need suggestions for quieter playing

[somekid12757]

Hey guys,

I have a little problem. The noise level of my drumming has become a serious problem for my band (we play rock/metal), mainly becuase the only place we can practice right now is in my friends bedroom (his parents are threatening to not let us practice there anymore).

Anyway, I need an affordable way to quiet the set considerably, but most options (drum shield, sound-proofing, etc.) are far too expensive for any of us to buy. Someone I know suggested using brushes instead of drumsticks, and after looking around for a while I found Vic Firth Rutes and some other similar items.

Basically, I would like to know just how much quieter my playing is going to be by using brushes instead of sticks, and more importantly, if brushes are going to be durable enough to withstand being used by a heavy hitter. I know that they probably won't feel as good as using real sticks, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

If anyone has any other suggestions I would greatly appreciate it, thanks in advance.

[bobdadruma]

Brushes will quiet your cymbals, toms, and snare substantially. I use Blasticks and they can take a beating! Your bass drum will still be loud. That will be a problem. Its hard to play fast metal bass drum beats quietly.
A few months ago I began to play a Pearl Rhythm Traveler for low volume playing. I bought the RT because I wanted to practice with less noise because it is easier for the band to hear and set the PA at a lower volume (less feedback) while practicing in a small room. The 20" shallow bass drum on the RT is half the volume of the 22" deep bass drum on my standard kit. The smaller toms and snare also make less noise. I play Light Rock, Blues, and Jazz. I no longer play Metal. You may want to try converting a 16" floor tom into a bass drum with a conversion kit. http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51321
http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50907&highlight=show+your+small+kits&page=2
I have a feeling that your friends parents will still complain about the noise no matter what you do. You may have to find a different location to play. I have been in your predicament when I was your age! We wound up playing in a warehouse that a friends father owned at night when his business was closed.
I Wish you and your band luck.

[alparrott]

+1 for trying to find a different place to practice. You are playing a type of music that doesn't lend itself to quietness and will only sound like noise to parents, no matter how quietly. Garages, basements, even barns (depending on where you live), are better places to practice as a band anyways. Eventually you'll all go deaf in a bedroom!

[somekid12757]

bobdadruma,
it's good to know that brushes play a lot quieter, and that they can take a beating. It sounds like getting myself a pair of those blasticks would be a step in the right direction.
And that's true about the bass drum, I didn't really think about it until now. I actually do have a 16" floor tom that I don't use, maybe I'll try converting it into a smaller bass drum, thanks for the links.
Also, I think I've heard of patches you can place in the middle of the bass drum's batter head to reduce noise, maybe that would do the trick too?

alparrott,
you're probably right...why can't parents just enjoy the loudness? ;)
Well my band would definately like a different place to practice, but we don't have one at the moment. We'll keep looking though, hopefully something will come up soon.

[Pollyanna]

Not sure how brushes work in metal - unless you're hopin to start a new trend :) Brushes with plastic bristles have a bit moore oomph and more ping on the ride.

Rods reduce the sound somewhat, as do Flix. Trouble is, I find that rods and the rock Flix sticks sound terrible on the snare - an unusable tacky sound - unless you beat the tripe out of them, which kinda defeats the point unless you're a bit of a beast with sticks.

Agree with Bob - smaller drums help a lot. If you're in a small room in the house, a tea towel over the drums will dampen things. Or you can try to develop a lighter, jazzier touch, tho that's not easy when you're striving for rock intensity; you need great timing to pull it off.

[denisri]

This is very simple..just play quieter!!!!!! Turn the amps and PA way down. Denis

[Nichalson2112]

For the music you are playing, this might be tough. For now, try putting a blanket over the toms, snare, and kick. Use bath towells for the cymbals. You might also want to try this, I did it when I was a young drummer. Practice with the band a few times a week using pillows and materials like that, then...ask the parents if you could practice once a week with the full kit. It will show the parents that you are committed and respectful while you still get your shred on. The key is to always practice...no matter what. Good luck! Happy Shredding

[Moktie]

For the music you are playing, this might be tough. For now, try putting a blanket over the toms, snare, and kick. Use bath towells for the cymbals. You might also want to try this, I did it when I was a young drummer. Practice with the band a few times a week using pillows and materials like that, then...ask the parents if you could practice once a week with the full kit. It will show the parents that you are committed and respectful while you still get your shred on. The key is to always practice...no matter what. Good luck! Happy Shredding

THAT'S CRAZY!!! I was just about to post the same thing, read the thread...turned around
to sign in...and you beat me to the punch. LMAO

I had a friend that did that exact thing; he actually took the old towels and blankets
and cut them down, then placed them on the heads and gently tightened
down. It worked out really well for him, since he lived in a trailer park at the time.

[Rod1SRi]

Thats really good advice. We have a seperate building to our house which is where i practice but its still loud when i get enthusiastic... might try it

[somekid12757]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the help and suggestions!

I've been experimenting a little bit and it seems that the towel method works really well, I'm actually using old t-shirts right now instead of towels but it still works great. Not quite as fun to play that way, but at this point it's my best choice until we have somewhere else to practice, plus it's free, so you can't go wrong there.

Could I do the same thing for the bass drum? Like maybe tape a shirt or something over where the beaters hit the batter head? It wouldn't be pretty, but I think it might work....

[dairyairman]

you could do that with the bass drum, but you could also try cramming it full of as much soft stuff as you can get your hands on, like pillows, towels, etc. fill it to the point you can barely get the heads back on. you really want to muffle that thing because it's the bass sounds that penetrate walls and upset parents.

[alparrott]

you could do that with the bass drum, but you could also try cramming it full of as much soft stuff as you can get your hands on, like pillows, towels, etc. fill it to the point you can barely get the heads back on. you really want to muffle that thing because it's the bass sounds that penetrate walls and upset parents.

+1 for stuffing the bass drum. At my last house in Alaska, where the next house is literally 8 feet away, I put my mesh heads on my toms (for playing solo), but I dislike mesh heads for my bass drum, they don't seem to stand up for long. So I took an old heavy "fake mink" blanket I bought overseas and stuffed it full in the bass drum. It nearly took up the entire shell and pressed against both heads. No head vibrations + no moving air = very little sound, more like the "thwack" of slapping a rolled up newspaper in your hand.

[nocTurnal]

you could do that with the bass drum, but you could also try cramming it full of as much soft stuff as you can get your hands on, like pillows, towels, etc. fill it to the point you can barely get the heads back on. you really want to muffle that thing because it's the bass sounds that penetrate walls and upset parents.

Thanks for saying that. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I do have two pillows in it already. I will definitely see what else I can stick in there. I'm wondering if I can get it as quiet as a kick practice pad. It's a 16" bass drum.

[Pollyanna]

Thanks for saying that. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I do have two pillows in it already. I will definitely see what else I can stick in there. I'm wondering if I can get it as quiet as a kick practice pad. It's a 16" bass drum.

Maybe stuff in some books, your stereo system, the cat ... :)

I tried stuffing all and sundry in my 16" kick (not the cat, it belongs to my neighbour) but it was still louder than a pad. Taping a piece of towel over the spot where the beater strikes the head helps but it's a lot of mucking around putting the stuff on an off if it's the same kit you take to rehearsals and gigs.

[Dave_Major]

you could get silencer pads???

they cost £45.99 here and work a treat. Do exactly the same thing as t-shirts but you get one for the bass drum that comes off without having to take the heads off.

try these

http://www.drumcentral.co.uk///qt-silencer-pad-22-rock-set-p-8410.html

Dave

[Moldy]

Yeah, I have similar pads except made by Sound Percussion. They work really great, especially for the bass and snare. The toms are mostly dampened, to the point that very little escapes a closed-door room. However, their reso heads are the culprit of any sound that gets out.

The thing that bugs me are the cymbal dampeners, hihat included. They don't dampen nearly as much as I'd like and if you miss... well... yeah. I used to use tshirts on the cymbals, but they get shredded real quick. So no answer on those yet.

[rootheart]

Hey guys,

I have a little problem. The noise level of my drumming has become a serious problem for my band (we play rock/metal), mainly becuase the only place we can practice right now is in my friends bedroom (his parents are threatening to not let us practice there anymore).

Anyway, I need an affordable way to quiet the set considerably, but most options (drum shield, sound-proofing, etc.) are far too expensive for any of us to buy. Someone I know suggested using brushes instead of drumsticks, and after looking around for a while I found Vic Firth Rutes and some other similar items.

Basically, I would like to know just how much quieter my playing is going to be by using brushes instead of sticks, and more importantly, if brushes are going to be durable enough to withstand being used by a heavy hitter. I know that they probably won't feel as good as using real sticks, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

If anyone has any other suggestions I would greatly appreciate it, thanks in advance.
If U guys practise rock/metal, please notice that "volume" is a very important part of having fun..guitarplayers do can can practise silent, with a device that fakes a Marshall stack, and/or using headphones...but they consider it as boring..Loudness is 98% of having fun, both drummer and guitarplayers...I guess U have to find another place to practise where you can blow up the room and nobody complaints about volume.
Brushes are the best you can use for exercising, building chops, but not for to play rock/metal music

[rootheart]

Hey guys,

I have a little problem. The noise level of my drumming has become a serious problem for my band (we play rock/metal), mainly becuase the only place we can practice right now is in my friends bedroom (his parents are threatening to not let us practice there anymore).

Anyway, I need an affordable way to quiet the set considerably, but most options (drum shield, sound-proofing, etc.) are far too expensive for any of us to buy. Someone I know suggested using brushes instead of drumsticks, and after looking around for a while I found Vic Firth Rutes and some other similar items.

Basically, I would like to know just how much quieter my playing is going to be by using brushes instead of sticks, and more importantly, if brushes are going to be durable enough to withstand being used by a heavy hitter. I know that they probably won't feel as good as using real sticks, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

If anyone has any other suggestions I would greatly appreciate it, thanks in advance.

Brushes are not for heavy hitters, grin...
But they are durable enough that even a heavy hitter can not break them. In fact a wooden drumstick is much easier to break by using power and heavy hitting than a flexible brush
I would love to see a heavy hitter, who can destroy a brush, by bangin it on a drum

[alparrott]

Yeah, I have similar pads except made by Sound Percussion. They work really great, especially for the bass and snare. The toms are mostly dampened, to the point that very little escapes a closed-door room. However, their reso heads are the culprit of any sound that gets out.

The thing that bugs me are the cymbal dampeners, hihat included. They don't dampen nearly as much as I'd like and if you miss... well... yeah. I used to use tshirts on the cymbals, but they get shredded real quick. So no answer on those yet.

I've used the Abel/Pintech plastic practice cymbals for years in situations where I can't go with real cymbals and they are pretty good for practicing. They don't really do anything for you for practicing with other musicians, but for personal practice they are much better than muting real cymbals.

[toddy]

I really recommend finding a new place to practice, especially since you are playing rock/metal.

[jdrummys]

DO NOT use those rods or blasticks- they will make your drums lose all punch. And muffling the drums too much will make them lose their natural resonance. I would start using a light sticks like 7As. If you hit too hard with them, they will break- simple as that. I found that they substantially reduced my volume, especially when I choke up on em. As far as the bass drum, try swiching to heal down if you currently play heal up. Also, DW makes a beater that is designed for light playing.

[larryace]

You want to play quieter? Simple. Choke up on your sticks.

[nocTurnal]

I really recommend finding a new place to practice, especially since you are playing rock/metal.

That would be the best way, yes. That's a bit hard to do especially with the way things are right now in this country.. and a large part of the rest of the world for that matter. Many of us have to work with what we've got for now.

Anyway, how would you recommend finding a practice space in any case? Where do they advertise this kind of thing? Craigslist just advertises for new band members in the "Musicians" section. I guess you gotta know somebody with something like this. Is it possible to get practice space for $100 a month?

[paradiddler]

Hi SomeKid.

I'd like to offer to you an article I wrote about this very issue about being too loud:

The Thing About the Neighbors (http://theparadiddler.com/2009/10/13/the-thing-about-the-neighbors/)

As you already know, some solutions are more expensive than others, but it also comes down to communication with those who would be affected by your playing. Don't forget to check the link at the end of the article for more tips. Good luck!

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Try this

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56172

[MadJazz]

There's nothing quiet about drums so find a different room. Bed rooms are for sleeping.

Otherwise, you can try maple sticks not larger than 5A, small shells, thin and dark cymbals, a drum shield and playing heel down. That's as quiet as it will get without loosing rebound and tone. Still good for >90dB though.

[Shark Pit]

What works 100% of the time are these relatively new on the market sticks and kick beater - few have heard of them, so far, but the good word is spreading - they are low volume, designed specifically for that purpose. There are two versions, one for the quietest play, one for quieter, low key gigs and practice - The website is at http://lidwishsoulutions.com/

A lot of people swear by them.