If you are a drummer like my friend Nate in this picture, you know that there are pitfalls to your instrument. Every church lady cringes when she walks in the room. Some times, you have to get there earlier and stay later than the rest of the worship band, and a sheet music might even be put in front of you. However, the most insulting thing (besides playing electronic kits) is when you are put in a glass cage.
The audio guys want control of slapping snares on the back wall and the worship pastor wants to be sure he has a job the next week. You are in a bind. The glass kills your ears, since you get reverberation instantly to your ears—unless you can pay for in-ear monitors which have their own issues.
So, the questions is for all involved: Does your church use a drum shield for your kit? Elaborate, please.
I’m involved in worship for the youth ministry for my church. Bottom line: drum shields are lame. Really uncool. We haven’t caged the drums for years because our youth love the energy. We crank the volume and they love it. Honestly I believe that God designed our community to worship this way. But recently we had a incident where our pastors daughter brought a friend to church. Afterwards she saw the doctor and was told she had some hearing damage, and they pointed the finger at our youth worship and took legal action. Since then, we’ve toned our worship down A TON. It’s really lame, but it is actually teaching us to improve our sounds quality.
So my vote is no on drum thrones. But be submissive to authority and the unfortunate acoustics in your sanctuary
I caged my drummer in the second month after our church launched. We had no option from an acoustics point of view, but if that had not been the motivator, I’d probably enclose the drums anyway, purely for control over FOH and monitor mixes.
My drummer has sound isolating over-the-head headphones on a wireless monitor pack. Thus, it’s not too loud in there. The congregation appreciate it. The rest of the band appreciate it. The drummer doesn’t even mind being in there – he can hit as hard as he likes. Everyone’s happy.
By the way, it’s a full enclosure; transparent 6-panel front shield, black sound-absorbent rear panels and overhead panels.
We use a shield and we love it. Our drummers al use IEM’s so they don’t have to contend with their own volume. It has made a big difference in the overall volume from the stage and I very rarely get complaints anymore.
If I had the funds I woulld close them in even more. Presently the shield is 6 panels x4′ – I would add another foot to the height and use baffles inside.
Really, it’s a pretty cool thing to be caged up – just think of Animal of the muppets!!
No we don’t use them.
Yup we use them. Allows the sound to be properly mixed consistently. BTW … I play electric guitar and I’m always the last one out
Guitar players are always the last out because they like to hear themselves without the band. Kind of funny to me!
Death to drum shields.
Ha… Joe, I think you are not being very clear.
I’d love to be able to screen our drums – at the moment, we have to plead with the drummer to tone it down. I’d much prefer to be able to say ‘play as loud as you want (can!)’ knowing that it would sound better (drums sound better played louder, right?) and the volume would be more controllable for everyone else in the hall.
West says this over at my blog http://www.richkirkpatrick.com
“So, the Pope Mobile really is NOT a bad thing. It allows the drummer to play to the song and not try to “hold back” If it calls for fortissimo, than you can play loud…..since most churches run with avioms these days, you can hear what’s going on and not have to worry about your volume.
I say, give praise to the cage. Because you can unleash unholy things in a holy place…hahahaha!”
No.
I can confidently say that, acoustically, we have the worst room in town. It’s probably the loudest service in town.
But I guess it works out OK since we have the most rock oriented band around. I can’t remember the last time there was an acoustic guitar in the band.
i think the last time we had a Db meter in there we were at a consistent 110 Db
shield but working out options for no shield…our stage is pretty shallow due to our screen and rear projection. Our drummer sets up stage right and this puts him very close to the congregation. We are working on front projecting to gain more stage and in hope, we can make the shield go buh bye
not a fan of the shield look….we run in ear so stage volume isn’t an issue for the rest of the band…just house
This is an ongoing issue for us…I can see why we need them for some services where mixing louder isn’t an option, but I’m always going to go for the louder mix…
We use a screen. Im a drummer and I also design our sound, so it was my idea. We have a difficult room to working in and I needed the best vocal sound I could get ie no drum bleed.
It works for us but IEM’s or plugs are essential.
I do wonder if people realy know how to use screens properly.
Often you’ll see them without any acoustic dampening. How many people account for the redirected acoustic sound? It’s got to go somewhere!
I’m gonna have to say if your church can afford all the equipment: drum shield sound canceling headphone monitors, and the drum mics to maximize the sound I would do a drum shield. Our church cannot afford that, but our drummer holds down the volume and it balances out. I know drummers love to go nuts, but wouldn’t a good drummer be able to play well and control the volume? (I don’t really know cause I’m just a guitarist, who loves to hear himself without the band
)
Screens are a means to an end, not an end in themselves (hence my point about their misuse)
That said, I’ve played in very small venues at all kinds of volumes and yes you can hold the volume down if you’re good. The problems is that due to the wonderful laws of physics, unless a drum or a cymbal has a certain amount of energy put in to it, it’s impossible to get certain sounds out of it.
For a simple example, Hillsong music uses lots of riding crashes. It’s a very high energy sound and it results in a lot of volume.
All that said, yes, most drummers do love to go nuts every now and again…
Am I not right in stating that drummers and most musicians HATE electronic drums for worship??
“Hate” isn’t a strong enough word. Electronic kits destroy the mix in my opinion. When I arrived at my current Church they were using an electric kit. When I asked the reasoning behind it my Pastor (a talented musician) shared with me in a round about way that it was because a) they didn’t always use quality drummers and b) they didn’t always have quality sound techs. So the electric kit was a way to ensure the drums would never be heard.
While they sound great on the recording they sound horrible when combined with live instruments. Would Chef Ramsee mix a fake crab meat with hand made pasta? Don’t think so!
Drum Shield? We use one… I don’t really like it, but it appeases the masses. We do use a number of different drummers. Some of them know how to hold back and some don’t so the shield is a constant.
Here is a related post with some of my comments on getting a good mix with or without a shield. I’ve played in some very small venues with and without shields. I think it all has to do with the musicians and sound techs…
http://guitarforworship.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/turning-up/
I have been a drummer in worship services since the 70s and have played in several countries and many various churches, and have gotten much praise because I learned how to control my sound to meet the volume and style of the music.
This came about due several factors; (1) much practice, (2) right drums (some drums are designed to be loud and others more mellow), (3) heads, heads , HEADS!!!! (the right ones), (4) correct tuning and muffling, and (5) NOT THE LEAST…. Being a worshipper, not just a performer!!!!
There have been those who complained about the sound level but many, many more who have been surprised at how drums, when tuned and dampened correctly, and played with sensitivity (to the Holy Spirit) can add great effect and, actually LEAD into more passionate worship.
I HATE DRUM SHIELDS!
I am more interested in WORSHIPING my Lord than in making a great performance so that man, even a worship leader, won’t be embarrased.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in giving God sloppy music, but when music quality requires a drummer to NOT be a “participating” worshipper, then the value and focus (the worship) isn’t towards God anymore, it’s toward looking or sounding good to MAN.
When I was in charge of worship, I would rather have a less-than-perfect sound and more heart-felt worship from the worship team any day!
Biblically, a worship team is supposed to lead into worship, not just perform!.
In other words, they are to be MINISTERS, “A holy example to others as spiritual leaders calling others to follow them into the presence of the Lord” or… maybe their just supposed to be musicians and singers…. hirlings… what do you think?
The Lord shows up when it’s genuine, not when a beautiful substitute is given!
If a worship leader or pastor is really after genuine, heart-felt worship, maybe they should seek God as to whether a Drum/Sound Shield draws people (including the drummer) closer to God or something less.