Pro Tips to Make your Drum Kit Quieter

Drums are the type of instrument that you love for being loud (although your neighbors might not share the view). Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce the output of your acoustic drums.

- AKARSH SHEKHAR

Onstage/On the Platform:

1. Drum shield

The drum shield, or “fish tank” is a common solution venues and houses employ to reduce ambient drum volume. They do a commendable job of deflecting the crack of a snare or the clatter of a crash cymbal away from listeners and vocal microphones, effectively reducing both ambient volume and stage bleed. However, many players can feel downright uncomfortable (even insulted) playing behind one, especially if they aren’t used to it.

Drum shields only deflect sound away from listeners positioned on the other side of the shield. All that ambient sound stays in the room, just gets redirected backward and upward. It’s also less effective at tempering bass frequencies, such as those produced by the bass drum and floor toms.

2. Gels and dampeners