Stage Volume: Drummer too loud

Hello Drummers of the world,

Tell me what would help our band. I am a guitar player in a new band. Our drummer is the newest guy. He hits hard.

I CANNOT STAND IT.

Our stage volume is too loud. This hurts our band because:

1) we put out more mush than music. Good PA system can't get vocals over the drums well.

2) my PA gets clipped because everyone starts to scream to be heard, even with 950W of monitors.

3) My ears were ringing this morning after last night's gig.

4) If everyone turns up to get over the drums, wierd room acoustics bring out irritating frequencies. I don't want to hire a soundman for $300 bar gigs.

He is a good player and is trying, but after discussing this over 10 times, I would say he cannot turn down. The last two drummers (in the last 5 years) were not this loud.

I want him to put a limit on his drum volume with some kind of physical device. Also for practice in my studio with my drums he is too loud. He is pounding a hole through my snare drum head, and just recently replaced his own. I would put the same limiter on my drums too.

We have a good band. We are asked to come back. But we will be better when we get our stage volume down. This summer for outside gigs on a big stage, his full volume will be fine.... but crimony tits.....

Help please!

how big are your gigs if they are big enough for mics just lower the sound that come out or make the guitars and mics sound louder of everythin elce

another thing find out if he is willing to change to lighter sticks that might help

In the studio, he could use drum shields - which I'm not sure how much they work as it's basically just plexiglass, and it's fairly expensive.

Also as unhelpful as it sounds, there are drum lessons for these kinds of things - or he could just try and practice by himself. He'll probably think that it wont sound as good softer, but trust me, if he can play softer it will sound very nice.

I usually don't go to a concert and want to hear the drums over everything so I see what you're saying - just try to have him practice the same stuff quieter.

edit: Ha, or you could get really cheap heads that break easily, and it will force him to play softer. You may need to buy a few packs though

Tell him to play more quietly, if he can't do it, fire him.

hey man.. i used to share the same problem.

but i switched to lighter sticks..got quiter skins for the kit and used dampening rings untill i learned to play with less volume. he'll safe money when he starts to play softer.. wont have to replace sticks,cymbols or skins as often.

hope it works out.

cheers

Yea, he breaks a lot of sticks. I need to vaccum up the splinters and sawdust around the drum set.....

If he used smaller sticks, would they break easier?

Oh, also, his snare is much louder than mine, and he has these two huge rides that he paid around $300 each for.

Those cymbals seem like the worst thing.

Unfortunately, I am at the firing point. That really, really sucks because is talented and good-natured....

Thanks.

yea they will break easier.. but to get them not to break it forces him to play softer. and yea he;s not hitting properly if hes cracking and breakin sticks alot. as for the snare. get dampening rings. that will cut sum of the noise. the rides are great as long as he isn't using them as crashes. if they seem really loud he mite be using the bell.. in which case tell him to piss off and use sumthin else.

reflecting more on the subject. maybe get him to use pro mark hot rods!

i play fairly heavy handed and even in outdoor venues have been known to not need mics even with a loud band... but no matter what instrument one plays if the dynamic range is limited to only one volume it suggests immaturity or unaccomplished musicianship at the very least. usually the ability to blend with the rest of the band is important. a good musician can play with the same speed, accuracy and precision at barely heard low sound pressure levels as well as rip your freakin' ears off loud. just an opinion and i know everyone has one.... but if you're serious about your sound and this person isnt either capable of or concerned enough to listen, you are you wasting your time and his... there is a band somewhere that needs a drummer that can only play loud, but it sounds like you need one thats a little more versatile.

life is short brother, get a real drummer and kick some serious ass!

take no prisoners,

pipemaker

maybe he likes the music so much that he can only play loud. don't fire the guy, make him use lighter sticks. if you're micing the drums, put a shield in front of him to help out with some noise issues.

for god sakes though, if he's a good drummer and likes the music keep him. i'm sure he can get quieter, just be very blunt about it. "Hey man, Im sorry to tell you again but you really need to play quieter. It's hurting our stage performance."

I am also guilty of playing loud, and have had to make modifications to my playing. I think I learned how to play hard by playing too many gigs where my drums weren't miked and I had to hit hard to be heard over loud guitars. At one venue we played at the manager told our sound guy to turn down the channels on the pa for the drums when I wasn't mic'ed up... funny... Now if the same thing happens I switch to lighter sticks and try to use some restraint. If your drummer can't do this, be tactful (and realistic) and hopefully he'll listen and accept it.

Thanks guys,

Let's try the lighter sticks and a riing dampener for the snare.

I suspect he is using the rides as crashes.... Like I said that seems to be the most offending sound.

At a different level... it is very hard to find someone with talent that you like and get along with. I have had good-natured low talent drummers, and I have had high talent-asshole drummers.

This is his first paid gigging band. His playing out experience is the local open-mic night at a large club with a soundman. Big stage to stand very far away!!!

So this guy has otherwise felt like "the man". Our last show was the best yet as a band...fewest mistakes, tight groove, good leads...

I have a great PA system that allows us to mic everything. If he plays "too quiet" that is no problem out front. And even "too quiet" on stage allows us to aways hear the whole band.

Finally, I am not above blaming our guitars. Guitars are the usual culprit and our other new guy who sings and does rhythm guitar tends to play too loud. He likes to have a "reserve" volume after I tell him to turn down. I am thinking our volume knobs should be taped in place!!!

Thanks!

I freaked out my guitarist the other night...song that has a lot of energy I played quite softly...without missing a beat. She does not complain (she actually likes) but always talks about how "loud" my kit is....So I wanted to proove too her I could...She told me not too do it again...lol

a side from that... the Plexi-glass shield is probably the best trick... keeps the kit from projectiing too much. Not the cheapest solution... I know Sam Ash has one for $ 380.... but it does help Isolate the drummer - seen it used mostly in churches and that. If he does not like being behind it...maybe he will learn too adjust?

good luck man. sounds like he digs the music...maybe he will settle down?

Yeah, if u are micing the drums at a small bar, definately definately get a sound shield.

Agreed. Any good drummer should be able to go from 1 to 11 without changing tempo.

I'd suggest doing some unplugged practice sessions, or just turn your amps way down so he'll force himself to quiet in order to hear you. Eventually, if he reallly really wants to, he'll figure it out and be able to play quieter. He really needs to put in the time and effort though. Giving him different gear will only be a temporary fix and probably won't help him much in the long run.

What size of sticks do you guys recommed for a low drum volume?

ahh 7a's.

Hahaha! I use these when I have to play quiet and my hands almost cramp because they are so thin.... I usually use 2bs, big difference. I have promark thunder rods but I don't like the feel, not enough definition.....

His sound will certainly be compromised....

but that is the price to pay....

I will give him one more chance to "try". If he exceeds the band mix volume, I will use duck tape and towels for the rest of the night... and that will be his last gig.

Does that sound mean?

Does causing permanent hearing damage sound mean?

(rhetorical questions to ponder....)

Stick size is irrelevant, he should be able to play quietly regardless. However, a solid powerful and loud drummer can also be an asset... Grohl, Bonham etc. So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

How loud is too loud? I can play quiet and I can play loud. Most of the time I play loud and have never heard any complaints. I also feel like there's a limit on how loud my drums will actually get. I have never broken a cymbal and very rarely break sticks, but I can't imagine anyone hitting harder than I do without doing physical damage to the drums or themselves. Now my point is: I tried out in a band a while back that played at really low volume. I couldn't see how the song that they were playing was supposed to sound right at this low volume - sometimes the drummer just needs to be loud. If it's a loud passage - make it loud - if he can't play quiet on the spots that are supposed to be quiet - then he's not a good drummer. If you are playing gigs that just don't have the room for your music (i.e. loud music) you should probably consider playing acoustic at those venues because a band that has loud music doesn't sound right when you see them and they are playing "quiet." Just an opinion.

I suspect that some less cutting cymbals and/or more muted heads would cure the problem.

Before you fire the guy, just know that your drum recordings with a loud drummer will be killer compared to a quiet drummer :-D (This doesnt apply to cymbals tho!)

Yup...simple, inexpensive, and effective.

Remember, drums don't make any noise until somebody hits them. The fact that you've had drummers with good dynamic sense confirms that we exist.

Put the guy on warning and be ready to pull the plug if he doesn't fix things.

Thanks guys,

We don't have a gig for another month, so we have plenty of time to get it right.

I'll post again with the outcome.

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