The brand new Destroy A Drum Tom Muffle Prototype is out. Below is a list of FAQ's since this is a new way of muffling it will take some testing to lock in your perfect sound.
What made you create this product?
Let's be real, there's not a one size fits all muffle. Almost every drum company has their own gel, tape, or weight in the industry and it's always the "Here's one kind to use for all the different drums." But wait, not every drum needs that exact amount of muffling depending on the gig or heads. We wanted to customize our tone, whether that's cutting the muffle down or using more to make the sound exact to our preference. And because we’ve seen one too many bad muffles...and we mean we have SEEN IT ALL.
What makes this different than the others?
This is available in 3 different thicknesses (Minimal, Moderate, and Maximum) and can be customized by cutting it to any desired length. It ships in 6 foot lengths and can be used in temperatures as high as 220°. What this does is allow you to muffle any size tom as much as you like without having to deal with the usual gel/tape getting dirty, coming off, and not lasting or having to use only one size type of muffle. Fair warning: this isn't a fast or easy muffle to use. If you prefer the faster weights, dots, and covers we suggest being patient with trying this and start with 1 roll of moderate thickness. Once it’s on the head it’s made to stay so it’s not like the other reusable muffles, it’s made to last longer than the heads. This is specifically for only tom heads and we're in the process of making one for snares.
Why do I want this?
This is a little different than your usual drum muffle or dampening product. Unlike gel, tape, weights, or covers that are over the entire tom you can customize how much muffle you want and choose your thickness based on each drum size. We will make a note this isn't a fast paced product, it takes a little time to dial in how much muffle to use and find tune your style. It's not for everyone, we love the big fat snare drums, drops, and snare weights - they serve their purpose. This one serves the drummer who wants to tailor their tone.
Where do I use it?
You can use this muffle on any kind of tom drumhead, whether it's on the batter or resonant and coated or clear. We've had artists experiment with placing it underneath the reso and batter heads but most prefer on top of the batter head. You can place this anywhere on the head but near the tension rods (outer edge) keeps it from getting in the way like most mutes.
When do I use it?
We have found artists love this in the studio when trying to dial in a specific tone that the other kinds of muffles can't dial in. For live we found artists liked the idea of having a discrete muffle to place on toms that wouldn't fall off. When you’re trying to get a bit more technical for the sound or you want dampening to be different for each of your toms, this is when it comes in handy.
How do I use it?
Step 1:
Select your thickness.
We have three versions of muffle - Minimal, Moderate, and Maximum. We recommend the minimal for the smallest sized rack toms 6"-10", moderate for 12"-14", and maximum for floor toms 16"+. This is all preference so depending on how much you like to muffle, you can select your favorite based on that.
Step 2:
Choose your length.
Less is more. Each roll is 6ft long so there’s plenty to cut. For your first time using it, if you're not sure how much you want to use start with less (you can always add more). The reason we say this is because the adhesive is very strong, if you apply it to the drum and then try to take it off and move it the adhesive more than likely will come off the muffle and you will have to recut a new piece. We recommend cutting the muffle with scissors and firmly applying it to the outside edge of the drum. Press on the muffle for a good 15-30 seconds to make sure it stays.
