Silent Drumming

$C:\Documents and Settings\Tom\My Documents\My Pictures\Picture 008.jpg$

A way to practice drumming anywhere silently for, pretty much, free! :)

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Materials and junk

$C:\Documents and Settings\Tom\My Documents\My Pictures\Picture 001.jpg$

What you will need:

Drumsticks
Tape, or fast drying glue
Scissors, or craft knife
An old mouse mat
A London After Midnight album (I prefer Phycho Magnet)

dreamberry says: Oct 30, 2011. 7:46 PM

I started learning to drum by practicing on a couch cushion. Zero rebound, but extremely quiet.

Akask says: Oct 28, 2011. 7:37 PM

You can take these on a plane. I took my drum pad and sticks on my trip to europe. On the way back I accidentally left them in my carry-on. Security looked at them, but they didn't take them away.

Davvik says: Mar 16, 2008. 4:34 PM

Could you mute the kick with that?

redsoxdrummer in reply to DavvikSep 23, 2009. 6:20 PM

If you put a bunch af duck tape and coton and stuff on the pedal and kik litly it mufles prety wel

Keeter in reply to DavvikApr 14, 2008. 9:02 AM

If you want to mute a kick drum, the easiest way is to fill the inside with something. A couple pillows or a big fluffy blanket works best. Still makes noise, but not quite as much.

abadfart in reply to KeeterDec 11, 2010. 9:41 PM

i shove old winter jackets in it

wiebevandomburg.hotmail.com in reply to KeeterSep 14, 2008. 3:38 AM

i always do that , else it doesn`t sound very well

Davvik in reply to KeeterApr 14, 2008. 3:25 PM

I already have that in my Bass, to dampen the sound, but then if you are using the cusioned sticks then your bass will still be much luder by comparison

Shut Up Now in reply to DavvikJan 10, 2009. 8:36 PM

yea i already do that because i Hate an echoey bass drum.

fldhkygoalie in reply to DavvikApr 10, 2008. 1:01 PM

hah no. most drums still make noise felt tipped sticks or not. sorry mate

Davvik in reply to fldhkygoalieApr 11, 2008. 7:52 PM

I guess you missunderstood exactly what I meant, I didn't mean completely mute it, I know the felt tips wouldn't completely mute it. I just meant could you do it to the bass drum to make it a little quiter too?

fldhkygoalie in reply to DavvikApr 13, 2008. 6:25 AM

oh. well i guess adding padding would help. and it would help a lot on the cymbals

Tomkatt (author) in reply to DavvikApr 12, 2008. 10:14 AM

suck it and see. as long as its a crap mousemat there nothing to worry about.

fldhkygoalie in reply to TomkattApr 13, 2008. 6:26 AM

for god sake mate how old are you? suck it and see? little childish now arnt we?

Tomkatt (author) in reply to fldhkygoalieApr 13, 2008. 10:06 AM

I wasn't using it as an innuendo it is always used here merely as an inncocnt figure of speech. I think the true childishness lies with the one who turns it from an innocent figure of speech into an innuendo, don't you agree?

fldhkygoalie in reply to TomkattApr 14, 2008. 7:56 AM

then why use it when the word can be interpreted into an innuendo when you could just not open up that chance at the start and just use a different figure of speech?

Tomkatt (author) in reply to fldhkygoalieApr 14, 2008. 3:07 PM

Because any use of language can be interperated to make innuendo it only depends on the interperator. Plus this is a website where true meanings would be understood, at least by most users.

fldhkygoalie in reply to TomkattApr 15, 2008. 3:15 PM

while i see what you mean by any figure of speech being able to be interperated as an innuendo, what other viewers would see the "correct" meaning of suck it and see?

Tomkatt (author) in reply to fldhkygoalieApr 15, 2008. 4:25 PM

Well seeing how you're the only one who has mentioned it...

fldhkygoalie in reply to TomkattApr 15, 2008. 6:38 PM

well if you look up you may realize that the comment was directed at me. not the other ppl veiwing with page

GnomeMaster in reply to fldhkygoalieJun 12, 2010. 10:52 PM

STOP FEEDING THE TROLL MAN THAT MEANS HE WON!!!!! haha lol 2008

Habacuc says: Aug 8, 2008. 9:07 AM

How to mute bass tom ?

kneecaps in reply to HabacucAug 15, 2009. 8:13 PM

what is a bass tom? are you referring tot e kick drum or floor tom?

Habacuc in reply to kneecapsAug 16, 2009. 7:27 AM

I'm talking about the kick drum :)

vindozer says: Feb 13, 2009. 6:28 PM

i took my sitcks on to a plane i didnt get them out but they got on w/ me

speltbaker says: Feb 17, 2008. 5:38 PM

cool - drumstick mufflers! we've got a drummer in the family: guess who's gonna get a pair of these right away...

awsomeinventor says: Jan 16, 2008. 6:34 PM

pretty neat idea. Great job.

drummonkey92 says: Nov 2, 2007. 12:33 PM

nice idea. im gona do this on the end of a couple of old telescopic arials so they'l fit in my pencil case when folded down. getting sticks outa your bag and playing on the table in a free lesson is generaly frowned upon in my school lol one other thing - do you lose much bounce when playing with these?

lawizeg says: Jul 29, 2007. 5:59 PM

thats cool

Ima_Pirate says: Jun 4, 2007. 11:31 AM

Yar. doesn't that defeat the purpose?
But It does help my slave captain practice his ominous drumming.
(Argh, that sounds gay⁾

joejoerowley says: Jun 3, 2007. 8:09 AM

Hi, this is a good instructable but I dont like it because I don't think I could a accomplish 17 stroke rolls as easily. I would just play on the edge of the head, a practice pad with beads in the bottom or mute pads. Thanks for Ideas though.

Tomkatt (author) in reply to joejoerowleyJun 3, 2007. 1:50 PM

The whole point in this is to be a total cheapskate, you need to spend money on a good pad, this is free. its not great but it works

KnittingFreak says: Jun 3, 2007. 12:56 PM

It's a good thought, but I hold my sticks so close together that I probably wouldn't even be able to do smooth paradiddles. Is this actually silent, or just very quiet (like playing on the floor, or a mute pad, like joejoerowley said)?

Tomkatt (author) in reply to KnittingFreakJun 3, 2007. 1:49 PM

It depends what you play on but its really really quiet on anything

Sgt.Waffles says: Jun 3, 2007. 1:10 PM

It would be difficult to do rudiments, because of the extra weight on the front, and the giant obstructions. You go try to do alternating triple ratamacues with them and let me know what its like.

Tomkatt (author) in reply to Sgt.WafflesJun 3, 2007. 1:48 PM

Its pretty weightless,i dont suggest you keep this its just say, until you get a decent pad

lemonie says: Jun 3, 2007. 11:25 AM

My mate Steve had a pad (almost certainly like joejorowley suggests), but this is much better, as you only need your sticks.
The only think I could think of to make this any better is to have screw-on tips (soft and hard) like Snooker cues. However, that's probably going to cause problems.

L