An apparatus and method for damping slider-gimbal coupled vibration of a hard disk drive is disclosed. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension at a gimbal structure. In addition, a damping zone is provided at a stress point on the gimbal structure, the damping zone having a damping material thereon, wherein the damping material reduces vibration of the slider and the gimbal structure.