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Muffling the Drums 

The beating spot is the location on the head where the player will strike the drum to achieve the most resonant sound. This spot will be approximately 4 inches in from the rim of the drum, but will vary based on the size and shape of the drum; the beating spot on a 32-inch drum might be further from the rim and closer to the rim on a 23-inch drum. Encourage your timpanists to experiment with different beating spots to find where the sound rings best. Never play the timpani in the center of the head; because of the shape of the bowl, the sound will reflect straight up and cause a deadness to the sound.

The Beating Spot 

4"

A timpani head is a very resonant object and will ring for a long time after being played. In some situations the timpanist will need to stop the head from resonating in order to perform a rest, a release with the rest of the ensemble, or just to eliminate sympathetic vibrations from other instruments. Muffling can be done with an empty hand (see image on the left) or with the playing hand by extending the last three fingers of the hand. To muffle the head, take the tips of your extended fingers and gently touch them to the beating spot. The fingers should catch the upward vibrations of the head, dampening them, and should make no sound as they touch.

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