Best dampening setup?

[somexone75]

What do you guys think the best dampening setup would be for my EC1/ G1 10" with my EC 2/ G1 12", 13" and 16" toms?

So far I have found Aquarian Rings
these evans dampening pads
http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemPos=0&TempID=1&DepartmentID=4&STRID=234049&CategorySubID=1028&CategoryID=1028&BrandID=1346&CategorySubPriceRangeID=0&pagesize=10&SortMethod=3&Method=3&PriceRangeID=0&SearchPhrase=&Contains=&Search_Type=Department&GroupCode=&categorysubsearch=true
and these weird gel pads
http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemPos=0&TempID=1&DepartmentID=4&STRID=233633&CategorySubID=1028&CategoryID=1028&BrandID=0&CategorySubPriceRangeID=0&pagesize=10&SortMethod=3&Method=3&PriceRangeID=0&SearchPhrase=&Contains=&Search_Type=Department&GroupCode=&categorysubsearch=true

So what would you guys recommend?

Other ideas welcome.

[konaboy]

Your links don't work. So are you trying to take more tone out of your already dampened drums? Firstly go here and read this on tuning if you haven't already. http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/

Secondly don't judge the sound you are hearing from behind your kit, judge it from 15 ft away or better in FRONT of the kit where people really hear it from. The two sound totally different. With proper tuning I cant imagine needing more dampening, your drums are meant to have resonance and tone which it sounds like you are trying to completely eliminate.

[rmandelbaum]

Konaboy is speaking gospel, you really need to listen.

I am going to say the same thing but expand on it a little bit.

The ring (overtones) you are trying to get rid of is what allows your drums to be heard through the band and out in front. If you kill it you will be lost in the mix and your drums will sound like a cardboard box.

You need to have someone play your drums, go stand out in front of them, move around the room and listen. What you think your drums sound like is most likely not even close.


After a while you will begin to get comfortable with the sound behind the kit that produces the great sound out in front of the kit.


Try it I would bet you will be very surprised.

[aydee]

I am surprised that you feel the need to dampen EC2s, 1s...unless its for recording a specific drum sound.These heads come pre-dampened.

[drumtechdad]

Great answers here. Many drummers are trying to duplicate the sound of recordings in what they hear from behind the kit. Most don't find it.

If you're playing unmiked let 'em ring. They'll sound great from the audience. If you don't like the sound in your practice space throw some studio rings on them.

[somexone75]

I am surprised that you feel the need to dampen EC2s, 1s...unless its for recording a specific drum sound.These heads come pre-dampened.

I have in house mics for recording and can't stand the studio rings because they always have a way of migrating somewhere. I hate having to edit the ring off of the drum track.

and even without the mics the heads aren't that dampened for me, no idea why.

[somexone75]

Konaboy is speaking gospel, you really need to listen.

I am going to say the same thing but expand on it a little bit.

The ring (overtones) you are trying to get rid of is what allows your drums to be heard through the band and out in front. If you kill it you will be lost in the mix and your drums will sound like a cardboard box.

You need to have someone play your drums, go stand out in front of them, move around the room and listen. What you think your drums sound like is most likely not even close.


After a while you will begin to get comfortable with the sound behind the kit that produces the great sound out in front of the kit.


Try it I would bet you will be very surprised.

I know sound is totally different from the front but we are talking mics here.

[somexone75]

Your links don't work. So are you trying to take more tone out of your already dampened drums? Firstly go here and read this on tuning if you haven't already. http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/

Secondly don't judge the sound you are hearing from behind your kit, judge it from 15 ft away or better in FRONT of the kit where people really hear it from. The two sound totally different. With proper tuning I cant imagine needing more dampening, your drums are meant to have resonance and tone which it sounds like you are trying to completely eliminate.

And again the mics come into play.

For the record the links are for those Moongel Dampening Gels, Evans Min-EMAD Tom and Snare Dampener and studio rings.

[konaboy]

Honestly it sounds like a tuning issue between your reso and batter.

[konaboy]

Also what are you running your mic's into to record? A mixer and what kind.

Also I don't remember what kind of drums you are working with?

[xush]

If you absolutely have to dampen, I recommend the Moongels.
I mean, they do make all these things for a purpose- some folks are dampening their heads, for whatever reason. I don't like to mute drums, but on rare occasions have experimented with the Moongels. The nice thing about them is that you can cut them in half or hang most of one off the rim so that only a TINY bit touches the head. I don't know that any of the other systems let you 'dial-in' how much dampening you want like that.

Plus they're really easy to pull off, the most important factor in a dampening product!

[Big_Philly]

Tightening the resonant head shortens your sustain a bit but also might cause a pitch bend (I might be wrong here). Personally pitch bends make me very unhappy, but it's up to you.

[somexone75]

Honestly it sounds like a tuning issue between your reso and batter.

It couldn't be because I have tried retuning so many times.

[somexone75]

Also what are you running your mic's into to record? A mixer and what kind.

Also I don't remember what kind of drums you are working with?

I'm running Shure SM57's with the Beta 52 kick into a 12 channel Yahama MG and direct to my multi channel recording system.

The way it is looking is that I will just need to stay with the studio rings, or do the moongels give you the same sound.

[Bobhead]

QUESTION:

Does moongel stick well to coated drumheads?

[fourstringdrums]

QUESTION:

Does moongel stick well to coated drumheads?

Yes they do.

..............

[GRUNTERSDAD]

QUESTION:

Does moongel stick well to coated drumheads?

Yes they do. If they get dirty and tend to travel wash them in warm water with a little liquid soap and they are as good as new

[Cymbalrider]

I have EC2 clears on my 10,12,14,16 toms and these are perhaps a bit too muffled as it is. I can't imagine needing more dampening. But I guess if you want that 70s 'whacking a couch' drum sound then try Moongels or Hydraulic heads, or take off the reso heads