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Thread: Drums sound better with earplugs

  1. #1

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    Default Drums sound better with earplugs

    It's kind of weird. When I practice with earplugs, my drums just sound better to me. I guess it is cutting out a lot of the overtones or something. The note just sounds purer. Do you guys think a better tuning would help to get what I hear with the earplugs, without them or some kind of muffling? Or has anyone else experienced this? I have a Starion kit with coated G2's.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Drums sound better with earplugs

    I suspect that your ears simply like the more controlled sound. Definitely check your tuning, and make sure the head is in tune with itself, because the hardware on the Starion kit might allow for the tuning to change with time. You might also want to check out Remo Pinstripes, Evans EC2 heads, or the equivalent from other manufacturers.
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  3. #3

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    I personally have to disagree with this I'm sorry mate.
    I am about to say something that is going to make everyone here go "what the hell did he just say?", but this is my opinion and everyone is different.
    Even though they protect your hearing (which I might add IS very important), drums and cymbals are meant to and should be played loud and heavy.
    IMO there is nothing better than to give a nice 18" crash a smack or to give a mighty thump on your floor toms, and just listen to it ring out. You can't do that with earplugs.
    I guess I'm old school, but I have never played with plugs because I love to hear my kit sing. The louder I play, the better they sound to me.
    I am lucky because I was blessed with abnormally narrow ear canals (thanks to many ear infections when I was an infant) so it doesn't bother me like most other peeps, but if you're worried about your hearing mate - do what's right by you everytime.
    Good post and interesting to think about.
    Tama Rockstar & Paiste User and Abuser......

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by spesman View Post
    I personally have to disagree with this I'm sorry mate.
    I am about to say something that is going to make everyone here go "what the hell did he just say?", but this is my opinion and everyone is different.
    Even though they protect your hearing (which I might add IS very important), drums and cymbals are meant to and should be played loud and heavy.
    IMO there is nothing better than to give a nice 18" crash a smack or to give a mighty thump on your floor toms, and just listen to it ring out. You can't do that with earplugs.
    I guess I'm old school, but I have never played with plugs because I love to hear my kit sing. The louder I play, the better they sound to me.
    I am lucky because I was blessed with abnormally narrow ear canals (thanks to many ear infections when I was an infant) so it doesn't bother me like most other peeps, but if you're worried about your hearing mate - do what's right by you everytime.
    Good post and interesting to think about.
    Your probably expecting this I'm sure. But your playing with fire that WILL bite you in the lower regional area sooner or later in life guaranteed. No matter how restricted your ear canals are. You should wear protection.
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  5. #5

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    Ear plugs only serve to re-enforce loud playing and may make you unemployable in musical genres that require more dynamics and sensitivity. If your own playing is going to cause physical damage to you, take up a different instrument!

    all the best...

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Drums sound better with earplugs

    Quote Originally Posted by spesman View Post
    I personally have to disagree with this I'm sorry mate.
    I am about to say something that is going to make everyone here go "what the hell did he just say?", but this is my opinion and everyone is different.
    Even though they protect your hearing (which I might add IS very important), drums and cymbals are meant to and should be played loud and heavy.
    IMO there is nothing better than to give a nice 18" crash a smack or to give a mighty thump on your floor toms, and just listen to it ring out. You can't do that with earplugs.
    I guess I'm old school, but I have never played with plugs because I love to hear my kit sing. The louder I play, the better they sound to me.
    I am lucky because I was blessed with abnormally narrow ear canals (thanks to many ear infections when I was an infant) so it doesn't bother me like most other peeps, but if you're worried about your hearing mate - do what's right by you everytime.
    Good post and interesting to think about.
    i agree with this..... i think if your drums sound better with earplugs , you really need to check your tuning .
    Tamaholic

  7. #7

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    I played for 35 years without using any hearing protection. I'm not a hard hitter, I "play" my kit, I don't feel the need to use all the force I have when hitting a drum or cymbal. However over the past 3 years I've started wearing headphones when I play. I use over the ear headphones connected to the headphone jack in my mixer. I have a mic on each kick drum and two overheads to pick up the rest of the kit. This allows me to add some EQ to my kit and gives me control of how loud my kit is in my ears. It's like being in a studio.

  8. #8

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    I've noticed that my drums sound better with earplugs too, but then again, I'm really bad at tuning. But then again, my drums are pretty bad anyway.
    @kay-gee
    I disagree. I can still play with good sensitivity with and without earplugs ( not like I'm a great drummer or anything, far from it) and I wear earplugs or headphones to protect my hearing, which there is nothing wrong with.
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  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    I suspect that your ears simply like the more controlled sound. Definitely check your tuning, and make sure the head is in tune with itself, because the hardware on the Starion kit might allow for the tuning to change with time. You might also want to check out Remo Pinstripes, Evans EC2 heads, or the equivalent from other manufacturers.
    Thanks PB. I've been messing around with the tunings, but I'm still not very good at it. Next time I switch heads, I'll try different ones.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    Ear plugs only serve to re-enforce loud playing and may make you unemployable in musical genres that require more dynamics and sensitivity. If your own playing is going to cause physical damage to you, take up a different instrument!

    all the best...
    I don't know about that. Just because you have earplugs in doesn't mean you have to hit hard to be able to hear your drums. Nuances are certainly still there.

  11. #11

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    Playing with ear plugs acts as a kind of natural compression, eliminating a lot of the high end and overtones, leaving you with a stronger fundamental, so even a well tuned drum set will still sound good with ear plugs/mouse ears.

    Everyone's preference is different, but I try to choose drums and cymbals that don't have to get wailed on to open up. Music has a broad dynamic range and I want my instrument to sound good at everything from a whisper to a roar... but that's me. If you want to bash your gear 24/7, great. Knock yourself out.

    Drums played in an enclosed space for longer than 20-30 minutes often produce sufficient volume and pressure to damage your hearing, and remember kids... hearing damage is permanent. I love music and I want to be able to hear it when I'm old and gray, so I choose to protect my hearing when I practice, and 99% of the time when I perform.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by imnotverygood9 View Post
    I've noticed that my drums sound better with earplugs too, but then again, I'm really bad at tuning. But then again, my drums are pretty bad anyway.
    @kay-gee
    I disagree. I can still play with good sensitivity with and without earplugs ( not like I'm a great drummer or anything, far from it) and I wear earplugs or headphones to protect my hearing, which there is nothing wrong with.
    Sounds like we are in a similar situation.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by atomcorr2 View Post
    i agree with this..... i think if your drums sound better with earplugs , you really need to check your tuning .
    Yeah, I have been trying to get a better tuning, but I find it really difficult for some reason.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by MattDrums View Post
    Playing with ear plugs acts as a kind of natural compression, eliminating a lot of the high end and overtones, leaving you with a stronger fundamental, so even a well tuned drum set will still sound good with ear plugs/mouse ears.


    Drums played in an enclosed space for longer than 20-30 minutes often produce sufficient volume and pressure to damage your hearing, and remember kids... hearing damage is permanent. I love music and I want to be able to hear it when I'm old and gray, so I choose to protect my hearing when I practice, and 99% of the time when I perform.

    That makes a lot of sense and that's what I thought was going on. Would just a better tuning help to get that stronger fundamental without earplugs?

    I should have mentioned that I play in my basement along with 2 guitars, bass, and a vocalist that can wail. Playing without earplugs is not an option, at least for me.

  15. #15

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    yes drums certainly sound better to me with my earplugs. currently i use Mack's Hear plugs, which pulls down the frequencies moderately and in a balanced way, so your not just left with a an all bass boom. (essentially there a soft tiered insert with a plastic nub on the end with no discernible filter within). i know of some other companies who make this high fidelity type plug and i think them a godsend within higher volume settings, well tuned drums or not.

    personally i don't go in for all the machismo with regard to not using plugs, do whats comfortable for yourself. drums are damn loud, and cymbals even louder and i think rolling off some of the extreme highs is a fine, pleasing, and comfortable idea, which will lead to years and years of playing without any hearing complications, which i think is something we all care about.
    Last edited by onegourd; 02-19-2013 at 09:01 AM.
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  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by SparrowBeat View Post
    That makes a lot of sense and that's what I thought was going on. Would just a better tuning help to get that stronger fundamental without earplugs?
    Better tuning will make your drums sound better, earplugs or not and you should learn to tune your instrument regardless. The most popular way to achieve the same kind of compression without hearing protection is to muffle the drums, ala Moongel, tape, towels, foam etc. This is why muffling is so popular. Musical instruments produce overtones and you'll never dial them out entirely, but that's not a bad thing IMO.

    Quote Originally Posted by SparrowBeat View Post
    I should have mentioned that I play in my basement along with 2 guitars, bass, and a vocalist that can wail. Playing without earplugs is not an option, at least for me.
    Smart. Protect your hearing.

  17. #17

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    I've always preferred the sound of playing with earplugs in a band situation - but not when I'm playing/rehearsing by myself.

    Especially when I was in a situation where the venues stage had bad acoustics, or a general sound I didn't like. The earplugs leveled everything and made each venue's stage sound similar.
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  18. #18

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    i've tried and i hate the way they don't make the drums sound. Can't stand trying to talk with them in too. My hearing has been toast for a long time, not proud of the fact. Good for people that can do it.
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  19. #19

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    I like how my drums sound with ear plugs.

    I've worn ear plugs for every practice/gig and concert I've attended for about 15 years now.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by MattDrums View Post
    Better tuning will make your drums sound better, earplugs or not and you should learn to tune your instrument regardless. The most popular way to achieve the same kind of compression without hearing protection is to muffle the drums, ala Moongel, tape, towels, foam etc. This is why muffling is so popular. Musical instruments produce overtones and you'll never dial them out entirely, but that's not a bad thing IMO
    Thanks Matt. I'll try tuning them better and then see how I like them.

  21. #21

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    Well, I think that whoever thinks that when you "play" your kit and not "wail" on it, that you don't need protection because your playing "softly" and not expecting any damage to occur, your fooling yourself. Damage is occurring. But to each their own. There not my ears. Besides, there is a lot of music that I like to play that requires you to wail on it. And just because you wear ear protection doesn't mean that you lose the ability to play with dynamics and sensitivity while you "wail" away at it. That's just opinion, not fact. As well as the fact that some like the sound of their drums through ear plugs doesn't mean that their kit is not tuned correctly. It just means that they like the more muted with zero overtones sound instead of the opposite. To each their own. Neither method is wrong and shouldn't be implied at all ever.
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  22. #22

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    Opinion based on reasonable amount of experience in my case. I've worked with a few drummers of the ear plug persuasion who seem to be totally oblivious of how loud the drums are to everyone else.
    I don't know of violinists or pianists who play with ear plugs. It seems to re-inforce the stereotype that we aren't playing actual "musical instruments" and that we're just bashers and noise makers. If you're working in a saw mill or operating heavy equipment etc... then by all means ear protection is essential. If your art is noise to you, then you probably shouldn't do it. Just sayin.

    all the best...
    Last edited by kay-gee; 02-19-2013 at 10:09 PM.

  23. #23

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    I wear isolation headphones with my kit miked and listen to it that way. So, I hear what a sound engineer would hear. Before I had the mics and DAW, I also used the headphones to take the attack and harshness away from the kit. I also learned to push the ears forward just a bit to let some high end come through so I can hear my hi hats and ride. I enjoy the drums more when they are isolated, because I hear them as they should be.

  24. #24

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    I use hearing protection all the time. For some reason I find they sound better that way too.

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by wolvie56 View Post
    Well, I think that whoever thinks that when you "play" your kit and not "wail" on it, that you don't need protection because your playing "softly" and not expecting any damage to occur, your fooling yourself. Damage is occurring. But to each their own. There not my ears. Besides, there is a lot of music that I like to play that requires you to wail on it. And just because you wear ear protection doesn't mean that you lose the ability to play with dynamics and sensitivity while you "wail" away at it. That's just opinion, not fact. As well as the fact that some like the sound of their drums through ear plugs doesn't mean that their kit is not tuned correctly. It just means that they like the more muted with zero overtones sound instead of the opposite. To each their own. Neither method is wrong and shouldn't be implied at all ever.
    sorry i have to disagree, if one was to wail on it and not use ear protection, that is wrong, (if your concerned for your hearing), if not, sure go for it. though i guess you already addressed that in the beginning of your post. sorry i have to be more attentive, doh!
    Last edited by onegourd; 02-20-2013 at 03:09 AM.
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