New Konstruct Drum Mod

[DasKonstruct]

Hey everybody.

After trying several mods that fell short of what I was wanting in quality I decided to try my own hand on it. Its pricier than the CigDangle (http://generationgamerz.com/v2/insight/time-for-rock-band-arts-crafts.php) foam and felt mod that I got the inspiration from. I also got some inspiration from the penny mod (http://community.rockband.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=15020).

1. The first part of the mod will pertain to the pad dampeners. Using a very basic circle cutter I cut 4 Vic Firth Drum Set Mutes 10"/25cm Mutes.

http://i10.tinypic.com/8etmbgm.jpg

The cutting very easy and I used a very crappy circle cutter. I taped the pads down on the set and that was that. The pads cut down on the noise by about 60-80% and the rubberized material creates a fantastic rebound for fast rolls.

http://i10.tinypic.com/85mrpdj.jpg

2. After trying the penny mod I realized the fault of the sensors. They have too much wiggle room. Like any Bemani fan can tell you (http://eden.rutgers.edu/~isaaclee/IIDXMOD/US-index.html), you can increase sensitivity by adding pads of some sort to decrease the room a sensor can move. This mod was free since I used the excess drum mat from the first mod. I cut 2 small squares out per pad for the red and green sensors.

http://i10.tinypic.com/6l18m1c.jpg

I carefully pulled the tops off and placed the pads on top of the the circle foam thingy. They are rubber based and sit nicely with no need to use any adhesive.

http://i4.tinypic.com/86tp9np.jpg

Put the tops back on and done!

Overall costs:
19.95 - Circle Cutter
7something x 4 - Vic Firth Drum Set Mutes
50 bucks total

[bricot]

How thick are those drum mute pads?

[ClinTrojan]

and the benefits?

[DasKonstruct]

How thick are those drum mute pads?

1/5 of an inch (guesstimate)

[DasKonstruct]

and the benefits?

Sensor mod
Increased hit accuracy (less dead notes just like taping down the drum tops)

Drum Pad Mod
Drastic noise reduction (I play at 1-2 am in an apt with no noise complaints or banging neighbors)
Improved stick rebound (decreases arm stress)
Drum top preservation (no wear and tear on the original drum surface)

[Spikbeatz]

How many mutes did you buy? I see they came in a 10" size. My guess you bought 4 of them and cut to size for the RB drum pads?


EDIT: I just read the very bottom of you post. Sorry, didn't catch that the first time through.

Sam Ash sells them $6.99 for each 10" pad.

[Spikbeatz]

what kind of tape did you use?

I know, I should ask all my questions in one thread but this one just popped into my head. Sorry

[DasKonstruct]

what kind of tape did you use?

I know, I should ask all my questions in one thread but this one just popped into my head. Sorry

surprisingly just clear packing tape rolled into a circle and taped horizontally. The pads have a light natural grip so it didn't need much help keeping it on the surface.

[KeWLMoNk]

about the tape....you just used one long strip put into a circle for each from and the foam lay flat against the drums? There's no gap? (I'm so going to the music store tomorrow)

[DasKonstruct]

about the tape....you just used one long strip put into a circle for each from and the foam lay flat against the drums? There's no gap? (I'm so going to the music store tomorrow)

No gap. Also I recommend these sticks (http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemPos=7&TempID=8&DepartmentID=4&STRID=233250&CategorySubID=51&CategoryID=51&BrandID=1502&CategorySubPriceRangeID=0&pagesize=10&SortMethod=3&Method=3&PriceRangeID=0&SearchPhrase=&Contains=&Search_Type=Department&GroupCode=&categorysubsearch=true) I love em personally

[bricot]

Looks pretty good, a couple questions...

Since you have done both the foam pad mod and now this mod, is there a difference in the sound muting between the two (if so, slight or big difference) or is the main difference in the response from the rubberized surface?

Also
Your picture stated you cut two pieces of foam per pad for the red and green sensor. I haven't opened my drum set yet, but I could only see one in picture that looked like it was placed in the center of the opened drum head. Where is the second one?

Thanks

[DasKonstruct]

Looks pretty good, a couple questions...

Since you have done both the foam pad mod and now this mod, is there a difference in the sound muting between the two (if so, slight or big difference) or is the main difference in the response from the rubberized surface?

Also
Your picture stated you cut two pieces of foam per pad for the red and green sensor. I haven't opened my drum set yet, but I could only see one in picture that looked like it was placed in the center of the opened drum head. Where is the second one?

Thanks

big difference in sound reduction in my opinion. The foam and felt has been said to reduce noise by about 40% and the mute pads reduce the noise to a very light and soft thud sound. To me its about 60-80% reduction.

The second pad sits right on top of the first to put more pressure on the sensor.

[thrdeye]

Saw your pic.....go ahead and reinforce your bass pedal

[Maherj]

I called my local music shop to see if they stock anything like this. They have the 12" mutes for 30$ for a pack of 4. Not a bad deal, but I don't think they are the same brand as what you listed. But it should reduce the sound anyway. Might also try to make my pad a bit more sensitive. Thanks for the post, I'll give this a shot.

[DasKonstruct]

I called my local music shop to see if they stock anything like this. They have the 12" mutes for 30$ for a pack of 4. Not a bad deal, but I don't think they are the same brand as what you listed. But it should reduce the sound anyway. Might also try to make my pad a bit more sensitive. Thanks for the post, I'll give this a shot.

Careful about how thick the pads are, I took a gamble with my purchase and I got lucky. When you go ask to see the pad out of the bag. Make sure its not much thicker than 2 nickels stacked together.

[Spikbeatz]

I did this mod last night.

I bought 4 mute pads in 10" inch sizes. Mine were thicker than 2 nickles. But I also did the sensor mod and that made a BIG AZZ difference. Like, I mean rolls come like nothing now. And since I don't have to hit it hard anymore, I can do slower rolls and still get all the hits. I love this mod.

I used green masking tape since it's what I had laying around. I cut mine just a little smaller than yours so you could see the colored rings.

I'll post up pics tonight when I get home from work.

Oh and I also modded my pedal too.

I have to show you my sensors under the pads. They look completely different than yours. I was kind of confused when I pulled this thread up to get a reference as to where exactly you put the little square pads near your sensors.

Again, the pics will explain it all.

Edit: I got my pads from Sam Ash near me. It was the only 4 pads they got in. $6.99 per pad of 10"inches.

[lucifer vandross]

trying to decide what to buy. would anyone make a recommendation between this and the gum rubber solution that is also mentioned?

[jackshakes]

thanks for the tip on the sensor mod. i tried it with a piece of rubber used to keep furniture from scratching hardwoods. only tested it for about 15 minutes but it seems to have helped a good bit.

my drums didn't look like yours though ... the 4 foam pads were stuck to the head, not the base ... and the sensor looks completely different. interesting.

[bricot]

For either of you that have done this mod ... are the drum mutes any different than say a 3/16" thick mousepad (neoprene) ... just curious the thickness would be about right and they are way cheaper than the drum mutes.

Looking forward pictures of how your sensor was different than those pictured in this post... haven't opened mine yet to see what they look like.

[jackshakes]

i'll try to take some pictures of the sensor tonight when i open the green to mod it. only had a few minutes last night before bed time.

will also probably go with the cheaper fabric store sound dampening mod since the closest music store is a good 45 minutes in the wrong direction. Might switch to the vic firth pads later.

[CJ452]

Thanks for the info on the modding and a big plus for adding pics

[DasKonstruct]

Thanks for the info on the modding and a big plus for adding pics

No problem. Happy to help

[Edwincruzzz]

I just installed the sensor mod using small pieces of foam that were left over from my original foam/felt pads.

I have yet to try them... It's strange though, only the red and green pads have the black sensor areas. the blue and yellow don't have a black sensor area, there is just a small clear piece of plastic resting on top of hollow plastic cylinder

[bricot]

I went to the music store at lunch and looked at set of drum mutes. I also took a mouspad with me (3/16" thick), I couldn't tell any differences in material between the drum mutes and the mousepad. I am going to go get some colored mousepads to cut circles out of... they are only $1-$2.

I put both the drum mute (actually the 10" circle made for the high hat) and the mouse pad on a drum set while I was there and hit them with a drum stick and there wasn't any noticeable difference in sound produced between the two materials.

[KeWLMoNk]

I went to the music store and unfortunately paid $80 for a full mute set because I don't have any patience .. that being said they have EASILY cut out 60-80% of the sound out. I can now play late without worrying about the neighbors and all i can say is THANK YOU!!

SO worth the money! Thanks for posting this great idea!

:D

[Spikbeatz]

Sorry to hear you spent $80 but I'm glad you got to experience the beauty of this mod.

[bricot]

I take it the drum pad pulls apart to get to the sensors? Are you adding the foam to the four areas out towards the edges or to the middle?

[KeWLMoNk]

I didn't even need to mod my sensors, everything seems to register just fine.

And although i spent the $80 i got 2x more 'foam' so I will just split it with a friend or something :D

GREAT MOD!

[The Squeaky Wheel]

Awesome mod !!!!!!!!!!!!

My local music shop has Sound Off drum pads - 4 in various sizes for $25 which is enough material to make 7 pads.

Tremendous improvement of sound & now I'm hitting rolls I couldn't hit before. Picking up a $6 set of real Vic Wirth stix didn't hurt either. I affixed the pads temporarily with light double sided tape but now that I see the benefits I'll replace that with something more permanent.

My next project is to increase the sensitivity. How do you guys get the drum tops off? Just tug? I'm too gun-shy to start pulling on those tops without a bit of coaching.

Thanks !

[Spikbeatz]

If you look under each of your pads, you will see 4 holes on green and red, and 3 holes for yellow and blue. Those are rubber stoppers. You have to push those through to get the tops of the pads off. They are not easy to get off. You do have to use some force. Just be careful so you don't rip the wire and be completely screwed.

[The Squeaky Wheel]

If you look under each of your pads, you will see 4 holes on green and red, and 3 holes for yellow and blue. Those are rubber stoppers. You have to push those through to get the tops of the pads off. They are not easy to get off. You do have to use some force. Just be careful so you don't rip the wire and be completely screwed.


My green & red have the 4 stoppers and the tops came off easy.

Yellow & blue have no holes or stoppers...just a bunch of small screws. Do the middle yellow/blue drums have to be unscrewed to access the inside ?

[willplayrockbandforfun]

brillant my frind prolly has some extras ill hit him up and do it for free!
waaay better then spending liek 25 bucks on felt junk when u can get a REAL drum pad actually MEANT to decrease noise....nice one man

ROCK ON! (silently) shh

[bigballs00inc]

Great Mod, Thanks

[DasKonstruct]

thanks for the success stories and bump for others to see.

[smokinjoe]

I would love to get this mod. only problem is I have called every music store on the internet, seeing how no music store around me is carries the Vic's in stock. Also it seems no major store online has the 10" or the 12" in stock. All I have been able to find is the entire drum kit pack which is way to expensive. If anyone can give me a number to a store that actually has these in stock I would appreciate it. Or just leave me a msg. if you would.

[The Squeaky Wheel]

I would love to get this mod. only problem is I have called every music store on the internet, seeing how no music store around me is carries the Vic's in stock. Also it seems no major store online has the 10" or the 12" in stock. All I have been able to find is the entire drum kit pack which is way to expensive. If anyone can give me a number to a store that actually has these in stock I would appreciate it. Or just leave me a msg. if you would.

I bought a 4 pack of Sound Off silencer pads from a local shop for $25 & cut them down to size. One pack has enough material for 7 RockBand drums heads. I haven't seen the Vic's, but I get the impression these are identical - just cheaper. A quick websearch turned up this:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--HHQSOPAK

[AllisterFiend]

I would love to get this mod. only problem is I have called every music store on the internet, seeing how no music store around me is carries the Vic's in stock. Also it seems no major store online has the 10" or the 12" in stock. All I have been able to find is the entire drum kit pack which is way to expensive. If anyone can give me a number to a store that actually has these in stock I would appreciate it. Or just leave me a msg. if you would.

I found them here.

http://forksdrumcloset.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6616&zenid=967d3434bcce6514f09982bb76a6f9e5

I have never ordered from them before so do your own research if you decide to order.

Allister Fiend

[GunMoto]

DasKonstruct! - Thanks for the thread write-up!! :D

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/GunMoto/122607-001.jpg

[Swirls_o_fun]

This is probably a dumb question, but I am new to the forums and just got RB for christmas. Do these mods void the warranty? I hear a lot of people having to return various instruments, and I have already sent in an order for my guitar. I enjoy playing the drums a lot but I don't want to screw myself over in the long run if I have to end up buying a whole new set of drums.

[zolon]

As far as the sensor mod, I did this with some of the left over foam from the craft store silencer mod.

Take a dull implament, like a chop stick, and carefully slip it between the housing and the head until you can press it against the rubber stand off. Lightly push against the rubber with the stick as you carefully pull the head away until you feel it release. So this to each one. It's not really that hard. A slight prying motion helps.

You can do this to ALL of them this way. I did the mod to all my pads, and it's working wonderfully.

Note: Do not apply enough force that the head "bends" as you are doing it. If you are applying that much, try a bit more pressure/leverage on the rubber standoff itself. The screws DO NOTHING for removing the heads.

AddOn: Pacement on the rubber standoff. You want your impliment to be as close to the bottem as you can get. You will see that there are notches in the pastic, just put it inbetween these notches. What you are doing, if you can picture it, is flatting the rubber so the edge of the "arrow" can slip by the catch.

I am going to hit the music stores in my area this weekend to pick up actual drum mutes though. I have already flattened out the foam mutes enough that my lady complains when she is laying down.

[DasKonstruct]

DasKonstruct! - Thanks for the thread write-up!! :D

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc220/GunMoto/122607-001.jpg

Sweet looking mod, looks very clean. Whats your experience with their noise reduction?

[smokinjoe]

I found them here.

http://forksdrumcloset.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6616&zenid=967d3434bcce6514f09982bb76a6f9e5

I have never ordered from them before so do your own research if you decide to order.

Allister Fiend

Thanks for the info on this place. They were out of 10's but the 12's were .50 cents more and they only had like 3 of these so the guy gave me a 13 for the same price as the 12". Seemed friendly enough and will get them via ups sometime next week. Many thanks to you and the other person who gave me some info as well. By far this seems to be about the best way to go to get more bounce and some quiteness in the apt too.

[WastedHalo]

Great mod idea. I can't wait to try it.
I live in an apartment and it really does take away from the game experience when I'm constantly worrying about disturbing my neighbors.

Anyone have any suggestion about something for the outer rim part of each drum? I have never touched a drum set in my life and seem to hit that rim almost as much as I hit the pad..lol

[ckovanda]

if you're hitting the rims so much, it sounds like you might need to lower the height of your pads.

[WastedHalo]

if you're hitting the rims so much, it sounds like you might need to lower the height of your pads.
You're probably right. I usually don't take the time to readjust the height when jumping back on the drums after someone else, but I'm sure half of the problem is just my aim :-)

[Teekan]

Wow this is a great mod and after doing research it looks like the best mod yet for registering drum rolls! I knew it wasn't me!

The question i wanted to get answered was, did you cut those square pieces for the sensor mod from the Vic Firth mute pads? (the extra material left over)

your help is greatly appreciated.

and this is such a great mod. clever thinking!

[smokinjoe]

One quick question. Did you tape the mutes to the drum pads and the plastic surrounding it or did you just tape it with the plastic heads off and then to the heads? I am confused about how you taped these to the heads as I don't see any tape in these pictures to the heads or on the plastic and the mutes together.

[The Squeaky Wheel]

Wow this is a great mod and I haven't even tried it yet! I am yet another gun shy person who doesn't want to brake or ruin is drum set when doing this mod.

Can you just pry the tops of the drum pads like a top of a butter lid? Or should you use your fingers to push the rubber stopper parts inwards to get the top part off?

I wish there was a video on this.:( Any more advice is greatly appreciated.


Getting the tops off is easy (and I was very gunshy). For the outer two heads I lifted by hand while pushing up on the rubber stoppers. The inner two heads were just done by hand. No implements needed.

I used silicon glue to attach the pads to the heads. Works great and I can still peel them off if need be.

[Teekan]

Getting the tops off is easy (and I was very gunshy). For the outer two heads I lifted by hand while pushing up on the rubber stoppers. The inner two heads were just done by hand. No implements needed.

I used silicon glue to attach the pads to the heads. Works great and I can still peel them off if need be.


thanks very much for the advice.




I had one last question though. :D I was thinking of cutting the square pieces from mouse pad material instead. Another user stated that he thinks they are pretty close to the same material, so I wanted to know everyones opinion on using this material for the sensor pads. Also did you guys do this to all the pads or just the red and green ones?


thanks again for your time.

[The Squeaky Wheel]

Wow this is a great mod and after doing research it looks like the best mod yet for registering drum rolls! I knew it wasn't me!

The question i wanted to get answered was, did you cut those square pieces for the sensor mod from the Vic Firth mute pads? (the extra material left over)

your help is greatly appreciated.

and this is such a great mod. clever thinking!


thanks very much for the advice.




I had one last question though. :D I was thinking of cutting the square pieces from mouse pad material instead. Another user stated that he thinks they are pretty close to the same material, so I wanted to know everyones opinion on using this material for the sensor pads. Also did you guys do this to all the pads or just the red and green ones?


thanks again for your time.

The Sound Off silencers "feel" similar to mouse pad material but I can't confirm/deny that it's identical.

I padded all 4 drums. And, even though I wasn't having problems with the sensors, I decided to put a small square on every senseor....just because :D

[smokinjoe]

Getting the tops off is easy (and I was very gunshy). For the outer two heads I lifted by hand while pushing up on the rubber stoppers. The inner two heads were just done by hand. No implements needed.

I used silicon glue to attach the pads to the heads. Works great and I can still peel them off if need be.

What kind of silicon glue did you use as there are several types or so it seems when I looked at the store? And this will peel off incase I need to maybe return the drums at some time if they go bad for some reason? Also it says like 24 hour cure time. Clear glue or rubber etc...

Thanks for the info, but just wan't to do it correctly as this isn't the most inexpensive mod but seems the best one for me living in an apt.

[The Squeaky Wheel]

What kind of silicon glue did you use as there are several types or so it seems when I looked at the store? And this will peel off incase I need to maybe return the drums at some time if they go bad for some reason? Also it says like 24 hour cure time. Clear glue or rubber etc...

Thanks for the info, but just wan't to do it correctly as this isn't the most inexpensive mod but seems the best one for me living in an apt.

This is what I used. Cured in under an hour (at least my pads didn't fall off)

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-permatex-clear-rtv-silicone-adhesive-permatex-clear-rtv-silicone-adhesive--pi-1419007.html

[Teekan]

I just got my new replaced drum set in the mail today and it looks different than the one in the pictures.

I have to types of foam, one is a Mouse pad foam and the other foam is the foam you see inside the pads when you open them up.


Which foam to use????


Let me know so I can get back on the drums please!

[Loonaci]

This is a great mod, my drums are so quiet now. The question I have is my drums seem less sensitive then before, I have put little squares on the sensors, but I'm now having to just drill the pads to get them to register. I have I put the squares on the wrong part? I put them on the middle little ring. If I've done this wrong, someone let me know. And if someone can post a pic of where the sensors is, that'd be cool too.

[smokinjoe]

This is a great mod, my drums are so quiet now. The question I have is my drums seem less sensitive then before, I have put little squares on the sensors, but I'm now having to just drill the pads to get them to register. I have I put the squares on the wrong part? I put them on the middle little ring. If I've done this wrong, someone let me know. And if someone can post a pic of where the sensors is, that'd be cool too.

I have just done this mod today as well and am finding I also have to hit the pad much harder then without the mutes on the pads. Also I find I just about have to make sure I hit them in the center or if I hit them around the top part I don't get a register. This may be the only downfall, but the quietness is awesome for sure. I live in an apt as well and now I can play late nights. Also I don't have to hear the clacking as before. I did put the sensor pads in the middle of each drum as well, but still have to hit them pretty hard. I guess I will just have to get some heavier sticks and get rid the the Vic Jazz sticks I have been using.

[Spikbeatz]

This is a great mod, my drums are so quiet now. The question I have is my drums seem less sensitive then before, I have put little squares on the sensors, but I'm now having to just drill the pads to get them to register. I have I put the squares on the wrong part? I put them on the middle little ring. If I've done this wrong, someone let me know. And if someone can post a pic of where the sensors is, that'd be cool too.

check my review on his mod.

http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16026

I hope you can see it.

[Loonaci]

Thanks Spikebeatz, the sensor is under the spring. Mine is black, not orange, like the guy in the other post. So I just unscrew it, then place one pad in there and one on the little ring. Cool. Now just need shock absorbers on the legs, I have soundproof walls, just not a soundproof floor (damn partments).

[Spikbeatz]

sure thing dude. yeah I live on the first floor and my neighbors above are actually louder than I am so I can blast away and no worries. I love that.

[Loonaci]

Oh, I like what you did with your kick pedal. Grip tape never thought of that. My foot's alwaya slipping down the pedal, I was thinking of jerry-rigging a block or something before...

[smokinjoe]

sure thing dude. yeah I live on the first floor and my neighbors above are actually louder than I am so I can blast away and no worries. I love that.
Thanks for the extra information about the sensors and where to put them. But I really haven't noticed it being more sensitive to my drum hits. But I am using some thin jazz sticks... guess I will have to go out and buy some heavier ones.

[Teekan]

I found a even better mod for decreasing the clack sound. Check out my sig. they improve the bounce as well. I ordered my pads and will get them next week for 30$ with shipping.


I decided to put foam in my drumpad sensors, and have still yet to try it. I'm goin to give them a try tomorrow. I can't wait!

[Kingfish]

I found a even better mod for decreasing the clack sound. Check out my sig. they improve the bounce as well. I ordered my pads and will get them next week for 30$ with shipping.

So, where did you try them out or did you? Is there a vid of them online somewhere as I would like to see(and HEAR) them in action.

I am not disputing this mods ability, just trying to understand how you KNOW it will work better.

[dagware]

My yellow pad starting working intermittently last night, so I thought I'd try to open up the pad and apply the foam fix. However, when I opened the pad, the black trigger assembly wasn't attached to the drum head. It looks like it's supposed to be attached, but it isn't. I took the head off the blue one, and it's attached. So it looks like my set is broken.

I'm going to do some thread searching, but if anyone knows what to do in this situation, please let me know. I realize I need to get it replaced, but I was hoping there was something I could do in the mean time to be able to play until the replacement arrives.

Dan

[dagware]

I tried some duct tape, and it's working now but I'm sure it won't last. Here's a question: The trigger assembly goes down into a hole in the base, and obviously doesn't touch the bottom. What would happen if I put something in the hole to help support the trigger assembly? I know the pad wouldn't have as much "give" -- what would that do to the playability?

Dan

[clasher]

I did exactly the same thing. Putting a pad into that hole. I am not sure if it's any better, but it's good enough. Check out my detailed instruction. http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20701


I tried some duct tape, and it's working now but I'm sure it won't last. Here's a question: The trigger assembly goes down into a hole in the base, and obviously doesn't touch the bottom. What would happen if I put something in the hole to help support the trigger assembly? I know the pad wouldn't have as much "give" -- what would that do to the playability?

Dan

[Project_Mercy]

I tried some duct tape, and it's working now but I'm sure it won't last. Here's a question: The trigger assembly goes down into a hole in the base, and obviously doesn't touch the bottom. What would happen if I put something in the hole to help support the trigger assembly? I know the pad wouldn't have as much "give" -- what would that do to the playability?

Dan

The sensor cage should have two screws that hold it to the head. The first thing to check is if those screws are just missing, or if the sensor cage actually broke off of the head somehow. IF they're missing, just get two new screws from your local hardware store and call it a day.

Otherwise, any repair that's going to work is also going to void your warranty, which is something you should probably use at this point.

Tape and other removable things won't be effective, and the tensioning of the piezo is such that even small variations in the mounting of that cage will make the pad unresponsive.

[Liger_Trainer]

I stopped by Guitar Center and picked up four drum silencers by Sound Percussion. $4.99 each for the 8" pads.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/huffj786/IMG_0034.jpg

[dagware]

The sensor cage should have two screws that hold it to the head. The first thing to check is if those screws are just missing, or if the sensor cage actually broke off of the head somehow. IF they're missing, just get two new screws from your local hardware store and call it a day.

Otherwise, any repair that's going to work is also going to void your warranty, which is something you should probably use at this point.

It's not the screws -- the plastic posts that the screws screw into broke off from the pad. As for the warranty -- already ordered a replacement. I'm just trying to figure out what to do until then.


Tape and other removable things won't be effective, and the tensioning of the piezo is such that even small variations in the mounting of that cage will make the pad unresponsive.

Strangely enough, the tape and tissue paper are working. I played for a couple of hours this morning, and everything worked fine.

Dan

[dagware]

I did exactly the same thing. Putting a pad into that hole. I am not sure if it's any better, but it's good enough. Check out my detailed instruction. http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20701

Thanks -- I wished I had looked at your pictures first, although in the end it wouldn't have made any difference. But I would have at least known what to look for.

Not only did the black springy thing break off from the pad, but the beige tape (that looks like a band-aid that holds the sensor) ripped apart. I had to re-tape the sensor down before I taped the black springy thing.

Thankfully it appears to be working (for now). Hopefully it will last until the new ones arrive.

Dan

PS: "Black springy thing" is the technical term, I think. :rolleyes:

[smokinjoe]

Ok so there seems to be a difference as to where to put the small mod for the sensors. In one thread it says to just put it on the foam thing and on another it says to put it between the sensors and unscrew them. So which one is working the best?

[Nextonex]

I went to the music store at lunch and looked at set of drum mutes. I also took a mouspad with me (3/16" thick), I couldn't tell any differences in material between the drum mutes and the mousepad. I am going to go get some colored mousepads to cut circles out of... they are only $1-$2.

I put both the drum mute (actually the 10" circle made for the high hat) and the mouse pad on a drum set while I was there and hit them with a drum stick and there wasn't any noticeable difference in sound produced between the two materials.

I did this mod about 2 days after the game came out, With mouse pads. Mount the mouse pads with the foam side up, they work alot better. I used carpet tape and put it in a X pattern and they haven't moved yet. The foam side gives you a better rebound and the tape sticks better to the fabric than the foam.

[Teekan]

So, where did you try them out or did you? Is there a vid of them online somewhere as I would like to see(and HEAR) them in action.

I am not disputing this mods ability, just trying to understand how you KNOW it will work better.

check out the link on the first page after you click the link in my sig. there's 20 pages as to how this became. The reason why this mod even exist is because the felt and foam mod wasn't working as good and gum rubber gives more bounce and also muffles the sound. There is a video of this in action, just go to youtube and search for gum rubber rock band.

[Frederf]

Just a fun bit of math but I thought about how best to get 7" pads out of larger pieces. For diameter X, what size pad do you need if you want to get 1 pads out? What about 2 pads? 3 pads? 4 pads?

Smaller Pad Size: X
Larger Pad Size: Y

For one pad: Y = X
[100%]
For two pads: Y = 2X
[200%]
For three pads: Y = (1+ 2/sqrt(3))X
[~215%]
For four pads: Y = (1 + sqrt(2))X
[~241%]

Meaning I can get 3 7" pads out of a circle that's a little bigger than 15" (15.06) and save quite a bit of money doing so. A 17" circle can easily make 4x 7" pads.

I found this Sabian Quiet Tone Bass Impact pad for about $9 http://underbid.com/action/display/item/11957-1059279274/sku/SABIP.html
Not sure about the size but if it's >= 17" you could get all 4 out of it. Not sure about the material and thickness between a bass drum mute pad and a snare drum mute pad.

[Stuff]

Jeeze Harmonix could learn a thing or two from all the people making these mods.

[DasKonstruct]

One quick question. Did you tape the mutes to the drum pads and the plastic surrounding it or did you just tape it with the plastic heads off and then to the heads? I am confused about how you taped these to the heads as I don't see any tape in these pictures to the heads or on the plastic and the mutes together.

I used simple packing tape rolled into a circle so its sticky on both sides taped it onto the drum head horizontally and placed the mute right on top. Clean and it stays perfectly even after hours of play.

[DasKonstruct]

Ok so there seems to be a difference as to where to put the small mod for the sensors. In one thread it says to just put it on the foam thing and on another it says to put it between the sensors and unscrew them. So which one is working the best?

I'm not 100% sure which is better but its all the same concept of putting more pressure on the sensor to increase sensitivity.

[TLam19]

I did this mod today...went to my local music store and picked up 4 cymbal mutes because he didn't have any for the snares or toms. Didn't matter anyways because I had to cut them down.

I didn't use a rotary cutter because I couldn't find one to buy so I improvised and used a paint can that I had that was exactly 6.5ish inches in diameter. I used a regular utility knife and a cutting mat and the mute pads cut really nicely. Took me about 10 minutes to cut the circle out.

I used one the sides of the cymbal mute to make the small squares that fit in the hole for the sensors

The finished product looks pretty good on the kit. I used Scotch double sided tape but I think I'll have to re-mount them with something stronger eventually.

the pads work great and it only cost me $8/pad. My blue pad still sounds a little clackity but i think it's a problem internally. I'll have to take it apart and see what's going on there. I totally recommend this mod...it only took me about an hour to do.

[Teekan]

Daskonstruct, Check under the joint underneath and between the red and yellow pads, there will be some numbers, letters, and it will end with either "EL" or "QM".


can you tell me what yours drumset model ends with.. QM or EL?

[DasKonstruct]

Daskonstruct, Check under the joint underneath and between the red and yellow pads, there will be some numbers, letters, and it will end with either "EL" or "QM".


can you tell me what yours drumset model ends with.. QM or EL?

Will do, I'll post the model after work today. (around 6pm EST)

[masterchicken01]

instead of closing the gap, just get sticks made of lead lol

[Spikbeatz]

Hey Das, how are you drums bro?

Mine are still hangning in strong. I'm read of other mods on here that have already "broken down". I don't know how hard these people are hitting there pads but I'm going good so far.

I again want to thank you for doing this mod and posting it here. I owe a lot of my scores and skills to this mod.

A round of applause to you sir.

[DasKonstruct]

Hey Das, how are you drums bro?

Mine are still hangning in strong. I'm read of other mods on here that have already "broken down". I don't know how hard these people are hitting there pads but I'm going good so far.

I again want to thank you for doing this mod and posting it here. I owe a lot of my scores and skills to this mod.

A round of applause to you sir.

Mine are still as solid as day 1 of installation. I don't see these pads wearing down anytime soon. I've even been purposefully rough with them and I gotta give it up to Vic Firth for a solid product. If ONLY they actually lined the drum sets with these to begin with.

Thanks for the posting the kind words. :D

To all the new readers these are easy to make and worlds better than the crap custom mutes people are selling. Save yourself the money and go right with real drum mutes. I don't want anyone to make money off of these I just want to help out the people who are too afraid to play at night in apartments or have a loved one threatening bodily harm from all the noise.

[bdonalds]

Found these at Musician's Friend. Comes with a 10", a 12" and two 14" inch mutes.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Pulse-Fusion-Drum-Mute-Disk-Set-?sku=445363

[ckovanda]

I've switched from the foam/felt to the vic firth mutes and I LOVE THEM! they're alot quieter and the rebound is so nice. i haven't had to mod my sensors either. I play on expert and the rebound is a *must* to be able to hit long note sequences. you can hit the pads so much lighter and relaxed.

I had the circle cutter left over from the foam felt mod, but it doesn't cut deep enough to make it through the mutes. so i just kindof scored a circle first then cut them out by hand.

[meanie.lee]

great thread, wish i had read about this before ordering the gum pads!

[DasKonstruct]

great thread, wish i had read about this before ordering the gum pads!

most people think the gum pads are a cheaper alternative but in reality its the same price range. That and a lot of people are kinda nervous about going to a music store when they don't play one.

[meanie.lee]

most people think the gum pads are a cheaper alternative but in reality its the same price range. That and a lot of people are kinda nervous about going to a music store when they don't play one.

i was just at sam ash yesterday so i could have easily picked some of these up if i had read about them sooner. i ordered the gum pads for $30 including shipping so yea it's definitely not cheaper (the drum mutes would only have been $28 plus tax?). the only thing about the drum mutes is that i wish there was someone making these for the rock band drum kits. i am not very handy so i kinda like that the gum pads i ordered come pre-cut and with the self-adhesive stuff already on there. oh and the other thing that scares me is that i don't feel comfortable opening my drums up (as with the penny mod)--i prefer to keep all the modding that i do just on the exterior--so i am hoping that i will not need to with the gum pads. but if anything ever happens to them i know what i am going to try next. :) thanks again

[Kingfish]

Found these at Musician's Friend. Comes with a 10", a 12" and two 14" inch mutes.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Pulse-Fusion-Drum-Mute-Disk-Set-?sku=445363

I ordered them...and they are good...except, my early gen drum sensors are too weak to pick up anything expept a FIRM strike. I mean I have to beat them and there is an ever-so-slight delay between hit and response. I think it might be cause they are too think but I really think its JUST my drums.

[Frederf]

Purchased 3 14" drum mutes from interstate musician which should make 9x 7" Rock Band drum pad circles. Going halvsies with a friend who's getting RB too. I think the price is $8 per 14"er so that's 9 pads for $24, or less than $3 each. Vic Firth too.

Hopefully the 14" mutes are the same material as the 8" or 10" or whatever other people are using.

[JackB1]

I've switched from the foam/felt to the vic firth mutes and I LOVE THEM! they're alot quieter and the rebound is so nice. i haven't had to mod my sensors either. I play on expert and the rebound is a *must* to be able to hit long note sequences. you can hit the pads so much lighter and relaxed.

I had the circle cutter left over from the foam felt mod, but it doesn't cut deep enough to make it through the mutes. so i just kindof scored a circle first then cut them out by hand.

Was it really worth it? I too just did the foam/felt mod, but am afraid to try and remove the foam/felt. I dont know how easy those self adhesive sheets come off? I like the foam/felt compared to the stock drums, but would like more bounce. Is the difference really measurable? thanks.

[DasKonstruct]

Was it really worth it? I too just did the foam/felt mod, but am afraid to try and remove the foam/felt. I dont know how easy those self adhesive sheets come off? I like the foam/felt compared to the stock drums, but would like more bounce. Is the difference really measurable? thanks.

The difference is very extreme, less noise and a crap load of rebound. The mute tops are scored so you'll get the same noise dampening that felt brings but the rubber material will dampen noise more than the foam could ever hope to. Also for even better results get some decent sticks, the stock ones are crap and you'll wonder why you ever used the rock band brand ones.

[JackB1]

The difference is very extreme, less noise and a crap load of rebound. The mute tops are scored so you'll get the same noise dampening that felt brings but the rubber material will dampen noise more than the foam could ever hope to. Also for even better results get some decent sticks, the stock ones are crap and you'll wonder why you ever used the rock band brand ones.

OK you sold me :) Now what kind of sticks should I get?

[ZombieZ1010]

I just changed from felt/foam to the Vic drum mutes, and have been extremely happy with the results. I also picked up the Zildjian anti-vibe sticks.

[DasKonstruct]

OK you sold me :) Now what kind of sticks should I get?

thats personal preference honestly, I personally prefer 5A Zildajin Nylon Tipped sticks with this nonslip black paint on the ends. Go to a music store ask to see some drum sticks and try em out. The ones that feel best for you are going to be the most effective.

[JackB1]

Daskonstruct, Check under the joint underneath and between the red and yellow pads, there will be some numbers, letters, and it will end with either "EL" or "QM".


can you tell me what yours drumset model ends with.. QM or EL?

Which is better/newer, EL or QM?

[snoopj123]

So, I broke down and decided to ditch my felt pads that I had on. I noticed that after banging around on them even on only Medium and the beginning of Hard that I was not getting any noise reduction from them at all.

Went down to my local Guitar Center. They were having a clearance sale and I managed to snag a Vic Firth drum mute pack (have 1-10", 1-12", and 2-14" mutes). After futzing with a circle cutter, I decided to ditch it and started looking around the house for a circle object to cut around with an X-acto knife. I found that one of my saucer plates in the kitchen was damn near perfect. I had pretty much mangled the 10" and 12" pads, so I cut 2 circles out of each 14" mute. Used some higher adhesive masking tape and applied them.

Did the square thing on each sensor and away I go. Went and practiced a bit and I could tell I was getting more sensitivity with a very VERY good deal of noise reduction.

Total cost of the mod? $11 for the entire 4 pack of mutes (a steal), $6 for the X-acto knife, $4 for tape. $21 total and I got to feel all warm and fuzzy, just like back in arts and crafts time in grade school.

Thus far, this mod gets an A+.

--snoopj

[virus86]

I went to my local music store and they only had the anti-vibe sticks, which I am yet to test. I have the foam/felt mod on right now and it was great for a few days. They started to warp and such. The store did not have any rubber mutes, so I ordered four here:

http://www.columbuspercussion.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=3059

Total cost was $26.75.

Sam Ash is out of stock for the 10" and I dont want to up the size nor wait...hehe

I found that website through the offical Vic Firth website, so I hope they send it quickly.

Ill update if I get it and how the stuff turns out. I have the EL set by the way.

[DasKonstruct]

Sam Ash is out of stock for the 10" and I dont want to up the size nor wait...hehe


I think they got swarmed for those mutes. If only I bought some stock in Vic Firth before posting this mod. :o ce la vie

[Spikbeatz]

To piggy back on Das's suggestion on sticks. I picked up a set of Vic Firth classic AS7A sticks.

I wanted lighter than the RB's, but the 7A were a tad too short for my liking so the gentleman at Sam Ash pointed out the AS7A and there are like 1/2 inch shorter than the RB but still weigh a lot less.

I LOVE THEM!! I can do rolls a lot better than using the RB's. You are right Das, I don't know how I managed with the RB's.

[virus86]

Bah! Just got an email from Columbia....they are out of stock as well! Why wont they put the stock info on the website? There are 4 other websites that offer the 10" but doesnt have a status, so I have to call them. Thats the buckeye state for you! They will always be #2..hehe! SEC/UF!!!

[snoopj123]

Quick question about the sensor part.

I can't tell too well in the picture, but are those pads directly below the middle sensor on the red and green pads? Again, forgive me for being a little n00bish here, but I can't see too well in that picture. Also, how thick were the pieces put in there? I'm wondering if maybe I put too thick of a pad in there.

--snoopj

[DasKonstruct]

Quick question about the sensor part.

I can't tell too well in the picture, but are those pads directly below the middle sensor on the red and green pads? Again, forgive me for being a little n00bish here, but I can't see too well in that picture. Also, how thick were the pieces put in there? I'm wondering if maybe I put too thick of a pad in there.

--snoopj

They go directly in the center so you were right :D
As for thickness, I just cut 2 squares from the excess of the drum mutes and stacked em.

Also I did the same for the yellow and blue

[smokinjoe]

I had to order a new kit, and when I took off the head on the red drum the foam and sensor were all on the top part. The bottom of the drum is just plastic. So no where to put the extra 1" part of the drum mute except in between the sensor part. Just wondering if this is a supposed improvement as I'm still not getting the best response from these drums. Looks like another rma if I can't get these working correctly:mad:

[DasKonstruct]

I had to order a new kit, and when I took off the head on the red drum the foam and sensor were all on the top part. The bottom of the drum is just plastic. So no where to put the extra 1" part of the drum mute except in between the sensor part. Just wondering if this is a supposed improvement as I'm still not getting the best response from these drums. Looks like another rma if I can't get these working correctly:mad:

the main theory behind the mod is putting pressure on the sensor so anything that pushes against it will work.

[virus86]

Canceled my order with Columbus..since the 10" pads are back in stock in Sam Ash! Total cost now $35.66. Anyone know how fast they ship (ship + delivery time)?

Edit: Bah! Out of stock again!

[Orion.Rock]

Now hopefully when Harmonix makes a new Drum Kit, they will preinstall something like this onto the drums. Great Idea. You kick ass.

[snoopj123]

Also I did the same for the yellow and blue

Now this I did not do. I'll do that and see if I get an better response.

Thanks!

--snoopj

[wxforecaster]

Dumb question. Why would I want to pay $6 per mute when I can get this 4-pack for $10:

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255310

or this one for $12

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255309

Thanks in advance,
Evan

[virus86]

Dumb question. Why would I want to pay $6 per mute when I can get this 4-pack for $10:

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255310

or this one for $12

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255309

Thanks in advance,
Evan

Cool! The reason why its so cheap is because its discontinued..hehe. The new packs have the same sizes, but with hi hats. I just ordered the $10 pack. They better have it in stock!! Im so pissed @ non-up-to-date inventory!

[snoopj123]

Dumb question. Why would I want to pay $6 per mute when I can get this 4-pack for $10:

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255310

or this one for $12

http://www.percussionsource.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=220&prodid=255309

Thanks in advance,
Evan

That last pack (MUTEPP1) is the pack that I got at Guitar Center for the same price. Hell of a deal considering you can make two pads out of one of the 14" mutes.

**Edited to correct my lack of measuring skill with a crappy ruler.**

--snoopj

[wxforecaster]

Are you sure you didn't mean 3/16" of an inch?? 3/8s of an inch is like REALLY thick. Might want to check those notches on your ruler :)

Pads should be exactly the same ones in the prepacks as individually.

Evan

[snoopj123]

Ok, I take that back, maybe it is 3/16". What the hell was I measuring this with, because it needs to be thrown out immediately. Heh.

--snoopj

[wxforecaster]

Well, got my purchase in. Vic prepack mentioned on previous page $18 (incl. shipping) and got some Zildjian anti-vibe 5As through Musician's Friend via Amazon for $9.

So here's to you mom who made me play the clarinet in 5th grade some 20 years ago. Now my wife and kids can sleep in peace while I try to turn me hidden skill set into a 5* on expert. Bring on more Rush songs please! (Spirit of Radio and Freewill would both rock for all 4 instruments on Rockband).

Evan

[snoopj123]

Well, got my purchase in. Vic prepack mentioned on previous page $18 (incl. shipping) and got some Zildjian anti-vibe 5As through Musician's Friend via Amazon for $9.

So here's to you mom who made me play the clarinet in 5th grade some 20 years ago. Now my wife and kids can sleep in peace while I try to turn me hidden skill set into a 5* on expert. Bring on more Rush songs please! (Spirit of Radio and Freewill would both rock for all 4 instruments on Rockband).

Evan

I bought the anti-vibes 5As as well. I had a pair of regular 5As sitting next to me and I could tell the difference. Less vibration through the stick is a good thing for my hands.

--snoopj

[meanie.lee]

I bought the anti-vibes 5As as well. I had a pair of regular 5As sitting next to me and I could tell the difference. Less vibration through the stick is a good thing for my hands.

--snoopj


just added these to my wishlist! :)

[virus86]

After hours of playing with the 5A Anti-Vibe stick, its soo much better than the stock RB sticks. With the RB sticks, my index fingers get sore from the way I play and now that doesnt happen with the new sticks. I got them for $14 @ my local music store. I highly recommend them!

[DasKonstruct]

Glad to see everyone getting such great results. Seriously this is making my year :D

[snoopj123]

Glad to see everyone getting such great results. Seriously this is making my year :D

All good. Thanks for posting something that was better than those crappy foam solutions. Those lasted all of 2 weeks for me and all I was playing was Medium. Once I get my kick pedal mod done, I just need to work on my technique. I know this is working OK for me, because I can nail the drum roll sequence in the Acro-Brats song with very little effort on my part. If I'm missing anything, I'm pretty confident now that it's just me screwing up and not something wrong with the drums.

As soon as I show this to a few friends of mine, I'm sure they'll make a run to get some drum mutes as well.

--snoopj

[Frederf]

Purchased 3 14" drum mutes from interstate musician which should make 9x 7" Rock Band drum pad circles. Going halvsies with a friend who's getting RB too. I think the price is $8 per 14"er so that's 9 pads for $24, or less than $3 each. Vic Firth too.

Hopefully the 14" mutes are the same material as the 8" or 10" or whatever other people are using.

I'm exceptionally re7arded. 14" mutes are only going to make 2 6.75" pads, duh :p I cut 4 out of 2 14" pads and have 1 14" pad left over which is half way to a second set. At $8 per 14" pad, these have got to be the most economical option. I was afraid that the 14" pads would be extra thick or a different material or something... nope, just the plain 1/8" material you get with the 8" or 10" pads.

$4 each!

I'm going to look through and see what kind of adhering options are discussed since that's my biggest issue. I used a bowl of surprisingly the right dimension and cut as well as I could but the edges aren't perfect. I might trim them with the bench grinder or sandpaper or something later.

I'm super happy with the sound reduction so far. Let's hope when I get them attached that the game recognizes all my hits! Woooo!

[snoopj123]

I attached mine with double sided indoor/outdoor carpet tape. Simple roll cost my about $6 at a Lowe's near me. I did a "+" (or if you want to tilt it for a "X" design) and that seemed to be all right for me.

--snoopj

[Frederf]

Thanks. I'll look into it.

Right now I just have loops of packing tape as a temp solution for evaluation. I just play tested it and OMG. They make about 0 noise and register everything as well as not having the pads on at all. It's just... just... orgasmic.

[tylersmyler]

Hey guys,

I can't get in to my Kit because the back of my pads have 4 rubber caps. Whats under these caps? I really don't feel like ripping them out with pliers. How can I get inside these damn pads to mod it!

-T

[DasKonstruct]

Hey guys,

I can't get in to my Kit because the back of my pads have 4 rubber caps. Whats under these caps? I really don't feel like ripping them out with pliers. How can I get inside these damn pads to mod it!

-T

Carefully pull the tops off. Thats it. DO NOT RIP OFF ANYTHING FROM THE BACK!!! Every single top comes off with a little bit of pressure.

[tylersmyler]

Every single top comes off with a little bit of pressure.

Maybe I'm just really nervous..or really weak! But it seems you need more than just a little pressure. These things are on there pretty solid!

thanks for the piece of mind. and for letting me know NOT to rip out the rubber things lol

[DasKonstruct]

Maybe I'm just really nervous..or really weak! But it seems you need more than just a little pressure. These things are on there pretty solid!

thanks for the piece of mind. and for letting me know NOT to rip out the rubber things lol

Just work the top, pull a little from one side until one of the side lifts up then move to another corner. The rubber stoppers will pop through eventually. Don't rip forcefully or you will tear the wire connecting the sensor.

[virus86]

How did you do the sensitivity mod to the yellow and blue? I have the EL set. The Y/B are different than the R/G. The Y/B does not have a cushion in the middle like the R/G. Can you take a picture on how you did it?

[Frederf]

Just work the top, pull a little from one side until one of the side lifts up then move to another corner. The rubber stoppers will pop through eventually. Don't rip forcefully or you will tear the wire connecting the sensor.

When I first decided to remove the top covers I saw those rubber "spears" and never once considered just pulling on it. I took a couple Inanimate Carbon Rod (tm), i.e. some household object *** probe, and folded in the ears on the rubber spear to push the spear back through the hole.

[tylersmyler]

When I first decided to remove the top covers I saw those rubber "spears" and never once considered just pulling on it. I took a couple Inanimate Carbon Rod (tm), i.e. some household object *** probe, and folded in the ears on the rubber spear to push the spear back through the hole.

Yeah. when finally managed to get one of the rubber nodes out I figured out the construction right away. (I can't believe I was pulling at it in the beginning)

A simple Flathead screwdriver to push in the edges of the rubber ends through the holes is all it took.

That being said. I can't say the over all sensitivity improved a hell of a lot. It did a bit though. But hey, I can't expect to get a Roland out of a $75 drum kit can I.

The most I can be happy with is that my kit still works after all the tampering with.

[DasKonstruct]

How did you do the sensitivity mod to the yellow and blue? I have the EL set. The Y/B are different than the R/G. The Y/B does not have a cushion in the middle like the R/G. Can you take a picture on how you did it?

I did the exact same thing with the Y/B that I did with my R/G. Mine didn't have a cushion either. 2 pads in the center to put pressure on the sensor.

[smokinjoe]

Not sure if you put in the sensor mod for people that don't have the foam in their bottoms of the pads. Maybe one should be posted for these drum kits.. My first one looked just like yours the second one is totally different.

[Coupe]

No gap. Also I recommend these sticks (http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemPos=7&TempID=8&DepartmentID=4&STRID=233250&CategorySubID=51&CategoryID=51&BrandID=1502&CategorySubPriceRangeID=0&pagesize=10&SortMethod=3&Method=3&PriceRangeID=0&SearchPhrase=&Contains=&Search_Type=Department&GroupCode=&categorysubsearch=true) I love em personally

Only just spotted this post - I just bought some of those today and going to try them out when I get home.

[DasKonstruct]

Not sure if you put in the sensor mod for people that don't have the foam in their bottoms of the pads. Maybe one should be posted for these drum kits.. My first one looked just like yours the second one is totally different.

If theres no foam on the bottom don't worry about it. All you need to do is stack the rubber pads to put pressure on the sensor. Use what ever you have around the house to secure the rubber pads and stack until theres a stronger push back while trying to put the drum tops back down again. You have now created pressure on your sensor and made your hits more receptive.

[veeoo]

What are you guys using to get the pads to stick to the drums?

Right now I have 2 sided tape folded over once which isn't holding very well. The pads start to slip with any amount of drumming.

I've also tried clear packing tape folded over and masking tape folded over.
The packing tape didn't want to stick to the drums. It kept pushing back up on the pads.
The masking tape probably held the best but it tends to deteriorate over time and leave sticky residue.

Any other options for something that will hold securely yet also be easily removable?

I also tried the sensor mod on the green and red pads but I wasn't able to notice any increase in sensitivity. My drums look the same as Das Konstruct's on the first page. I put two tiny squares of excess drum mute pad stacked on top of each other.

Thanks.

[virus86]

I got my drum mutes in today! It was the pack with the 12/13/14/16" ones.

I used a circle cutter I bought from Michaels. They had the Fiskar's but in a pack that costs $50!. The blade on the circle cutter I used wasnt long enough for the 3/16" mutes, so I used a utility knife to finish the job. It doesnt make a clean cut, so periodically blow the excess rubber particles away.

I used the carpet tape I got from Lowes, and it works like a charm. I tried poster tape, looped scotch tape, and looped packaging tape...and none work. Carpet tape is the best.

..............

[Frederf]

I really wish I had bought a circle cutter. The bowl and sharp utility knife didn't do the best job.

I also have had a HECK of a time attaching the mutes to the drum heads. Rubber cement just gets absorbed by the mute so I thought I'd be very clever and use some 3M rubber spray adhesive and glue some shelf paper onto the mutes and then use the shelf paper sticky to just apply to the drum heads.

Of course the shelf paper was barely sticky at all, however the shelf paper (semi-vinyl) makes an excellent surface to rubber cement (which is completely harmless to remove from the drum pads at any time). Right know I am clamping the pads down after spreading rubber cement on the back of the mutes with some old wood clamps and a sheet of melonine to keep the edges from curling up. Three down, one to go!

P.S. the extra layer doesn't seem to effect the sound/sensitivity in a negative way.

[virus86]

......

I taped the back side in a "+" fashion, without overlapping.

And the end result.

I set the circle cutter to 6.75" so the pads can show the color.

I tested it out. SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE FOAM/FELT!! 80% of the sound is gone. So much rebound. I play with the 5A anti-vibe sticks.

Cost:
Pads: $18.26 from Percussion Source
Making Memories Circle Cutter: $21.99 + tax from Michaels
Carpet Tape: $4.99 + tax from Lowes
Total I spent: $46.93

The next thing to tackle is the sensitivity. I have to hit dead center for the sensor to pick up the hit. The foam/felt mod can pick up a hit a bit away from the center. I put one square under the sensor of the outter pads and two in the inner. I may have to increase it, but Ill try later.

Thanks for eveyone who made this mod possible!

I uploaded a quick video I made of the Foam/Felt vs Mute vs Naked.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=v6kv8J8nuCI

[JackB1]

I have an extra set of 4 pre-cut, ready to go, Vic Firth drum mutes, complete with adhesive backing. Just peel and stick on your drums and away you go! I bought a big multipack and made 2 sets. $10 + $5 shipping.

Let me know if interested.

[wxforecaster]

Virus86,

AWESOME idea on the circle cutter at Michaels. Heck my wife can even use this for the kids scrapbooks, etc...afterwards.

I didn't think the blades were deep enough for the Vic mutes either, but the actual 1/32" uncut actually punched through cleanly with very little pressure. They look EXTREMELY professional.

I cut mine to just shy of 3 6/16" radius (6 11/16" diameter) to show the colors on the original pads as well. Bought some Silicone II silicone glue at Lowe's, so we'll see how that holds. I thought that carpet tape would leave a residue.

Evan

[Frederf]

Circle cutters for cutting circiles... good idea? Yes. Awesome idea, wouldn't go that far :p

v0lum3, my Yamaha drum pedal arrived today and the beater holder and the cam are totally one cast unit. There's no advancing the beater around the hex shaft without altering how the chain lays on the cam. I'm also looking at the clamp and scratching my head. Use the clamp to hold a beater surface? Unscrew the clamp screw and just tape down the clamp not to rattle? Not exactly clear in my mind how this is gunna work.

I'm going to clean it up a bit (it was used) and play with it to see if I get some crazy scheme dreamt up. But you totally owe me a Coke about the independent cam/beater-holder thing!

[JackB1]

anyone know if the Vic Firth drum mutes that come in the multi packs are all the
same thickness as the 10' ones that come in singles?

[Frederf]

I bought 3 14" Vic Firth drum mutes and they are the same material as the 8" ones. I am 100% sure that the 10" ones are the same as well.

[JackB1]

I love the drum mutes, but I wasn't able to do fast rolls or get thru RTTH and I didn't want to open up the drum to do the "penny mod", so all I did was put a large, wide rubber band around the red drum (over the drum mute) and now it registers all the fast rolls. Such an easy fix and it makes a big difference.

Has anyone else tried this?

[DasKonstruct]

I love the drum mutes, but I wasn't able to do fast rolls or get thru RTTH and I didn't want to open up the drum to do the "penny mod", so all I did was put a large, wide rubber band around the red drum (over the drum mute) and now it registers all the fast rolls. Such an easy fix and it makes a big difference.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thats similar to what people did with taping their drum heads down. You put more pressure on the sensor.

[abb]

I know "me too" posts are so cliche/annoying, but considering how much this mod has helped my game *already*, I just wanted to drop a quick note of thanks!

I've only been playing post-mod for a couple of hours now, and I can safely say this has helped me improve virtually every area or "drum skill" I have (from rolls to just merely hitting the right $@&king pad at the right &*^%ing time, lol). I attribute most of this newfound success to the simple fact that I'm finally able to focus on the *game* and the *notes* ought to be hitting and the *technique* I'm using --- rather than always being self-conscious about OH HOW LOUD EVERYTHING IS AND GOD I MUST BE REALLY ANNOYING THE NEIGHBORS AND MAN MY HANDS HURT WITH EVERY RAT-TAT-TAT THAT ESCAPES THIS DAMNABLE HEADACHE MACHINE...etc, ad infinitem.

So thanks, Konstruct, for the detailed instructions and info on where to get the supplies, the pictures/howto, and (etc). And thanks also to whoever first mentioned the Zildijian 5A Anti-Vibe sticks....*very* nice replacements for the stock sticks, and they were cheap, too. Just like me. :)

I have a QM set, so when I popped the heads off the drum, I saw little orange screwed-in-thingies rather than the black sensor shown in Konstruct's pics. Another thread suggests unscrewing this assembly, sticking padding inside it (ie, between the spring and the pizo, or something like that) to increase sensitivity. I'm not discounting that method at all, but I found that (at least with my set) it appears simply doubling up 2 small rectangles of leftover-drum-mute-material, sticking 'em in the center of the drum well (directly underneath the orange plastic that covers the spring/sensor) and snapping the whole thing back together, provided sufficient pressure to keep the drums just as responsive/sensitive as before (probably more). I don't know if this method will eventually "wear out" or break or otherwise need to be replaced, fixed, burned, etc, but so far I've seen no issues at all -- no "must hit the center of the drum to register" type issues, no crosstalk, etc.

Should anyone else want to try this method, all I did was tape the two rectangles of drum mute, with the bottom (rubbery, scored) side out on both sides to prevent slipping. And since the orange sensor assembly has an inch-or-so-long line of raised plastic down the center, I took my hobby knife and trimmed/dug-out a thin line of material out of my rectangle, so when I snapped the whole thing back together, the thin raised "tab" on the orange sensor lined up with (and sunk into) this homemade "slot", which helped hold it in place during reassembly.

Again, this was with a QM set. AFAIK, there are no raised lines, tabs, slots, smiley faces, sea turtles, or 2001-esque Obelisks to be found in the other sets/types, and for all I know, cutting a tiny line in a block of foam in this manner will somehow destroy my set and every other set modded in this manner, right after it releases some strange kind of radiation rendering you sterile or something.

In other words, take it all with a grain of salt...just figured I'd share what I did differently in case someone else wanted to break their set and become sterile. (The latter of which COULD have it's advantages, you know...) Kind of the whole "open source" mentality at work, I guess. ;)



Something that's probably worth noting: although I got pretty much the same materials/tools everyone else has mentioned (Vic Firth pads on clearance at Guitar Center, "Making Memories" circle cutter from Michael's, carpet tape from Home Depot, etc.), I did discover a way to get the obscenely overpriced circle cutter at a 40% discount -- and apparently this is a common, nation-wide offer:

My first (perhaps somewhat evil) thought was to buy the stupid thing, cut the circles, and then return the device, but according to the manager (to whom I was complaining about the cost, since i only needed to make 4 circles, ever, in my entire foreseeable future), Michael's return policy is something out of the Dark Ages....eg, "you buy it, it's yours, the end" or something like that. :) But she then told me that Michaels routinely (approximately every other week, "almost like clockwork" she said) runs a coupon in their weekly circular for "40% off any item not already on sale." This includes overpriced circle cutters, and no, you do not need to have the coupon in order to get the discount -- you just mention it at the checkout counter.

Like I said, the manager said this was a very common promotion that the whole national chain seems to participate in regularly.... (Which might explain why their inventory seems so expensive -- presumably it's all marked up 40% to offset this coupon...lol) She also told me that even in the "off weeks" (when the ad was NOT running) the checkout counter often gave customers the discount anyway -- but again, remember that you have to ASK for it.

Anyway, I know we're all grown-ups and saving $8 bucks of a $20 circle cutter is not exactly the Stock Tip of the Week.... But, at least for me, a $12 circle cutter (one that would most likely be used once and then put in a drawer until the end of time) was a much easier deal to swallow.

Finally, since I just saw a post in this thread not-so-long ago asking how people were adhering their mute/pad to their drum head: I used carpet tape, which was suggested in another thread, and it worked great. I had some concerns about using this stuff, since it warns you on the back of the box that it tends to leave a residue, and since who knows when I might need to pull this stuff off and RMA my set....from all the horror stories in this forum, it seems that's at least a *possibility* some day, right?

While I was in Home Depot, I happened to run across the 3M/Henkel vendor who was shelving/stocking in the tape/glue/epoxy aisle....and when I explained what I was doing, she said her daughter actually HAD Rock Band, so she was intimately familiar with how the drum set looked, what it was probably "made of" etc.

Now, I have no evidence that this person was *actually* who she said she was, or just a crazy person, so take this however you like: but she said she'd avoid using any regular/common glues, because one (or both) of the materials in use -- the rubbery/poly/whatever-it-is stuff the mute is made of, the plastic drum head (or more specifically, the paint on said drum head) -- might react with the glue and stain or "burn" into it, kind of like the way superglue can "burn" styrofoam, but on a smaller scale.

The main bit of trivia I thought worth sharing is this: According to the Vendor and/or Crazy Person, any residue left by the carpet tape can be removed very easily from that type of surface (without damaging it) with the use of one of those non-ammonia, so-called "chemical free" cleansers....specifically, the ones that use some kind of Citrus derivative as the active ingredient.

Potentially Crazy Vendor Person added that in-house, they use that Citrus stuff like mad to remove residue from any tape products, and it works great on materials like those she remembered from her daughter's Rock Band drum set (without the danger of bleaching/staining the drum pad, which a product like Goo Gone or Turpentine or a Butane Torch might do).

I have no idea if any of this is true, and since my drum set currently is quite functional, this bit of information might just get filed away forever, along with that circle cutter I bought. But hey, what kind of info SHOULD I be sharing with other people, if not the potentially crazy ramblings of a person who very well could have been more insanely demented than Mom after a couple of boxes of cheep wine? (Yep, she's a churchgoer, lemme tell ya...)

But perhaps I digress.

I used the carpet tape on the back of the drum mute, 4 strips, going across the top, bottom, and 2 in-between. To confuse your further, here's an absolutely horrific attempt at a "sketch" to show what I'm talking about:


<PRE>
---------- ------
---------- --------
---------- --------
---------- ------
Fig1 Fig2
</PRE>

Fig 1 crudely shows what the tape strips looked like when I first stuck them on, since I overshot all the edges on purpose... Then, I took Mister Hobby Knife and trimmed around the edges of the pad, so I ended up with Fig 2, which is supposed to resemble a circle with strips of tape on it. And yes, now that I've gone thru all that trouble to explain what I did, it DOES occur to me that this is stupid and probably required no explanation, and CERTAINLY not two terrible diagrams to get the point across. And yet, I am oddly unaffected by this knowledge...strange.

Perhaps I'm just giddy that everything stuck to, cracked open, filled up, snapped back together, and still made drumming sounds when finished.... That, and it's nice to know I can keep playing if I want to (even though it's *nighttime* !! gasp!!) tonight, without the neighbors above and below teaming up to attack me with torches and pitchforks.

I'll stop now before this gets any sillier. BTW, if anyone knows of a good way to mod/reinforce the bass pedal that (unlike the one mod I've come across) does NOT require the use of a "plasma cutter" to slice thru sheet metal. Granted, a Plasma Cutter probably is NOT a Halo 3 weapon (probably...) -- but it's still a device which, however cool-sounding, is something I don't own...and I suspect the world would be a safer place if I kept it that way. :)

Cheers and thanks again for all the input in this thread, lots of great advice. I hope everyone else's modding projects go as smoothly as mine did.

[DasKonstruct]

I know "me too" posts are so cliche/annoying, but considering how much this mod has helped my game *already*, I just wanted to drop a quick note of thanks!

I've only been playing post-mod for a couple of hours now, and I can safely say this has helped me improve virtually every area or "drum skill" I have (from rolls to just merely hitting the right $@&king pad at the right &*^%ing time, lol). I attribute most of this newfound success to the simple fact that I'm finally able to focus on the *game* and the *notes* ought to be hitting and the *technique* I'm using --- rather than always being self-conscious about OH HOW LOUD EVERYTHING IS AND GOD I MUST BE REALLY ANNOYING THE NEIGHBORS AND MAN MY HANDS HURT WITH EVERY RAT-TAT-TAT THAT ESCAPES THIS DAMNABLE HEADACHE MACHINE...etc, ad infinitem.

So thanks, Konstruct, for the detailed instructions and info on where to get the supplies, the pictures/howto, and (etc). And thanks also to whoever first mentioned the Zildijian 5A Anti-Vibe sticks....*very* nice replacements for the stock sticks, and they were cheap, too. Just like me. :)

I have a QM set, so when I popped the heads off the drum, I saw little orange screwed-in-thingies rather than the black sensor shown in Konstruct's pics. Another thread suggests unscrewing this assembly, sticking padding inside it (ie, between the spring and the pizo, or something like that) to increase sensitivity. I'm not discounting that method at all, but I found that (at least with my set) it appears simply doubling up 2 small rectangles of leftover-drum-mute-material, sticking 'em in the center of the drum well (directly underneath the orange plastic that covers the spring/sensor) and snapping the whole thing back together, provided sufficient pressure to keep the drums just as responsive/sensitive as before (probably more). I don't know if this method will eventually "wear out" or break or otherwise need to be replaced, fixed, burned, etc, but so far I've seen no issues at all -- no "must hit the center of the drum to register" type issues, no crosstalk, etc.

Should anyone else want to try this method, all I did was tape the two rectangles of drum mute, with the bottom (rubbery, scored) side out on both sides to prevent slipping. And since the orange sensor assembly has an inch-or-so-long line of raised plastic down the center, I took my hobby knife and trimmed/dug-out a thin line of material out of my rectangle, so when I snapped the whole thing back together, the thin raised "tab" on the orange sensor lined up with (and sunk into) this homemade "slot", which helped hold it in place during reassembly.

Again, this was with a QM set. AFAIK, there are no raised lines, tabs, slots, smiley faces, sea turtles, or 2001-esque Obelisks to be found in the other sets/types, and for all I know, cutting a tiny line in a block of foam in this manner will somehow destroy my set and every other set modded in this manner, right after it releases some strange kind of radiation rendering you sterile or something.

In other words, take it all with a grain of salt...just figured I'd share what I did differently in case someone else wanted to break their set and become sterile. (The latter of which COULD have it's advantages, you know...) Kind of the whole "open source" mentality at work, I guess. ;)



Something that's probably worth noting: although I got pretty much the same materials/tools everyone else has mentioned (Vic Firth pads on clearance at Guitar Center, "Making Memories" circle cutter from Michael's, carpet tape from Home Depot, etc.), I did discover a way to get the obscenely overpriced circle cutter at a 40% discount -- and apparently this is a common, nation-wide offer:

My first (perhaps somewhat evil) thought was to buy the stupid thing, cut the circles, and then return the device, but according to the manager (to whom I was complaining about the cost, since i only needed to make 4 circles, ever, in my entire foreseeable future), Michael's return policy is something out of the Dark Ages....eg, "you buy it, it's yours, the end" or something like that. :) But she then told me that Michaels routinely (approximately every other week, "almost like clockwork" she said) runs a coupon in their weekly circular for "40% off any item not already on sale." This includes overpriced circle cutters, and no, you do not need to have the coupon in order to get the discount -- you just mention it at the checkout counter.

Like I said, the manager said this was a very common promotion that the whole national chain seems to participate in regularly.... (Which might explain why their inventory seems so expensive -- presumably it's all marked up 40% to offset this coupon...lol) She also told me that even in the "off weeks" (when the ad was NOT running) the checkout counter often gave customers the discount anyway -- but again, remember that you have to ASK for it.

Anyway, I know we're all grown-ups and saving $8 bucks of a $20 circle cutter is not exactly the Stock Tip of the Week.... But, at least for me, a $12 circle cutter (one that would most likely be used once and then put in a drawer until the end of time) was a much easier deal to swallow.

Finally, since I just saw a post in this thread not-so-long ago asking how people were adhering their mute/pad to their drum head: I used carpet tape, which was suggested in another thread, and it worked great. I had some concerns about using this stuff, since it warns you on the back of the box that it tends to leave a residue, and since who knows when I might need to pull this stuff off and RMA my set....from all the horror stories in this forum, it seems that's at least a *possibility* some day, right?

While I was in Home Depot, I happened to run across the 3M/Henkel vendor who was shelving/stocking in the tape/glue/epoxy aisle....and when I explained what I was doing, she said her daughter actually HAD Rock Band, so she was intimately familiar with how the drum set looked, what it was probably "made of" etc.

Now, I have no evidence that this person was *actually* who she said she was, or just a crazy person, so take this however you like: but she said she'd avoid using any regular/common glues, because one (or both) of the materials in use -- the rubbery/poly/whatever-it-is stuff the mute is made of, the plastic drum head (or more specifically, the paint on said drum head) -- might react with the glue and stain or "burn" into it, kind of like the way superglue can "burn" styrofoam, but on a smaller scale.

The main bit of trivia I thought worth sharing is this: According to the Vendor and/or Crazy Person, any residue left by the carpet tape can be removed very easily from that type of surface (without damaging it) with the use of one of those non-ammonia, so-called "chemical free" cleansers....specifically, the ones that use some kind of Citrus derivative as the active ingredient.

Potentially Crazy Vendor Person added that in-house, they use that Citrus stuff like mad to remove residue from any tape products, and it works great on materials like those she remembered from her daughter's Rock Band drum set (without the danger of bleaching/staining the drum pad, which a product like Goo Gone or Turpentine or a Butane Torch might do).

I have no idea if any of this is true, and since my drum set currently is quite functional, this bit of information might just get filed away forever, along with that circle cutter I bought. But hey, what kind of info SHOULD I be sharing with other people, if not the potentially crazy ramblings of a person who very well could have been more insanely demented than Mom after a couple of boxes of cheep wine? (Yep, she's a churchgoer, lemme tell ya...)

But perhaps I digress.

I used the carpet tape on the back of the drum mute, 4 strips, going across the top, bottom, and 2 in-between. To confuse your further, here's an absolutely horrific attempt at a "sketch" to show what I'm talking about:


<PRE>
---------- ------
---------- --------
---------- --------
---------- ------
Fig1 Fig2
</PRE>

Fig 1 crudely shows what the tape strips looked like when I first stuck them on, since I overshot all the edges on purpose... Then, I took Mister Hobby Knife and trimmed around the edges of the pad, so I ended up with Fig 2, which is supposed to resemble a circle with strips of tape on it. And yes, now that I've gone thru all that trouble to explain what I did, it DOES occur to me that this is stupid and probably required no explanation, and CERTAINLY not two terrible diagrams to get the point across. And yet, I am oddly unaffected by this knowledge...strange.

Perhaps I'm just giddy that everything stuck to, cracked open, filled up, snapped back together, and still made drumming sounds when finished.... That, and it's nice to know I can keep playing if I want to (even though it's *nighttime* !! gasp!!) tonight, without the neighbors above and below teaming up to attack me with torches and pitchforks.

I'll stop now before this gets any sillier. BTW, if anyone knows of a good way to mod/reinforce the bass pedal that (unlike the one mod I've come across) does NOT require the use of a "plasma cutter" to slice thru sheet metal. Granted, a Plasma Cutter probably is NOT a Halo 3 weapon (probably...) -- but it's still a device which, however cool-sounding, is something I don't own...and I suspect the world would be a safer place if I kept it that way. :)

Cheers and thanks again for all the input in this thread, lots of great advice. I hope everyone else's modding projects go as smoothly as mine did.

Fantastic post, I was laughing my ass off.

Thanks for the praise and I'm all about hearing success stories.

[crzisme]

Just ordered some 10" Vic Firth Drum Mutes (VICMUTE10)

http://www.vicfirth.com/product/buynow/MUTE10.html

You can get a 10 inch Mute for as Little as $4.70

http://www.columbuspercussion.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=3059

[dagware]

But perhaps I digress.

Awesome post. Thanks for the good laugh, I needed it.

Dan

[abb]

Awesome post. Thanks for the good laugh, I needed it.

Dan

Glad to be of service; we aim to please. :)

I've struggled (and, so far, failed) to find the time to post a proper epilogue/follow-up to my previous missive... I hope to get around to that soon.

While I stand by my original statement, above -- ie, "my only promise is that this mod will simultaneously destroy your drum set and render you sterile, and probably worse" -- I think it might be useful to share some of the additional "tweaks," "changes," "modifications," and "blatant violations of State and Federal Sodomy statutes" that I've performed (for better or for worse!) since my original post.

Things aren't ridiculously different now -- ie, still using/loving the Vic Firth pads, carpet tape still holding like a charm, and the anti-vibe sticks continue to provide me with more pleasure than any man could reasonably expect from a product with "anti-vibe" in the title, etc, etc.

But I did start noticing some of the issues voiced by others in this forum (and particularly, this thread) regarding loss of sensitivity and whatnot. The drums worked perfectly (AFAIK) immediately after the mod, but as time went on, it gradually became more and more of a necessity that certain drums be struck precisely in the center of the drum head, and/or with force/velocity comparable to (what I can only assume to be) the fist of an angry pimp, when confronted by a deadbeat John refusing to pay.*

*NOTE, the measurements listed in the preceding paragraph (particularly those regarding velocity, force, and the measure of same using "Pimp Smack Units") are somewhat *relative* and, therefore, potentially difficult to replicate for those of you who might be playing the Home Game. No worries, however -- when I do finally post the *actual* follow-up to all of this, et al, I will endeavor to translate my measurements into SI or metric units, as these tend to be somewhat more objective standards than those discussed above. The reader is encouraged to keep an open mind, realizing that the author does indeed recognize the potential wide variance in Pimp Smack Velocity/Speed/Force Ratios -- these numbers may vary quite substantially depending on a myriad of factors such as the particular demeanor of the individual pimp in question, the amount of money owed by the John, the size and strength of said pimp, and so on. Anecdotal evidence (by which I mean, "evidence that I am simply creating out of thin air as I type this sentence") suggests that an appropriate guideline for Pimp Slap Units, or UPS (per SI custom, from the French, "Unites des Slappes d'Pimpomaux"), is 130.8 UPS = 70.4 Newtons of Force/meters^2, but with a potential margin of error of +/- 18.89 PimpSmacks per measure. This information is submitted FYI, naturally, and it is no way meant as a crude attempt to waste space, attempting to conjure humor where none could ever exist, in a footnote for Goodness' Sake. Of that, Dear Reader, you may be most certain!


In the months and years that followed, as day become night, dusk became dawn, twilight gave way to morning, and then morning gave everyone quite a surprise by just jumping right past day and straight into night again, I pondered these issues. They vexed me terribly.

I was terribly vexed.

For months, I fell into a deep depression...because (like most frequent posters on this Board) without functional Rock Band equipment, I am horribly, terribly, frightfully *alone*. So many poor souls frequent the Board only to quietly chant the familiar refrain of "RMA, where are you?" -- these are my Comrades, my Brothers -- and like them, this newfound lack of a functional, Xbox 360 compatible, faux-drum-peripheral was overwhelming to the point of rendering me completely home-bound, immobile...incapable of bathing myself, feeding myself, speaking...wishing only for Death's Sweet Embrace, an end to this terrible Affliction, this unending suffering that was My Life Without the Immediate Availability of A Particular Rock Band Peripheral.

Finally, after what I can only assume was the better part of a decade, I abandoned my prayers: clearly no one was listening, I realized. Surely no Deity exists who would allow such needless suffering amongst his Children, his Creation. "No," I finally recognized, "Surely no evidence of a Creator exists when one examines the EL, SL, and QM drum sets, or the broken whammy bars, frets, and strum bars of the Quite-Obviously-NOT-Divine Plastic Stratocaster Replica Peripheral Device, et al, etc, ad nauseum."

No, clearly there was no Loving God who created these Instruments; clearly, this, as well as the words spelled out in the Rock Band literature -- red letter edition or not -- these were all merely the workings of Man. My Rock Band manual was not derived from Texts handed from On High, nor was the software, nor were the Instruments themselves. So, armed with (1) the knowledge that these Creations of Man would not (and probably *could not*) be repaired by a Higher Power, and (2) a pretty strong feeling that said Missing and Presumed Nonexistent Higher Power was unlikely to grant my pleas for the sweet release of death, I took into my own hands the very Fate that had held me prisoner for the years prior:

And I set upon the Infernal Device with

the feverish excitement of a Zealot reborn,
an intent/desire to fix and heal (rivaled only by Hippocrates himself), and
a newfound willingness to tinker in areas which I did not belong -- whether it be the Black Arts or the inside of some kind of electrical thingy that does something.


And, Dear Readers (of which I must assume there are, at most, two), I am happy to inform you that my "Moderate Trial and Grossly Unreasonable and Intolerable Levels of Error, Failure, and Pain" methodology did indeed bear fruit.

Yes, Friends, I am here to tell you that the State of the Uni^H^H^HDrum Set is strong! (for the moment) *State of Drum Set is not guaranteed. Limitations apply.

Final notes:


There are those of you who will read this and say, "Why, there is no Content herein -- this is a Meta-post, it is but a dagger of the mind, a false creation..." There are those who will suggest that this entire post was a [failed] attempt at humor, an obvious "stall" by an individual whose documented, step-by-step photographs (detailing the changes made) were left at home or are otherwise unavailable at the moment, resulting in this "filler text" rather than an actual, honest-to-Jehovah factual post... Indeed, there are those who will suggest these things.
With regard to the people who may say these things (above): the probability that these claims are true, is, in fact, surprisingly close to 1.0.
There is no third list item, but a long-forgotten professor in a long-forgotten undergraduate class once told me for some long-forgotten reason that "lists should have at least 3 items" and, for reasons I cannot completely comprehend, I forever remain a slave to this Rule.


At this point, it's safe to assume that no one is still reading this long-winded, yet amazingly bereft-of-any-type-of-useful-information, post. So, unfettered by the chains of fear for repercussions regarding anything I feel like saying at this point, I will happily conclude thusly:


I will try to post those pictures and what changes I made, the results I experienced, etc, in the hopes that other pretend-drummers will be helped (or be inspired to help) by said information. Especially for those of us with QM sets, since most modding pics and instructions seem to be heavy on the EL-side.

I hate you all. Especially you. No, don't laugh -- it's not a joke, and I'm not talking about someone else. You, the guy reading this. Yep. Hate ya. What ya gonna do about it, huh? Nothing, that's what. _*****.

TWAJS (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=twajs). :)



Cheers, more later.

[dagware]

OK, you are officially sick. But I have to say I loved the religious references, especially the red-letter stuff. You may have only two readers, but you know your audience.

Go ahead and hate me. You're not alone. :p

-Dan

PS: You don't have the time to write up a thorough review, but you have the time to write this? lol.

PPS: And I have the time to read it? Who's sick now??

[afireinside0016]

ok, I just did this with little foam pieces I cut from something we had laying around the house. Worked sooo well. The pads are more responsive and since they're being pushed upwards, they are easier to roll on now. Thanks!

[short_circus]

I just tried out the drum sensor mod even though I thought my drums already performed pretty well. My yellow and blue pads were fine and the mod only made them register double hits, so I un-modded them. The red and green pads did indeed improve after the mod though. I had noticed every so often the red pad or green pad wouldn't register a hit even though I was sure I hit it right when I was supposed to. After the mod both pads became much more accurate and sensitive, and my scores on songs like "Train Kept A Rollin'" and "Ballroom Blitz" and "Orange Crush" went way up. I also beat "Run to the Hills" for the first time after doing the sensor mod.
Great stuff. Thanks.:D

[jrod1979]

This is my modded drumset. It has double-bass pedal setup useing a kick pad from an electronic drumset, and rubber pads on top of the drumheads. The pads deaden the sound, and help with rebound. This setup works really well, and looks awsome too.

[nasty89]

First of all, I appreciate Konstruct your idea of this mod and how you've answered peoples questions through the pages that I've read, and I'm positively sure that this is something I'm going to do, but just had a quick question.

Where did you get the Vic Firth drum pad mutes? Local music store? online?

[dagware]

First of all, I appreciate Konstruct your idea of this mod and how you've answered peoples questions through the pages that I've read, and I'm positively sure that this is something I'm going to do, but just had a quick question.

Where did you get the Vic Firth drum pad mutes? Local music store? online?

www.samash.com, when they're in stock. You can try a local music store also.

Dan

[jdeason]

I don't understand how the sensor mod works. So you place the rubber squares in the middle drum cavity, underneath the hard plastic cover (round with two small screws), right? How does that affect the sensor? To me it seems like it would put pressure on the plastic part, but not the actual sensor. To do that you'd have to unscrew the plastic part, and put them either underneath or on top of the spring, and those peices seem way too thick for that.

[DasKonstruct]

First of all, I appreciate Konstruct your idea of this mod and how you've answered peoples questions through the pages that I've read, and I'm positively sure that this is something I'm going to do, but just had a quick question.

Where did you get the Vic Firth drum pad mutes? Local music store? online?

local sam ash.

[DasKonstruct]

I don't understand how the sensor mod works. So you place the rubber squares in the middle drum cavity, underneath the hard plastic cover (round with two small screws), right? How does that affect the sensor? To me it seems like it would put pressure on the plastic part, but not the actual sensor. To do that you'd have to unscrew the plastic part, and put them either underneath or on top of the spring, and those peices seem way too thick for that.

It all depends on the model of drums you have with how the sensor sits. But the premise of the sensor mod is that the impact of the hit causes the sensor to vibrate or move which sends the info to the controller. Problem is the sensors are pretty shoddy and so there needs to be a cleaner hit to get it to register. The mod adds pressure by pushing the sensor against the pad so that it takes less impact to register a hit. Its like putting your hand on the door while someone is banging and feeling the impact vs having 2-3 guys keeping you pinned against the door while a person is banging on the other end. With the added pressure behind you, you feel more of the impact.

[fireitup101]

Careful about how thick the pads are, I took a gamble with my purchase and I got lucky. When you go ask to see the pad out of the bag. Make sure its not much thicker than 2 nickels stacked together.

I need help!! after cutting the pads do you take off the pads already on the rockband drums or do you tape the new firth pads over the originals? im confused and im in the process of doing it right now

[fireitup101]

I did this mod last night.

I bought 4 mute pads in 10" inch sizes. Mine were thicker than 2 nickles. But I also did the sensor mod and that made a BIG AZZ difference. Like, I mean rolls come like nothing now. And since I don't have to hit it hard anymore, I can do slower rolls and still get all the hits. I love this mod.

I used green masking tape since it's what I had laying around. I cut mine just a little smaller than yours so you could see the colored rings.

I'll post up pics tonight when I get home from work.

Oh and I also modded my pedal too.

I have to show you my sensors under the pads. They look completely different than yours. I was kind of confused when I pulled this thread up to get a reference as to where exactly you put the little square pads near your sensors.

Again, the pics will explain it all.

Edit: I got my pads from Sam Ash near me. It was the only 4 pads they got in. $6.99 per pad of 10"inches.



I need help!! do you take off the original pads that were on the rockband drums before taping the new ones on or do you just tape over them? Im confused and i need some help

[CoolAunt]

What drum set is this recommended for EL or QM?

[dagware]

I need help!! do you take off the original pads that were on the rockband drums before taping the new ones on or do you just tape over them? Im confused and i need some help

Don't remove your old pads. Just tape the new ones on top of the old ones.

Dan

[JudgeofZar]

thank you so much for the info, i just ordered the sticks u have and the vic firth pads lol got a nice throne while i was at it cuz im getting an electronic drum set in a couple of months :D so yes, thank you harmonix for introducing me to drumming ;)

[ADiiDAS]

Is this still considered to be the best drummod to date?

[DasKonstruct]

Is this still considered to be the best drummod to date?

People have varying opinions on whats best. I can't say for sure since I've only tried the foam/felt and penny mod before making this I can say its better than those. As for the gumrubber pads I never bought a set. I think there was a review done somewhere.

[dagware]

Is this still considered to be the best drummod to date?

The three mods I can't live without:

1) Vic Firth drum mutes.

2) Real pedal.

3) Support struts for the outside pads.

Dan

[rockbandrocker123321]

Can some1 give me a link to the pad dampeners

[SticksMcCoy]

Thank you thank you thank you!

I got 4 virth pads, made a crude cardboard template, cut them down (not very circular but good enough) and folded/tape to stick them to the pad surface (will get some double sided tape later)

Works very, very well. I also picked up the sticks :)

I am a medium-level player, but I could not get 100% even on the simple songs due to missed notes on my EL drumset (soon to be replaced by a QM I hope)

I also did the mod with two pieces of pad in red/green. Much much much nicer feel, much quieter and most of all, not one single missed note. I got 100% on two songs for the first time, first try, after countless attempts.

No idea how this mod works on expert, heck hard even, but for our play, it rocks.

[SticksMcCoy]

Followup: I found a better solution for attaching the pads to the drums. The tape I used didn't fully peel off, so I'll have to work on that.

Best Buy sells a Hit Kit for $20. It includes sticks (crap), a drum pedal (mine was DOA, but my brother likes his, has two heights), and pads (so so) but the real winner is their rubber rings used to hold their pads on. I used the rings with the Vic Firth pads and they performed flawlessly.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8802655&st=hit+kit&lp=3&type=product&cp=1&id=1206142365809

[Queens of the new age]

I have that^

i agree those sticks really are bad..the kick pedal isn't that good either but those pads are really good or at least good enough to keep it quiet...

[justin19954]

Hows the rebound on those pads? ^