How do YOU deal with a loud drummer?

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 4 Dec 2008 6:25 pm

Do you have any ideas to help filter out a BANG BANG drummer and also hear yourself play? I used to use sonic earplugs but they don't seen to work now? Do they go bad? Is there something better? Help - I need the gig so murder is out!!!

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 4 Dec 2008 6:29 pm

Have you tried firing him?

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 4 Dec 2008 6:45 pm

Lots of wattage!! I can't be on stage with any drummer I know and not have at least 80 watts of amplifier.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Dec 2008 6:48 pm

I used to use sonic earplugs but they don't seen to work now? Do they go bad?

Yes, they eventually shrink and get hard, and no longer react properly to loud noises.

Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 4 Dec 2008 7:13 pm

I once played a gig with a drummer that had his snare tuned real tight and he would crack that thing so loud that it went right through ya. After getting ear aches and head aches, I reached into my pack-a seat and pulled out my foam ear plugs. I stuck them in my ears and played my steel to match the volume of the snare. Then the rest of the band started complaining about the steel being too loud.

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 4 Dec 2008 7:27 pm

This guy apparently doesn't own a set of brushes and never heard Willie Cantu - I found a set of paper earplugs in my pak a seat but there must be a better way!

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 4 Dec 2008 8:06 pm

Shoot him,,,maybe the next one will get the message.

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 4 Dec 2008 9:06 pm

Dave, What is your practice room like? Are there any sound-absorbing materials on the walls and is there any furniture such as sofas and chairs? In the band I'm in, we had a problem with our new drummer being too loud until these materials were put up, and now that really makes a BIG difference. Before that, it was bare ceiling and walls. If this guy is an agressive type of drummer who drives everyone nuts no matter what the solution, he is either going to have to lighten his touch or be replaced. It's not worth wrecked nerves.

Brian C Peters · Post by **Brian C Peters** » 4 Dec 2008 9:33 pm

Dave - If your drummer won't come down in volume, put him behind one of these things: http://www.drumshields1.com/
Brian

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 4 Dec 2008 9:41 pm

[quote="they eventually shrink and get hard, and no longer react properly to loud noises"[/quote]

I think this is the basic problem with drummers

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 5 Dec 2008 12:33 am

For me in this situation, this is usually about motivation. Drummers are motivated the same way the rest of us are - sort of a product of money and musical satisfaction. Everybody has their own operating curve, but good professional musicians will generally trade one off for the other to some extent. Most good drummers I know get kinda' bored just lightly tapping 1 & 3 or straight 8's, but if the money's good, no problem. On the other hand, many are happy to do a "project" that involves lots of interesting funky rhythms that give them a chance to stretch.

Of course, youze guys could just get Vinny from Joisey ta' reason with him:

{To Joe the drummer} - I'm gonna' make youze an offer ya' can't refuse.

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 5 Dec 2008 1:02 am

Dave is right on about what motivates a drummer as I started out playing the drums myself and will still take a drum gig if it pays enough. Drummers have about the least amount of fun on country gigs. Maybe your drummer would be better off playing a funk gig or a r/r gig and needs the money too! What you need to do is get another drummer to sit in that really knows what he's doing and then go on about what a great player he is and how he plays at the right volume for your band. What always amazes me about not only drummers but just lead instruments in general is how they'll tend to play so much more than you hear on the record and it's just an overplay festival up there. That thing Brian Peters would help a bunch too but who's going to pay for it? You might just try talking to him as he might not even be aware he's killing you with those rim shots.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 5 Dec 2008 1:41 am

Do the folks out front notice that the drummer is too loud or is it that the bandstand is cramped and You are in a bad position?
Perhaps a word in a few ears would get some complaints aimed at the bandleader about the volume ,maybe You could do a "rough" recording and let the band members hear it,does the drum sound drown out the singer and the other instruments?
Best of luck
Billy

Jeff Hyman · Post by **Jeff Hyman** » 5 Dec 2008 2:17 am

A good drummer (as all musicians on stage) should be able to take (and give) constructive input so everyone on stage feels good, not only about volum, but tone, meter, dynamics, etc. For me, the drummer is about the most important instrument on stage. I simply will not stay in a band if a drummers meter sucks, or he/she pounds the heck out of a snare... or how about that famous blue plastic cowbell. My solution would be to have a band meeting, where everyone can vent issues about the others (in a good way). In this meeting, let the drummer know its time to fix the problem. Have a few other drummers lined up in case the problem does not go away. FYI: Protect your hearing at all cost.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 5 Dec 2008 5:40 am

Professionalism is not shown by ones ability to drown out the other.Whether a Drummer or a Guitar excetra. Being a professional starts with good communication among all the musicians on a given stage.Drummers like it or not fall under the musicians label too and with practices or a good band leader in charge ta da usually a decent band is born. The word "band" means what it means Plural not singular. If a drummer is too loud,remember he is sitting in back trying to keep the beat and listen to whats being sung,played,breaks intros and endings.Loud Amps will bring him up.The rythm section should control the dynamics if everyone thinks on the same page. All should allow the vocalist and the inst.soloist to be heard without a condo being built in the background. LOL :lol:One other thing,I always made it a point to hire good drummers.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 5 Dec 2008 6:21 am

Distance yourself from him/her as much as possible. Under no circumstances allow yourself to be crowded under 25" cymbals. It will lead to the loss of hearing in a relatively short period of time. Tinnitus develops as hearing loss increases. Plan to spend a large part of middle age and retirement with the incessant ringing in the ears.

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 5 Dec 2008 6:37 am

Great comments guys ...keep 'em coming - we are in a different venue this weekend so we'll see how it goes! BTW...he's the only one who DRINKS !

Charles Dempsey · Post by **Charles Dempsey** » 5 Dec 2008 6:54 am

Brian C Peters wrote:Dave - If your drummer won't come down in volume, put him behind one of these things

For the practice room you can knock an acceptable substitute together in an hour using cardboard and some of that 2" thick gray packing foam. Make it about 24 to 30 inches high and long enough to wrap around the front and sides of the kit.

On stage you can give the guy his own monitor mix with him featured prominently and make sure it's turned up real loud.

You could also tell him to tone it down or take a hike

.

Charlie

Ted Solesky · Post by **Ted Solesky** » 5 Dec 2008 7:37 am

If you listen to 'Workin Man' on 'Steel on Web', the drummer can drown out notes but, in that case, it may have been camera location pickin him up. But I've had worked with loud drummers and pro drummers who were livly but not loud, - it does make a difference in quality of tone. In 'May I sleep in your arms, lady' I worked with Dick Dunn and he 'is' a pro. He was pickin real close to me and I could hear my amp very clear. A pleasure to work that way. Ted

joe long · Post by **joe long** » 5 Dec 2008 7:56 am

On your next gig give him an address about 40 miles away from the actual gig. If he is that loud then he sould be about the right volume from that distance. Just think, you'll have more room on stage.

I always appreciated a good bass player and drummer who did not want to play lead and did not want to over ride the rest of the band. In my opinion, they are worth their weight in gold.

Don Brown, Sr. · Post by **Don Brown, Sr.** » 5 Dec 2008 7:59 am

Set a pair of those long large Drinking Cup Straws, down on top of his snare and he'll get the messege. Possibly!

Derrick Frank · Post by **Derrick Frank** » 5 Dec 2008 8:38 am

Dave O'Brien wrote:Do you have any ideas to help filter out a BANG BANG drummer and also hear yourself play? I used to use sonic earplugs but they don't seen to work now? Do they go bad? Is there something better? Help - I need the gig so murder is out!!!

Get a Jazz Drummer, worth there weight in gold.
Get him to watch, Time Jumpers, he may get the message.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 5 Dec 2008 8:41 am

Loud drummer?

Tell him he has to buy a Roland electronic drum kit or he's gone.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 5 Dec 2008 8:51 am

Get the rest of the band to play softer...He won't be able to hear the band and he will play softer. If he does not then set up as far away as you can. Take a manhasset music stand and set it up next to your head between you and the drummer and leave the stand flat. It will act as a deflector and save your hearing. Keep the plugs in. Work with him until you see that he is not interested in blending in with the group, then have the dreaded confrontation and make the decision if you can give up the gig if no one will help you.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 5 Dec 2008 9:20 am

For those of you that advocate firing - that's all great if you have someone else to turn to. What was it Iacocca said when pushing their newly redesigned cars in the early 80s - "If you can find a better car, buy it." Of course, even then you probably need to break a new drummer in.

You might just try talking to him as he might not even be aware he's killing you with those rim shots.

Of course. It may seem too obvious, but if that talk is done privately and respectfully, and the drummer is actually motivated to play the gig in the first place, I have seen it work. If the drummer is not really savvy about traditional country and has the stereotype of modern country in mind when the word "country" is thrown out, he or she may think they're supposed to be loud. But the way this is done matters a lot - I have never seen publicly humiliating someone work. Some of the rhetoric here is pretty strong - if you take that attitude with a good drummer, I'll be surprised to see a good result.

If talking doesn't work, I also agree on getting the rest of the band to play more softly. If the drummer stubbornly refuses to blend in after all this, you really have a problem and I'd probably conclude he or she doesn't want to be there in the first place, for whatever reason. I still say motivation is the key.

The Steel Guitar Forum

How do YOU deal with a loud drummer?

How do YOU deal with a loud drummer?

Drummer

Drum noise

Re: How do YOU deal with a loud drummer?