I remember living in South America at the age of 8, with my mother and grandmother. My grandma wanted me to play the piano. My heart and mind; however, were set on learning Latin-American/Caribbean rhythms. I decided to scope the bodegas (small grocery stores) in search of wooden barrels (approx. 24" x 10") that held European olives. I was going to make my own tambor (drum)! I got a mule hide (hair still attached), soaked it in water over night and shaved it the next day. While it was still wet, I had to cut it to the right size, then I nailed it to one of the openings of the barrel. To get it tuned, I put it on top of our gas stove for the hide to tighten. I tested and tested until I got the right tone.
Every time I hear the term "from scratch" I can help but to remember this endeavor!
