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RudiMat Drum Kit Silencers
In this modern world the advances in technology mean drum kits have become less and less costly. You can now become a budding Buddy for the cost of only one weeks wages. But even entry level kits are loud. In fact, these days, the single most influential factor in choosing to become a drummer is usually the volume of your new chosen instrument. Your family and neighbours will usually have something to say about this. There are three options available to you at this point: Without being rude the first two options are not necessarily great choices! One feels very artificial and unfulfilling, with the resulting sounds producing only a pale, limp reflection of the true musical art, and the other is an electronic drum kit (which also happens to be expensive). Of course, both are in fact great options if you feel the urge to go down these routes, but for the discerning and budget conscious drummer option 3. is the best by far. Drumming is often about compromise. Many drummers must practice at certain neighbour-friendly times or in set places. Even if you can play at home, silencer pads are never quite the same as playing the real deal. |
RudiMats look, at a glance, like any other silencer mat. In a set you get a large bass drum pad, four circular discs for the snare and toms, and three wegde shapes for cymbals and hi hat. There is also a circular mat with a small hole in the centre to be used in between the two hi hat cymbals. All this is a standard set-up for many kit silencer sets. Closer inspection reveals a little more than first meets the eye! Yes, these silencers are not just any old discs of rubber! They are formed in two layers (dual laminate) which produces a hatched pattern underside and a much smoother top surface on which the logos are etched. In fact Coplan can offer any logo on the surface, so, for a price, you can customise your silencers with your own design. This dual laminate design means the mats can cover the two most important jobs a kit silencer requires. The hatched underside is a very effective sound dampener on drum heads and cymbals alike, while the smooth top surface is ideal for feel and response. Coplan claim using this pad will also increase strength in the wrist while not compromising on stick response. There are other subtle but clever tricks in this RudiMat set. The bass drum pad is a denser, solid foam material, formed in a disc about one inch (2cm) thick and 18”, 20 or 22” in diameter to fit various bass drums. This is a tidy design advance as this Easy Fit kick drum pad requires no rubber straps to hold it in place on the bass drum head. This “Interference Fit” works by wedging the pad into the bass drum hoop which holds it in place. A handy system if you want to add and remove silencers quickly. Of course the snare and tom pads are each sized to suit either rock sizes (14” snare, 12”, 13”, 16”toms) or fusion sizes (14” snare, 10”, 12”, 14” toms), but also the cymbal pads are three different sizes each to suit hi hat, crash and ride cymbals. You can buy these as full kit sets, as toms only and as a cymbals only sets. |
 as a complete set costs much less than an electronic kit...you do not have to become a guitarist! These pads do feel good. I have played many pads in my time and these do have a slight edge over other rubber silencer sets. This seems to be down to the smooth playing surface, and the general feel or bounce response. And they do a very good job of silencing the kit. In fact, if you turn these pads upside down they feel less responsive and are not as silent on drums and cymbals. This proves that the dual layer design does indeed help RudiMats do their two jobs effectively. And as a complete set costs much less than an electronic kit, keeps the neighbours happy and means you do not have to become a guitarist there really is no better option for practicing your chosen instrument. Visit Coplan’s ebay shop at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Coplan05 t March 2006 |
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