Quiet down a drum set

[wavemaster447]

Hi!

I'm currently the sound tech at a church retreat, and the theatre at the camp is small and acousticly horrible - there's a overhang on the stage projecting the sound straight out at the audience, and the drum set is HORRIBLY overpowering... I need a way to lower the volume without comprimising tone too much... and hopefully without damaging the drum set We have no drum shield, and the concert is tonight at 9:00 PST... quick advice is appreciated!

[Arez]

Have any rugs laying around?

[Soxred93]

Have you inserted a sweater or jacket into the bass drum? That usually helps to quiet down that drum...

[wavemaster447]

There's already a pillow in the bass drum, and there's a rug on the floor under the kit... would a rug stood upright against the back wall help deaden the sound at all?

Question... I remember hearing something about using gaff tape on the back edge of the cymbals to quiet them... does that make sense at all?

[museav]

Originally Posted by wavemaster447

Hi!

I'm currently the sound tech at a church retreat, and the theatre at the camp is small and acousticly horrible - there's a overhang on the stage projecting the sound straight out at the audience, and the drum set is HORRIBLY overpowering...

Can't let this one pass. Sounds like you are saying the acoustics are not appropriate for your use. That does not mean they are bad, in fact it sounds like they may be good for some applications. Just like many things, acoustics are application driven and while there are certainly some conditions that are undesirable for any application, not supporting a specific use, especially one that may not have been considered or a priority when the space was built, does not necessarily make the acoustical environment bad.

It won't help with kick but you might want to try something like these, Pro-Mark Drumsticks. Or use an enclosure like this, Perdue Acoustics Drum Booth - Drum Shield Kit.

[wavemaster447]

Originally Posted by museav

Can't let this one pass. Sounds like you are saying the acoustics are not appropriate for your use. That does not mean they are bad, in fact it sounds like they may be good for some applications. Just like many things, acoustics are application driven and while there are certainly some conditions that are undesirable for any application, not supporting a specific use, especially one that may not have been considered or a priority when the space was built, does not necessarily make the acoustical environment bad.

It won't help with kick but you might want to try something like these, Pro-Mark Drumsticks. Or use an enclosure like this, Perdue Acoustics Drum Booth - Drum Shield Kit.

Im looking for something i could hopefully make in the next few hours out of stuff i have lying around...

[DaveySimps]

The more cushy stuff you have around to absorb the sound, the more it sounds like it will help you. You thought of a rug on the wall should help. Theatrical draperies and acoustical panels in the venue would help as well.

~Dave

[TimmyP1955]

Have a very imposing man stand being the drummer with orders to smack him when he goes from playing to pounding :-)

Give the drummer smaller sticks, power rods, or brushes. A musician must learn to adjust his dynamics to the requirements of the ensemble, the music, and the room. Now would be an excellent time to start the process.

[wavemaster447]

Survived the concert, and it sounded pretty good too! turns out that 100 people stage rushing is a pretty good sound dampener for the set... thanks for all the advice everybody!

P.S. Timmy - we ended up putting a little 40 watt light light on the end of a dmx dimmer right on the drummers stand, and we flashed it whenever he started to get rediculously loud. We only used it during rehearsal though, even his pounding sounded pretty good during the concert

[Dillon]

Hire a better drummer.