Drums in Practice... managing the sound levels?

ShriekingSheet

We're a pretty experienced band but have always practiced a bit too loud. Obviously, this can give everything a bit of false energy.

When trying to turn down, the snare and cymbals can just drown out the guitars and vocals. So we need to turn back up... Does anyone have any advice on how to solve this?

Does the drummer simply need to play less intensely? We have plenty of space so would moving the kit further away help?

One idea I had was to set up the amps and pa speakers in front of the kit, so they might act both as sound-blockers, and mesh together better with the drums, leaving the rest of the members facing the sound like an audience. The drummer uses headphones with a click and music so there's no issue in him missing out on hearing the bass etc.

What about brushes?

Does padding the kick drum with cushions or covering some of the snare drum work?

Cheers for any help

K0K0

I'm not being funny but have you tried using earplugs? Ordinary ones will kill a lot of the higher frequencies, but if you're willing to spend you can get musician ones that won't. Damping the drums might give a false sense of your sound if that's an issue for you.

ShriekingSheet

K0K0 wrote: »

I'm not being funny but have you tried using earplugs? Ordinary ones will kill a lot of the higher frequencies, but if you're willing to spend you can get musician ones that won't. Damping the drums might give a false sense of your sound if that's an issue for you.

But won't ear plugs effect everything, ie: the guitars and vocals? It's a simple problem of the drums not having a volume knob.

artvandulet

get your drummer to play with hotrods or similar.
Or get a set of sound Off dampners from HQ percussion.

mac500

i second hotrods, a lot quiter than the sticks, he could also get a roland v drum set (electronic drums) which are perfect or practicing with especially the mesh head type. ye will all have volume buttons so battling over levels wont be a problem.

raindog.promo

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

But won't ear plugs effect everything, ie: the guitars and vocals? It's a simple problem of the drums not having a volume knob.

Get ear-plugs. Spend a bit of cash and get some decent moulded ones. It's a one off buy and if you're jamming regular in a room full of drumkit, bass and guitar is the best thing you can buy.

I'm 30 and have "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" in both ears. Silence is golden.

Fingers Mcginty

Your drummer is too loud...;)

Stixwild

I would say use ear plugs, If your drummer stars using hot rods or brushes, he will not have the same feel for the songs. In a practice environment you should all be using decent musician ear protection anyway!! The drummer playing too loud isn't really the issue. It's more down to playing in a more enclosed environment than you would at a live gig. Infact your drummer should use ear protection every time he plays. I have been playing for over 20 yrs and I had to start using ear protection a few years ago because i perferated an ear drum and i wouldn't be a hard hitter... You should be practicing as if your playing live and good ear plugs are the only way to go..


Hope this helps you guy's.

TheStickyBandit

Get your drummer to use 7a sticks or something, It is a very bad sign of a drummer if you cant play quietly as well as loud!

Oh ha and I second the earplugs motion, A set of moulded ones as aforementioned will set you back about 200 quid, but they reduce the db of a sound not muffle it so as it's leaving you hear yourself breathe, I have tinitis (sp) a constant whistling in my ears....do avoid this at all means possible!

blackbetty69

yeah hotrods are deadly for keeping down the sound but u can still hit as hard as usual

Des Claypool

i disagree with the hotrod buzz they're cool but they're still loud. get cheap earplugs and crank it up, i always wear earplugs i wanna be able to play hen i'm onlder

owensutton1986

Hot Rods would work but they would give a certain tone to the drums. I agree with a previous post that says "your drummer is too loud"

Tell him to practice the intense stuff thats fast with a motto of ' how soft can you play when your playing fast and intense?" Its probably the hardest thing for any drummer to do.

In the mean time..ear plugs are the only option, or he could also buy dampners for his drums. they would kill any echoing sounds coming from the skins on the kit. Cost about 15 to 20 euro for a set.

Electronic drums are great, but they would cost a bloody fortune. Hope this helps.

Owen


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