Cymbal muting pads damaging???

[-tarek-]

So, I have a question....

I can only play my kit till about 8:30 (neighbors), but I get home from work around 7:30. Every night when I have to stop, I am not yet satisfied with my jam session and / or band practice. So, I was thinking to buy some of those rubber drum and cymbal mute pads so I can play at night. Even though it would sound like absolute garbage, it will hold me over fine till I can afford an E-kit. So my question is... would the muting pads hurt my cymbals? It seems like it would disrupt the vibration and force the cymbal to hold it in. Could this cause me to crack the cymbal or weaken to crack later? Any experience? I'm afraid to try because I don't have any cheap cymbals to try on. All of mine are Paiste Sigs and other spendy Zildjians and Sabians, and we all know how expensive these tasty pies are. I certainly don't want to break one, as every extra penny I make is going towards another bass drum and new pedals.

Any thoughts???

Thanks

[Salicete]

The pads will not cause any damage whatsoever.

[drovja]

The pads work kind of like this:
They absorb a significant amount of impact from your stick, and that makes the cymbal vibrate less and with less volume, and then because the pad is still laying on the cymbal, it will dampen and absorb the vibrations causing the small amount of sound initially released to be cut off very quickly.
There is no way the pads could hurt your cymbals.

[Norske]

And to reinforce what's been said, I used Soundoff pads on my practice kit, and my cymbals are Paiste. I wouldn't even think about hurting my babies! LOL.

No need to be concerned I can assure you.

[-tarek-]

Thanks guys. I figured they're harmless, just had to make sure.