thebassman Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 My band tends to play a lot of pub/ club gigs and volume is becoming more of a problem. We sound check a few songs, and although our sound is very balanced, we tend to play to the volume of the drums. Not sure what to do to get the drummer to play quieter, without threatening amputation He just seems to play enthusiastically and is very good. It seems most of the drummers i have played in a band with seem to have this problem. Any suggestions?? cheers thebassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thinner sticks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMieko Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I engineer for a few bands with this very issue. You basically have to be a quiet as the loudest instrument to get heard, and drums have a habit of being loud and getting louder as the night progresses. Really the only other option is to use a electronic drum kit.. But of course I would never want to be the one to suggest this to a drummer as I like my fingers.. Mieko. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Tape some dynamite underneath the drummer's stool and connect it in circuit to a decibel meter with a set limit to make contact. Stand well back ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Trouble with pubs is there is not a lot of volume (LxBxH) to disperse the volume. And the audience is quite vocal. So you've got a couple of probs to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 What about getting the drummer to use HotRods instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarnacleBob Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Isn't exactly this issue being covered in another current thread? BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 if music is worth listening to in a live scenario, it should be [b]LOUD.[/b] otherwise it should be on a radio or jukebox. ..ffs, a bass drum should be mic'd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 It's an issue, we have the same one too. Our drummer is a very good drummer technically, but hit's 'em hard, and struggles to hold back when asked. You can start with the best intentions, but once the adrenalin kicks in, it's hard to calm it down again. Also, the guitarist is more than happy to keep turning up as the gigs goes on, of course, which results in me clattering the strings hard to punch through. Actually, it's so loud, that normally it's the singer who ends up being lost in the mix, and he gets really fed up, to the point where he has now given notice to leave us. It's all down to self control I'm afraid. You all have to sit down and discuss it, and once you're happy with the balance in a sound check, you must stick with that religiously, and resist the urge to get carried away. The drummer is very much the linchpin in that, and must play according to the circumstances. Any good musician should be able to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thinner sticks, as Bremen says. Our old drummer was incredibly quick around the kit, but as he used very thin sticks, his volume was never a problem. Contrast that to most of the heavy rock bands I`ve played in, where the drummers have used thick/thickest sticks, who have been loud to the point of being painful. Thin sticks certainly work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Another for thinner sticks, they really do work. But also an experienced drummer can play quieter. Unfortunately a lot of pub rockers are unable to play at more than one volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassman Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thinner sticks seems to be the consensus then, I know what I will be buying for his birthday. Believe me I like loud music, but when your audience starts leaving because of the volume, that's not good. I have taken to using In ear monitoring, for a good mix, and to save my hearing. Cheers guys Thebassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 [quote name='phil.i.stein' timestamp='1339354031' post='1687342'] if music is worth listening to in a live scenario, it should be [b]LOUD.[/b] [/quote] But not[i] too [/i]loud, presumably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_Andertons Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Only works with certain styles (not really rock so much as pop or in my case gospel) but our drummer uses (I sh*t you not) chopsticks. The realy hard ones you get not the disposable ones He hits as hard as he can and it sounds great but way quieter, still loads of energy and great tone. Takes a very talented drummer that's not afraid of looking silly though. Been meanin to get a video of him doing it. he's a huge black guy too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I can sympathise with the sentiment as we have a loud drummer who uses heavy sticks, but wonder if we bass players would accept it if the rest of the band told us to play with gloves on, use rubber picks or ganged up to set our amp gain to cap our volume. I think commitment by the drummer to practise to be able to play with a light touch when required is the way to go. Musicianship. Or buy Perspex screens and refuse to mic him would be another way. Recognising bad rooms with reflective surfaces and agreeing as a band before you start that we're gunna sound sh*t tonight if we don't all keep it to a realistic level, is always a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassman Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 [quote name='Mark_Andertons' timestamp='1339360958' post='1687522'] Only works with certain styles (not really rock so much as pop or in my case gospel) but our drummer uses (I sh*t you not) chopsticks. The realy hard ones you get not the disposable ones He hits as hard as he can and it sounds great but way quieter, still loads of energy and great tone. Takes a very talented drummer that's not afraid of looking silly though. Been meanin to get a video of him doing it. he's a huge black guy too! [/quote] That's brilliant, I'd pay to see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='bremen' timestamp='1339348762' post='1687228'] Thinner sticks? [/quote] No Sticks !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Balancing the volume to the gig isn't difficult but it does require all band members to use their ears and brains. I've been in bands where no one is listening to the band, only themselves! I didn't stay long! There is loud gear for paying loudly and quieter gear for playing quietly. You should use the right gear for your playing situation. Then you should have the technique to be able to play your gear properly and the ears and intelligence to play as a unit. If you are always chasing a band member because they "get louder" then talk to them and get them to stop it. A band where the dynamics and volume are out of balance is not a good band no matter how good the individual players are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Amen. Chris b. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) Single ply batter heads, no resonant heads on the toms (even the floor tom) or kick. Use some tape and cotton pads to control tom ring (esp floor tom). Tape up the lugs where the bottom head screwed in to stop rattles. Take a tea towel (or two if hes a nutter) and put them [i]inside[/i] the snare (literally take off the snares & resonant head, tape a tea towel in there so an inch is pressed into the batter head, and a couple of inches are going to rest against the resonant head when it is replaced), really you can get a super tidy snare sound, but you have to be very careful with placement of the towel, its time consuming, sticking it in place will kill a lot of volume etc. If this goes wrong halfway through the gig the drummer will impale you on a stick as the entire towel falls onto the resonant head and his £500 snare goes from a nice but quieter [i][b]whack![/b][/i] to a pathetic whup... Use a towel with about 2" to 4" of overhang onto the kick batter head, then mic up the kick (it will be so much quietr that you will be able to do this. Tune the kit to its absolute lowest resonant frequency, it will sound bigger,m but project far less when attempting to get as low as possible for each drum, Bob Gatzenburg does a good series on this on youtube. Do it right and the kit will sound fine, but you get to watch your drummer having a hernia trying to achieve the usual face melting volume from the kit. He will hate it, until you mic it up to get it loud enough. On its own he will struggle to make a dent in a loud conversation at a bar... Edited June 11, 2012 by 51m0n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1339421987' post='1688156'] Single ply batter heads, no resonant heads on the toms (even the floor tom) or kick. Use some tape and cotton pads to control tom ring (esp floor tom). Tape up the lugs where the bottom head screwed in to stop rattles. Take a tea towel (or two if hes a nutter) and put them [i]inside[/i] the snare (literally take off the snares & resonant head, tape a tea towel in there so an inch is pressed into the batter head, and a couple of inches are going to rest against the resonant head when it is replaced), really you can get a super tidy snare sound, but you have to be very careful with placement of the towel, its time consuming, sticking it in place will kill a lot of volume etc. If this goes wrong halfway through the gig the drummer will impale you on a stick as the entire towel falls onto the resonant head and his £500 snare goes from a nice but quieter [i][b]whack![/b][/i] to a pathetic whup... Use a towel with about 2" to 4" of overhang onto the kick batter head, then mic up the kick (it will be so much quietr that you will be able to do this. Tune the kit to its absolute lowest resonant frequency, it will sound bigger,m but project far less when attempting to get as low as possible for each drum, Bob Gatzenburg does a good series on this on youtube. Do it right and the kit will sound fine, but you get to watch your drummer having a hernia trying to achieve the usual face melting volume from the kit. He will hate it, until you mic it up to get it loud enough. On its own he will struggle to make a dent in a loud conversation at a bar... [/quote] Sounds like fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderider Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 we aint got a drummer...i am the loudest thing on stage!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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