Bass Drum Problems

[avieth]

I just put a new Remo Coated Powerstroke 3 on my bass drum (it had the factory skin on). I tuned it up, put a blanket in the drum covering the bottom 20% of the skin, and threw on the factory resonant head but didn't tighten it too much.

I then reassembled my kit and began to play. The bass sounds awesome, but it sets off the cymbals and all the toms' skins, plus the snare's resonant head. I can't live with this, it drives me crazy. So I took apart the kit, separated all the drums and began messing with the bass drum tuning. No matter what I try it always vibrates the cymbals (crash and ride).

How do I stop this?

 

[Fishmed]

What kind of room are you in and how is the room treated?
What kind of material does your drum set sit on?

 

[avieth]

What kind of room are you in and how is the room treated?
What kind of material does your drum set sit on?

It is in a carpeted basement. The walls are not bare concrete, but half wood half painted primer I guess. The drums are in a corner, behind a Hammond organ, next to a bookshelf, and the wall behind it has a few cushions infront of it.

 

[Fishmed]

The first thing I would try to do is move the set out of the corner to a more open area. Perhaps you can find a spot where the rooms reflections will not have as much impact on the rest of the set.

 

[avieth]

That might not be an option for me. Would covering the walls closest to the kit with some absorbant material like thick drapes work with the same effect?

 

[Fishmed]

I figured that might be a problem, but I think you have the right idea. It just takes a little trial and error.

 

[ez_willis]

How about moongel?

 

[hoops]

That might not be an option for me. Would covering the walls closest to the kit with some absorbant material like thick drapes work with the same effect?

Corners always amplify bass. That is why studios put bass traps in the corners. Move it out of the corner. Absorbers work on hi frequencies not low. I have a small size drum set so it does not have the same amount of bottom end as the bigger size drums. So I put it in the corner to add bass to its sound.

 

[ez_willis]

how About Moongel???​

 

[avieth]

So I should buy some moongel huh.

It won't take away any of the sound from the drums will it?

Doesn't duct tape do the same job?

I'm still trying to fix this but nothing seems to work. I moved the kit in to the centre of the room, held a tom by the rim and hit the kick pedal. Guess what? The batter head (Remo Coated Emperor) still resonates. The other head does aswell (Clear Diplomat), but not nearly as much. The same happened with all drums. I guess I'll try out these moongels and hope they don't kill the tone.

 

[ez_willis]

Doesn't duct tape do the same job?

No. Moongel is more effective because it absorbs a certain amount of vibration. It also doesn't leave a sticky residue on the cymbal or head forever, and costs around $6.

You can cut them into smaller pieces if you find it's killing the overtones/vibrations too much. Also, experiment with the placement.

 

[hoops]

You will have to go through and retune your drums to frequencies that are not triggered by your kick.

 

[avieth]

You will have to go through and retune your drums to frequencies that are not triggered by your kick.

Impossible. I have tried the lowest of the low, highest of the high. Every single tuning is triggered by the bass drum. I tried filling the bass up with blankets, no change except for the worser bass sound.

 

[Supercreep]

It's not going to come across in the recording. Don't worry about it. It's a natural function of drums to resonate. Let them be.