Subject: RE: Control of volume of a drumset
From:
Neil Lowe
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 07:45 AM
I sympathize with your dilemma. I am a recovered rock drummer meself, and you are right.....loudness is part of the style. Drums are not normally electrically amplified in practice, so the volume he's getting is from the physical bashing he's giving them, and it's not the same if you don't beat the crap out of them. Playing softer is "jazz," or worse, "pop." For years my mother complained she couldn't keep a picture hanging straight in the house. We lived on a farm so there were no complaints from the neighbors. In the city, where do good drummers come from? Frank Zappa mused once.
Too bad he doesn't have a basement or a garage he could practice in. Another (rather expensive) alternative is to soundproof his practice room. Sometimes that can be done less expensively with foam rubber and egg cartons.
You could start by dropping subtle hints, like introducing yourself and telling him you're a musician yourself, which usually elicits a response such as, "You too? What kind of music do you play?" When you tell him your style, if he's astute he'll put two and two together and maybe realize that his drumming could bother you. But then again, we're talking about a drummer, so that may be a long shot. *BG*
Barring that, I see no other alternative but to diplomatically explain to him that, as a musician you understand his need to practice, but could he find a way to not share his drumming with everyone else? If you have laid sufficient groundwork first by establishing a professional relationship with him as a fellow musician, he may be more sympathetic to your request. As you have intimated in your post, tell him you appreciate his music and know that what he's doing is not "noise," but that on occasion you would greatly appreciate it if you and he could come to some sort of mutual agreement on the volume. Saying this with a smile on your face as you hand him a brewski as a peace offering might be a good idea.
If he's a totally unreasonable bloke, and I don't see who would be if you've been a complete gentleman about it, the last resort is to call the authorities. After all, his right to play loud in a domestic setting ends where your ears begin.
Neil (who plays loud electric blues, but would be amenable to a suggestion to turn it down if approached in a reasonable manner. Fortunately I live next to a couple of bikers who like to make noise themselves on occasion.)
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sj
