How to tune an alfaia
I cannot recall the amount of people over the course of my Maracatu teaching ‘career’ who’ve asked me how to tune alfaias! So, with the help of Gino, here, for your viewing pleasure, are 6 videos showing clear stage-by-stage instructions and handy ’secret’ tips you might not have known about or considered trying.
Alfaia tuning is not an exact science and to some degree everyone has their own way of doing it, but the following videos show the methods that’ve always served me and Juba do Leão well.
Many thanks to Maureliano from Barravento for my initial alfaia construction masterclass, all the batuqueiros who let me film and photograph them sweating and panting tuning their drums on their own in the sweltering Recife sun, and for Alan’s cheeky tips and discoveries! If you have any other tips, feel free to contribute!
Happy tuning, mind your hands!!!
Holly
Stage 1 – initial roping, skin soaking, rope twists
Stage 2 – aligning the head, initial tightening
Stage 3 – drying, when to start tight tuning, beginning the tuning rope pattern
Stage 4 – how far to pull each knot, rope pulling tips
Stage 5 - rope stretching, finishing off knot work, rope stretching, what to do with leftover rope
Stage 6 – (secret tips!) ruining laminate flooring
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