. I’m from Ukraine, and I’ve been building shamanic drums for over ten years — every one made to order, for customers around the world. Instead of learning by trial and error, you’ll follow a process I’ve refined through a decade of hands-on drum making.

Most free videos show you what to do. This masterclass shows you what I do, why I do it, and what happens if you skip it — so you understand every move instead of copying it blindly. That understanding is the whole point: it's what lets you get it right on your own drum.

Who it's for

• You already make drums and want a different, reliable lacing technique.
• You want to make a drum by hand — your first one.
• You've watched makers online and thought "I could do this." This is where you start: the decisive skill, handed to you step by step.

What you get

• Masterclass guide — PDF, 20 pages. The whole process in writing, with photographs of every step.
• Cheat Sheet — PDF, 3 pages. Every measurement on one sheet: line positions, hole spacing, cord widths, water temperature. Print it and keep it beside you while you work.
• 23 videos in a private Telegram channel — 13 clips covering the stretch step by step, plus 10 preparation lessons on marking, punching the holes and painting the frame.

A note on language. The videos are narrated in russian with English subtitles burned into the picture. Both PDF guides are fully in English.

Masterclass — $199

Both PDFs, delivered right after purchase, and lifetime access to the video channel. Questions about the guide go to my email.

Masterclass + Mentorship — $499

Everything above, plus personal guidance from me: you send photos and videos of your process, and I go through every step with you until your drum is finished. After your order I send you my direct WhatsApp — that's where we work. This is the closest thing to being my apprentice. Four places a month — my time is limited.

The materials

You need two things: a skin and a wooden frame (hoop). I demonstrate on goat skin, but the method works with any suitable rawhide, roughly 0.3–1.5 mm thick — deer, calf, horse, buffalo — and I show you exactly how to adjust. Everything else is ordinary workshop tools you probably already have.

Where to get it: in the US and Canada, buy rawhide locally (deer, elk or buffalo) and save yourself shipping and customs. In Europe and elsewhere, I get my own goat skins from Qayffz Percussion, which ships worldwide. For the frame, I work with Mykhailo, who makes wooden hoops in Ukraine — reach him at mh250286@gmail.com or +380 68 004 98 89. If you're in the US or Canada, a local hoop maker works too. Not sure what to pick? Write me at hello@openyourdrum.com and I'll help you choose.

What you'll have at the end

You start with a bare wooden frame and a skin, and finish with your own drum: a membrane you stretched and laced by hand, dried tight and ready to sound. Made by you, start to finish. (Carving the frame and the handle are separate crafts of their own.)

Any questions? Don't hesitate to write — hello@openyourdrum.com