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Thread: Rethinking bass drum muffling

  1. #1

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    Default Rethinking bass drum muffling

    I had tried everything, one pillow, two pillows, three pillows, throw pillows, even a pair of long johns. I just couldn't seem to find what I was looking for in terms of bass drum muffling. I've always known that internal pillow muffling reduced the volume of the drum, and I was trying to think of ways around it. I took a roll of closed-cell camping foam (you're supposed to sleep on it) and put it in place around the inside circumference of my bass drum.

    It sounds AWESOME. The drum is noticeably louder, even when all I had before was a single tiny pillow. It absorbs unwanted overtones without sacrificing ANY of the low-end. I like the idea of the energy being able to travel through the drum from head to head without hitting a pillow or some other obstacle. It's a cannon.

    Thoughts on this type of muffling? Anyone use this type of muffling? Any ideas for other materials to use? The foam I'm using is very stiff, and I'm interested to hear what soft acoustic pyramid foam would sound like. Anyone tried it?

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    I don't have much knowledge of the foam material you need feedback on. The only foam material that I've had any experience with are the foam rings that come with the Evans EMAD bass drum batter heads. There is a foam ring holder that keeps the foam ring insert in place and it acts as a muff to keep some of the unwanted overtones in check. The only drawback that I've read on these batter heads are that the foam ring holder can peel apart from the batter rendering it useless. I've had the EMAD heads for over a year and I've yet to see one separate.


  3. #3

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    Yeah I heard about that problem. I saw a video of an Evans rep explaining how they fixed it. I guess by using a round edge on the foam holder instead of a rigid 90 degree angle, they made it a lot more durable and flexible. Hopefully you got a new model!

    But yeah Remo now makes a head called the Powerstroke Pro that has the same external dampening. Supposedly they're very effective. Thanks for the input!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    You're welcome and glad to see a new member! Welcome!

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    I've got an evans emad on my kick drum and it sounds awesome.

    BUT!! I have a very "live" sounding drum kit, it's not very tight and my stuff tends to ring out a bit. It's great for live, big sounding stuff, but I hooked up my new (to me) double bass pedal and the kick was undefinable mush. Really complex footwork didn't come out the way I thought it would, I took the front head off and put a pillow against the batter head and that cleaned it up.

    For really tight, complex metal double kick stuff on the bass drum I wouldn't get the emad system. I would also take the time to learn how to tune a kick drum because I don't know how to do it.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    Personally, I'd rather not have anything at all in the bass drum. I use an Aquarian SK2 for the batter side and a coated resonant head with a Kickport. I use wood beaters to give it lots of attack. It sounds like thunder....no really, just a good solid bass drum sound.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    Quote Originally Posted by ItalianAvalanche View Post
    I had tried everything, one pillow, two pillows, three pillows, throw pillows, even a pair of long johns. I just couldn't seem to find what I was looking for in terms of bass drum muffling. I've always known that internal pillow muffling reduced the volume of the drum, and I was trying to think of ways around it. I took a roll of closed-cell camping foam (you're supposed to sleep on it) and put it in place around the inside circumference of my bass drum.

    It sounds AWESOME. The drum is noticeably louder, even when all I had before was a single tiny pillow. It absorbs unwanted overtones without sacrificing ANY of the low-end. I like the idea of the energy being able to travel through the drum from head to head without hitting a pillow or some other obstacle. It's a cannon.

    Thoughts on this type of muffling? Anyone use this type of muffling? Any ideas for other materials to use? The foam I'm using is very stiff, and I'm interested to hear what soft acoustic pyramid foam would sound like. Anyone tried it?
    I haven't done it to my own bass drums, but when I was tuning a student's set he had that, a lining of soft foam going for a half a circle around the inside of a 22" kick, the sides of the foam lightly touching each head. After a bit of tuning, wasn't quite like a cannon, but definitely had a good punch to it.

    As for myself, all I use now for muffling a 20" kick is a small sofa cushion that I lie lengthways, touching each head, whereas before I used to use a Remo Ring Muffle that would sit inside the batter head.
    Last edited by Drumbledore; 05-12-2011 at 02:52 PM.
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    I never would have thought of using that closed cell foam - you're talking about the camping rolls, right - the ones that you roll up real tight to offer yourself some padding? If it's what I'm thinking of, it was what we used in the Army - we'd roll it up and attach it to the top of our ruck sacks when we did a road march.

    One thing I have learned when it comes to drums though, IMO there is no inherent "right" or "wrong" - just different choices and things to try.

    I'm glad you found the sound you were looking for!

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    makes you feel good when you find the sound that your looking for . thats great . drums are such a personal thing . thats what make drums so awesome . good for you bud .
    Tamaholic

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    Quote Originally Posted by trickg View Post
    I never would have thought of using that closed cell foam - you're talking about the camping rolls, right - the ones that you roll up real tight to offer yourself some padding? If it's what I'm thinking of, it was what we used in the Army - we'd roll it up and attach it to the top of our ruck sacks when we did a road march.

    One thing I have learned when it comes to drums though, IMO there is no inherent "right" or "wrong" - just different choices and things to try.

    I'm glad you found the sound you were looking for!
    yeah you got it. It's pretty stiff though, I'm thinking something softer would be a better sound. it's only about half an inch thick though, so it takes up almost no space and allows for a ton of air movement.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    do you ever use kick port ??? ad some bottom of your bass drum

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  12. #12

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    Default Re: Rethinking bass drum muffling

    Quote Originally Posted by Riouel View Post
    do you ever use kick port ??? ad some bottom of your bass drum
    You know, I've heard a lot of talk about those but I've never tried one out or heard the difference for myself. Have you used one? I'm skeptical because I can't figure out logically how that would affect the tone. But I've only heard good things.

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