Reversibly designing drum room to reduce noise for neighbors

[just_a_bucket]

I'll be renting a house in a suburb, and want to design a drum room as to reasonably reduce what the neighbors hear. Since I'm renting this place, building a room within a room or otherwise permanently altering the room is not an option. I'd also like to keep it somewhat affordable, and don't expect to completely sound proof the room - I simply want to reduce the noise my neighbors hear while I'm playing during non-quiet hours. This room will mostly be for solo practice, though I do intend to occasionally jam/record in there as well.

I was already considering acoustic panels, bass traps, hanging insulated curtains over the windows, and putting a draft stopper at the door's base. From what little I know, it appears these measures are more geared for changing the noise within the room... will they make any appreciable difference for the neighbors as well?
It's a pretty standard sized bedroom, and it currently has carpeting. I have the option of changing the carpet to hardwood, which I believe would be better for recording, but I expect that would go against my main goal of sound reduction. What additional steps should I take/what materials should I purchase? Thanks for your advice!

[Paulus87]

I'll be renting a house in a suburb, and want to design a drum room as to reasonably reduce what the neighbors hear. Since I'm renting this place, building a room within a room or otherwise permanently altering the room is not an option. I'd also like to keep it somewhat affordable, and don't expect to completely sound proof the room - I simply want to reduce the noise my neighbors hear while I'm playing during non-quiet hours. This room will mostly be for solo practice, though I do intend to occasionally jam/record in there as well.

I was already considering acoustic panels, bass traps, hanging insulated curtains over the windows, and putting a draft stopper at the door's base. From what little I know, it appears these measures are more geared for changing the noise within the room... will they make any appreciable difference for the neighbors as well?
It's a pretty standard sized bedroom, and it currently has carpeting. I have the option of changing the carpet to hardwood, which I believe would be better for recording, but I expect that would go against my main goal of sound reduction. What additional steps should I take/what materials should I purchase? Thanks for your advice!

Hi,

Unfortunately with the constraints you have there's really nothing you can do to achieve this. Drums are high SPL with a lot of low frequency. You would need a lot of mass, all sealed air tight.

The only thing I can think of is building a free standing drum booth in your room. This is like a mini version of the room within a room concept.

[gullfo]

step 1 - measure - using a real set of drums and a drummer, or a high power PA (with drums and bass heavy music) to simulate it, and take sound level measures (both C-weighted - most important, and A-weighted - nice to know) in the room and outside - about 1m from the exterior walls, windows, doors (if any), and then at the property line. you then know what isolation you have.

step 2 - build an isolation platform for the kit so its decoupled from the floor. cover the interior of the window with 3/4" plywood (this is temporary). repeat step 1 with the kit and or PA on the platform.
now you'll know how much of the external transmission was directly structural vs airborne into the structure. you may well be surprised to see a significant reduction in outside levels.

from there, you'll have a good idea on what you need to invest in isolation.