Advanced Bass Muffling System (for Marching Bass Drums)

The Advanced Bass Muffling System (sold in pairs) gives you that Top 12 Drum Corps sound more easily, and quicker, than ever before... right out of the box. The included self adhesive makes it possible to install the foam and get back to playing immediately. No waiting for any extra purchased adhesive to dry.

These strips of foam remove the high overtones from your marching bass drum while focusing the fundamental tone and enhancing clarity out on the field or indoors. The Advanced Bass Muffling System is used by some of the biggest marching ensembles out there, including RCC Indoor, Blue Devils, Bluecoats, Phantom Regiment, Cavaliers, Spirit of Atlanta, Stryke, Matrix and many more.

The foam is cut to cover the entire inner circumference of your drum, attaching immediately with a professional-grade adhesive that sets instantly (no more waiting time to put new heads on).

We brainstormed with the biggest names in marching percussion to make sure the thickness of the foam corresponds to the size of the drum to give you exactly the right amount of muffling. A specially-designed angle on the side that touches the head ensures the foam remains completely in contact with the head when you add tension, unlike squared/flat foam that can leave gaps (potential tuning issues & uneven overtones).

This product includes two strips (excluding Flub Drums - single piece only) to fully dampen both sides of any marching bass drum. ***The exact inner diameter of the drum can vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. We give you enough to cover any brand's drum, so there may be a little too much foam. The excess can be easily trimmed off.


Foam thickness:

Using foam for muffling marching bass drums has been the go-to method for drumline's around the world for quite some time now. With over 50 years of experience in playing, tuning and muffling bass drums, our experts have all agreed that this is the formula that works. This system has the right density of foam, the optimal amount of contact with both the head (to reduce overtones) and the shell (to keep shell tone quality) and, best of all, the easiest and most accurate installation. The angle cut of the foam is a proprietary design that is incredibly effective and you cannot get with any other drum muffling. The adhesive is immediate yet adjustable during installation and holds strong so you can put your heads on and get back to what we all love the most, playing bass drum. 


"There is simply nothing else like this on the market." - Dan Wahl, RCC Indoor

"It's a game-changer!" - Tom Aungst, Dartmouth HS



Installation Guide:

1) Pre-fit the foam in the drum before removing the adhesive cover strip.
2) Trim the foam to fit, leave approximately 1” of excess foam on the strip to create a tight connection point where the two ends meet.
3) Make sure the arrow marked on the foam is pointing in the direction of the drum head (not to the inside of the drum).
4) Remove adhesive covering as you install the foam, not all at once, the adhesive can easily stick to anything it comes in contact with.
5) Line up the foam (the side that makes contact with the drum) with the apex of the bearing edge (where the edge makes contact with the head) or up to 1/8” beyond the edge. Note: going beyond 1/8” of the bearing edge can reduce adhesion to the shell and deform the foam as it makes contact with the head (there is a slight angle on the foam so you do not need to go any further than 1/8”).
6) Once the strip is installed, check the bearing edge distance to make sure the foam is set as evenly as possible around the drum. Press down firmly on the foam to make sure the adhesive attaches fully to the inside of shell.
7) Repeat all steps on the other side of the drum.
8) Install your bass drum heads (CA Drums suggestion: use single ply, non-pre-muffled, heads for best combination of tone and articulation. For even more articulation, use either a two-ply head or a pre-muffled head and lead the foam in the head). Do not tighten the tension rods yet.
9) Adjust the heads (rotate the head with the tension rods loose) with the drum “on” the player (using their drum carrier not a stand). Pro Tip: have the player march forward and backward and rotate (to see evenness of both sides) to make sure logos and/or graphics are optimally placed for movement (some players do not stand and carrier the drum the same way that they do when they move).
10) Tighten the tension rods, tune the drum as desired, and get back to making music with a great sounding drum.

Need help with installation or just questions in general? Give us a call at 626-386-5882 or shoot us an email at thedrumshop@cadrums.com.

WARNING:This product may contain a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, or birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.