make acoustic drums quieter

by8auj6csd3ioq

Is there any way to make acoustic drums quieter that does not affect playing or response. So you do not learn wrong or bad habits. Mesh? Hot rods? etc

FR85

You can use mesh heads but this will kill them completely. You can kill them significantly by taping toilet paper to the heads and will it won't silence them it will kill a lot of the volume.

DrumSteve

Towels are usually good.

Where do you practice? A shed or indoors in your house?

by8auj6csd3ioq

DrumSteve wrote: »

Towels are usually good.

Where do you practice? A shed or indoors in your house?

indoors
in a house.

It seems to be the reasonant side of the snare i want to quieten mostly. I do not know the proper term but if i hold my hand over the wires the sound is more full not cracking and vibrating. I know it should be but it is very loud. Is there any safe way to stop the wires vibrating and be able toremove it

by8auj6csd3ioq

FR85 wrote: »

You can use mesh heads but this will kill them completely. You can kill them significantly by taping toilet paper to the heads and will it won't silence them it will kill a lot of the volume.

all over the heads? masking tape ok?

You can use mesh heads but this will kill them completely

you mean no sound?

anyone use these https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plDxBk2zqfE or similar

FR85

Adriana Great Oats wrote: »

all over the heads? masking tape ok?

you mean no sound?

anyone use these https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plDxBk2zqfE or similar

A tiny fold of jacks paper placed to the edge of the skin and then taped down. It won't kill them but it will dampen and take away any overtones.

Using mesh heads will equal muted drums, zero noise.....

I've never used any killing pads, I live out in the land that time forgot and the nearest neighbor is about a kilometer away!!

FR85

Adriana Great Oats wrote: »

indoors
in a house.

It seems to be the reasonant side of the snare i want to quieten mostly. I do not know the proper term but if i hold my hand over the wires the sound is more full not cracking and vibrating. I know it should be but it is very loud. Is there any safe way to stop the wires vibrating and be able toremove it

You are getting snare buzz by the sounds of it. This will happen to a degree, make sure the snare strands are dead center with the throw off in the on position, if there is an overlap over the shell then you might end up with a lot of buzz.

If you want to completely eliminate buzz and just have a slap sound then about 3-4" in from the hoops place a skinny strip of gaffa tape across the wires and this will assist there.
If you want to kill the resonance of the bottom head you can either tune it down or if you are happy with where is then poke some (not loads) of cotton wool balls in through the air vent on the side of the shell, these will sit on the head on the inside and not rattle. It's actually a really cool way of "gating" ringy toms too......top tip right there!!

by8auj6csd3ioq

Everyone, thanks for the help