Is there a way to make your floor tom sound shorter than it is?

J

just another username

Member
So yeah bascally title, is there a way to do it w/o actually cutting the tom and recutting bearing edges? I have a 16x16 which is probably the most common, but i really prefer the sound of a 16x14, has more of a note and less general BOOM.
 
Cutting the tom, re-finishing the bearing edges, re-drilling the holes for the lugs, and the leg holders. or...........tuning it higher. I would tune it higher
 
Try tuning the reso head higher to shorten the sustain. Tune it up gradually until you get the sound you're after.
 
zambizzi said:
Try tuning the reso head higher to shorten the sustain. Tune it up gradually until you get the sound you're after.
Click to expand...

^ this.

You could also try, in addition to tuning, the old trick of putting cotton ball in the floor tom.

When you hit the drum, the cotton balls fly up and let the bottom head resonate freely, then they fall back down and provide a subtle muffling of the bottom head. The only problem if you decided to take them out (or add more) you have to remove a drum head to get them in/out.
 
And also ... head combo's. A Powerstroke3 or a Pinstripe batter over an Ambassador single ply is gonna give you a much different sound than and Ambassador over an Ambassador. A Powerstroke3 top and bottom, will give you a whole lotta punch, with very little sustain.
 
Yep... just change the heads to thicker single ply like a Remo Emperor,or thicker double ply like Remo Pin Stripes.Use coated heads since they give you extra muffeling ,more focus and less sustain .Try using Moon Gel or Gaffers tape also_Or if all else fails,buy a used 80's era concert tom kit and a roll of duct tape.I promise ...zero...sustain. But do not cut 2" off of your floor tom.Ebay is littered with enough mutilated drums as it is.Good luck.

Steve B
 
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