Lights reflecting off drum shield - suggestions?

[Sayen]

I'm not sure if this is an audio, lighting, or scenery question...but I figure the folks in here might have the most experience.

I'm helping a small church, with a tight budget, adjust their audio. They got rid of (!!!) their acrylic drum shield because of complaints about lighting reflections. The angle to the FOH lighting position is shallow enough to throw the light directly into the audience, and changing the lighting is not an option.

They definitely don't want a full drum enclosure, and can't afford it at any rate.

We have the budget to replace the acrylic shield, but I'm trying to figure out what to do about the visual reflections - without completely obscuring the drummer. Any products out there I'm unaware of? Tricks for altering the shield?

I jokingly suggesting putting a TV monitor in the drummer's place, and locating him in another room with a camera.

 

[manuallyfocused]

Perhaps try dulling spray or hairspray? You'll still see the reflections of the lights, but it should cut down significantly on the glare.

 

[derekleffew]

[Thread moved to Lighting forum.]

When I've encountered this before, our solution was to angle (tilt) the TOP of the drum shield back (upstage) just slightly. I believe it was just a matter of raising the front on the face of a 2x4, so 1.5". It was enough to get the majority of the reflections out of all but the last row's eyes.

 

[Amiers]

You could sand the acrylic except for a few spots to see his head.

 

[MikeJ]

Get a quieter drummer.

 

[themuzicman]

I second dulling spray, it won't totally eradicate reflections, but it'll help a lot. Part of the reason to keep an acrylic/plexi shield is that it reflects high end back on the drummer so they play a little softer. Or try to get lighting to help keep direct light off the plexi - it may end up being a group effort to combat it. My go-to drum shield is the clearsonic Isopac A, and reflections can be an issue, but what's the bigger issue - that or the noise of the drummer?

 

[MarshallPope]

Perhaps you could add wainscoting to the lower portion of the shield to kill some of the reflection? That combined with creative angling and careful placement could solve the majority of your problems.

 

[DELO72]

[Thread moved to Lighting forum.]

When I've encountered this before, our solution was to angle (tilt) the TOP of the drum shield back (upstage) just slightly. I believe it was just a matter of raising the front on the face of a 2x4, so 1.5". It was enough to get the majority of the reflections out of all but the last row's eyes.

This suggestion is Brilliant!

 

[Roger L. Lattin]

Angling the drum shield is one way, another is to put polarizing filters on both the drum shield and the lights at 90 degrees to each other this will kill the reflections. dulling spray and a polarizer on the light sometimes works also.