rehearsal studios - drums to loud

i am in the process of opening up some rehearsal studios. After having a few bands in, we have found that drummers that hit really hard over power the other instruments which is causing people to crank there amps. we have experimented with formations of the sound baffles (which basically are these http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4581) and when drummers plays at good levels, the rooms sound perfect. basically the question is how to accommodate for drummers that hit REALLY hard. we have places cloud's above the drum kits, we are working with timber flooring and have experimented with rugs and what not. places some baffles in front of the kit does help the drummers, jsut wondering if there is any way around it. Also contemplating buying the fibreglass fixtures that i see on Lettermen that sit around the drummers. if someone could point me in the right direction with those barriers that would be great! thanks

1st. please adhere the forum rules 2nd. read stickies Having said that (it seems like one of THE mantras around here)... you need, indeed, to have your room acoustically dressed up correctly. Adding absorbers (esp. basstrapping in them corners) will make instruments sound more "tight" and less reverb/echoing/whatever. You'll end up with amps on 9 instead of 11. The drummer can still hit his skins hard as concrete (do you have a gorilla playing drums?) and still keep the sound "nice" and "focused". Check the acoustics forum and visit Ethan's site, there's great room dressing tuts in there! you're already in the right direction by adding panels and clouds, now go fill them corners ;)

we do have bass traps in the corners. and in the cases where it is an issue, yes it may well be a gorilla/machine gun playing drums. i think its basically the snare and the BIG crash's that the bands are using that make it an issue. would a fibreglass drum barrier work in this case?

y0ud wrote:

we do have bass traps in the corners. and in the cases where it is an issue, yes it may well be a gorilla/machine gun playing drums.

Ask Lou, he might know that fella :p

i think its basically the snare and the BIG crash's that the bands are using that make it an issue. would a fibreglass drum barrier work in this case?

Sounds like mid and high frq that's bothering ya'll. right? (it's true, cymbals are the main problem on drums.. I hate'm) How does the sound "fokus" in your room yet?

wot? haha Other then the ridiculous price tag on the drum shields, i dont think they will eliminate the problem. yea its the mids/highs. would changing the density of the insulation in the clouds help much?

I think you missed Ro's initial advice:

1st. please adhere the forum rules 2nd. read stickies

Thx Stuart. I shouldn't answer any more question before he took my advise, but hell: Dunno the current density of your cloud. But it should not be too heavy. Get common 703 or alike. Mids and highs are much easier to absorb than low frq. So a cloud might indeed do the trick, just as wall panels do. Let the gorilla play, esp hitting them cymbals, and walk around to room. Tell me how "focused" the sound is and how you experience it on different positions in the room.

i could not find anything relating to my topic in any of the stickies we have treated the walls, have the clouds, experimented with positioning of both (but have not tried to changed the density of the insulation in the cloud). as for the focus of the sound, in the radius around the drums that matters is where the issue lies. the rooms are basically 25sqm and badns stand within 2m of the drum kit

i could not find anything relating to my topic in any of the stickies

I guess you didn't read enough of them. It seems that you missed this one, for example: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3231

How about building some Gobos... 4' x 4' to surround your drum kit... 1x6" frame with plywood back... 4" OC 703 fiberglas... cover the front with fabric. Just built some and they work great! A few nights work and lot less $$$ than the commercial stuff. Jon