Moongel vs dampening rings

BramVanroy

Senior Member
What are your pros and cons for moongel and dampening rings?

At first I used nothing, but I really needed some dampening (also caused by the room I played in), then I got myself moongels. At first they were great, I thought, but after some testing and a couple of months of playing I didn't like them anymore. They didn't stick anymore, they lost some of their absorbing abilities and they just looked nasty as well.

Then I got myself some new damp rings, and I have never been happier. Immediately I noticed a tremendous difference. They are, imo, easier to use, look nicer, and are more effective. (It's been a while since I played on my acoustic set, but I still remember what the transition was like.)

Some people might agree with me, some might not. That's why I made this topic.

Let the discussion begin.
 
After picking up the sticks again a couple of years ago after a LONG break (nearly 10 years), I bought a cheap Asian made Dixon kit. I tossed the stock heads, and put coated Remo Emps over clear Remo Ambs. It helped, but even after spending hours fine tuning them, they just sounded.......off. I bought Evans dampening rings, and that helped immensely! Those overtones were gone, and the toms sounded exactly like I wanted them too.

Last month I bought a 6 pc. Mapex Blaster kit, which comes stock with Remo Suede heads. A quick little tune-job on them (the store already had them sorts tuned), and they sounded exactly perfect. I don't need the rings at all, they sing a perfect note to me with every hit.

That being said, I occasionally use a ring on my steel snare, just to cut down the overtones. I asked my bass player about it, and he said he didn't even notice it until I mentioned it. Probably only a sound I hear from behind the kit, but I still prefer it gone...
 
The moon gels don't stick after a while and need to be replaced with new ones but I feel they are easier to dial in just the right amount of muffling by cutting them in half and thirds. Plus they look better than gaffers tape. If the rings are the right amount of muffling then you're all set.
 
Moongels work better for me, as they will not buzz. I had some dirty moongels that didn't stick too well, so I just rinsed them off with warm water, and they were rejuvinated!
 
Moon Gels can be washed in soap and water and rejuvenated for a spell and Bermuda has found the kids little gels do the job as well.
You can also use a business card at the bottom of the batter head and achieve the same thing
 
I think the main difference between the 2 is the ability to adjust to your likings. Moongels can be placed where ever you desire to achieve the sound/control you're after. Though personally, I perfer the rings. The Rings provide a very focused and even sound regardless of where you hit the drum.
 
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I tried moongel about 6 months, but i prefer the open sound on my toms. I was kinda liking the one piece of moongel on my snare, but it is a pain to deal with all the time so I stopped using it. I lose them all the time, or other drummers take them off when they play my kit then put them in weird places. So I got me a ring again. I use it only on certain songs and they work well to tame a cheap metal snare drum with overtone issues. I've always used one on my Gretsch snare. There is the widest ring I've ever seen on the metal GP snare at my other band's practice garage. I'm not too fond of that snare, so now I'm using an Acrolite. That thing has internal muffling!
 
Typically I don't us anything to dampen my drums. I like everything wide open.
Sometimes in the studio I will need a little something on the snare, I go with Moongel.
I like the fact that you can cut them into smaller portions, so you get just the right amount needed. Sometimes a whole one is too much.

Live I will use them, but only in particular settings. If I'm doing a stripped down acoustic show, or playing a small room. 1 Moongel on my snare does the job well.
I have also done some Hip Hop gigs, and having a whole moongel on a little 10" side snare is perfect for that hand clap sound.
 
Moon Gels can be washed in soap and water and rejuvenated for a spell and Bermuda has found the kids little gels do the job as well.
You can also use a business card at the bottom of the batter head and achieve the same thing

+1.............I had some old ones, washed them with soap and water..........let dry and they worked like new. As to losing them, I always place my "extras" inside my cowbell..............they stay fine, I always know where they are and I can grab them quickly if I need to.
 
The 2 muffling methods work quite differently.

A ring sitting on a batter head will let almost all of the initial overtones through, because when you hit the head it goes down faster than gravity can pull the ring, so in effect the drum is unmuffled until the head comes back up. (That’s happening all too fast to see, of course.)

With Moon Gel, it’s in contact with the head at all times, so its damping effect is constant.

I use rings on my snares so I get a nice bright attack but controlled sustain, and I use a wee bit of gel on toms only if I’m trying to eliminate a particular overtone. (My 13 inch tom in particular is a pain that way.)
 
I don't like Moon Gels because they only muffle along one axis of vibrations. I feel like unless you use all 5 on your snare, you can still find a playing position that will ring. But if that doesn't bother you, they are really good job at preserving the natural sound of the drum once you put them on. That is a major pro.

The richie rings are awesome. I use them on one of my snares. They really do a perfect job of damping imo. For the sound I'm looking for, they are perfect. But they do have a very distinct sound. Adding a Richie Ring can really change the way your drum sounds to me. Not better or worse, just different.
 
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I don't like Moon Gels because they only muffle along one axis of vibrations. I feel like unless you use all 5 on your snare, you can still find a playing position that will ring. But if that doesn't bother you, they are really good job at preserving the natural sound of the drum once you put them on. That is a major pro.

The richie rings are awesome. I use them on one of my snares. For the sound I'm looking for, they are perfect. But they do have a very distinct sound. Adding a Richie Ring can really change the way your drum sounds to me. Not better or worse, just different.

.......not familiar with "Richie Rings" are they the same as the Evans or Remo rings?
 
I must admit that I never thought about washing the moongels off nor cutting them in size needed. Feeling quite stupid now!


Washing works but not forever, MOONGELS will turn to crud, the ozone in the air eventually does them in. What you wash them with also has an effect on their longevity.

The window gel alternatives are attractive b/c they're so cheap and produce virtually the same effect.
 
.......not familiar with "Richie Rings" are they the same as the Evans or Remo rings?

Yea, there are. Richie Rings was the name of the first market product like this. Remo still sells them, but back in the old days, guys used to just cut O's out of old heads and use that
 

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I will use a ring on a snare to control it, but typically one or two tiny spots of gel on toms. Rings muffle too much on toms, and they rattle. (At least I can hear them rasping against the heads.)

I followed Bermuda's advice on gel and instead of paying stupid prices for Moongel, I went and got some sticky hands at the dollar store and carved them up. Just as good.
 
Yea, there are. Richie Rings was the name of the first market product like this. Remo still sells them, but back in the old days, guys used to just cut O's out of old heads and use that

Thanks............never knew that was what they were marketed as.
 
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