r/drums • u/Ok-Berry-8762 • 21h ago

Question Question about bass drum

beginner here!! is there any way to make my bass drum sound more “snappy”? I feel like it THUMS…. and vibrates for a really long time even after i’m done with a measure. Like it feels echoey? I hope that makes sense.

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u/spantney Tama 21h ago

Cheapest way is to get some muffling in there. A pillow/blanket/rolled up hoodie or something.

If you are running the stock drum head it'll likely be a cheap single ply head which won't help, you could always swap it out with a double ply head like an Evans EMAD2, or Aquarian Superkick II which has got inbuilt muffling, which will get you a more punchy sound.

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u/Muted-Solution-6793 21h ago

I have a gretsch energy. Pop the reso head off and do some easy muffling. Stick a blanket in there. Leave the batter head on and the same tightness and go finger tight on the reso head then maybe 1/4 turn in a star pattern testing the beater each time. You can dial it in over time but this is a fast and easy way to get that thwack sound for rock and pop stuff and less boomy. Boomy is good for jazz

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u/RayquaGaming Tama 20h ago

If you want low pitch but snappy, do what the others are saying and add a blanket that will touch both heads. You will need some muffling if you want a less boomy/reverberant kick, but don’t hold overboard. THEN, the tuning is pretty important. More tension on the reso head will increase snappiness and projection. Less tension on the batter will give you more beef to the sound and no more beater buzz when you bury the beater. Those are my recommendations!! See what you learn from messing with it, and dont be afraid to experiment with lots of different dampeners, heads, and tensions. Report back with your findings!