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Thread: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

  1. #1

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    Default Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    My wife Jackie and I are very involved in animal rescue, over the past fifteen years we have been in involved in the transport of over four hundred dogs to their new homes. We also have fostered dogs, and currently have three dogs that we've adopted.

    (So what does this have to with drums? I'll get to that.)

    In March of 2018 we fostered a soft coated Wheaten terrier named Darby. We had her for three weeks. I fell in love with this nut ball right away, my wife fell in love with her right before we transported her to her new home in Montreal. We became friends with Debbie, Darby's new mom. For a year Debbie called us every couple of weeks with a "Darby report". It was great to keep in touch.

    (Still nothing about drums, I'm getting there...)

    In January of 2019 I visited Gene, a drummer friend of mine who lives on Long Island. While I was there he let me try out his solution for quiet practice. (Drums, Woo-Hoo!) He was using Aquarian Super Pads on top of his kit, along with Zildjian low volume cymbals. The Super pads sit right on top of your snare and toms, the one for the bass drum clips to the bass drum hoop. They don't have that tennis racket feel of mesh heads and they are super fast to install or remove. They still have tone. You can still hear your snare, and the small tom and large tom sound different, unlike regular pads. Along with the Zildjian low volume cymbals they make super low volume practice easy. Honestly though, at the time I didn't have a need for them.

    (Back to dog talk.)

    In March of 2019, one year after we transported Darby to Canada, her mom got a diagnosis that made it hard for her to take care of Darby. Debbie is undergoing radiation and Kemo. Darby is a strong, young dog. Debbie knew that she would not be able to take care of her. We ended up driving up and getting Darby, we adopted her and she joined the other two dogs in our pack. We call Debbie every couple of weeks and give HER a Darby update.

    (Now I will try to tie this all together...)

    Darby has a quirk, she does not like noise. Drums in particular set her off. She barks and barks and barks.

    I remembered my friend Gene's noise solution, I ordered a set of Aquarian Super Pads and a Zildjian low volume cymbal setup from Sweet water today. I will let you know how it works out.

    Oh, and here is a photo of Darby on the right. Her brother Sweeney is on the left.

    Dad is eating a burger 02.JPG
    Last edited by drummer5359; 12-27-2019 at 12:28 AM.
    -Mike


    "We don't stop playing because we grow old.
    We grow old because we stop playing."

    "I wish that my playing reminded people of Steve Gadd. But they seem to confuse me with his little known cousin... E."

    "Snare drums happen."

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    I want you to know I appreciate you for all the animal rescue and help.
    Two of my pups are rescues.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    I, too, now have a rescue. Going on 3 years. None better.

    Thanks for all you do, Mike. I echo Zack!
    Signature here

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    Thanks guys. It is something that my wife and I both believe strongly in. Truth be told, it can also be fun. And without people like you who give the animals a forever home, we would not be able to do what we do.

    We originally got into this by adopting ourselves. (All three of our pooches are rescues.) We fostered a couple of times and volunteered for a few transports. After we retired, we got more involved. Initially we were just involved in rescue of one breed. (Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.) Thanks to Facebook, we've been asked to help with many other breeds. We've transported Beagles, Labs, Fox Terriers, Bulldogs, Shepherds, poodles, blood hounds, you name it. Last weekend I moved a Wheaten across the state of Pennsylvania. We usually are involved in moves within Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, but we've gone as far as Canada, Florida, and Illinois.
    -Mike


    "We don't stop playing because we grow old.
    We grow old because we stop playing."

    "I wish that my playing reminded people of Steve Gadd. But they seem to confuse me with his little known cousin... E."

    "Snare drums happen."

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    Since I still hold a full time job, I can't do a lot. But this might be something that I could take part in when my time gets freed up. Thanks for the idea, Mike!
    Signature here

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Aquarian Super Pads & Zildjian low volume cymbals, my quiet practice solution.

    The Aquarian Super Pads and Zildjian L80 low volume cymbals arrived. I unpacked them and set them up in a couple of minutes. The pads are tight on my Slingerland drums with "sticksaver" hoops, but they work. Darby doesn't mind the sound of the toms or the snare without the wires engaged. The moment I engaged the snare and started playing the whole kit with the cymbals and bass drum she exploded barking like she always does. And it is very quiet. I'm going to use my decibel meter to measure it, but it is way quieter than her barking a floor above.

    Sigh...
    -Mike


    "We don't stop playing because we grow old.
    We grow old because we stop playing."

    "I wish that my playing reminded people of Steve Gadd. But they seem to confuse me with his little known cousin... E."

    "Snare drums happen."

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