For a higher pitch, you will have to tighten the drum head. For xed heads, you need to add heat to tighten drum head.

Keep your hand on the drum head while you apply heat, if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your drum. You can use a heating pad, blow dryer, or any other heat source.

For a lower pitch, you will have to loosen the drum head. To temporarily loosen
the head of a xed bodhrán, you can try a little bit of water, rubbed evenly into the head with a cloth. is is not a method we recommend you rely on repeatedly.

A little oil, head conditioner, or moisturizer will permanently loosen the skin, so be careful.

If the tone of a bodhran is too low or if the skin is too slack, several things can be done. The simplest and most immediate remedy is to use one’s free hand to apply pressure to the inside of the skin while playing. If your bodhran has a cross-beam, merely place your hand inside the drum between the cross-beam and skin, with the palm resting against the inside of the skin. Use the heel of the palm to press against the skin, pushing with the back of the hand against the cross beam for leverage. By maintaining a constant pressure, one can raise the pitch of the bodhran to the desired level.