Airplane, Un-tuning

[Djembe-nerd]

How many diamonds do you take out before an air travel ?

Or is it reallt necesary at all, the airlines just mention losening the string instruments.

[michi]

I never bother to take out any diamonds before putting my drum on a plane. The air (and temperature) in the cargo hold is the same as in the cabin, so there really isn't an issue here. The one thing that might take a drum over the edge is the that the cabin air tends to be dry (but no dryer than any other air-conditioned environment). In the dry air, the skin will shrink a bit. But, if that is enough to pop the skin, either the drum was over-tuned to start with, or the skin was on its last legs anyway...

In dozens of plane trips, none of my djembes has ever suffered.

Cheers,

Michi.

PS: Maybe I should exhibit a little less hubris and a little more humility. Having just sounded off like this, the way the djembe teaches lessons, chances are that, at the end of my next plane trip, I'll open the bag to find a popped skin and my djembe quietly saying "see, you have yet to learn more..."

[bubudi]

i have always applied the logic that if ears 'pop' because of the change in cabin pressure, the skin may not like it. this will only be a problem if you tune your drum near its maximum tension. a better reason to detune the drum is the manhandling that it may be subjected to by the airline crew.

[michi]

i have always applied the logic that if ears 'pop' because of the change in cabin pressure, the skin may not like it. this will only be a problem if you tune your drum near its maximum tension.

Pressure differences make no difference to a djembe. As the plane climbs, it depressurises a little, until the cabin pressure is at about the equivalent of being at 2000m above sea level. (Planes are not pressurised to sea level during flight because that would put additional stress and cost on the fuselage.)

As the pressure in the cabin drops, the air that is trapped in the middle ear (originally at sea level pressure) expands, causing the eardrum to bow outwards (often causing a feeling of discomfort and slightly impaired hearing). The pop happens when the pressure is equalised through the Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear with the back of the nose. The Eustachian tubes are normally closed but, if you move your jaw or yawn, they open briefly and the higher pressure in the middle ear vents into the back of the nose, causing the popping noise as the eardrums spring back into their normal position.

A djembe does not have any enclosed space of air, so the pressure is always the same on both sides of the skin. Therefore, a djembe skin does not pop in response to pressure changes the way an eardrum does.

a better reason to detune the drum is the manhandling that it may be subjected to by the airline crew.

Yes. That's by far the biggest danger, no doubt. Putting a "Fragile" sticker on your drum case is probably good insurance too.

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

A djembe does not have any enclosed space of air, so the pressure is always the same on both sides of the skin. Therefore, a djembe skin does not pop in response to pressure changes the way an eardrum does.

that makes sense. but as a case is a small space, could the drum be affected? what if the drum has clothes or other things stuffed up the stem?

[michi]

that makes sense. but as a case is a small space, could the drum be affected? what if the drum has clothes or other things stuffed up the stem?

I don't think so. Clothes won't make an airtight seal, so pressure will equalise on both sides of the skin. To get the same effect as with a human eardrum, you'd have to seal the foot of the drum completely airtight (which would be quite difficult, I suspect).

If the drum is in a case, that doesn't make any difference either:

• If the case is not airtight, it's the same as having the drum out in the open, so the pressure on both sides of the skin will be the same.
• If the case is airtight, it will retain its original sea-level pressure all the way through the flight and, again, the pressure on both sides of the skin will be the same.

Cheers,

Michi.

[Djembe-nerd]

Since I will be using the hard case, one reason less to worry.

However, my djembe is very tight, and the dryness even at at my place in A/c enviornment (Houston) is certainly less than in the plane. I feel dry when I travel so I will take a few diamonds out and put them back.

Do you think 4-5 diamonds will be sufficient to accomodate the dryness factor.

[michi]

Do you think 4-5 diamonds will be sufficient to accomodate the dryness factor.

That would be plenty, I would think. I can't see a skin shrink by more than 4 diamonds, even in very dry air.

Cheers,

Michi.

[Carl]

Do you think 4-5 diamonds will be sufficient to accomodate the dryness factor.

That would be plenty, I would think. I can't see a skin shrink by more than 4 diamonds, even in very dry air.

Cheers,

Michi.

Agree'd. Here in New England humidity is always a concern. If I'm traveling with a drum I try to keep that in mind. When flying I usually do 5 diamonds. Sometimes if I am driving far enough (like richmond VA) I will take out 2 or 3 even though the time in the car should reduce the "shock" value.

in the end, better safe than sorry. Unless you are traveling every month, I think that the minor wear and tear of tuning down then back up is less than the risk of the humidity change.

My 2 cents.
C