Drumsticks & Accessories

Drumsticks and Accessories

Measure a kit for practice mutes

Write down each nominal drum and cymbal diameter. Then compare what a prepack covers with what you actually play.

Make a size list for the drums

Use the head or manufacturer specifications for nominal sizes. If your drum list reads 10, 12, 14, 16 and 22 inches, check for a 10-inch mute explicitly. A set such as Vic Firth’s MUTEPP3 includes 13 inches, so it fits a different tom configuration.

Check cymbal type as well as diameter

A 14-inch hi-hat and a 14-inch crash share a diameter but serve different roles on the kit. Match the cymbal type to the label. Evans offers a dedicated 14-inch hi-hat mute and different ride options. If a pack omits exact diameters, confirm them for any cymbal that must be covered.

Identify the kind of product

An overlay goes on the equipment you already have. A mesh head replaces a drumhead and a low-volume cymbal replaces the cymbal. Check what installation the product requires before comparing how much of your setup it covers.

Plan around uncovered surfaces

A kit part can move from hi-hat to crash to kick in a single pattern. Check the pieces used in your own exercises first. Confirm the kick fit and the cymbals separately if you need to buy the rest of the coverage individually.

Source documentation

Guide questions

How should I choose coverage if I only use part of the kit?

Write down the exact surfaces you strike in your usual practice patterns. Fit the overlays to those drums and cymbals first.

Do I need a complete set to start practicing?

You can begin with the drums or cymbals that matter to the patterns you play. Individual covers help when your kit combines sizes from different standard packs.

What if an installed photo shows more drums than the written list?

Use the model’s written list and verify any missing diameter. The instruments shown may be there to illustrate where the overlays go.

Which accessory suits the job?

  1. The MUTEPP6 lists a 10-inch mute where the MUTEPP3 lists 13 inches. Both list 12, 14, 16 and 22 inches. Write down the rack tom sizes before selecting the pack.

    Vic Firth MUTEPP6 Drum and Cymbal Mute Prepack ↗Vic Firth MUTEPP3 Drum and Cymbal Mute Prepack ↗

  2. Use the 14-inch SoundOff variant for a matching hi-hat. If the ride needs coverage too, compare the ride-specific option and check its diameter.

    Evans SoundOff 14-Inch Hi-Hat Mute ↗Evans SoundOff 20-Inch Ride Cymbal Mute ↗

  3. The SoundOff standard pack lists four tom and snare sizes. The MUTEPP3 also lists a 22-inch kick overlay and cymbal pieces. Select from the pieces you play.

    Evans SoundOff Standard 4-Piece Drum Mute Pack ↗Vic Firth MUTEPP3 Drum and Cymbal Mute Prepack ↗

  4. The individual SoundOff targets a 14-inch hi-hat. The Meinl pack adds listed overlays for two crashes and a 20-inch ride. Compare by matching all diameters you need.

    Evans SoundOff 14-Inch Hi-Hat Mute ↗Meinl 14/16/18/20-Inch Cymbal Mute Pack ↗

  5. The individual Evans SO-10 covers a 10-inch drum. The standard four-piece pack covers 12, 13, 14 and 16 inches. Use the single mute when your other drumheads are already covered.

    Evans SoundOff 10-Inch Tom or Snare Mute ↗Evans SoundOff Standard 4-Piece Drum Mute Pack ↗

  6. The MUTEPP4 lists two 14-inch drum overlays. The MUTEPP6 lists one 14-inch overlay plus a 16-inch one. The size list settles the choice if your snare and one tom share a diameter.

    Vic Firth MUTEPP4 Drum and Cymbal Mute Prepack ↗Vic Firth MUTEPP6 Drum and Cymbal Mute Prepack ↗

  7. The 22-inch bass mute is a drum overlay. The 20–22-inch cymbal model covers the stated cymbal range. Match the instrument as well as its nominal diameter.

    Vic Firth 22-Inch Bass Drum Mute ↗Vic Firth 20–22-Inch Cymbal Mute ↗

Accessories in this guide

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