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What’s the Best Dampening Gear for My Drum Kit?
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Drummers can transform the sound of their acoustic kit by changing the drumheads or using alternative tunings, but another, simpler way to alter the sound is using various forms of damping (or dampening). Damping often makes it easier to get the best possible sound out of a drum kit, since it effectively reduces any overtones that might hinder the sound, while leaving the full volume intact. In this Guide, we answer your most common questions about drum damping. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us!

1. My Drum Kit Just Needs to be Quieter. Is That Possible?

Absolutely! If you take a look at our Silent Drumming section, you’ll find what you need. In this Guide, we’ll be covering gear that isn’t designed to make your kit quieter, but to enhance the sound. See our blog about drumming at a lower volume for some great tips.

 Gear for Silent Drumming
 Blog: 5 Tips to Keep Drum Noise to a Minimum

My Drum Kit Just Needs to be Quieter. Is That Possible?

2. Does My Drum Kit Need Damping?

If you think your drum kit sounds great already, then you don’t need any damping. There are plenty of drummers that are able to get the best sound of a kit just by using the right tuning and drumheads. But if you’re not so confident when it comes to tuning (yet), then damping is a quick and useful way to get a great, balanced sound out of your kit. So, if you notice that your kit ‘rings’ a little too much or the sustain is a little too intense, then applying some damping can be an outstanding fix.

 All Drum Damping Gear

Does My Drum Kit Need Damping?

3. What Kind of Damping Should Be Used for the Snare and Toms?

In principle, you can use any kind of damping for your snare and toms. Here are some tips on how to dampen the snare and toms:

  • Damper pads ('gels') and external absorbers are universal so will always fit. The advantage of using either of these is that you can influence the damping level by simply placing the pad or absorber on a different spot on the drumhead.
  • External damping rings are popular with beginners. These are simply laid on the drumhead, and of all damping techniques, damping rings remove most of the overtones. Make sure to get a ring with a diameter that matches the diameter of the drum.

 Damping Pads
 External Absorbers
 External Damping Rings
 All Damping

What Kind of Damping Should Be Used for the Snare and Toms?

4. What Kind of Damping Should Be Used for the Bass Drum and Cymbals?

To make your bass drum sound dryer and tighter, there are a few things you can do:

  • A damping cushion can be a big help, but if the cushion is too large, your bass drum can sound a little dead.
  • You could place an internal damping ring on both the front and back drumheads. Combined with good tuning, this can give you an outstanding result.
  • A more traditional solution is using damping strips.
  • Damping pads and external damping rings are not normally used to dampen bass drums.
  • Note: when using damping techniques like internal damping rings and damping cushions, always double check that the ring or cushion will fit the diameter or depth of your bass drum.

If you want less sustain out of your cymbals, then you can apply damping pads (see Question 3) or little magnets (‘cymbal tuners’). Using quick fixes like gaffa tape is not recommended.

 Damping Cushions
 Internal Damping Rings
 Damping Strips
 Damper Pads
 Special Cymbal Damping

What Kind of Damping Should Be Used for the Bass Drum and Cymbals?

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 Blog: 5 Tips to Keep Drum Noise to a Minimum

 

 
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