Getting a great drum sound

[drumr0]

I have recently started wearing ear muffs when I practice. I was very surprised at how great my drums sound while I am wearing them. Apparently, they are tuning out some of the harsher overtones. I like the way my drums sound without the ear muffs but love how they sound with them on. I want them to sound like that with my ear muffs off.

My question is: Has anyone else had the same experience? Is there an effect that can recreate this very clean sound when the drums are miked, like a compression or gate effect?

It's hard to describe the sound, but the toms just sing, the snare is full bodied and the cymbals high more high end.

[Vipercussionist]

I have recently started wearing ear muffs when I practice. I was very surprised at how great my drums sound while I am wearing them. Apparently, they are tuning out some of the harsher overtones. I like the way my drums sound without the ear muffs but love how they sound with them on. I want them to sound like that with my ear muffs off.

My question is: Has anyone else had the same experience? Is there an effect that can recreate this very clean sound when the drums are miked, like a compression or gate effect?

It's hard to describe the sound, but the toms just sing, the snare is full bodied and the cymbals high more high end.

You're just bloxing out high end with the muffs. No, you really can't emulate that except to use micing and EQ.

I wear ear plugs EVERY time I play, so I also get that benefit every time I play. Best of both worlds.

[denisri]

Hi
Our instrument sounds very different at 10, 20 and 30 feet away and so on...In order to understand what your drums sound like live to the audience ...you basicly need someone to play your drums(with the same general touch as yours) to hear the output sound. Many of the sound waves generated by a drum stroke evaporate at different distances.
My point here is that you need to understand what your drums sound like at a distance.
Ear plugs are a must in this business..I use them all the time. Denis

[G123]

Indeed. I don't like plugs, so when I practice in the basement I wear muffs, as you call'em. I rather enjoy the sound of my drums with 'em on. I get a much different picture of the basic tone of each drum, particularly the toms.

[drumr0]

Good points made by all. I have worn earplugs in the past, I just never liked the way the drums sound with them in. The earmuffs seem to enhance the tone of each drum and they just sound great with them on.

I used to have an old Rod Morgenstien video. His Premiers sound fantastic throughout the video, but there is about 10 seconds or so they forgot to turn his vocal mic down and the way the drums sounded through that mic was pretty bad. I was surprised.

[caddywumpus]

Wearing earplugs or muffs reduces the amount of sound coming to your ear drum, with different kinds reducing more or less of certain frequencies. It might make your drums sound "better" because you're now hearing your drums like you'd hear drums on an album or live at a concert (with other instruments having the same frequency-cancelling effect as your hearing protection does).

It's just like many people who get their first drum set and muffle out all of that ringing that they don't hear on the radio. It's the sound they're used to hearing. It takes them a while to realize that it's not the sound the instrument is supposed to make when played alone.

[frisco68]

I had an old BK set that sounded awesome when I had earmuffs on, but that's the only time they sounded anything near decent. Like guys said, it gives the kit a more "produced" sound that you will only get right in a studio

[mikeybbdrummin]

I have recently started wearing ear muffs when I practice. I was very surprised at how great my drums sound while I am wearing them. Apparently, they are tuning out some of the harsher overtones. I like the way my drums sound without the ear muffs but love how they sound with them on. I want them to sound like that with my ear muffs off.

My question is: Has anyone else had the same experience? Is there an effect that can recreate this very clean sound when the drums are miked, like a compression or gate effect?

It's hard to describe the sound, but the toms just sing, the snare is full bodied and the cymbals high more high end.

You are right........................they sound great w/headphones on............BUT........................have you tried them WITH the ear plugs at the same time?????????? It takes up a notch further.

[MadJazz]

Earmuffs block a lot of high frequencies, that's why your drums sound so warm. There are a couple of things you can do to emulate that effect without muffs:

- Play in a large room. Large rooms sound warmer and less harsh.

- Muffle hard surfaces, especially directly behind the drum.

- Use coated and premuffled heads.

- Use thin shells.

[wickydeviking]

It's just like many people who get their first drum set and muffle out all of that ringing that they don't hear on the radio. It's the sound they're used to hearing. It takes them a while to realize that it's not the sound the instrument is supposed to make when played alone.

amen to that! Good remark

[Migaluch]

If you think it sounds better with earmuffs on, just make your entire audience wear them too!

[Royal]

If you think it sounds better with earmuffs on, just make your entire audience wear them too!

Harsh......but fair.

[jonescrusher]

I used to have an old Rod Morgenstien video. His Premiers sound fantastic throughout the video, but there is about 10 seconds or so they forgot to turn his vocal mic down and the way the drums sounded through that mic was pretty bad. I was surprised.


Good observation, this occurs in a lot of drum instructional videos, where there is an overlap in the ducking of the audio and the vocal mic. Even with a Vinnie or a Rod on a beautifully tuned kit, stuck in a small room with them the overtones will to some extent sound obnoxious. Room size/acoustics is everything. Or get a Yamaha rc9000....

[drumr0]

If you think it sounds better with earmuffs on, just make your entire audience wear them too!

LOL! I am the safety manager at the factory I work at, I wonder what my plant manager would say when I bring him a purchase requisition for 1000 pairs of ear muffs!!

[ugasteve]

I get the same effect with my vic firth headphones.

I also recently started recording my practice sessions with an H2 recorder, it only sits about 8 feet away from my kit but the sound is very different then when I am behind the kit with no ear protection. Sounds great through the recorder, just as it does through the headphones. Guess it must be getting the same effect.

[drumr0]

Wearing earplugs or muffs reduces the amount of sound coming to your ear drum, with different kinds reducing more or less of certain frequencies. It might make your drums sound "better" because you're now hearing your drums like you'd hear drums on an album or live at a concert (with other instruments having the same frequency-cancelling effect as your hearing protection does).

It's just like many people who get their first drum set and muffle out all of that ringing that they don't hear on the radio. It's the sound they're used to hearing. It takes them a while to realize that it's not the sound the instrument is supposed to make when played alone.

Well said Caddy! When I first started playing, I had so much muffling on my poor Exports that Rubbermaid trashcans sounded better. Live and learn!

[drumr0]

I get the same effect with my vic firth headphones.

I also recently started recording my practice sessions with an H2 recorder, it only sits about 8 feet away from my kit but the sound is very different then when I am behind the kit with no ear protection. Sounds great through the recorder, just as it does through the headphones. Guess it must be getting the same effect.

Welcome to the forum! This is interesting. My kids will beat around on mine occasionally and when I am in another room they sound great in there. I want to go tell them to stop, but the drums just sound so good, I really want them to keep hitting them!

I do encourage my kids to play on them, but at the moment, I have a rather large household, so we try to be respectful to everyone.

[beatboy21212]

Ok has anyone out there tried this? tuning your resonate heads up tighter than your batter heads? Actaully tuning your resonate heads super tight and tuning your batter heads as you go? kinda like playing the drums like Handrix played guitar? Any feedback or suggestions?

[bromasi]

If you have the new John Riley's "The Master Drummer" check out his drum sound in his practice room compared to his studio big diference.

[Bruce M. Thomson]

I have recently started using earplugs, I'm just basically happy that I don't have my ears ringing long after playing, there has been an additional benefit as well.; since the overtones are reduced I have been playing more responsibly in the sense that I won't get too carried away. I am using plugs I bought in the hardware store and they work great but I am not too keen on the sensation of something inside my ear.

Would anybody recommend the Vic Firth headphones? Not the model that have speakers but the other ones, and how much of the sound do they cut out? I stuff the plugs in pretty good at the moment but that is due the small space I am rehearsing in at the moment.

Cheers

[Vipercussionist]

I have recently started using earplugs, I'm just basically happy that I don't have my ears ringing long after playing, there has been an additional benefit as well.; since the overtones are reduced I have been playing more responsibly in the sense that I won't get too carried away. I am using plugs I bought in the hardware store and they work great but I am not too keen on the sensation of something inside my ear.

Would anybody recommend the Vic Firth headphones? Not the model that have speakers but the other ones, and how much of the sound do they cut out? I stuff the plugs in pretty good at the moment but that is due the small space I am rehearsing in at the moment.

Cheers
The headphone type of ear protection work very well, especially in rehearsal/practice situations. (you'd look somewhat silly on stage with 'em) Just slap 'em on and start playing. You can also wear your iPod earphones under them to practice to whatever tunes you're workin' on. Just be very careful with the volume on the iPod, you'll wreck your hearing THAT way too!!

Also, you can find the same type of things at gun shops and safety places, it's just standard ear protection, but Vic Firth puts their name on 'em so you might get 'em CHEAPER without the name. Worth a shot anyway.

[fixxxer]

I wear cannon style earphones when playing with my band. We have a studio so my drums are set up in a separate "drum room". I run everyone through a small P.A. and use the headphones to hear. It works well and I must admit my drums sound better. My only concern is that sometimes, maybe, I play a little harder than I should because of the muffling the earphones provide. Nobody in the band has complained, but I often wonder. Anybody share this thought?
Also, we have done a lot of recording lately and I have noticed that my drums sound much better on the recordings than with (and especially without) the headphones. I don't believe we really know what our drums sound like from behind them.

[Solaris]

Ok has anyone out there tried this? tuning your resonate heads up tighter than your batter heads? Actaully tuning your resonate heads super tight and tuning your batter heads as you go? kinda like playing the drums like Handrix played guitar? Any feedback or suggestions?

I've been doing this with my snare lately and have had some great results. The tight reso really helps get a great crack out of the snares and then I tune the batter until I get the body and pitch I desire. It's quite helpful playing in two bands with the same snare. I play in a funk band and just tune the batter up a turn or so to get some extra pop, and then for my rock band I just need to tune it back down for some slamming back beats.

I haven't tried cranking my toms' resos up super tight, but generally I run them a little tighter than the batters.

[nerdywhiteboy]

On my crap set I had to wear earmuffs, Peltor 105's with earphones underneath to be specific, cause I couldn't stand the sound of them. With the new set I want to hear them, so I went back to my non-isolating headphones (when playing with music).
For hearing protection I may go back to the Peltor's though.
The ultimate is to wear the Peltors and mic the drums to your earphones underneath. That way you can control the volume, your drums sound great, and your not killing the drums.

[Pachikara-Tharakan]

for me, just covering the snare / tom toms with a thin cloth makes a lot of difference in drum sound,( the sound I like (70's muffled sound)), than spending hours tuning them.
I have seen some photos of the Beatles recording Let it Be in 1969, with the a towel on the snare.