How do you approach a Low Volume Gig?

I'm a drummer of 20 years, All I've ever really played was loud heavy rock music.
Basically, I've been bashing away for 20 years but have always had very open
tastes in music with jazz, folk, country, blues etc.

NOW, I'm entering the world of folk and cover gigs - I need to tone it down and really
work on my dynamics even more than before for low volume situations. Not every gig
needs me to play on 10.

Is it unheard of to play lighter sticks in these situations? I know you really should use
the right stick for your hand but I'm curious if some drummers do.
 
Practice at very low volumes. It takes control to do so. You need to stay relaxed and not have technique suffer. It may sounds easy but it's really not.

Yes, gear can help (lighter sticks, cymbal selection, perhaps even drum head selection) but ultimately none of it will matter if your technique and comfort level isn't there.

I think it's all very obtainable with the time put in.
 
What dmacc said.

And these help:

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It's a practice thing, and an "alter-your-technique-a-bit" thing. I also carry brushes and plastic Regal Tip Blasticks, along with soft tympani mallets as well a couple of different sizes of sticks - you just gotta be able to do it. BUt my entire childhood was spent playing alot of jazz and brushes, so carrying a gig on brushes or very softly is not hard - although I can rock with the loudest of them too. You just gotta put the time in playing softly and being able to still burn with intensity while you do it. Six a hours a day should get you going ;)
 
I use 7A's on my low volume gigs. I have some really low volume rooms I play. I have to adjust my bass drum hits too, bigtime. Another trick I learned is to choke up on the stick if you are still too loud. We do Eric Clapton's "Lay Down Sally". The leader likes the drums really quiet on this song. He asked me to use rods. I despise rods and won't use them. So I choke way up on the stick, to the point where I'm holding my 7A in the front half of the stick, near the shoulder. It looks stupid, but it gives me just the right volume. I'm happy, he's happy. But yeah, 7A's (or lighter if you can find them) and low low stick heights for the low volume gigs. It's a really great skill. Everyone appreciates it, more than you know, when the band knows how to play rooms so people can talk, and the bartenders can hear their orders. When the place fills up with people, I can play louder. But when the crowd is sparse? Gotta play soft. I get complimented on a regular basis at that room about how appropriate my volume, and the overall band volume, is. They compare me to other drummers that play that room and give me big props. I like that lol.
 
That's cool that you're doing some different gigs, dynamic-wise - it'll really open up your playing. Also good you're realizing that you want to adjust - some players aren't so sensitive to dynamics...

One cool thing about quieter gigs, is you can really hear your drums and cymbals well - really embrace the fact that you can hear a cymbal fully decay - maybe let the beater come off of the bass drum and get into hearing all of the low end sustain - it always gets me into the right mindset, so I don't even want to play loudly!

I think the hardest thing is developing your internal clock with these smaller motions on the kit. When you're used to more arm/body motion - it helps you lock into the groove - so just try and still feel the energy in your limbs so the time feels good...

It's cool to experiment with lighter/different sticks - personally I use the same sticks for all gigs - I just adjust volume-wise...
 
The absolute best thing you can do at low volume gigs is LISTEN. If you can't hear every instrument's parts clearly, you are playing too loud.

Lighter sticks help, but you can still play too loud with chopsticks. --True story actually: One band I do sit-in work for, their regular drummer has to play with chopsticks during rehearsals and he is still too loud.

Hot Rods don't really do it for me, because they don't sound or feel like sticks to me. They are really an special implement with their own sounds. But they are a popular option.
 
CORNELIUS, totally. It's definitely been a challenge adjusting my playing, but i'm
enjoying it. I'm at a point in my mid 30's where I just want to play different things
and not play simply rock music all the time.

Thanks for the tips you guys, it helps so much to get your perspective...
 
It's like anything really. You play loud all the time and don't practise playing quiet you're going to struggle and vice versa.
I've found people can also play at a relaxed 'medium' volume at practise because they can get away with it then, lvie they have to step it up and find themselves cramping up and running out of gas.

The lesson there is to practise everything and prepare for the situations you're going to be in.

I quite like hot rods when the mood takes me. I don't really treat them as a 'quiet stick' rather something a bit different.
 
Sure, lighter sticks can help! I am not telling you to buy another snare, but here is a example of why a lot of drummers have more than one snare. The drum that you wail on and drive heavy and loud back beats may not be the one you need for brush, or soft work. What works for rock may need to be adapted for soft stuff. You may need a different tuning, heads, even snare selection. A very versatile snare may allow you to cover all of this, say maybe a 6.5x14 brass, bronze, or LM402 (read Ludwig for these, I can't help myself) but it is easier to switch a drum at a gig than change all that stuff on the fly. Softer easy play is where technique really shows up.
 
Sure, lighter sticks can help! I am not telling you to buy another snare, but here is a example of why a lot of drummers have more than one snare. The drum that you wail on and drive heavy and loud back beats may not be the one you need for brush, or soft work. What works for rock may need to be adapted for soft stuff. You may need a different tuning, heads, even snare selection. A very versatile snare may allow you to cover all of this, say maybe a 6.5x14 brass, bronze, or LM402 (read Ludwig for these, I can't help myself) but it is easier to switch a drum at a gig than change all that stuff on the fly. Softer easy play is where technique really shows up.

Good point, no-one has really mentioned the idea of changing snares and it's an important one. Some snares are like gunshots naturally so, you're just making more work for yourself trying to tame such beast. Definitely select your weapon of choice sensibley
 
It seems there are differences of opinion, but I love rods now that I am used to them for low volume.

I'm surprised to read a few people don't like rods.

But to each his own. As long as the drummer sounds right for the gig at hand, what stick or rod is used isn't important.
 
Rods are great. What is there not to like about them? Just another tool.

I also like Regal Tip Flares.

The primary goal though, of course, is dynamics. Control of dynamics, being able to crescendo and decrescendo on command. Being able to play so softly that the drums are more felt than heard.
 
I play at a low volume, I avoid playing rim shots like the plague. I tend to play trad instead of matched cause it It feels easier to control the volume of my back beat with it, and my hands are so trained in matched to play rimshots its more of stuggle not to do them in matched. If the snare is especially liveley as it can be in some rooms, I may put an o-ring on it to help out a bit. I have played with 80db noise limiters with a pair of 5as no problem, feels a bit silly playing ACDC at that kind of volume though lol.

As far as rods go, they are not much quieter than sticks and if the room does fill up you find yourself laying into them a bit, they can get trashed pretty quick. If your going for super quiet, just use brushes.

Above all its all about control, Its not something I ever intentionally practice, i.e playing songs quietly. I do ofcourse practice at different dynamics, but I dont make a point of practising for a gig quietly.
 
I'm surprised to read a few people don't like rods.

But to each his own. As long as the drummer sounds right for the gig at hand, what stick or rod is used isn't important.

Rods are a specialized stick that make a specific sound. Some people view them as a crutch to be able to play quieter. That's my only beef with them. If you want to play quieter, play quieter then. If you want the sound of rods or brushes or dreadlocks or whatever, only then should you use them. I have only used them a few times (still have my original pair from 12 years ago). Most times, I prefer the sound of my sticks, and if I need to play whisper quiet, I'll play whisper quiet with sticks...
 
Is it unheard of to play lighter sticks in these situations?

Not at all. A stick is a tool for the job, nothing more nothing less.

Sure there's preferences as to what works best, but there's certainly nothing wrong with selecting the right too for the task at hand. You don't use a sledge hammer to drive in a thumb tack, nor do you use an upholstery hammer to break rocks......you use what works. Whether that's a 7A or rods or even brushes......so be it.
 
Rods are a specialized stick that make a specific sound. Some people view them as a crutch to be able to play quieter. That's my only beef with them. If you want to play quieter, play quieter then. If you want the sound of rods or brushes or dreadlocks or whatever, only then should you use them. I have only used them a few times (still have my original pair from 12 years ago). Most times, I prefer the sound of my sticks, and if I need to play whisper quiet, I'll play whisper quiet with sticks...

This. This up here.
 
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