What enhances your bass drum sound other than EQ or mics?

Question:The type of drum itself: Size, type of wood, skins, beater, etc.

If you have a drum and just want to change the sound consider these tricks:

1) Mute or muffle sound by putting foam or blankets inside the drum

2) Tighten of loosen the drum head to adjust the tone. Also, adjust the outer skin. You can cut a hole in the outer skin, or remove it completely to get a different tone.

3) The beater will affect the attack portion of the drum beat. A wooden or hard plastic beater will click more than a foam beater hitting a contact pad on the drum skin.

4) Tape up all loose mechanical parts to eliminate buzzing

5) Mount the bass drum on a thick carpet and use a wooden drum riser to get more of a thump and less ring. Play in a acoustically neutral room to isolate drum sound.

6) Reposition toms, hihat and snare to eliminate unwanted resonance

7) You can attach an electronic trigger to the drum to generate synthesized sounds that can be added into your overall mix. This is very common.

8) Electronic effects can totally change your tone. Reverb gives fullness. Gates let you control attack and decay. Flange adds depth.

9) Surround your drums with baffles to avoid interacting with other instruments

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The type of drum itself: Size, type of wood, skins, beater, etc.

If you have a drum and just want to change the sound consider these tricks:

1) Mute or muffle sound by putting foam or blankets inside the drum

2) Tighten of loosen the drum head to adjust the tone. Also, adjust the outer skin. You can cut a hole in the outer skin, or remove it completely to get a different tone.

3) The beater will affect the attack portion of the drum beat. A wooden or hard plastic beater will click more than a foam beater hitting a contact pad on the drum skin.

4) Tape up all loose mechanical parts to eliminate buzzing

5) Mount the bass drum on a thick carpet and use a wooden drum riser to get more of a thump and less ring. Play in a acoustically neutral room to isolate drum sound.

6) Reposition toms, hihat and snare to eliminate unwanted resonance

7) You can attach an electronic trigger to the drum to generate synthesized sounds that can be added into your overall mix. This is very common.

8) Electronic effects can totally change your tone. Reverb gives fullness. Gates let you control attack and decay. Flange adds depth.

9) Surround your drums with baffles to avoid interacting with other instruments