Studio question ...

[GPW]

   Guys , i just built a storage loft in my studio , the drummer sets up underneath it , and is now complaining how LOUD the reflected sound is ...  I thought of telling him to just play softer , but that would be like talking to a rock ...  drummers !!!   
   So I had the thought of putting up some acoustic tile , or blankets , rugs .... something to quiet this fool down ...   You guys have any ideas ...  suggestions    
 Don't want to spend the big bucks to  do this either ...  actually I should make the drummer pay since he's the one who insists on banging on the poor drums ... 

[Franky G-String]

Do you have pillows in the bass drum and rings or that squishy stuff on the heads for dampeners?  Is he wearing hearing protection?

[breakfastime]

A piece or two of 4'x4' acoustic foam should knock down those high frequencies from bouncing back like that.

You don't need the expensive stuff, just something budget.  Don't blow $300 on Auralex!

Go to wal mart and buy one of their bed pads (eggshell pattern)  for like 20 bucks.

[Herbie B]

Even lining the surfaces with absorbant material isn't going to take the sound level down but so much - it will still be louder to him than it was.

I recommend that your drummer use ear plugs or in-ear monitors, depending on your studio's monitor/talkback setup.

[Damage Inc.]

Should wear any hearing-protection when using drums anyway...
Not sure what he wears when he plays there, but as someone pointed out before,
 some of those headphone-looking hearing-protectors should work.
If not that, then some in-ear plugs with the right filters in case he uses actual headphones.

[breakfastime]

Even lining the surfaces with absorbant material isn't going to take the sound level down but so much - it will still be louder to him than it was.

I recommend that your drummer use ear plugs or in-ear monitors, depending on your studio's monitor/talkback setup.

I don't think it's about sound level--more about reflections off the ceiling.  Deaden the ceilings, kill the reflections, drummer is happy.

[FC]

A piece or two of 4'x4' acoustic foam should knock down those high frequencies from bouncing back like that.

You don't need the expensive stuff, just something budget.  Don't blow $300 on Auralex!

Go to wal mart and buy one of their bed pads (eggshell pattern)  for like 20 bucks.

You can also try one of those arts and crafts stores (Michaels?) and get the same stuff for the same price, but by the roll.

[Glassy]

If you line it up with a bunch of foam, you'll dampen all the highs. You're going to have problems with bass frequency build up (this sounds like it's an enclosed space, and bass builds up in corners). Tell the guy to wear some earplugs, and treat the space correctly. You shouldn't need a whole lot of foam - bass traps will do you much better in the grand scheme of things.

I bought a box of these for drumming, and I am so glad that I did.
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-RST-63002-Pressure-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B002EVP5LM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1313008407&sr=8-6

[GPW]

   The way this drummer plays , the rest of the band should be required to wear ear plugs ... 

 Guys, Big  Thanks for the suggestions !!!!   ... I think for now i'll try BT's bed foam idea .. That's reasonable for my retired budget ... and I have to go to WM tomorrow for groceries anyway ...   Maybe the drummer will stop complaining ...   Last week he was bitching about not being able to hear the PA , so I rigged up a special monitor for him ...  One can only imagine what he'll complain about next ... drummers   

 Glassy , the corners are filled up with band gear , more amps , PA columns , etc.   Not enough space to propagate a mouse sneeze... 

[breakfastime]

You don't need a bunch of foam--it's not a wall-to-wall thing.

You just want a small area (or a couple of small areas) of someetthing absorbent to break up the reflections. 

The problem is high frequencies bouncing back from the snare, hi-hat, and cymbals--this makes the drums seem louder where the drummer is sitting.  Usually these frequencies float up and away pretty quickly, but with a real low ceiling they bounce right back.

Kill those reflections and the drummer can find something else to complain about.

[Damage Inc.]

   The way this drummer plays , the rest of the band should be required to wear ear plugs ... 

Like I said, I think you should always wear hearing-protection anywhere near drums.
These things simply are loud, especially cymbals.
It's not just a matter of someone thinking/feeling it's loud or not, they ARE loud and WILL damage your hearing.
Especially in smaller rooms.  There's no volume-knob on them...

Oh, thinking of it, maybe it would be possible to dampen the cymbals and heads somewhat too.
This would probably affect the sound a bit too, but as far as I know they do it all the time...
I personally prefer that anyway, otherwise you hear the ringing and what not for so long after the hit.

[GPW]

  Coincidentally , today was the day the drummer is going for a hearing test ...     

   I really need to invest in some ear plugs , just to save my dog ears ...    Only time I've ever used them before was at the OFJ  (Old Farts Jam)  where they passed them out to everybody at the door ...   8  OF guitar players , bass and drums all going at it at the same time ...  Ridiculously LOUD !!!     Think half of them were deaf , and the other half were deaf when they left ... 

   BT, overhead area is 4' X 12' ... maybe I can find a Twin size bed pad egg crate thingie' ... 

[thebird55]

  Coincidentally , today was the day the drummer is going for a hearing test ...     

   I really need to invest in some ear plugs , just to save my dog ears ...    Only time I've ever used them before was at the OFJ  (Old Farts Jam)  where they passed them out to everybody at the door ...   8  OF guitar players , bass and drums all going at it at the same time ...  Ridiculously LOUD !!!     Think half of them were deaf , and the other half were deaf when they left ... 

   BT, overhead area is 4' X 12' ... maybe I can find a Twin size bed pad egg crate thingie' ... 

Look for camping pads. Cheap. And I think I've seen some in 'egg crate'.

[GPW]

   Being of sound mind and small budget (retired) ,  I spoke to the drummer on this ...   His response was he'd get some scraps of acoustic tile off the job site and help install them ...    Mischief managed , for now ...