In Close Quarters, Sometimes Less is More

-DW Practice pad kit
-Iron Cobra Double Chain Drive Kick Pedal
-Gretsch 13″ floor tom
-Pearl Vision Series Snare
-Sabian Stage Hats
-Ziljian A Custom Crash
-Sabian XS Series Crash
– Vic Firth rubber drum mute pack
– Assorted Hardware

Drums are not a quiet instrument to say the least.  Therefore, finding a quality space to sit down and practice can be a challenge for those who live in an apartment or other close quarter arrangement.  When I sit down to practice, the last thing I want is to be interrupted by my downstairs neighbor at my front door because she can’t think over the sound of drums.

Five years ago I had it made in terms of practice studio space.  My parents were in a successful local band and had built a home recording studio in our detached garage.  Just about every day between 2:30 when I got home from school and 6:30 when I would go in for dinner, you could find me banging away behind my stepdads DW Collector Series.  Life was good, to be sure.

As I turned the page on that chapter of my life and looked to college, I was confident I could maintain a steady practice regimen and live in the campus dorms.  Immediately upon moving into my single room in Juniper hall, I knew that I would have to be creative if I hoped to keep my chops up.

For the first few weeks of my dorm experience I tried everything to get through a good practice session in my cramped dorm room. Finally, because I knew a full kit would be much too loud, I decided I would need to settle on using my single HQ practice pad.  A gel practice pad is great for those who want to work rudiments, and it worked wonders for my marching snare technique.  However, it is no replacement for a full size kit I soon came to find out.

HQ Gel Practice Pad
Gretsch Catalina jazz maple snare shell

That is when the DW Smart Practice compact pad set came into my life.  I had heard other members of the Wolf Pack drumline talking about their success using rubber silencers for their home practice set-up.  And after a little bit of research I found out that the team over at DW was producing a single stand quad drum pad practice set-up, specifically designed for those of us living in less than ideal drumming situations.  I had to have one.

A few days and $150 bucks later, my new practice set-up arrived in the mail.  The first time I set the thing up I wasn’t immediately sold on its functionality.  The pads seemed a little hard and the angles of the “drums” seemed unnatural.  However, after many minor adjustments and a few additions to the set-up, I was practicing like nobody’s business behind the door of dorm room 3A.All while the other residents of my dormitory were blissfully unaware.

The peace of mind and Zen quality of practicing drums was lost on me when forced to worry about the sound level of my kit and the comfort of other residents.  When I made the switch to practicing with the DW pads I could zone out and practice without worry.

Today, not a lot has changed with my practice set-up.  Since my time in the dorms I’ve had the luxury of living in homes conducive to un-muted drum practice.  But now I find myself yet again living above, below, in front of, as well as behind other people who may not enjoy 3 hours of my attempts to learn a new fill.

The DW practice pad kit has undergone some changes since its debut in my dorm room four short years ago. I’ve now got just a bit more space to work with at the foot of my bed.  With the help of rubber Vic Firth drum mutes, I’ve been able to incorporate a Pearl snare drum as well as Gretsch 13” floor tom into the set-up.  The biggest addition to the core set-up however, was cymbals and a hi-hat.  By adding these pieces to the existing DW practice pad kit, I am able to practice on a kit that makes virtually no sound but feels very similar to an un-muted kit.

Additional cymbals and drum shells to add to the existing practice pad set-up. (Highly Recommended)

Whether you’re a student drummer looking at moving into on campus housing or a drummer like me who enjoys the cost effectiveness of condo life, a quiet practice set up is essential.  I’ve fallen in love with the DW pad kit.  However, I know there are many options out there with regards to drum muting. If you have experience, thoughts, comments, suggestions, or questions on this subject feel free to share your knowledge on the comments section.

-DW Practice pad kit -Iron Cobra Double Chain Drive Kick Pedal -Gretsch 13″ floor tom -Pearl Vision Series Snare -Sabian Stage Hats -Ziljian A Custom Crash -Sabian XS Series Crash – Vic Firth rubber drum mute pack – Assorted Hardware

Iron Cobra double kick pedal. The dish towel modification to the practice pad gives the kick a snappy recoil and less noise production.

Vic Firth rubber drum mutes. They fit well, not great, but the job is done.

HQ Gel Practice Pad Gretsch Catalina jazz maple snare shell

 

Create a Creative Practice Regimen

Beating the hell out of my drums today feels much the same as it did when I took up the instrument a decade ago.

As a kid learning to play the drums, I was always experimenting and trying to imitate everything I heard other drummers doing.  My early years of drumming had no agenda, no practice regimen, NO METRONOME.

I would often find myself far outside the curriculum given to me by my drum instructor when practice time came around.  Eventually I dropped the instructor all together and devoted my practice time to endless replaying of Youtube drum instruction videos.  I learned a lot in those six months.

As I grew older and my drumming…we’ll say, “matured,” I developed a fairly strict practice regimen consisting of the same four warm-ups followed by a run through of my band’s set list.

After about a year and half of practicing the same old stuff every single time I got behind the kit, it isn’t surprising that I found myself resenting practice.  I was stuck in a rut.  No longer did the creativity or the experimentation find a way into my practice time.

Today, I became aware of this fact. Determined to shake the dust off my practice sessions, I put in my headphones and jammed along to album after album of my favorite artists.  From Tom Waits to Tyler, The Creator my practice session spanned a swath of genres.

For those three or four hours I was reminded of why I chose to play this wonderful instrument.  The way it makes me feel just letting go and improvising, experimenting in whatever direction I choose.

Don’t get me wrong, a good practice routine is always a good idea. But don’t let that routine stifle your creativity and experimentation behind the kit.

Here are a few Interesting Ideas for Creative Drumming, written by Cody Byassee for Dixon Drums.