Editing Drum kit (section)

===Muffles===
[[File:Ring muffle on snare.jpg|thumb|Mylar muffle ring on snare]]

Drum muffles are types of [[mute (music)|mutes]] that can reduce the ring, boomy [[overtone]] frequencies, or overall volume on a snare, bass, or tom. Controlling the ring is useful in studio or live settings when unwanted frequencies can clash with other instruments in the mix. There are internal and external muffling devices which rest on the inside or outside of the drumhead, respectively. Common types of mufflers include muffling rings, [[Moongel|gels]] and duct tape, and improvised methods, such as placing a wallet near the edge of the head. Some drummers muffle the sound of a drum by putting a cloth over the drumhead.

'''Snare drum and tom-tom'''
Typical ways to muffle a snare or tom include placing an object on the outer edge of the drumhead. A piece of cloth, a wallet, gel, or fitted rings made of [[BoPET|mylar]] are common objects. Also used are external clip-on muffles. Internal mufflers that lie on the inside of the drumhead are often built into a drum, but are generally considered less effective than external muffles, as they stifle the initial tone, rather than simply reducing its sustain.

'''Bass drum'''
Muffling the bass can be achieved with the same muffling techniques as for the snare, but bass drums in a drum kit are more commonly muffled by adding pillows, a sleeping bag, or other soft filling inside the drum, between the heads. Cutting a small hole in the resonant head can also produce a more muffled tone, and allows the manipulation of internally placed muffling. The Evans EQ pad places a pad against the batterhead and, when struck, the pad moves off the head momentarily, then returns to rest against the head, thus reducing the sustain without choking the tone.

'''Silencers/mutes'''
Another type of drum muffler is a piece of rubber that fits over the entire drumhead or cymbal. It interrupts contact between the stick and the head, which dampens the sound. They are typically used in practice settings.

'''Cymbals''' are usually muted with the fingers or hand, to reduce the length or volume of ringing (e.g., the cymbal choke technique which is a key part of heavy metal drumming). Cymbals can also be muted with special rubber rings or duct tape.

'''Historical uses'''
Muffled drums are often associated with funeral ceremonies as well, such as the funerals of [[Queen Victoria]] and [[John F. Kennedy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishpathe.com/video/funeral-of-queen-victoria |title=Funeral of Queen Victoria – British Pathé |publisher=Britishpathe.com |date=2010-07-18 |access-date=2014-07-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704180143/http://www.britishpathe.com/video/funeral-of-queen-victoria |archive-date=4 July 2014 }}</ref> The use of muffled drums has been written about by such poets as [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]], [[John Mayne]], and [[Theodore O'Hara]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/PsalmA.htm |title=Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life" |publisher=Blupete.com |access-date=2014-07-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101233134/http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/PsalmA.htm |archive-date=1 January 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/warpoetry/1805/1805_4.html |title=1805.4 – "The Muffled Drum" &#124; Romantic Circles |date=September 2004 |publisher=Rc.umd.edu |access-date=2014-07-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521214224/http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/warpoetry/1805/1805_4.html |archive-date=21 May 2014 }}</ref> Drums have also been used for therapy and learning purposes, such as when an experienced player will sit with a number of students and by the end of the session have all of them relaxed and playing complex rhythms.<ref>Ryan , A. (n.d.). Learning to play the drum: an experiential. 43(4), 435–444.</ref>