There are a number of different types of ports. Some simply serve to protect the edges of the hole in a bass drum head; these types of ports can also be used to create such a hole. Ports can also be used to improve the sound of a bass drum, such as kickports and drumports. Kickports, for instance, are great for amplifying bass tones and for making the kick tighter and sharper by allowing for a more direct flow of air. Using a kickport also means that you probably won't need to use dampening. You can find other sound-influencing drum accessories in our dampening category.
