Drum Mute Packs

Drum mute packs contain rubber, neoprene or textile pads that you place on your drumheads and often on your cymbals too. They let you dampen your whole kit at once and practise more quietly on your own drums at home, without changing the heads. Each pack is put together around the sizes of the toms, snare and bass drum, so you can choose one that fits your kit. You'll find packs from Evans SoundOff, Vic Firth, Meinl, Tama and Rohema Mr.Muff here.

How much do drum mute packs reduce the volume?

Evans states that its SoundOff mutes reduce volume by up to 95 %. The pads sit directly on the drumhead, with stick rebound similar to normal playing, so you retain the feel of a real drum kit while practising. Vic Firth mutes are made from non-slip rubber to keep them in place as you play. Meinl describes its mutes as using a soft material that reduces the attack and eliminates sustain.

A mute pack won't make your kit completely silent. If you want to practise with headphones, take a look at electronic drums.

Which sizes do you need in your pack?

Measure the diameter of your toms, snare and bass drum and compare it with the sizes included in the pack. The packs suit different drum configurations:

• Fusion: 10, 12 and 14-inch toms and a 14-inch snare (Evans SO-0244 Fusion Pack).
• Standard: 12, 13 and 16-inch toms and a 14-inch snare (Evans SO-2346 Drum Mute Pack Standard Sizes).
• Rock: 10, 12, 14 and 16-inch mutes (Evans SO-0246 Pack Rock).
• The whole kit, including cymbals: Vic Firth MUTEPP3, MUTEPP5 and MUTEPP6 also include mutes for a hi-hat and two cymbals, with MUTEPP3 and MUTEPP6 including a 22-inch bass drum mute as well (MUTEPP6: 10, 12, 14, 16 and 22 inches). Evans Fusion Mute Set adds mutes for a bass drum, a 20-inch cymbal and a 14-inch hi-hat.

Do you want to control overtones or practise quietly?

Not every pack is designed for quiet practice. Rohema Mr.Muff MuffBite Set contains magnetic felt mutes in 10, 12, 14 and 16-inch sizes that cover around a third of the drumhead and dampen unwanted overtones while allowing the drum to keep ringing. MiniMuff Set has four mutes made from woven synthetic fur, with hook-and-loop fastening, for snare and toms. Muffins Set from Rohema quietens both drums and cymbals, with a sound the manufacturer describes as being in the style of the 60s.

You'll find individual mutes for a particular drum or cymbal in the drum dampening accessories category.