Drumming outside.

[501208]

Hello everyone. I want to know if there is anyone out there who has played their set outside in direct sunlight, and if so, how did it affect your drums? I'm trying to do some research, and I would love to hear some stories. Thank you.

[IAmNotATable]

I did, it didn't effect them. Sounds cool though!

[drummer]

A day outside here or there isn't going to hurt 'em. But if it's "very" hot, I would stay in the shade if you can or eliminate the time you're in the direct sun. I used to practice outside a lot when I was younger and I would cover up the shells with towels just to be on the safe side.

[late8]

I played outdoors once when it got very hot (90+ degrees) and the cymbal sounded really washy and felt very hot to the touch. The drums stayed in tune but most of my cymbals that were exposed to direct sunlight felt and sounded really weird. The concern at the time was how much more the bow of the cymbal flexed under the load of the drumstick as I played them.

Here's how much was exposed to direct sunlight:



The following gig, I had the awning all to myself and not only did the cymbals stay cool but I felt I played with more stamina since it felt cooler under the shade.

[Russ]

Are you talking about the sound differences, or whether or not it damaged the drums/hurt the finish? A kit will sound differently depending on environment, because there are more room for the soundwaves coming from the drumset to dissipate. When your kit is being played in a smaller room, the sounds are reflected around the room and seeping into surrounding areas if there isn't sufficient soundproofing/treatment available to prevent it. When it's outside, there's no reflections, just pure projection. I don't think the kit being outdoors will cause damage, although if the weather is bad there is a possibility. Rain is your enemy in this respect.

[Bengerm77]

a wrap can warp in direct car sunlight. My drums did that when I left them in the car in the light for hours on end. Other wise I've never heard of anything bad happening to the drums themselves.

On the other hand, cymbals will blow about in the wind and you may strike them dead on sideways and that can be bad.

[yohin]

A day outside here or there isn't going to hurt 'em. But if it's "very" hot, I would stay in the shade if you can or eliminate the time you're in the direct sun. I used to practice outside a lot when I was younger and I would cover up the shells with towels just to be on the safe side.

+1

I've had a few outside gigs in 80-90 degree heat and it didn't damage the drums. But I also will sometimes throw a sheet over the kit if it's just sitting in the hot sun for a while.

[Skillful Kai]

Being outside in itself makes no difference unless you're playing in minus degree climates or deserts.

But because it was an echo'y kinda place outside, my bass drum sounded like GOD'S WRATH. What a glorious day

[AndyC]

I played mine outside on a hot sunny day. The wrap bubbled away from the wood in a couple of places. It is a black kit so that would have made the situation worse.

Now, if it's not under cover, I won't take my kit.

Andy

[Linchpin]

I've played outside plenty of times over the years. I have never had the heat affect my kit other than the heads loosen up a little. I do try to have some kind of tent or tarp overhead. Sitting out and having the sun beating down on you is worse for you than your kit.

I do LOVE the sound of my kit outdoors, I generally play with EC2's on top and EC reso on the bottoms when inside. I played outdoors last week so, I took off the EC reso heads, and replaced them with G1's, a Powerstroke II on the kick, with nothing in the drum. I tuned 'em up and the sound carried really nicely with lots of bottom end; mother nature is an awesome sound engineer

[kyle102565]

i wanna move a kit outside today. closest thing ive got to fireworks.

[Cliff5550]

Played the last few years for an oldies band that played a lot of car shows/cruise-ins so my set saw a lot of outdoor sun. Similar to AndyC's experience, my black-wrapped Tamas bubbled and lifted in a few places but I figured it was primarily because the previous owner had re-wrapped the shells and maybe did a poor job on the adhesive.
Also bad for the outdoor playing experience is the dew which can form on cymbals, heads and even the shells if you play from day warmth into the evening cool. Talk about cymbal dampening, literally. If you do a job like that bring a towel for you and your set.