JMiko wrote:H However, it feels look too much slap back on the pedal. If I cut a hole, do I loose the sound benefit of the 10 vent holes? I am hesitant to cut a large hole, but am thinking maybe a smaller hole of 4 inches or less may vent enough.
You wouldn't negate the current venting of the shell, only add to it. You're moving far more air then those tiny vents, and even the additional port in the front head would ever be an issue.
Think of it this way:
More venting = Drier sound, less sustain.
Pedal response has most likely more to do with how the batter head is tuned, your pedal is tuned and how you play then much else. Will you notice the difference in a 4" front head vent? Probably not. A massive 70's style 18" center hole... probably, because that's just practically no head anyway.
Now you'll also notice DSOP has no patches on his batter head and uses the felt beaters. These two things alone would make more of a difference then anything else. In contrast I use kevlar patches and hard beaters.
I don't subscribe to the blankets, pillows or whatever else in your drum. For instance in DSOP's picture, that packing blanket and foam is basically just absorbing internal sound. Why would you want to muffle the actual shell? The idea is to muffle the heads slightly. Recording of course, being a very different situation.
There are several kick drum muffling solutions on the market that only muffle the heads with minimal shell muffling. The DW pillow, EMAD, etc
But I would recommend starting with the vent in the head and going from there. A rolled up towel along one or both heads is/was a popular easy method. Felt strip is also a good one for just a touch of dampening.
To cut the hole, find a can of the size you want.. soup can, coffee can, whatever... heat the open edge real good. Press firmly on head. You'll have a nice clean hole. Hot knife and template is best if you have one.
