Apartment Sound-proofing: Any Ideas?

[willdrum4food]

I live on the ground floor of a 3 story apartment building and have paper thin walls all around me. I am picking up some muting pads for my snare and toms, but I would like to prevent doing so with my cymbals if at all possible. Any ideas on how to sound-proof or at least dampen the sound of my drum kit in an apartment? Keep in mind, going electric, practice pads, or not even playing at all are not options I am willing to consider.

[jonescrusher]

Google the relevant terms. You'll be looking to build a room within your existing room.

[ermghoti]

Before you Google: you could rent a drum room from a commercial practice facility for about 2-4 years for what it would cost to effectively soundproof a drum booth.

[willdrum4food]

Before you Google: you could rent a drum room from a commercial practice facility for about 2-4 years for what it would cost to effectively soundproof a drum booth.

Very good point. Unfortunatly, I don't have the finances to do either. I should have specified that I'm living in a rental apartment, which would require minimal construction, as well as a minimal budget. As dumb as it sounds, I thought about maybe using eggshell mattress padding to insulate the walls at least a little. I know a professional recording studio consists of a lot more than just eggshell padding on the walls, but that's one idea that I thought may be somewhat effective and not so painful in the back pocket.

[DrumEatDrum]

I live on the ground floor of a 3 story apartment building and have paper thin walls all around me. I am picking up some muting pads for my snare and toms, but I would like to prevent doing so with my cymbals if at all possible. Any ideas on how to sound-proof or at least dampen the sound of my drum kit in an apartment? Keep in mind, going electric, practice pads, or not even playing at all are not options I am willing to consider.

Well, you may not want to consider those options, but that is the reality of the situation, in addition to the idea of renting a rehearsal space.

There are a few other threads on this subject that have been posted in the last few weeks, and the basic conclusion is it next to impossible to make a room be sound reducing enough without doing major construction or buying a prefab isolation booth, both options involving quite a bit of money.

[IneptDrummer]

Very good point. Unfortunatly, I don't have the finances to do either. I should have specified that I'm living in a rental apartment, which would require minimal construction, as well as a minimal budget. As dumb as it sounds, I thought about maybe using eggshell mattress padding to insulate the walls at least a little. I know a professional recording studio consists of a lot more than just eggshell padding on the walls, but that's one idea that I thought may be somewhat effective and not so painful in the back pocket.

Don't waste your money on auralex (the eggshell stuff). Its very expensive, and does nothing to "soundproof" your room. It does an ok job of trapping reflections of sound and that sort of thing, but you'll spend a bunch of money for tiny results. Studios usually have them because the owner thinks they do more for the rooms sound than they really do, or they have money to burn and it makes things look professional. In my experience at least, that stuff isn't worth it when putting up a blanket in the corner or even just having a couch in the room will have the same effect.

I would rent a practice space. To save money try to talk to some storage-unit type places, especially if you live in a region with a pretty stable climate. Most of them are not climate controlled and have no power, but its cheap as hell.

[That Guy]

I live on the ground floor of a 3 story apartment building and have paper thin walls all around me. I am picking up some muting pads for my snare and toms, but I would like to prevent doing so with my cymbals if at all possible. Any ideas on how to sound-proof or at least dampen the sound of my drum kit in an apartment? Keep in mind, going electric, practice pads, or not even playing at all are not options I am willing to consider.


If you're living in a rental apartment you are asking for trouble if you start playing or constructing inside the unit. The best advice given was trying to find a rental space when you can afford it. You don't want to make enemies with your neighbors and you don't want cops at your door.

If I can offer any advice...

Talk to every neighbor that is within the distance of being able to hear your kit. Ask them if there are times during the day that would be sufficient for you to play that wouldn't be a burden on them. Try to work something out. If you can't... rent a space for your drums when you are able to.

[mrchattr]

Suck it up and get the cymbal mutes. If you rent, it's your only real option (other than the ones you said you absolutely won't pursue, or renting a practice space).

[willdrum4food]

Suck it up and get the cymbal mutes. If you rent, it's your only real option (other than the ones you said you absolutely won't pursue, or renting a practice space).

Cymbal mutes would be an option that I'm not crazy about, but seems like my best, and most inexpensive thus far. If I did decide to do so, would they take away from the clarity and definition of my cymbals at all?

[mrchattr]

Cymbal mutes would be an option that I'm not crazy about, but seems like my best, and most inexpensive thus far. If I did decide to do so, would they take away from the clarity and definition of my cymbals at all?

When you play on the mutes, yeah. Basically, the mutes make all your gear sound like crap, but they come right off when you go out to gig, and don't have any effect on the actual cymbals.

When you choose to live in an apartment, in a situation like that (and I do as well, because sometimes you don't have any other option...we are looking into houses, but not sure if that will work), your options come down to paying to go somewhere else to practice, muting so you can still get the feel of playing but not the sound, an electric kit (which is pricey), or getting evicted by drumming at your normal volume, sadly!

[willdrum4food]

When you play on the mutes, yeah. Basically, the mutes make all your gear sound like crap, but they come right off when you go out to gig, and don't have any effect on the actual cymbals.

When you choose to live in an apartment, in a situation like that (and I do as well, because sometimes you don't have any other option...we are looking into houses, but not sure if that will work), your options come down to paying to go somewhere else to practice, muting so you can still get the feel of playing but not the sound, an electric kit (which is pricey), or getting evicted by drumming at your normal volume, sadly!

Total bummer! Even my old man keeps telling me that muting pads or going electric are the ways to go, but not the answers I was quite looking for. I guess you could say that I knew my options the whole time, but I was in denial about having to mute my kit or go electric (which I've been told no matter how tweaked, electric will never sound or feel like acoustic kits.) I guess I'll have to suck it up and go with the lesser of two evils and just mute my kit. I'm crushed, but I gotta do what I gotta do if I wanna play I guess. Thanks for all your help dude.

[mrchattr]

Total bummer! Even my old man keeps telling me that muting pads or going electric are the ways to go, but not the answers I was quite looking for. I guess you could say that I knew my options the whole time, but I was in denial about having to mute my kit or go electric (which I've been told no matter how tweaked, electric will never sound or feel like acoustic kits.) I guess I'll have to suck it up and go with the lesser of two evils and just mute my kit. I'm crushed, but I gotta do what I gotta do if I wanna play I guess. Thanks for all your help dude.

No problem man. Stay positive...just think about how great your drums will sound to you when you are able to take them out to a gig or something and get the mutes off!!!!!!!!

[Muckster]

Soundproofing an apartment? Forget it.

Your next move to consider would be trying to find a house to rent. You won't have neighbors on the other side of the wall and you will have a little more flexibility in which to play your kit.