What is drum dampening?
Drum dampening, muting, muffling – basically whatever funky verb you like to use, is when you alter the sound of a drum. In this case, we’re focusing on snares and how to kill off any unwanted overtones, ringing or reverberation. You’re essentially lessening the impact of a drum on all fronts.
How do you record drums with dampening?
Tea Towels Laying tea towels on the drum heads is an old Beatles trick. This technique not only dampens the drum but also softens the attack. Think Let it Be or Abby Road era drum sound. For those of you not on the other side of the pond: a tea towel is pretty much a dish towel.
How do you dampen a snare?
10 Quick Ways to Dampen Your Snare Drum
- Wallet.
- Phone.
- Moongels/Drum Dots.
- Sticky Hands.
- Tape.
- T-Shirt or Handkerchief.
- Splash Cymbal.
- Old Drum Head.
How do you dampen a bass drum?
Tear a small piece of paper towel and fold it into a square. Now rip a piece of duct tape that is a little bit bigger than the paper towel and tape it down onto the drum close to the edge of the head. Just one of these is usually enough to really dampen the head. Moongel is a great product to keep in your stickbag.
Should I put a pillow in my bass drum?
The bass drum will eventually sound dead and flat – not what you want. The trick is to put a small amount of muffling in there. Try placing one pillow or blanket resting on the bottom of the drum. This way you get bit more control of the air flow, as well as the resonance on the drum head without killing the sound.
Why does my snare ring so much?
That said, the amount of ringing is USUALLY how your snare wire is adjusted. Dampening rings help, but pulling tighter those snare wires will definitely affect things the most. Depending on your snare throw, this can be pretty easy or really hard to adjust.
How do you dampen a kick?
By applying some weight to the bottom rim of the resonant head, you’ll reduce how many times the head moves back and forth with each hit. It will slightly change the feel and tone of the drum but will produce less air from the resonant head to the microphone, resulting in a punchier tone.
How do you make a snare drum quieter?
Put towels across your drums and cymbals. This is basically DIY drum mutes, and they’re effective at reducing drum noise. The thicker the towel, the more you’ll reduce drum volume, however you’ll also lose a lot of rebound. Stuff your bass drum with a thick blanket, towels, etc.
Why do drummers put towels in bass drum?