How to Make a Drum Set Quieter
Fill the bass drum with a pillow., Mute with plastic O-rings., Use mute pads.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Fill the bass drum with a pillow.
Remove one of the bass drum heads and place a soft material such as a pillow or blanket inside the drum.
The material must slightly touch both heads in order to achieve a muted sound.
Once you've replaced the head you removed, re-tune the drum.
The pillow will deaden many of the bass drum's overtones, resulting in a quieter, more muffled sound.
Music stores also sell specially designed muting pillows for bass drums.
These pillows come in a variety of weights and sizes, allowing you to adjust the level of deadening in the drum. -
Step 2: Mute with plastic O-rings.
Tom and snare drums can be deadened using plastic O-rings.
These rings are placed along the top of the drums and help absorb some of the vibrations created when a drum is struck.
As a result, the sound created by these drums will ring less, offering a more manageable sound.
Drum gel may also be used in a similar fashion to O-rings.
These are small adhesive gel packs that can be placed on the toms and snare to mute the drum.
Other DIY options for muting the snare and toms include covering portions of the drum with fabric such as an old shirt, heavy duty tape (such as duct), or gum!, Mute pads are placed entirely over the top of the drums (or cymbals) and almost completely deaden the sound of the drums.
This makes mute pads ideal for perfecting hand technique or rhythm, but not a great choice when you need to actually hear how the drum will sound.
Using mute pads also alters the rebound of the drum, causing your drumming to feel different. -
Step 3: Use mute pads.
Detailed Guide
Remove one of the bass drum heads and place a soft material such as a pillow or blanket inside the drum.
The material must slightly touch both heads in order to achieve a muted sound.
Once you've replaced the head you removed, re-tune the drum.
The pillow will deaden many of the bass drum's overtones, resulting in a quieter, more muffled sound.
Music stores also sell specially designed muting pillows for bass drums.
These pillows come in a variety of weights and sizes, allowing you to adjust the level of deadening in the drum.
Tom and snare drums can be deadened using plastic O-rings.
These rings are placed along the top of the drums and help absorb some of the vibrations created when a drum is struck.
As a result, the sound created by these drums will ring less, offering a more manageable sound.
Drum gel may also be used in a similar fashion to O-rings.
These are small adhesive gel packs that can be placed on the toms and snare to mute the drum.
Other DIY options for muting the snare and toms include covering portions of the drum with fabric such as an old shirt, heavy duty tape (such as duct), or gum!, Mute pads are placed entirely over the top of the drums (or cymbals) and almost completely deaden the sound of the drums.
This makes mute pads ideal for perfecting hand technique or rhythm, but not a great choice when you need to actually hear how the drum will sound.
Using mute pads also alters the rebound of the drum, causing your drumming to feel different.
About the Author
Joan Parker
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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