Ever wondered about the differences between synthetic heads and natural skin heads for hand drums?
Synthetic heads are made from petroleum by products. They are not affected by temperature or humidity, and will stay in tune. Synthetic heads are great for live applications where projection is needed. They produce a very bright and resonant sound with very crisp slaps and a great deal of overtones.
Natural skin heads are made from rawhide harvested from animals. They are susceptible to temperature and humidity, and require more attention in terms of tuning. Natural skin heads are great for live and studio applications. At the proper thickness relative to the shell size, they produce a warm and classic sound with crisp slaps, round open tones, rich bass and controlled overtones.