Dampening bass drum

Mr.Clam · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:38 am Post subject: Dampening bass drum

My brass band recently was donated a drum kit, so I wouldn't have to keep bringing my own. But, the bass drum rings on for ages after I play it, and it hasn't got a hole in the front to put a blanket in. I don't really want to mess around putting a hole in it, and was wondering if there was anything, like a pad, that i could stick on the batter head to dampen it.

I don't really want to spend over £10, because I will only use it for practice, I was thinking of buying a set of Moongels, and sticking all 4 around the beater head, do you think this is a good idea?
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Mr.Clam · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:42 am Post subject:

Maybe if I make an X with tape, where the beater hits the head, will that stop the overtones? Or is it more to do with the resonant head...
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sfauts · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:20 am Post subject:

Why not just cut a hole in it?

It's not too difficult.

bytor · Admin Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 5248 Location: Kansas

Just fold a couple of tissues or paper towels into (roughly) 2x3" rectangles and tape them onto the batter head (white medical tape works very well) about an inch or so in from the outer edge. Problem solved.

DWK · House Cat Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 152

You should be able to tune the heads just like you would a tom. I would try tuning it differently first. Is the reso head really tight? That could be a problem. I've used heads with out any dampening or holes and have gotten great sound out of them. Depends on personal taste I guess. If you are only using it for practice and don't care what it looks like. I would just cut a hole in it. If you like big holes, like over 7 inches. The front head is pretty much useless. So what about taking the reso head off completely? That is, if you don't want mess with tuning.

Oh, I don't know if moongels will work. I tried using them to dampen my head for triggering purposes and they started falling off. I imagine it would do the same.

DWK · House Cat Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 152

Bytor is a smart guy. Cool

bytor · Admin Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 5248 Location: Kansas

It's cheap, too! Wink

Mr.Clam · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:15 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the ideas, i'll probably stick some duck tape on the batter head, like Bytors idea
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edgewood_drummer92 · Bear Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 673

thumper · Ferret Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 113

I don't like messing around with pillows, tape, and crap like that for muffling my bass drum-try getting an Evans EMAD batter head with external muffle rings, or an Aquarian Powerkick 1 with an internal muffler. (I have used both) Also, if you tune both the reso and batter heads properly ( I recommend using a DrumDial tuner), the resonance will be a lot easier to control.

MagicMedicine204 · Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:37 pm Post subject:

Not a hole to put a blanket in? lol, stop being lazy. open it up and stick the blanket in there. i'd try tightening the batter side up pretty good and loosening up the reso side almost to the point of wrinkling. that should give you a good punchy sound.

i haven't heard of dampening marching snares and tenors. the snares hardly have any resonance to them, and there's also very little in the tenors. why did you need pads?

also i just realized that this thread is over three months old. good times.
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Pacific MX