How to learn drums quietly? Are there any adjustments that I need to make so that I can practice quietly with my drum kit? Should I buy an electronic drum kit so that I can practice quietly? How should I control the volume of the cymbals? Drum kits can be loud sometimes, which is why it can be a problem if you do not want to disturb anyone when you want to practice.
If you are concerned that every time you practice with your drum kit, you can disturb those people that are within your house, and maybe even those living near your house, then you do not need to worry as there are still some adjustments you can make to make your drum kit sound quiet.
How To Make Your Drum Kit Sound Quiet?
Mesh Drum Heads
The first thing you can do to control the volume of your drum kit is to replace its drum head with mesh drum heads. Mesh drum heads are made specifically to give you the feel of hitting a drum kit with a lower volume. More and more drum and drum head companies are producing this type of drum head as there is really a need for these drum heads in the market.
Mesh drum heads are made from plies of woven material, unlike those traditional drum heads that are made from plies of mylar sheets. The material that is used in the mesh drum heads helps it to produce a muted sound, which is why these heads are perfect for practicing as you cannot disturb any person with their very low volume.
Although you will have to spend more money on replacing your old drum heads with your new mesh drum heads, it would still be a great move for you if you really wish to practice with your drums quietly.
Blankets And Towels
One option to save some money if your budget is really tight is to place some towels or blankets above the drum heads. Towels and blankets are thick, which is why they are great for dampening the sound of your drum kit. However, one of its disadvantages is that it greatly affects the rebound of the sticks, which will also affect your technique in hitting the drums.
Brushes And Lighter Drum Sticks
A cheaper option for you to play drums quietly is to use brushes as your drum sticks. Brushes are usually used by some drummers as they are able to produce a softer tone and effects to which a drumstick cannot replicate. Brushes are also used if it is required to play in softer or lower volumes.
Brushes are often used in playing softer genres or songs like jazz, but they can also be used as drum sticks as it still gives you the same attack if you use them like a stick.
Using lighter and thinner drum sticks will also help to lower the volume of your drum kit. Although, this is not really a great solution if you are living in an apartment because the space of it cannot stop the sound transmission like those in areas that are surrounded by landscape.
Use An Isolating Drum Booth
Of all the methods mentioned, this may be the most expensive but can also be the most rewarding of them all if you really wish to make your drum kit sound quietly. Isolating drum booths do not only enclose the sound produced by the drum kit, but also absorb it while they prevent the sound transmission to your neighboring areas.
The only problem is if you are going to place your drum kit in an isolating drum booth, it will really take too much space. If you only have a little space for your drum kit in your home, it would be a problem to fit the isolating booth.
Use An Electronic Drum Kit
Another expensive option would be to replace your old acoustic drum kit with an electronic drum kit. Electronic drum kits are perfect if you prefer to practice with your kit quietly. Hitting the drum pads would not result in a loud sound except if you are using a drum amplifier, but still, you can adjust its volume as low as possible so as to not to disturb any person.
By using an electronic drum kit, you can isolate its produced sound by plugging in a headphone. With this option, you can freely practice any time, even if it is already midnight, as there will be no sound that will be heard by any person near you, as only you can hear the sound produced by the electronic drum kit.
You can also use a drum amplifier or a keyboard amp if you do not want to use a headphone for a long time. By using an amplifier to amplify the sound of the kit, you can still adjust its volume to a minimum that may not be disturbing to other people.
It would be really hard to control the volume of an acoustic drum kit except if you replace its drum heads, so if you are still planning to buy one as a practice kit, then maybe you should go for an electronic drum kit if the volume of the instrument would be a huge deciding factor in purchasing your drum kit.
So, how to learn drums quietly? To be able to play the drums quietly, you will need to change its drum heads into mesh drum heads, or you can also use some dampeners like a towel or a blanket. You can also use smaller drumsticks or even brushes, as they are proven to sound softer, especially for jazz drumming. Lastly, you can put your kit in an isolation booth or change it totally with an electronic drum kit.