Drummer too loud

M

multivir

Inspired
Hi guys,

Since most of you are seasoned guitar players (I assume), I'm sure you have already dealt with drummers that were too loud.
I have a new gig with a party band that plays gigs in smaller to mid-sized venues like weddings etc. The drummer uses an IEM
and is pretty loud. I played the rehearsals without earplugs which worked fine, but he whacked the sh*t out of the drums at the gig,
which caused me ringing ears. I hate that. It's unprofessional and not good for my health and future in music. He told me that he can't play without the IEM because of the metronome and his own tinnitus. With the plugs in his ears he's just causing others to have it too...

With a rock band on a big stage I could just play with earplugs and turn up my amp, but with this configuration we'd end up toruring our audience with volume. I look at this band as a service provider - we're employed to entertain a crowd.

What do you do in such a situation? The "fish tank" plexiglass thing doesn't really help a lot, he's already playing with ruts instead of sticks and obviously I'm not the first person in the band to tell him that he's too loud. Is there another solution besides forcing him to use a V-Drum or - worst case - fire him?

Thanks,

M.
 
Firstly, I can only recommend custom made earplugs. Even drums with reasonable volume can do damage to your ears if you're on a small stage, standing the whole gig right next to the snare or a china cymbal from hell :)
There are different filters available. I use the standard with a reduction of 15 dB, but there are filters with more and less reduction.

Now for the drummer: simply put, he either "gets it" and reduces volume or you should look for another drummer. IMHO.

Seb
 
Hey.

If you're in it for the money (Top40, wedddings etc.) and your drummer (or anyone else really) isn't able to exercise even the simplest of dynamic control, he's simply not fit to play in front of such an audience.

If you are playing in a 'real' (hehehe) band, people will come to the gig to see and hear you specifically, so you can get away with a lot more, but a hired band with these kind of problems can/will get fired on the spot.
And with good reason.
 
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Dynamic control is what makes a good drummer better! I played live and studio with a lot of drummer and the one I consider "pro"always play with a lot of dynamic: in modern drum machine there's a function called "feel" (or something similar) that control dynamic and speed, if your drummer hasn't this function, well it's better for your ears to use a drum machine.... ;-)
 
if he's using in ear monitoring then turn everything else down and maybe he'll have to layoff to be able to hear the musos..oops i mean other musos :)
 
The drummer has to stop being a knob. You can't just go, "Well I have to use the IEMs, which then means I'll beat the absolute crap out of the drums... deal with it." He feels he has to use IEMs to to be able to play live. Ok great, but you can't fix one problem, in the process introduce another one, and basically go, "Well that's not my problem."

If having his ears plugged up makes him hit harder... he needs to get used to playing at the same rehearsal level with his IEMs in, or at whatever level the particular gig happens to require.

If someone in the band complains I'm too loud, I don't tell everyone else they should turn up or play harder. I either turn down or :)o) I employ my mind-bogglingly outrageous ability to play quieter. A lot of time I can hardly hear a damn thing of what I'm playing, especially with earplugs in, so I go off other cues. My hands on the instrument for starters, or the feeling from the amp, or if I'm playing something that's really locking in with the bassist, you can feel that interaction working even if you can't hear exactly what you're doing.

Summary: Drummer creates problem. Drummer needs to figure out how to fix problem.
 
Does the drummer play with kit mics ? Do these come back thru his IEM's ?

If so turn up his drum mix levels, if he hits too hard he's the one who's going to get the pain
 
This subject often arises.

The best solution I've seen so far is

41RSmMKFOFL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Amazon.com: PetSafe Yard & Park Remote Dog Trainer, PDT00-12470: Pet Supplies

Some drumbers are more difficult to train so one may need a more powerful collar depending on the individual. :shock


8) :lol
 
Diego said:
Dynamic control is what makes a good drummer better! I played live and studio with a lot of drummer and the one I consider "pro"always play with a lot of dynamic: in modern drum machine there's a function called "feel" (or something similar) that control dynamic and speed, if your drummer hasn't this function, well it's better for your ears to use a drum machine.... ;-)
Click to expand...

+1. Or find another drummer....
 
A straight jacket, a 100lb dumbell tied with a slip knot to his scrotum and a river usually gets the most diplomatic resolution.

Other than that I go with Japster - mic'ing his kit and feed him back his own dbs to the point of pain (you'll know when that point happens as he'll smile)

Our old drummer got so depressed about his bad timing that he threw himself behind a train ......
 
Diego said:
Dynamic control is what makes a good drummer better! I played live and studio with a lot of drummer and the one I consider "pro"always play with a lot of dynamic: in modern drum machine there's a function called "feel" (or something similar) that control dynamic and speed, if your drummer hasn't this function, well it's better for your ears to use a drum machine.... ;-)
Click to expand...

...... and you only need to punch the information in once with a drum machine ....
 
Oh drummer jokes, don't ya just luv 'em :-D

Our Drummer actually asked for a drum monitor so he wouldn't play so hard, not very often you hear of that !

A drummer stringing a sentence together I mean

:lol
 
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Our old drummer got so depressed about his bad timing that he threw himself behind a train ......


I've heard a ton of musician jokes, but never this one. It rules! LMAO Too funny!
 
Agree with "get a new drummer." An electronic kit may do it too. As a part-time drummer, I can tell you it's very hard to play with dynamics and not beat the sh!t out of them all the time. But, tough, that's his job. The scrotum-shocker has plenty of entertainment value, but probably won't train him in the long run...
 
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