How to reduce overtones on drums is one of the most common questions drummers ask and let me tell you – for a good reason.
A little resonance adds character. But too much ring? That’s when your snare sounds like a trash can lid, your toms start singing their own song, and your kick turns into a reverb tank.
If you’re struggling with annoying overtones but don’t want to lose the natural tone of your drums, this guide is for you.
I’ll walk you through what causes the ring, how to fix it without killing your sound, and share real-world tricks that actually work – on stage, in the studio, and at home.
What Are Overtones on Drums?
Overtones are the extra sounds your drums make beyond the main pitch you’re hearing. They’re the ringing, the singing, the after-the-hit resonance that either makes your kit sound rich… or like a mess.
Every time you strike a drumhead, it vibrates in multiple ways – not just one clean note. That’s what creates overtones. The fundamental tone (the main pitch) is what you want. But overtones? They’re the wild siblings tagging along for the ride.
Some overtones are actually good. They add depth, warmth, and character to your drums. Especially in jazz, funk, or worship settings. But when they get too strong or out of tune with your drum, that’s when your sound starts to get washy, weird, or flat-out annoying.
You’ll know you’ve got a problem if:
- Your toms ring way too long, even after a light hit
- Your snare has a weird metallic “ping” or harsh overtone you can’t EQ out
- Your drum mics are picking up way more ring than attack
- Tuning seems impossible – every tweak brings more chaos
This usually happens when your drumhead isn’t evenly tuned, your room reflects too much sound, or your drumhead choice doesn’t fit your style.
Curious how head types affect overtones? I break that down in detail inside Single Ply vs Double Ply Drumheads and the Drumhead Thickness Guide. Those posts show how thin vs thick heads can either highlight or tame resonance.
Next, we’ll talk about the easiest way to reduce those nasty rings – without turning your toms into pillows.
1. Start With Good Tuning First
Before you slap on any dampening or throw money at new drumheads, check your tuning. Most of the time, unwanted overtones are just a symptom of uneven tension or mismatched head pitches.
Here’s the deal: if your batter head (top) and resonant head (bottom) aren’t tuned in harmony – or worse, if they’re both unevenly tensioned – you’re basically inviting weird overtones into the room.
Here’s how to tune to reduce overtones:
- Finger-tighten all lugs first to set a baseline.
- Then press down on the center of the head and give each lug a half turn in a star pattern.
- Tap around each lug about an inch from the edge with a stick. If one spot sounds higher or lower, adjust until they all match.
- Don’t forget the resonant head. It controls sustain and overall tone more than you think.
If your drum still rings weird even after even tuning, try tuning the bottom head slightly higher than the top. It shortens sustain and tightens tone – a trick used by countless live engineers to clean up toms and snares.
I had a snare once that sounded like a frying pan no matter what – until I realized the bottom head was way looser than the batter. Once I flipped the script and tuned the reso just a bit tighter, the weird overtone vanished.
If you’re new to tuning, you need to know ins and outs about thickness and plies of your drumheads – we cover this more in How to Choose Drumheads Like a Pro.
2. Use Smart Dampening Tools (Not Tape Overload)
Look, we’ve all done the paper towel and duct tape hack at some point. But if you’re still relying on that every time you want to reduce overtones on drums, it might be time for an upgrade.
Modern dampening tools are way more effective and won’t kill your tone in the process.
What Works (and Why):
- Moongel: These little blue blobs are the drummer’s secret weapon. Stick ’em on the edge of your snare or tom and move them around to control ring without choking sustain. Add more = more control. Want your drum to sing again? Just peel a few off.
- Drum rings (like Remo’s O-Rings): These sit on top of the head and instantly tighten up the sound. Great for getting that fat, dry tom tone, especially in rock or gospel. Downside? They sometimes kill more tone than you want. I keep them in my stick bag for bad rooms or when I need instant control.
- Built-in head dampening: Heads like the Remo Pinstripe or Evans EC2 already have dampening baked into the design. That means less need for add-ons and more focus on getting a controlled tone right out of the box. If you’re constantly taping things, switching to one of these might be smarter in the long run.
I use EC2 Clears on my gigging toms for this exact reason. They stay tight, don’t over-ring, and I don’t have to fiddle with gels unless I’m in a tricky room.
- Snare-specific tools: Things like Big Fat Snare Drum toppers or weighted tone modifiers are game-changers if your snare is ringing like crazy. They add thickness and fatten the tone instantly. Great for recording.
You can find more options in our full Drumhead Buying Guide, especially if you’re unsure whether a coated or double-ply head might give you the control you want without add-ons.
The key takeaway? Dampening isn’t about muting your drums – it’s about shaping them. Start small, use tools that are easy to adjust, and don’t kill the life in your drums just to stop a ring.
3. Choose Drumheads That Naturally Control Overtones
Sometimes the best way to reduce overtones isn’t after the fact – it’s before you even hit the first note. The type of drumhead you put on your kit plays a massive role in how much ring, sustain, and resonance you’re going to get.
If you’re always slapping on gels or cutting paper towels to calm down your kit, your heads might just be working against you.
Choose the Right Head Type:
- Coated heads like the Remo Ambassador Coated or Evans G1 Coated naturally cut some high-end zing. That thin spray-on coating softens attack and reduces overtones slightly, especially helpful on snares or toms in smaller rooms.
- Double-ply heads such as Evans G2 or Remo Emperor add mass and stiffness, which keeps the head from vibrating wildly. That translates to shorter sustain, less overtone ring, and more control. They’re a go-to for live rock kits for a reason.
- Pre-dampened heads (think Remo Pinstripe, Evans EC2, or Aquarian Performance II) build in tone control using internal rings or edge treatments. No gels, no tape – just tight, punchy sound straight out of the box.
I personally use Evans G2 Clears for toms when playing live. They’re a double-ply workhorse that balances durability and tone control without choking the drums. If I want even more focus, I’ll switch to EC2 for built-in dampening.
If you’re not sure what to choose, check out our full breakdown in Best Drumheads for Every Genre – we break down which heads offer natural overtone control based on playing style, volume, and genre.
Want an easy way to think about it?
- More plies = more control, less overtone
- More coating = warmer tone, less ring
- Internal dampening = pre-EQ’d sound
So before you add another patch of duct tape to your tom, ask yourself: is it time to swap the head instead?
If you record drums, you can play with EQ – check out this video from drumeo explaining it in great detail:
Final Thoughts
Overtones aren’t the enemy – uncontrolled ones are.
Learning how to reduce overtones on drums without killing your tone is all about balance. You want your drums to sing, not screech. To resonate, not ring endlessly. And thankfully, there’s no shortage of ways to get there without sacrificing your sound.
From using gels the smart way to tuning tricks and choosing the right heads, it’s all about matching your tools to your environment and playing style.
I’ve found that just swapping from a thin single-ply to a coated 2-ply head or tweaking the resonant tension can be a total game changer. And sometimes, the simplest fix – like a small bit of tape or changing your snare wire tension – makes all the difference.
If you’re still struggling with overtones after trying these tips, it might be time to re-evaluate your heads or shell quality, but in most cases, a smart tweak is all it takes.
