Can you pay a head with a port in it?
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fw
I saw a device in Modern Drummer that might help you. I guess the company that makes those HOLZ bass drum hole protectors just started making them for toms. I think they have one and two inch sizes which are good for slippin in an SM57.
I think the main issue with having a small hole in the bass head would be the head's potential to tear. A hole protector would stop that. You might lose some muscle in the tone, but you'd also probably lose a lot of snare rattle without having to vent the shell. You'd get a drier tone if you wanted that, too.
You might also check out those Evans heads with the tiny holes around the perimeter of the head. If you have an old head you can experiment with, you could make ten hole punches around the perimeter of the head. Just cover the area you punch with scotch tape, first.
About vents--I cut two 2 1/2" holes in my shell, one in the bass chamber and one in the snare chamber, and I didn't lose as much snare rattle as I thought I would. The air pressure the heads generate is amazing--far more than a conventional bass drum generates, I guess due to the smaller air chamber. Of course, cutting the head might have better results.
Will
I think the main issue with having a small hole in the bass head would be the head's potential to tear. A hole protector would stop that. You might lose some muscle in the tone, but you'd also probably lose a lot of snare rattle without having to vent the shell. You'd get a drier tone if you wanted that, too.
You might also check out those Evans heads with the tiny holes around the perimeter of the head. If you have an old head you can experiment with, you could make ten hole punches around the perimeter of the head. Just cover the area you punch with scotch tape, first.
About vents--I cut two 2 1/2" holes in my shell, one in the bass chamber and one in the snare chamber, and I didn't lose as much snare rattle as I thought I would. The air pressure the heads generate is amazing--far more than a conventional bass drum generates, I guess due to the smaller air chamber. Of course, cutting the head might have better results.
Will