Playing Drums in an Apt.

[kiteboarder]

Originally Posted by chrisberry84

I actually have a set of vdrums (or I'm pretty sure that's what they are-they're a Roland electric set with that white wired mesh drum heads) that I play on a regular basis for my church and I will say, they are really nice. And i used to think that they were the best until I played on a real drum set. I can't stand the roland hi hat now. There's just no way that you can get the sound of a real hi hat out of it. But for now, I've been using the mute pads and they've actually been working great so I'm happy. But we'll see if it continues to work in the future.

Is your hit hat the one that looks like a regular rubber pad, or is it the one that mimics the shape of a real hihat? just curious. I've always wanted a V Drum kit, but I do understand their limitations. Nowadays, even though I have a soundproof studio, I would still like one. I'd like be able to track stuff when I get and idea really late at night (the studio is not perfectly soundproof for 2AM playing!) but most importantly, I want to combine the electronics into my acoustic kit.

[vdrumdrummer]

Originally Posted by kiteboarder

Is your hit hat the one that looks like a regular rubber pad, or is it the one that mimics the shape of a real hihat? just curious. I've always wanted a V Drum kit, but I do understand their limitations. Nowadays, even though I have a soundproof studio, I would still like one. I'd like be able to track stuff when I get and idea really late at night (the studio is not perfectly soundproof for 2AM playing!) but most importantly, I want to combine the electronics into my acoustic kit.

No mine looks just like a hi-hat only made of rubber and it has only one piece.There is a small censor on the bottom.I have had some issues with it not reacting like a real set of hi-hats,but you take the good with the bad i guess.I love mine for the versatility and the convienence of playing at 2 am while my gf sleeps and not waking her.Cause we all know how that can be...lolol

[brandondrury]

Hey man, I have to be REALLY honest. There is no way you are going to be able to stop that noise from going into your neighbor's. Not with $1,000, not with $2,000! Sorry. The truth is... A drummer's best friend are walls. Extra-thick, super insulated walls, that is. That and a floating room withing a room! You can spend hundreds of dollars on acoustical products and while you will get the volume down a bit, those bass waves are going to go through the wall like there was nothing there. It all has to do with wavelengths. A deep, low-frequency wave can be a few feet long from peak to peak. Try insulated something like that!

Yup. I agree with this. It's just not going to happen in an apartment. A real drum kit is deafening.

Soundproofing is VERY ineffective if you can't do lots and lots of construction. The low end will go right through a normally thick wall. It's the nature of the beast.

You either need to be creative with pads or no cymbals or get you an edrum kit. I'd do the latter and hook it up to something like DFH Superior of BFD.

Brandon

[pdalmolin]

I hated apt. living for just this reason of not being able to play drums. I thought I was lucky once when I got an apt. over an empty apt. they used for storage. I was able to play during the day with no problems from the neighbors....or so I thought. Until I came home one day to a robbed apt. They didn't take my drums but they got a very expensive keyboard, another cheaper keyboard, a poweramp, monitors, mics, cash and other stuff. All I can imagine is the sound of my practising pissed off/alerted the bad guys and they bashed in my front door with a crow bar and looted me like New Orleans after Katrina. Bastards. If you have to be there another year and neighbors know you have drums....I would install 2 more deadbolts for a total of 3. One really high, one really low and the existing one in the middle. I don't mean to scare ya dude, just my experience....

[brandondrury]

Until I came home one day to a robbed apt. They didn't take my drums but they got a very expensive keyboard, another cheaper keyboard, a poweramp, monitors, mics, cash and other stuff.

This pisses me off to no end! If only the Nazis could have left Jews alone and instead simply did their exterminations of theives, I think the world would be a better place.

Brandon

[kiteboarder]

Hi. I figured I should do a quick update to my previous comment... I just got word of a few neighbors being able to hear my playing. They weren't upset or anything, but they did point out they could hear me. Just to go on the safe side, I'me sticking to practicing between 6 and 8PM instead of 9. Plus, a little less on the weekends when everybody's home. See what I mean. And that's after $1,500 in soundproofing! Corner townhouse, bottom corner room, with no neighbors within 10-15 feet (It's actually more like 20 feet, but I'm sticking to my previous post), on a busy avenue with lots of car noise! Oh! and did I say thick insulated walls??!!!

Originally Posted by kiteboarder

Hey man, I have to be REALLY honest. There is no way you are going to be able to stop that noise from going into your neighbor's. Not with $1,000, not with $2,000! Sorry. The truth is... A drummer's best friend are walls. Extra-thick, super insulated walls, that is. That and a floating room withing a room! You can spend hundreds of dollars on acoustical products and while you will get the volume down a bit, those bass waves are going to go through the wall like there was nothing there. It all has to do with wavelengths. A deep, low-frequency wave can be a few feet long from peak to peak. Try insulated something like that!

My best suggestion would be an electronic kit. I've soundproofed a studio in my home. But, I have thick-sound insulated walls, I'm on a corner - so my room is at least 10-15 feet away from any neighbor, and I spent about $1000 - $1,500 on soundproofing material. I still can't play past 9pm, cause I rely on the car's zooming by the nearby avenue to cancel out the sound that does get out! Imagine that!

[gradgt]

Yea I got the Yamaha DTS-II (yamaha's version of the v-drums) for this reason, the hi-hat on it feels pretty real. I would recommend practicing with it over an acoustic set because you can put the click track in the headphones and learning to play with a click track is pretty crucial, you may think you're playing in time until you actually play with a metronome and realize that you're way off.

[kiteboarder]

I agree. I've heard a few drummers say that if you need a click you probably shouldn't be playing drums. That's the type of guy I would hate being a guitarist for!

I was using a tiny Korg Metronome for the last 2 years but I recently upgraded to a Tama Rhythm watch. It's cool cause you can set different volumes levels for each aspect of the click, such as 16 notes, or triplets. I'm currently practicing playing a regular straight time 4/4 groove over a triplet click. It's awesome for making your time feel very natural.

Originally Posted by gradgt

Yea I got the Yamaha DTS-II (yamaha's version of the v-drums) for this reason, the hi-hat on it feels pretty real. I would recommend practicing with it over an acoustic set because you can put the click track in the headphones and learning to play with a click track is pretty crucial, you may think you're playing in time until you actually play with a metronome and realize that you're way off.

[brandondrury]

I've heard a few drummers say that if you need a click you probably shouldn't be playing drums. That's the type of guy I would hate being a guitarist for!

Wow! I'm glad I've never heard that one.

Brandon

[pdalmolin]

Only an ass would say that playing with click means you can't play. Actually the exact opposite is true. If you can't play with a click...YOU'RE NOT KEEPING TIME, and most likely not keeping a gig! I'm not saying every drummer needs to be shackled to it, but I'll tell you this: Playing with click can save you during last sets when the drinking and drugging (of course not the drummer) is rampant. Or even a zealous player in front of his/her sexual preference. Or, maybe just a 36 hour van ride to the gig and you're out of energy and good sense....