Drum skins do wear out over time and need replacing. Whether it’s because of a long period of use or the drum skin actually tears, drum skins will need to be replaced from time to time. New drum skins always sound best, and replacing a drum skin can be done in less than 10 minutes. There are several brands of drum skin makers, such as Remo and Evans, that offer many different varieties to help you achieve the sound you want.
Step One
Loosen the tension rods on the drum with the drum key. Loosen each tension rod a half turn, and then repeat the process with the tension rod directly opposite it on the drum. If you loosen a tension rod too much before moving on to a tension rod opposite it, you could cause unnecessary stress and damage to your drum. Once each tension rod is very loose, then you can go ahead and loosen each tension rod all the way until it can be taken out of the drum lug, which is the piece that connects each tension rod to the drum.
Step Two
Lift up the rim of the drum, separating it from the body of the drum. You can keep the tension rods in the holes on the rim so you can lift the rim and tension rods all out at once. Put this aside.
Step Three
Take the old drum skin off. You will no longer need this.
Step Four
Place the new drum skin on the drum, making sure it fits on correctly.
Step Five
Put the rim of the drum back on, and align each tension rod to the corresponding lug.
Step Six
Tighten each tension rod with the drum key. Follow the same steps as you did when you loosened the tension rods. When the rods are very loose, it’s okay to tighten them several turns. Once the rods seem firmly in place, then begin tightening just a half-turn before moving on to the tension rod opposite it. Once the tension rods are tightened to your liking, you are done replacing the drum skin.