What do you use to dampen your kick drum? A pillow, towel, felt strips, specialty drumheads or nothing at all?[/b]

I have to pieces of dense eggcrate style foam duct taped together.  Usually i have them placed horizontally, WITHOUT toching either head.  But, if i do need the muffling, i turn them and they touch both heads.  

I use the EVans EQ3 clear, without the extra muffling strip.  This head has small holes around the diameter, plus, an internal muffling ring, and it comes with an extra muffling ring that can be placed between the head and the other ring.  I leave the second ring out.  I use a black EQ(3, i think, maybe a 1) resonant in the front.  It has an offset hole, probably about 5 inches in diameter.  

This drum will knock you over!   It is a 16X22 Tama Artstar Custom.

Yes, you need to check out the AQUARIAN Super Kick I which is a single-ply head (which is what I use predominantly; or the Super Kick II which is a two-ply. The also have the Impact series which is the same thing but the felt muffle is wider, so the heads are deader. Also their new Full Force kick drumheads are supposed to be rockin'; I'm going to try them out very soon. The Full Force are supposed to be sort of like the Evans EQ heads, but different; patent pending on these, so they are unique.

How on earth are you getting the Moon Gels to stay on a drumhead that is in a vertical position. I would think those babies would be falling off all the time.

Incidentally, besides using the AQUARIAN Super Kick I (clear, single-ply) with no additional muffling, I also use the AQUARIAN Regulator resonant head on the kick drum with the various sized ports.

I also take a fluffy, feather pillow and a few towels with me when I go to the studio so I have some choices when tracking a variety of songs.

This is BLOWING ME AWAY!!!  

I clean my Moon Gel with soap and water every once in awhile which, as you mentioned, aids in the adhesive properties. I just didn't think they would stay in a vertical position. I'll definitely have to try it out sometime.  

Well, that's the same stuff I'm using. Yes, Moon Gel is the product name; like Kleenex or Bandaids ... it's not what they are, but rather a brand of tissues and adhesive bandages.

I went thru the moon gel thing.  It is just PVC with a high plasticiser content.  It's the same material they make those rubber worms for bass fishin.

You can buy the goo from bass proshops, make your own custom mold if you want and not have to pay exhorbitant prices for moongel...which I reckon has a material price of about .30 cents a pound.

OH,
Super Kick 1 and a Regulator front head...the best hands down, for me.

Moon Gel is the most relaxing substance on earth. Just touching it loosens me up. Some day, when I'm rich (but not famous), I'm going to have all my cushions and mattresses made out of that stuff!

Yeah, I heard a dw 24" kick with one of those pillows in it once...the thing had some major poop to it...awesome

I'm currently using a piece of 2" thick foam.  It just touches both heads and it covers about a third of the drum shell.  This is my standby for when I'm too lazy to figure something else out.  

I had been using a DW pillow for a while and never liked the results, and then one day I saw a picture of me doing some recording with the foam in the drum.  I bought some new foam, put it in the drum and, Bang!, there was the sound I liked.

I'm curious about the Moon Gel idea though ... next time I have the opportunity to spend some time with my drums (I live in an apartment) I'll give that idea a try.

--
Rob