Tips for a quieter drum

MadJazz

Silver Member
Tip 1
Play with a relaxed, whipping motion. Don't press the sticks into the drumhead or cymbal but make them rebound.
Instead of playing all notes and all four limbs equality loud, use dynamics, accentuate the fundamentals and play the rest softly. This will also improve your musicality.


Tip 2
Use maple sticks, they're lighter than hickory.
5A is an all-around size, don't go larger than 5B. I you need more grip, take a larger size but lower weight instead of a small but heavy stick. For ex, 5A maple is preferred over 7A hickory.
Wood, long barreled tips make cymbals darker and thus softer.


Tip 3
Use less gear.
The more gear you have, the more you're tempted to hit everything and the more noise you make. Concentrate on the fundamentals: kick, snare, hats, ride. Add two toms and two crashes and you're set. Only take what you hit frequently. That could mean dropping the 2nd crash in jazz, adding a cowbell and timbales if playing latin or adding a double pedal for metal, but be strict.


Tip 4
If you're playing in a band and don't hear an instrument, don't turn it louder but make all others quieter.


Tip 5
Inspect the room's acoustics and muffle hard surfaces, especially directly behind the drum.
A large room is preferred over a smaller because it will sound warmer.


Tip 6
Buy a transparent drum shield or make one.


Tip 7
Use coated, muffled heads. These will cut high frequencies and sustain. Single batter heads are preferred over double heads because they're more sensitive and can be played softer.


Tip 8
Use no more than 16-18 wires on a snare drum. You can cut them down to 12, especially on 10-12" snare. The smaller the snare, the less wires you need. The less wires, the more of the shell's character you hear. In the past, only 12-16 wires were used. The current standard of 20 wires (and sometimes up to +30!) makes for very aggressive snares.


Tip 9
Use thin, small cymbals and avoid bright series.
Crashes and chinas make the most noise and should be thin. If you need more presence, take a larger size instead of a thicker model. Don't be afraid to stray from the default; try 13" hats and medium-thin rides.


Tip 10
Use thin, small shells.
Kick no larger than 20" and snare no larger than 13". Deep size is OK to offset the loss in diameter but avoid very deep shells.


One thing NOT to do, is taking out ear plugs. This will simply damage your ears because no matter how soft you play, a drum will still be loud if you're stting right behind it. If you feel that the standard -25dB plug muffles too much, make one of -15dB but don't go bare. The only occasion I would avoid earplugs or iso-phones is when playing with brushes or playing very soft acoustic music. But even jazz and large latin bands can produce quite a lot of volume, so beware.
 
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I would say practicing quietly too.

People ask "why can't I play softer, people think i'm too loud" well its probably because you play like you practice. Which is with no dynamics
 
Interesting post, oh Mad one. I wanted to respond/add to some of your tips:

Tip 1
Play with a relaxed, whipping motion. Don't press the sticks into the drumhead or cymbal but make them rebound.
Instead of playing all notes and all four limbs equality loud, use dynamics, accentuate the fundamentals and play the rest softly. This will also improve your musicality.

A whipping motion lends itself to louder volume. To play quiet, simply bring your sticks up only slightly above the head (maybe an inch or less) and use small, controlled strokes. If you want to go quieter still, then work on dropping the sticks instead of using a downward stroke. It all depends on how quiet you WANT to get, and of course; what you have practiced.

Tip 2
Use maple sticks, they're lighter than hickory.
5A is an all-around size, don't go larger than 5B. I you need more grip, take a larger size but lower weight instead of a small but heavy stick. For ex, 5A maple is preferred over 7A hickory.
Wood, long barreled tips make cymbals darker and thus softer.

I have to disagree about the large tips being quieter. Smaller tips have a quieter articulation in general, on drums and cymbals. The maple sticks ARE lighter, but they have such a timid sound. I would recommend just learning to play quieter, rather than advising someone to play with maple sticks, hot rods, or brushes in order to sound quieter, because of the timbral difference it creates.

Tip 3
Use less gear.
The more gear you have, the more you're tempted to hit everything and the more noise you make. Concentrate on the fundamentals: kick, snare, hats, ride. Add two toms and two crashes and you're set. Only take what you hit frequently. That could mean dropping the 2nd crash in jazz, adding a cowbell and timbales if playing latin or adding a double pedal for metal, but be strict.

Also, the farther apart things are, the louder you're naturally going to play them, due to the velocity that builds in the distance your stick travels.

Tip 4
If you're playing in a band and don't hear an instrument, don't turn it louder but make all others quieter.

Totally agreed. This is also how you can tell you're dealing with a noob sound engineer or recording engineer. They just keep turning stuff up.

Tip 5
Inspect the room's acoustics and muffle hard surfaces, especially directly behind the drum.
A large room is preferred over a smaller because it will sound warmer.

Also, the sound waves disperse over a larger area, which reduces the total amount of sound that gets immediately to their ears. The reverberation of a room makes an instrument sound softer.

Tip 6
Buy a transparent drum shield or make one.

Plexiglass is cheap, but reflective. You can line a suitcase with foam and open it up in front of the kit, in front of the snare and bass drum. It's not pleasant to look at on stage, but it works great in orchestra pits and recording sessions.

Tip 7
Use coated, muffled heads. These will cut high frequencies and sustain. Single batter heads are preferred over double heads because they're more sensitive and can be played softer.

The use of coated heads will reduce the articulation of the stick on the heads. This means if you play quieter, your drums will lack articulation, and you'll have to play a bit louder to cut through. Although I don't like the sound of them, I'd actually recommend non-coated heads for extremely quiet playing.

Tip 8
Use no more than 16-18 wires on a snare drum. You can cut them down to 12, especially on 10-12" snare. The smaller the snare, the less wires you need. The less wires, the more of the shell's character you hear. In the past, only 12-16 wires were used. The current standard of 20 wires (and sometimes up to +30!) makes for very aggressive snares.

This is one area I have yet to experiment with. I've always played with 20-strand wires, and I've never had an issue with playing loud or quiet. I'd like to try out 30- and 40- strand wires,as well as that EQ snare from Puresound.

Tip 9
Use thin, small cymbals and avoid bright series.
Crashes and chinas make the most noise and should be thin. If you need more presence, take a larger size instead of a thicker model. Don't be afraid to stray from the default; try 13" hats and medium-thin rides.

Find some cymbals that "open up" at quiet volumes. I have found some med-heavy cymbals that do this, so it's not just weight, but the individual cymbal. Brighter cymbals will cut more and seem louder, and should therefore be avoided.

Tip 10
Use thin, small shells.
Kick no larger than 20" and snare no larger than 13". Deep size is OK to offset the loss in diameter but avoid very deep shells.

It all depends how loud you play. Bigger drums have the capacity to be louder than smaller drums (because they can move more air), but they don't necessarily HAVE to be. They just happen to lack the sensitivity and immediacy that smaller drums do, so they will be less articulate and less responsive with quieter playing. I will say, though, that my 10" DW tom can get MUCH louder than my vintage Ludwig 14" tom, so it's not a hard and fast rule.
 
Tip 1
Play with a relaxed, whipping motion. Don't press the sticks into the drumhead or cymbal but make them rebound.
Instead of playing all notes and all four limbs equality loud, use dynamics, accentuate the fundamentals and play the rest softly. This will also improve your musicality.


.

These are all good tips ... for jazz players. Some genres demand small kits, some demand mid-sized kits and some demand monster kits.

I'd say a barrel tip would be louder, as it provides more surface area to transfer energy from the stick to the cymbal or drum. It is true that putting things farther apart will make you tend to play louder. I have always wondered why I have never seen a four piece kit that has its rack and floor tom grouped together as rack toms, thereby eliminating the very large gap always seen between the rack and floor tom in a four-piece, or even the Bonham-style five pieces.

It is refreshing, though, to see a thread devoted to playing more softly. Every ad I see for a drum product brags about its ability to "let you cut through the rest of the band" or "increase projection and volume." Drummers are the only people who think drums should be louder. Everyone I have always talked to wants drums to be quieter than they are usually played. Low volume in a drummer is a highly valued attribute among other musicians, from what I have observed, but one that very few drummers practice. I have been playing 26 years and I have never, ever heard anyone ask a drummer to be louder.

I think most musicians like the concept of a drummer more than the reality of a drummer.
 
It is refreshing, though, to see a thread devoted to playing more softly. Every ad I see for a drum product brags about its ability to "let you cut through the rest of the band" or "increase projection and volume." Drummers are the only people who think drums should be louder. Everyone I have always talked to wants drums to be quieter than they are usually played. Low volume in a drummer is a highly valued attribute among other musicians, from what I have observed, but one that very few drummers practice. I have been playing 26 years and I have never, ever heard anyone ask a drummer to be louder.

Neither do I understand the need for excessive projection. If you need volume, mic up the drum!

Projection and cut are what I DONT want because it makes me uncomfortable to play. The louder the drum, the less busy I have to play. And since I like to play intricate patterns, I need a softer drum or else I'll overplay and sound too busy.

Btw, I don't play jazz as the name suggests.
 
Tip 8
Use no more than 16-18 wires on a snare drum. You can cut them down to 12, especially on 10-12" snare. The smaller the snare, the less wires you need. The less wires, the more of the shell's character you hear. In the past, only 12-16 wires were used. The current standard of 20 wires (and sometimes up to +30!) makes for very aggressive snares.

Sorry, I have to disagree. I have been experimenting a lot with this lately, and on my Sonor 14x6.5 snare, I have tried three types of wires. I have tried the stock wires, which are thin 8-wires, and sound fairly loud; I have tried Puresound 8-wires, which are louder and I never liked the quality and sensitivity; and most recently I bought a Gibraltar (I think) 32-wire monster, which has not only increased the responsiveness of the drum, but made it much quieter and more enjoyable from my point of view, and I have used this setup across the music spectrum. I like the way it sounds in jazz especially, but changing the tuning also allows it to sound really nice in soft rock, funk, country, and with brushes. The only reason I would switch out the wires is if I wanted to play New Orleans/Second Line or harder/louder rock, because the 32-wire set seems to give my snare a very balanced, equalized sound, and I would definitely want something grittier and more imperfect for those genres.

This MIGHT just be personal preference, but in my experience a bigger number of wires = more muffling of the bottom head after buzzing is finished, which = more sensitivity and overall lack of volume.
 
I really appreciate a drummer who plays at the appropriate volume. From all the listening back to gigs I've recorded, there is one thing I'm certain of...it's better (for me at least!) to play quieter than louder. The drums sound better blending than overpowering.
 
I agree, Larry. Once you have enough volume to generate the energy you want then extra volume detracts.

Since moving to brushes in my very quiet band I've been trying to find the best sound mix. The slow jazz/blues numbers that require sweeping are fine but some songs need me to play similarly to the way I'd play with sticks.

Using wire brushes is not awful in this context but not quite right either because they lack attack on the hats and ride (except when using a flick action on or near the ride's bell but I'd rather save that for certain spots rather than use it as a staple).

I tried a few grades of plastic brushes - better attack on the cymbals but their sound on the drums is ugly when playing softly. Songs that don't need fills be be played with a plastic brush in the RH and a wire brush in the LH. My riddle is songs that need fills.

Not sure what the answer is. Rods are also too loud and I don't like the sound of them when played gently. As with the plastic brushes, when used softly it they have a tinny attack with little resonance.

Not sure if there is an answer that will cover all bases but I thought I'd throw it out there.
 
I really appreciate a drummer who plays at the appropriate volume.

...

'aint that the truth.

This is an aspect of drum technique thats probably not batted about as much on this forum. To sound 'fitted in' to the music, you not only have to be playing the right things but also at the right volumes.

Dynamic control really comes from superb hand technique, imho ( oops here's the T word again,..). The ability to self EQ two things:

1) Your overall presence in the sound mix, and..

2) EQing your accents, ghostnotes, Bass drum- ratio- to -snare- hit etc.

Jojo Mayer, imo has articulated & demonstrated this best in his DVD. From fingers, to wrist s to elbow to shoulders, we should be able to make our drums sound like rats pissing on cotton wool to elephants diving into swimming pools.


...
 
To sound 'fitted in' to the music, you not only have to be playing the right things but also at the right volumes.

Yes, if you listen to Ringo (uh oh, there's that R word again *grin*) on The Beatles's recordings he is way down in the mix most of the time by today's standards. That helped emphasise the strong melodies and harmonies.

I think making the drum sound akin to a rat doing its business while using sticks (the drummer, not the rat) with any level of energy is something for the masters. If I'm alive and healthy at the age of 80 ...
 
I think making the drum sound akin to a rat doing its business while using sticks (the drummer, not the rat) with any level of energy is something for the masters. If I'm alive and healthy at the age of 80 ...

Polly, here's how this goes:

Relax your hands & wrists.

Sit down with your snare drum and a pair of your favorite sticks.

Start doing an as- soft & as- smooth- as- possible double stroke roll on the outer edges of the drum.

Imagine Mickey with a full bladder.

The sound will sync with the mental picture.


( A terrific exercise in dynamic control )
 
Sure, everyone's played mamma-daddas gently on the outer edge of the snare. It's still too loud in my block of flats. I doubt too many have done it with such evocative imagery, though :)
 
The maple sticks ARE lighter, but they have such a timid sound.

I'm sorry to quibble, but I've been playing with maple sticks off and on for years and I dare you to tell the difference from out in front of the drums.

Anyway, it's not really that important. I do agree that changing striking implements (i.e. brushes, rods, etc.) should largely be a timbre choice, not necessarily one of volume.
 
Sorry, I have to disagree. I have been experimenting a lot with this lately, and on my Sonor 14x6.5 snare, I have tried three types of wires. I have tried the stock wires, which are thin 8-wires, and sound fairly loud; I have tried Puresound 8-wires, which are louder and I never liked the quality and sensitivity; and most recently I bought a Gibraltar (I think) 32-wire monster, which has not only increased the responsiveness of the drum, but made it much quieter and more enjoyable from my point of view, and I have used this setup across the music spectrum. I like the way it sounds in jazz especially, but changing the tuning also allows it to sound really nice in soft rock, funk, country, and with brushes. The only reason I would switch out the wires is if I wanted to play New Orleans/Second Line or harder/louder rock, because the 32-wire set seems to give my snare a very balanced, equalized sound, and I would definitely want something grittier and more imperfect for those genres.

This MIGHT just be personal preference, but in my experience a bigger number of wires = more muffling of the bottom head after buzzing is finished, which = more sensitivity and overall lack of volume.

I'm with you, my snare wire choices are a timbral choice (much like the choice between sticks/brushes/mallets) and not one of volume. In fact, you'll find that many orchestral players will use 20 and 42-strand snares because they allow greater articulation at low volumes and near the edge of the drum. Moreover, I tend to adjust my snare tension depending on the song I'm playing. For instance, in a slow ballad, I'll tend to loosen off the snares a bit to give the sound some length and breadth, like reverb. Twelve strand snares simply won't give the same effect as wider units.
 
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Polly, here's how this goes:

Relax your hands & wrists.

Sit down with your snare drum and a pair of your favorite sticks.

Start doing an as- soft & as- smooth- as- possible double stroke roll on the outer edges of the drum.

Imagine Mickey with a full bladder.

The sound will sync with the mental picture.


( A terrific exercise in dynamic control )

Now that's a great image AND a great exercise
 
Also, simply choking up on the sticks is a really effective volume control. I got that here a while back and it really is the ticket. You don't have to stifle yourself nearly as much, but your volume is lower. Just gotta make sure the kick matches the lower volume, it's one of the many tips I've gleaned here that I've put to good use when the situation called for it. (playing during a dinner set, or while in a room with no soft surfaces)
 
Yes, if you listen to Ringo (uh oh, there's that R word again *grin*) on The Beatles's recordings he is way down in the mix most of the time by today's standards. That helped emphasise the strong melodies and harmonies.

I think making the drum sound akin to a rat doing its business while using sticks (the drummer, not the rat) with any level of energy is something for the masters. If I'm alive and healthy at the age of 80 ...

Well they did have the best producer/engineer in the business. Every group that followed had the louder is better philosophy which is so wrong. The music is supposed to back the vocals not compete with them.
 
The music is supposed to back the vocals not compete with them.

Couldn't agree more. Vocals should always be well on top volume wise. The mix levels are so important to a pleasing sound
 
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