DW SMPADCS5 Cymbal Mute Set, 5 Pieces
This is a five-piece set of cymbal mutes that covers a full setup: a foam pad for the ride, two rubber pads for the crashes, and two pads for the hi-hat. Quieting a drum kit without taking it apart means dealing with the cymbals first, since they carry much further than the drums.
What sets it apart
- One foam pad for an 18 to 22 in ride
- Two rubber pads for 14 to 18 in crashes
- One foam pad for the top of a 13 or 14 in hi-hat
- One rubber pad that goes between the two hi-hat cymbals
- Your playing stays the same: the sizes covered are those of the cymbals
- A complete set, with nothing to add
Two materials, two jobs
Foam and rubber do not dampen the same way. Foam absorbs heavily and makes the stroke very dull: that is what a ride needs, since its job is to ring for a long time and, left untreated, it dominates the whole room.
Rubber keeps a little attack and, above all, some rebound. On a crash, where you work on accents and placement rather than sustain, that rebound keeps the original feel of the stroke.
The hi-hat, the special case in the set
The hi-hat is the only cymbal whose two faces meet. A pad on top takes care of the stick stroke; it does nothing for the chick the two cymbals make when you close them with your foot.
Hence the two pieces: one on top, one between the cymbals. Footwork stays playable, you still feel the opening and closing under your shoe, but the chick moves into the background.
Practising without giving up the drum kit
A practice pad develops your hands, not your coordination. As soon as you want to work on a real passage, you need the full kit, with its distances and heights.
Muting the cymbals keeps all of that intact and takes away most of the volume. That is what makes it possible to practise late in a house, in an apartment, or in a room next to another rehearsal.
Specifications
| Ride | One foam pad, 18 to 22 in |
|---|---|
| Crashes | Two rubber pads, 14 to 18 in |
| Hi-hat (top) | One foam pad, 13 or 14 in |
| Hi-hat (between the cymbals) | One rubber pad |
| Total | Five pieces |
What it is for
- Practising at home without disturbing the neighbours
- Working on coordination on the full kit at reduced volume
- Warming up backstage before a show
- Drum lessons in a poorly insulated room
- Lowering the volume for a quiet video shoot
Compare with other manufacturers
Cymbal mute sets from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Evans | SoundOff cymbal set | Foam pads for every position, with no rubber piece |
| Vic Firth | Mute cymbal set | Single-material pads, sets sold by number of pieces in the kit |
| Remo | Cymbal mute pads | Discs you lay on top, with no piece for between the hi-hat cymbals |
| Zildjian | L80 Low Volume | Perforated cymbals in their own right rather than accessories you lay on |
Frequently asked questions
- How much quieter do cymbal mutes make it?
- Enough for a kit to become playable in a room where it was not. The exact level depends on the cymbal, how hard you hit and the room; it is never complete silence.
- Do cymbal mutes damage cymbals?
- No, they sit on the surface without marking it. It is best to wipe the cymbal before putting the pad on, since dust trapped between the two can rub.
- Does the rebound still feel realistic?
- On the rubber pads, largely. On the foam ride pad, the rebound drops noticeably: that is the price of the heaviest muting.
- Is this set enough, or do I need to mute the drums too?
- Cymbals carry the furthest, so that is where you start. The drums come next, with pads made for them.
Avis clients
Do the neighbours keep you from practising in the evening?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.