randomhero243
Member
considering some of us arent professional tuners, does anyone have any tips on getting a similar effect to an e-ring without using one. like even if its not as drastic?
moongel or e-rings?
- Thread starter remoking
- Start date
I like Moongels better than rings. You can adjust Moongels far better. Like someone else already described, I use one on the edge of my snare drum, with half of it on the head, and half laid up on the side of the rim. Rings can often be overkill. They can also buzz, get caught on your stick and mess you up, and get permanently bent so that they no longer lay flat on your drum. Moongels will give you none of these problems, and they can be used on cowbells, or on cymbals if you have loud, ringy cymbals and you're playing in a subdued situation.
Seriously, is it necessary that every time someone asks a question about muffling, they get bombarded with all the same old crap: "dude, you must suck at tuning, let those things sing so they don't sound like wet pizza boxes, blah, blah, blah"? I don't think so. I used to use rings on my toms a few years ago, and they were NOT dead, not at all. I still had on the stock clear G2 heads, and I used the rings to get rid of some of the "plasticy" sound present in the attack, and to better emphasize the low end. They actually worked great (the thinner white Remo ones - not the thick ones that Evans makes, which really do kill the sound), except for some of the problems I mentioned. I now use coated G2s, which are warmer and allow me to not need the muffling, except a little on the snare. So yes, appropriate heads can fix a lot of problems, but I still think it's stupid that everybody gets attacked for using (or even asking about) a LITTLE muffling when necessary.
Seriously, is it necessary that every time someone asks a question about muffling, they get bombarded with all the same old crap: "dude, you must suck at tuning, let those things sing so they don't sound like wet pizza boxes, blah, blah, blah"? I don't think so. I used to use rings on my toms a few years ago, and they were NOT dead, not at all. I still had on the stock clear G2 heads, and I used the rings to get rid of some of the "plasticy" sound present in the attack, and to better emphasize the low end. They actually worked great (the thinner white Remo ones - not the thick ones that Evans makes, which really do kill the sound), except for some of the problems I mentioned. I now use coated G2s, which are warmer and allow me to not need the muffling, except a little on the snare. So yes, appropriate heads can fix a lot of problems, but I still think it's stupid that everybody gets attacked for using (or even asking about) a LITTLE muffling when necessary.
dkerwood
Silver Member
On top of that, sometimes you NEED muffling. A carpeted room that's well treated will take a wide open drum FAR better than the inside of a National Guard Armory warehouse (my loudest, most obnoxious gig of all time- concrete and metal on all sides). Also, home playing is sometimes easier when the drums are muffled.
Muffling is just another tool in the arsenal. Yes, you could do fine without it... but it's also a great technique to take advantage of.
remoking
Senior Member
Wow, I don't even remember posting this thread haha...loooong time ago. I've never heard of the O-Rings before though. TBH, I don't even use any sort of dampening anymore. With the right heads and tuning, I can get the perfect sound with perfect sustain.
crdirtRider856
Silver Member
This thread is pretty amusing...only thing we need now is a picture of that set that had like, 50+ moongels on a 5 pc set. Hilarious, if just for the perfect picture to define- overkill.
That said, I like the 'gels. I only use 1...I have a little flat spot on the bearing edge on my 14" floor tom that just ALWAYS creates a wrinkle. Till I can get the edges redone, 1 little moongel does the trick. Yay for "space-age" technology! : P .....................................(get it,get it? HAHAHA)...........*booos from the peanut gallery*
That said, I like the 'gels. I only use 1...I have a little flat spot on the bearing edge on my 14" floor tom that just ALWAYS creates a wrinkle. Till I can get the edges redone, 1 little moongel does the trick. Yay for "space-age" technology! : P .....................................(get it,get it? HAHAHA)...........*booos from the peanut gallery*
I have an email from Kenny Aronoff saying he uses duct tape on his 15" signature snare. I guess he must suck at tuning, huh?
Lately, I try to not use dampening just to force myself to hone my tuning skills more.
But there are times where the sound you want from your drum very much requires them. I have used various methods of dampening, both moongel and rings. And I still have them around if I want to use them.
Lately, I try to not use dampening just to force myself to hone my tuning skills more.
But there are times where the sound you want from your drum very much requires them. I have used various methods of dampening, both moongel and rings. And I still have them around if I want to use them.
remoking
Senior Member
Thats cool. How did you manage to get in touch with him?
drumguyfromWI
Senior Member
I use Aquarian Studio Rings.
the rings have the perfect dampening, but the only problem is you need a specific size for each drum, where as you can stick MoonGels on whatever.
I'd say MoonGels are more for a quick fix for anything that is giving you problems (for example, a borrowed kit at a gig), and rings are more like a long term solution (as they need to be the same size as the drum)
I don't get why a lot of people are so against muffling. using muffling doesn't mean you suck at tuning, it's a personal choice what you want your drums to sound like, and personally, I can't stand my drums being super-ringy with lots of sustain. I like them to speak, and then shut up. so I use rings on the snare and toms, and a towel in my bass drum. my drums sound great to me. but I listen to my friend's kit, and he has huge toms that he doesn't muffle at all, and I just cringe at all the ringyness, sustain and overtones spewing from those drums.
the rings have the perfect dampening, but the only problem is you need a specific size for each drum, where as you can stick MoonGels on whatever.
I'd say MoonGels are more for a quick fix for anything that is giving you problems (for example, a borrowed kit at a gig), and rings are more like a long term solution (as they need to be the same size as the drum)
I don't get why a lot of people are so against muffling. using muffling doesn't mean you suck at tuning, it's a personal choice what you want your drums to sound like, and personally, I can't stand my drums being super-ringy with lots of sustain. I like them to speak, and then shut up. so I use rings on the snare and toms, and a towel in my bass drum. my drums sound great to me. but I listen to my friend's kit, and he has huge toms that he doesn't muffle at all, and I just cringe at all the ringyness, sustain and overtones spewing from those drums.
dkerwood
Silver Member
It really depends on what you want to use your drums for.
If you just want them to sound good in your bedroom, then by all means muffle to your heart's content, if that's the sound you're after.
What a lot of guys don't realize is that on STAGE, most of the drum's sound is eliminated by distance and other sound sources (other instruments). Often, a tom that rings too long on its own sounds like a muffled tom "in the mix". Likewise, a muffled tom sounds like nothing- just an attack and no sustain, no pitch.
I don't know what it is around here, but a lot of guys with drumsets (I hesitate to really call them "drummers") like to tune their drums super low and muffle them until it just sounds like pounding on wet cardboard. It may sound cool in their bedrooms, but it becomes impossible for a soundman to turn that into a usable tone.
That said, once again, I am a fan of muffling when necessary. I think a well-tuned, unmuffled drum is the best starting point, but sometimes you can't use all of that ring in certain environments. That's where moongel and rings come in. My old drummer used to use rings in studio (hence the name "Studio Rings") and go unmuffled live.
caddywumpus
Archnemesis of Larryace
It's because that's what you hear on records. The sound of a tom's attack, and not so much it's resonance, because that's covered up by the sound of all of the other instruments and vocals, vying for the same sound frequencies. Just like playing live. The more unmuffled you have your drums, the more overtones you produce, and therefore the more you can actually be heard and not lost in a mix.
Let the drums sing, I say. If they weren't meant to resonate, then they wouldn't be cylinders made out of wood with heads on each side...
Deathmetalconga
Platinum Member
Some hand drums, like bata and tablas, have clay or similar materials to control overtones. Some snares and toms come with felt dampening pads inside that you adjust from outside. Dampening drums is a very common technique to shape sound, not a sign of failed tuning. Still, I bag on people who buy the thinnest, most resonant heads for their bass drums, then stuff mattresses in them to control ring. Might as well play a cardboard box.
My drums are a half-inch thick and made of extremely dense wood. Controlling overtones is a problem. I use thick heads and take a lot of time to tune so that seems to take care of it. However, my snare is especially prone to ringing. Instead of Moongel I use that office putty, light blue or yellow. It's kind of like modeling clay but leaves no residue.I also put that on my ride cymbal to darken the sound when needed. The putty can be broken apart, joined or shaped in whatever way is needed for precise control and it stays put.
Daphfz
Senior Member
So you basically put blue-tack on ur cymbals/drums? I dunno if that'd be good for them, but eh lol. I dont use moongel or rings to control the overtones on my drums, i simply put duct tape on my toms, killed the overtones and allowed me to get a good tone with medium/short sustain, just how i like it 
crdirtRider856
Silver Member
So you basically put blue-tack on ur cymbals/drums?
I dunno if that'd be good for them, but eh lol.
i simply put duct tape on my toms,
just how i like it
Hehe...If you cant fix it- duck it!
If you cant duck it- f**k it!
If you cant f**k it- screw it!
And if you cant screw it... well then just trash it! LOL!!
dkerwood
Silver Member
So you basically put blue-tack on ur cymbals/drums? I dunno if that'd be good for them, but eh lol. I dont use moongel or rings to control the overtones on my drums, i simply put duct tape on my toms, killed the overtones and allowed me to get a good tone with medium/short sustain, just how i like it
Let me see if I follow you. You ask if blue-tack, which doesn't leave residue, is good for drums, and then you suggest using duct tape, which leaves TONS of residue!
You can take off moongel and rings with no damage. Duct tape leaves stickiness.