I’m a guitarist who is desperately wanting to learn to play drums. The only problem is, I live in an apartment building, so being ultra-noisy would be very bad. I am aware that I can get mesh heads or muffle heads to deaden the sound of the drums, but I’m hesitant to spend a large chunk of change on a set of drums if I will rarely or never be able to play them at a normal volume.
So that makes me wonder…where do all you drummers practice and play? I know not everyone lives in the middle of the woods with no neighbors, and not everyone has a basement. I’m looking for any suggestions for how I can find a place to practice loudly, or minimize the disturbance to others without killing the sound of the drums. Is there anything I can do short of moving?
Please clue me in here, because I’m just itching to go buy that sweet Pearl kit at the music store down the road!
Oh yeah, and a digital/electronic kit is not really an option due to the high price and the fact that I just really want the sound of an acoustic kit.
Hi, I’m not a drummer (I’m a guitarist myself) and I don’t play on TV, but I had a couple thoughts.
First, you could try outfitting your practice room with some sort of noise dampeners. You could hang carpets on the walls, use blankets, or go for the garage-band solution and cover your walls in egg cartons. All of which are supposed to absorb some of the noise.
Also, instead of using regular drumsticks, you could practice with the brushes (used by drummers on quieter songs) as those tend to not have the crack! that regular drumsticks produce when poundin’ the skins. But then if you don’t want to limit yourself to just subdued, shuffling beats, this may not be an option. On the other hand, you can at least use them to practice your techniques at a lower volume.
Don’t know if any of this helps, but I figure it’s worth throwing out there.
you will have to sound proof as best as possible your walls. this includes hanging thick foam, rugs, etc on your walls.
they have these pads you can place over your heads. they look (and probably are) that material made to make mouse pads. They do help deaden the sound.
In addition, you can play with these sticks that look like a bunch of dowels rubber banded together.
The problem with paying drums in apartment…the one that seems to be the most problem is your bass drum. Your neighbors will HATE you with a passion you have yet to realize. Unless you can build some sound deadening platform to play on, nothing you do will stop the neighbors from complaining.
it would be ideal if you could get an apartment above a laundry room.
Drummers. sadly, do not have it easy. Mr Baboon had to go the electronic route when we lived in apartments (though the ‘bass’ was a problem too, what with the foot pedal).
When we finally got a house of our own, Mr Baboon ran to the store to get a set of DW’s. Can’t say I blame him one bit!
There’s a kid upstairs who plays the drums. They’re muffled somewhat but we can still hear him. He usually finishes before suppertime so it’s not a big deal to us.
I’m a drummer and in my apartment I use an electronic kit. My real drums are in a rehearsal space. For a couple of years I used practice rooms outfitted with drum kits so I just show up with sticks and books and go for it. By the end of April I’ll have that place in the middle of the woods and I can wail.
You could just stuff rags in your drums and get rubber cymbal pads and make sure you set up on thick carpet. All that stuff kind of wrecks the feel of the drums and cymbals, though. If you can play during the day before people get home from work you shouldn’t get too much friction from your neighbors.
Otherwise, if you’re in a large-ish city then maybe there’s a studio or music school with rehearsal spaces and/or soundproof practice rooms with drum kits. Maybe a local music store can help you out.
See if you can strike a deal with the manager of your local recording/rehearsal studios.
Even without organising a discount, i can make as much noise as i like at my local studio, on their kit, for £10 for 3 hours. Which is not bad, especially as i’ve found a studio that rents kits that are in reasonably good nick.