How does Stewart muffles?

[roddswett]

The tech question once again:SC has a deep yet controlled bass drum sound (as well as a punchy-innovative way of playing it!)
Does anyone know if he muffles his bass drum? If so, Which device/gadget does he use?
Shall Jeff speaks...

[drummike]

By the time of the 2007 reunion, drumhead manufacturers had learned how to make the heads with a built-in muffle ring which works pretty well, and I suspect that's what Stewart used for the reunion kit. For the earlier kits, I think there was a shot in the Lynn Goldsmith photo book that shows a folded blanket inside the bass when Stewart was playing the mahogany-finish Superstar kit, since most of the front head was cut away on that kit. I think it was the same situation with the first blue Imperialstar kit as well. For the Ghost/Synchronicity kits, maybe you could check out the Synchronicity dvd; the front head was off the bass drum for that concert, so you might catch a glimpse of what was in the drum. I suspect it was a folded blanket or packing quilt. Jeff or other people in the know, please correct me if I'm wrong.

[roddswett]

Indeed, in the early days -due to the almost headless front- was easy to see what he used. I am talking about the 2007 reunion, since there are no pics from "inside" the bass drum.
Jeff?

[zilboy]

Several nights ago, I found a "Why Remo" video in which Stewart is sitting behind his Volcano Bubinga kit at the Sacred Grove and he talks about what models he uses for each drum and why. On the bass drum, he has a plain old pinstripe batter and he likes the resonant head to be intact, although I can't remember if he reveals the type of resonant head.

[jeffseitz]

[quote="drummike"]By the time of the 2007 reunion, drumhead manufacturers had learned how to make the heads with a built-in muffle ring which works pretty well, and I suspect that's what Stewart used for the reunion kit. For the earlier kits, I think there was a shot in the Lynn Goldsmith photo book that shows a folded blanket inside the bass when Stewart was playing the mahogany-finish Superstar kit, since most of the front head was cut away on that kit. I think it was the same situation with the first blue Imperialstar kit as well. For the Ghost/Synchronicity kits, maybe you could check out the Synchronicity dvd; the front head was off the bass drum for that concert, so you might catch a glimpse of what was in the drum. I suspect it was a folded blanket or packing quilt. Jeff or other people in the know, please correct me if I'm wrong.[/quote]

Reunion tour was a Powerstroke3 with a bass drum pillow manufactured by TAMA?. Front head was custom painted and ported.

The earlier tour assessment is accurate. Pillows, blankets etc., depending on the venue as well, ie studio, live, micing technique, desired head response. We also used a subsonic trigger device called TAMA SNIPER.

The Synchronicity Concert front head configuration may have been due to the recording engineer's request.