How to play quieter?

simpson

Junior Member
Hi Everyone, I recently hooked up with a band that plays small venues and I've been told that I play too loud? Your drums are too loud man, turn them down! I've got an Ayotte snare that is very crisp and loud and I've put felt pads and tape on the top head and my crashes are 18" zildjians. I don't want to be installing crap to my kit to tone it down, but I guess I do need to play quieter. Whats the trick to playing quietly? How do I play Crazy Train or Ain't Talkin bout Love quietly without losing certain aspects of the song?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
 
As with most things in drumming, you just have to practice at playing quieter. Concentrate on lowering the height of your sticks on the upstroke. As for Crazy Train and Ain't Talkin bout Love, erm....I don't know if I'd want to hear "quiet" versions of those songs.
 
Yes, as Stu suggested.. you need to practice playing quieter. Try using some 7A sticks in your practice routine, it might help you as well.
 
Whats the trick to playing quietly?

There's no trick, you just practice it. A smaller stick with change your tone more than reduce volume. Simply practice playing quieter without losing intensity, fluctuating tempo, etc. It's not easy, but doable. Use multi-rod sticks if you have to, but not as a substitute for the practice above. If your cymbals (particularly crashes) don't sound good with lighter strokes, then you'll just have to get different (likely thinner) cymbals.
 
Imagine that your snare drum and your cymbals are made of brittle crystal; anything louder than a soft tap will destroy them. Practice like this for a good while, until softness becomes a second nature. You should also work on Stick Control, rudiments etc. on your practice pad, and strive for very very small and very very precise strokes.
 
You probably know this already, but in order for a drummer to play acoustic drums at a lower volume, he must also alter the way he plays. Given that starting point, there are a few methods that will help keep your volume down without sucking the life out of your playing, or the drum sound. You may need to make a few small investments though.

Sticks: You will need lighter sticks. Try some thin sticks that are fairly long, so they feel more natural in your hand. I use Vic Firth AJS when I want a normal feel with a little less volume.

Cymbals: A flat ride allows you to play normally without a lot of volume or wash, although you won't have a bell if you need it. Smaller (15 - 17") thinner crashes are darker and sound big, but with less volume. 13 or 14" thin hats will also help keep the volume under control.

Kick: I hate to say it, but muffling the kick and using a felt beater is the best way to keep your volume down while still playing naturally.

Snare: Most of the perceived volume comes from attack, either from the head, or the way you play. I suggest muffling the drum a bit, but not so it's dead. Also, tune the batter down a bit so there's not as much high-end (attack) when you play (a 2-ply coated head will help mellow the brightness.) But, you want the snare to cut, so here's how to bring back the attack without the actual volume - play some rim, but control the stroke. This is the one instance where you'll want to deliberately shorten the stroke, but it will sound like you're hitting the drum hard... just without the volume.

Toms: Gotta muffle them too, but not too much. Like the snare, a 2-ply coated head will help curtail attack. Tune them on the low side, as the resulting volume will seem to be lower. *

And if you have the option, use slightly smaller drums. I have a wonderful 20/12/14 kit that I use for quiet clubs, but may bring a 24/14/18 to larger venues with the same band (they never really know what kit I'll show up with!)

Still, you'll actually need to play lighter, there's no getting completely around that. But these methods will help you retain as much natural motion as possible, and it should be easier for you to sound like you're rockin' without getting chewed out for it.

Bermuda


* Conversely, in situations where you need more volume, you'd generally do the opposite - tune drums higher, use clear batters, plastic beater, med-heavy cymbals, etc.
 
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Imagine that your snare drum and your cymbals are made of brittle crystal; anything louder than a soft tap will destroy them.

Another genius idea from wavelength. I can't tell you how much I've gained from your posts.

Thanks man.
 
I'm always holding the volume back, I never play as loud as I can. I wouldn't be working if I couldn't do that. You have to be able to play relatively quietly and still have all the dynamic range as playing louder. I still play rimshots, they're just quiet rimshots. The drums sound better, because when you whack the tar out of it, it only has one or 2 sounds, but when you finesse it....all kinds of tones available. For most gigs I estimate that my loudest accents are only about 35-45 percent of the drums volume, cymbals a little more. Restraint is a major factor in the music I play.
 
I tend to used ghost notes kind of a lot when I play quieter...would that be a bad habit?

Simpson, I would advice you to not use tape on your drums unless it is made for the drums, which I can't think of any that is made for muffling like that. But duct tape on your snare ruins the head majorly. I don't really hear any difference in reducing the volume in it either.
 
Thank you to everyone that has replied!!!! It's a huge help and I will take it all into consideration. I've always played with a larger kit and Vater 5b's. I'll try going with some lighter sticks and rods, kick's already muffled. Maybe I won't get as many complaints if I treat it like crystal!

Cheers and Thank you, it's very much appreciated!
 
If you practice using just your wrists and not your arms for power, it will help you keep a nice attack feel without being nearly as loud. The biggest problem with drummers playing quietly that I hear is that they usually lose the tone of their drums/cymbals. You can practice playing quietly, but still with intensity, and you will get a good sound out of the drums.

Depending on the room, you may have to change sticks. Rods or jazz-type sticks are really good for smaller places, but at the same time, I have played some really quiet shows with my 5As. It is all about control.

Every once in a while our band gets booked for private parties, and when we show up, the room is so small that people are like eating 3 feet from the drums. When we get those situations without knowing about it, I show up with my full kit (which includes a 22" heavy ride, 20" crash, and 18" crash) and regular sticks, and still manage to do it without getting complaints.
 
Thanks, but I'm usually just conveying information that I have learned from better and wiser musicians. This particular analogy was picked up from Fran Merante's linear funk video. Check it out!

It is excellent advice. The greatest drummers in music treat their drums like eggshells. The power bashing is largely for show. Remember, economy of motion can also help. Go watch Gadd or Bruford play. Very few moving parts and next to no wasted movement.

Of course, it's not flashy, and you might bore the 14 year olds (of all ages) out there in the audience...:D
 
These are all great answers, but another thing to think about is how you sound in relation to the other players.

Whatever your technique is, you should be able to control it in relation to the overall sound. I would think less about what you are doing individually and try to listen to the whole band. You might be forcing everyone else to play loud, or vice versa.

You should be able to hear every other instrument. If you can't, then back off a little. Just lighten up enough to where you can hear everyone. Its often a struggle not to stay at one dynamic level, but if everyone is actually listening to each other, then the music should be a little more conversational, and not feel like you are shouting into a crowded room. Talk about it with your band everytime you play. It might be as easy as saying simply "make sure everyone can hear each other". This doesn't mean everyone should turn up, but just the opposite. You should be willing to give each other enough room to play comfortable and dynamically without having to play at peak volume just to be heard.
 
I think the best response here was the size of sticks to be used.
7A's were a little light, and 5A's still had too much bulk for me.
I ended up finding a great size in between SD4's from Vic Firth.
What I find nice about them is the have a nice squared tip, instead
of the typical taper found on the A's.

I use to play with 2B's and even went bigger with the Pro-Mark Oak 808's.
Wow those were huge! Great for building forearm strikes.

You may actually find increased speed and accuacy with a smaller stick
as well. And you can still get loud bringing the hammer down with a
snap of the wrist.

I'll tell you though; i've been using the SD4's for about twelve years now,
and I no longer break snare heads or crack cymbals. Easier on the wallet.

Later
 
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