6. Damping
Once the drumhead is on, the drum key can quickly change the sound. But an even faster way to shape the sound is through damping. This wonder tool can solve tuning problems and help achieve specific musical results. In the past, tissues, duct tape, or felt strips were the most used damping tools, but today, manufacturers offer a wide range of these helpful products.
Damping for Snare Drums, Toms, and Floor Toms
The simplest and cheapest way to shorten the sustain of your snares and toms is still the infamous duct tape. Applied in small pieces or folded at the edge of the drumhead, it quickly reduces annoying overtones and makes the overall sound more compact. You can enhance this effect by combining it with a tissue or parts of one.
However, this method won't win any beauty contests, and it's not very reusable. It's better to look at specially designed damping products. A popular product is Moongel, a type of firm gel that sticks to the drumhead surface, is removable, and reusable. A more elegant solution is Snareweight's products, where a piece of leather is fixed to the rim with a magnet and can be lowered onto the drumhead as needed. Similarly, the furry damper from Rohema, aptly named Mini Muff, works in a similar way.
Big Fat Snare Drum offers head overlays based on drumhead parts. Just lay them on the drumhead, and you’ll instantly get fat disco snare sounds or muffled '70s tom sounds. If these solutions are too expensive for you, a simple, transparent damping ring for a few euros will also do the trick.
Damping for Bass Drums
With few exceptions, most drummers use some kind of internal damping for their bass drums, which presses against the batter head, resonant head, or both. This could be a regular pillow, a blanket, or a combination of various soft objects. However, if you want cleaner, more reproducible damping for your bass drum, check out products from various manufacturers.
The classic damping tool is the damping pillow, offered in different versions by Pearl, DW, Evans, and others. Some models are adjustable in length and pressure, giving you more variation in your bass drum sound. Velcro keeps them in place. Other versions use specially shaped foam rails, like the "Kicker" from Sonitus. Prefer a vintage sound inspired by jazz and soul drummers? Try a felt strip that’s simply clamped between the drumhead and bearing edge. This allows your bass drum sound to "breathe" more, resulting in a more mid-range and natural tone.
