5 Tips for Playing Your Drums Quietly

[@DaveMajor]

What are your tips for playing quietly?

[@MrCherryJuice]

Adoro Silent Sticks - kzbin.info/www/bejne/imrRiaimaMSNrbc

[@DaveMajor]

Haven't checked them out but I think they would be very useful for super quiet gigs

[@brettself]

Took adhesive door knob stops and placed on back of both snare heads, then have the volume option of the Evan SoundOff mute pad.

[@brettself]

Also, shorter sticks

[@brettself]

I also removed the resonator heads from my toms, and put one of those door knob stoppers on the back of each. Evans sound off dampeners for even more.

[@leogolive]

Man these are some fantastic tips! I couldn’t believe how much the sound changed when you laid your phone down on the snare! It got a lot quieter and it created a sweet sound too! I’m gonna buy my first drum set and I’m gonna need to reduce the sound as much as I can since I only have a small space to practice in.

[@DaveMajor]

Glad you enjoyed it! The phone is a really useful thing because we always have it with us. if it's only practice then have you looked into silent cymbals and mesh heads? That's what I have in my home practice setup and they work amazingly.

[@leogolive]

@@DaveMajor Well no it’s not exclusively for practice, I also want to record drums for my songs too.

[@acrock21]

@@leogolive anothering thing you can do is folding a paper towl and taping it on the head .... also dynamically taping up the reso heads ... cymbals adding tape to the under cymbal ... when recording cymbals are usually the biggest problem. because they swell like crazy.

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

hit softer

[@inthem8riX_]

yeah i learned the phone trick from a senior back in freshman year, i’ve used it ever since. putting a phone on one snare in a two snare setup while leaving the other one ringy is probably my favorite setup, especially because i can fundamentally alter my entire sound just by switching where my phone is.

[@Luckaway123]

My grandson just got drums and this video was very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do this video❤

[@DaveMajor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brettself]

Took adhesive door knob stops and placed on back of both snare heads, then have the volume option of the Evan SoundOff mute pad.

[@evertongreenham4847]

I practice in my garage, I use a under felt that people use on the dining table underneath the table cloth, it's much quieter and has a great sound. I cut a circle out for each drum, except the bass drum, I fill that full of cloth. 😊

[@DaveMajor]

That's a great idea!

[@drummercouk]

Great stuff! I concentrate on stick heights mainly for low vol playing 1/"-3", 2-6 cm, heel down kick, always bouncing. Promark MJZ3 are the lightest sticks I can find and my go tos...

[@DaveMajor]

Stick heights are the real way forward but if I'm getting into the groove it can be tricky to keep that up. Stick heights coupled with light sticks is a win though! 🤘

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

hit softer

[@thomassiltz8680]

Hey Brother I haven't Played in 40 years and Times have Changed. They didn't have Mesh Drum Heads and Gel Drum Head Dampeners. I have 2 Octobans 6x12 and 8x12 it's Really Hard to Find 6" White Coated Mesh Drum Heads. I have Mesh Heads on All of My Drums and Calm and Sonicake Low Volume Cymbals I like to keep My Drum Heads the Same Brand and Same Series. What can I do to Muffle the Sound of My Octobans?

[@Azzthedrummer]

Agreed dynamics are everything I think import it play fast grooves loud and quiet to

[@DaveMajor]

true!

[@jorge-me7ly]

Remo SilentStroke + Low volume cymbals + some sound isolating panels + three carpets + those silent drumsticks made of thin sticks put together, how’s that?

[@DaveMajor]

That's one awesome quiet practice setup! I've got a mesh head and low volume cymbal setup at home myself and it's great!

[@jorge-me7ly]

@@DaveMajor yeah my mesh heads arrive today, hope there’s no problem with neighbors though

[@nicholasbell9017]

You don't mention playing with flicks/ bundles, or brushes. There's a real challenge, drumming quietly! Also, damping drums to get that flattened out tone. Lately, I have been covering " Come together" by the Beatles. Silk scarves on the toms was how Ringo got that flattened sound. Great vid and lesson. Thanks. Nick

[@DaveMajor]

Yeah tea towels are a great way of quietening a kit. Funnily enough I had to use that at a couple of gigs recently in very loud rooms

[@lorisf3882]

Hi Dave - Hot Rod Sticks. Cool groove at 2.43 mins (wallet on snare) - could you do a vid explaining that please ? Cheers

[@DaveMajor]

Sure can mate! Not the hugest fan of hot rods myself but they defo have a place. Useful to have in the old sticl bag!

[@andymillerdrums]

Small/quiet sticks, try the vic Firth SD5echo. Thick in the hand but very small at the playing end!

[@DaveMajor]

Defo a good choice.

[@fynnelias161]

Did you try the silent sticks? Those really reduce drum volume a lot, and you can keep your velocity...

[@DaveMajor]

I only just came across them! Defo worth a look as they would be great for retaining the feel while reducing the volume it seems. Have you checked them out?

[@fynnelias161]

Yes, got the Edrum version for a few month already, contemplating trying the heavier x-grip version too. So far my band is excited, perfect for living room gigs which is all we can do right now.

[@DaveMajor]

They sound perfect! @@fynnelias161

[@adorodrums]

Hey if you want ti review the sticks, gimme a note.

[@campbellread1918]

yes please lay out some of those beautiful grooves ala 2:47, keep up the great vids thanks!!

[@granitestatedave]

Great video!

[@DaveMajor]

Thanks!

[@bruceperkins2921]

Good info. Been playing smaller venues lately. Gonna order up some lighter sticks today

[@DaveMajor]

Nice one! Glad you found it helpful. If you find the light sticks too thin then try the sugar maple 5bs. They are great at being light while still feeling nice in the hands.

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

hit softer

[@yeetfeet1878]

I have the Evans sound offs but the snare and the floor Tom ones fall off. And also naturally as a kid I want to take them off because I see my KZbin idols don’t use them. But you know it is what it is.

[@DaveMajor]

Yeah they aren't the most stable. Still better to be able to practice more than be told to be quiet!

[@yeetfeet1878]

@@DaveMajor I agree.

[@yeetfeet1878]

@@DaveMajor also it’s pretty much just the snare and the floor Tom (more of the snare). But besides that they are good.

[@yeetfeet1878]

@@DaveMajor also I subscribed

[@DaveMajor]

Little bit of gaffa tape will help with that man.

[@gdr1174]

It's amazing anyone is able to learn the drums in the UK when we all live on top of each other in semi's and terraces.. 😄

[@DaveMajor]

😂

[@Cloud_Strife_19]

Does stuffing a pillow inside a floor tom that touches the drum head inside changes the feel of the drum?

[@DaveMajor]

It will basically kill the drum but will make it very quiet!

[@Cloud_Strife_19]

Does it changes the feel? My goal is to make the floor tom quieter with a trigger. I'm afraid that stuffing a pillow will make the feel not real (when a big pillow touches the head ) when switching to a acoustic from a hybrid setup

[@DaveMajor]

@@Cloud_Strife_19 Yeah it'll really mess the feel.

[@ttown55]

These tips are good for low cost answers to the problem. But if money is no object, are there things I can buy with my “expensive” drum kit that work best? And I know an electronic drum kit is an option, but it’s not a “real” set of drums. If I have the money, what options are out there these days? 2023 days? ‘

[@DaveMajor]

Besides changing the heads (expensive these days!) there's nothing very expensive to do to the drums. You could get one of those shields I suppose

[@Chamitox.]

3:04 is that Rosanna by Toto?

[@mpdocs1026]

do dampening change the sound

[@DaveMajor]

A little. More mass on the head lowers the pitch slightly

[@nickfarwell8104]

I don't know if it's a fact or not but the Evans hydraulic line should lower the volume of the drum kit

[@DaveMajor]

I haven't done a scientific test but I heavier heads definitely vibrate lower and therefore and perceived as quieter. Worth a go if you need to do a whole gig with energy at low volumes!

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

hit softer

[@szmryb]

When you put your wallet on the snare and it just adds reverb then you know you're broke...

[@DaveMajor]

hahaha

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

the only tips necessary are stick control. I use 5b stick and can play ballads all day long and blend perfectly. arms don't need to be flailing thru the air, you're not impressing any one.

[@ThaiThom]

Ringo Starr taught Nick Mason about the tea towel. Nick Mason was smart enough to listen to Ringo.

[@DaveMajor]

We could all learn a lot from Ringo!/

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

that wasn't to quite the drums but the search for a certain tonal value...

[@slimjim1104]

Dowels...

[@DaveMajor]

Thatll do it. Not a huge fan of their sound though

[@SocialStoicYouTube]

using your phone to dampen a snare drum is a stupid idea

[@DaveMajor]

Why? If you are worried about hitting it then work on your accuracy and if you need to dampen your snare and have nothing else why not use your phone?

[@rhnstjegilrhkscvn1djhrj969]

play softer