The Petra Zone

Why do I see groups with glass around drums. Does that buff out the sound?

As I understand it, the glass cages are used to even out the sound so the drums don't overpower the rest of the band. I've only seen them used in church auditoriums where acoustics aren't the greatest, but I think sometimes it speaks to the drummer's inability to even out the sound himself.

Yep. Acoustics. I play behind them, and have in every church I've ever played in. It's not a perfect system, but to me, the acrylic drum shields give me license to play a little louder and freer (generally with lightning rods, mind you)...so I don't have to even out the sound myself, you punk.

And in most church auditoriums designed for an organ or a piano only...you have to be pretty on to try and play down to the rest of the musicians.

Cue Brent's opinion in 4, 3, 2...

Jonathan just doesn't want to admit that he is a below average drummer.

Who would want to admit to that? I mean, come on.

Especially drummers, the most egotistical people on the face of the planet.

separateunion wrote:, but I think sometimes it speaks to the drummer's inability to even out the sound himself.

Drums are not made to be quiet!

Boray wrote:

separateunion wrote:, but I think sometimes it speaks to the drummer's inability to even out the sound himself.

Drums are not made to be quiet!

Neither are they made to overpower the rest of the band.

separateunion wrote:

Boray wrote:

separateunion wrote:, but I think sometimes it speaks to the drummer's inability to even out the sound himself.

Drums are not made to be quiet!

Neither are they made to overpower the rest of the band.

So maybe the rest of the band needs to play louder.

executioner wrote: So maybe the rest of the band needs to play louder.

Eh, there are times when you don't want to play loud. I sure wouldn't want to hear a ballad played loud.

separateunion wrote:

executioner wrote: So maybe the rest of the band needs to play louder.

Eh, there are times when you don't want to play loud. I sure wouldn't want to hear a ballad played loud.

I'm just playing and making a sarcastic remark.

Jonathan wrote:drummers, the most egotistical people on the face of the planet.

I thought trumpet players were.

yamasaaaki har har wrote:

Jonathan wrote:drummers, the most egotistical people on the face of the planet.

I thought trumpet players were.

Truth has been spoken this day!

separateunion wrote:

executioner wrote: So maybe the rest of the band needs to play louder.

Eh, there are times when you don't want to play loud. I sure wouldn't want to hear a ballad played loud.

The thing is that drums are made to sound good when played in a normal way. If you just tap gently on them, they sure sound more quiet, but they also get a different kind of sound. If you record it, listen to it while choosing your own playback volume, you can still hear that someone hit them very softly.

That said, I think it should be possible to constuct a drum set that has a more quiet normal level, but then you will have to contruct cymbals with a lower sound level as well... The best way is probably to get a digital drumset. They sound very real these days...

Anyway, I think these sound shields often are put there to protect the other musicians of hearing damage as well...

Nope. Impossible. Study physics, vibrations, resonance, etc. Ain't gonna happen.

People did make digital kits for low noise situations, BUT THEY SUCK! ALL OF THEM SUCK! There is no articulation. The samples are jaggedly stepped from low to high volume and they eliminate many style possibilities.

You can't play rock drums quietly. That is absurd. Jazz, some country, salsa, etc...maybe. But not rock.

The reason that we use drum shields is purely for cleaning up the mix on stage out front, eliminating bleeding of other sources into mics where they do not belong, keeping the decibel levels down on stage and out front, keeping the smell of the drummer contained...kidding.

There are many situations where it jacks with the sound of the drums. The sound reflects off of the shields, back into the mics, causing sound to cancel or phase. That is more than you wanted to know. But know that we audio and musician people pick up a whole other set of complex sonic problems by trying to save people's hearing, and give the people in the first 10 rows of a live room a shot at hearing a decent mix.