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Building a Drum Room or Soundproofing an Existing One? Turn to Audimute for Tips, Products for a Soundproof Drum Room
Drummers dream about owning a soundproof
drum room—a little slice of
drum heaven where they can practice at full volume, alone or with the
band, without irritating the neighbors. Yet most drummers continue to
pound away in loud, bad-sounding basements and garages because they
don’t know the facts: They think that soundproofing is expensive. That
it requires construction. That soundproofing is hard. The great news for drummers like
you—and your neighbors—is that making a
sound proof drum room can be much easier and much cheaper than you
think.
A Totally Soundproof Drum Room? Not Always Needed |
A completely soundproof drum room lets
out no sound—period. Building a
drum room that is fully soundproof is a big, expensive job. It can be
done, and if you’re set on truly soundproofing a practice room (drums or
otherwise), Audimute has the products and expertise to get you there. But hold on...let’s consider what most drummers really need. In
most cases, a completely soundproof drum room is not necessary.
Simply
reducing the amount of sound that escapes from the practice space will
keep the neighbors happy and the police away.
Here’s a
little easy science to help tell
the story. The amount of
sound coming from a drum set or a band is measured in decibels (dB). A
drummer might generate 110–120dB when playing hard. If that drummer hits
a little bit softer—just 10dB less—anyone listening will hear him or
her playing half as loudly. Half.
It works the same
way with soundproofing. Because of the way our ears perceive sound, a
“sound proof drum room” may not need to be soundproof at all. It only
needs to reduce the volume by as little as 10dB to make the music
half as loud outside the room.
This
natural fact is your
best friend if you’re soundproofing a practice room. Drums can sound a
whole lot better inside and a whole lot quieter outside the practice
space with just a couple of simple steps.
Quieter, better practice without breaking the bank |
Step 1: Use Acoustic
Absorption Sheets. 
Cover the inside of the practice
space with as much sound absorption as possible. Audimute Sound Absorption Sheets can completely and affordably transform a
practice space.
- Sound Absorption Sheets absorb echoes,
reverberation, and noise reflection inside the room.
- The
practice space will sound cleaner and clearer inside. You can play at a
lower volume and still keep the intensity of your performance.
- Sound
Absorption Sheets reduce sound pressure levels in the room, thus
reducing the amount of sound that can escape.
- Audimute Sound
Absorption Sheets are a movable and flexible solution. You can always
add more sheets to a practice space, and more mass and more absorption
means less sound on the loose.
After you follow this step
in soundproofing a practice room, drums will be less of a problem for
those outside the space. |
Step 2: Find the leaks and seal them.
Sound
goes where air goes, and in a perfect soundproof drum room, air can’t
get in or out. This is great for making the room quiet on the outside.
It’s not so good for the musicians inside. Since complete air-tightness
isn’t practical or advisable, take the time to find the major air leaks
to the outside and seal them. You’ll want to do this whether you’re
building a drum room or optimizing an existing one.
- Use a
flashlight or feel for airflow in the seams and cracks of doors,
windows, and walls.
- Apply a good acoustic seal to the door sweep
and sealing areas. Audimute
Acoustic Door Sweeps and Acoustic
Door Seals close up these trouble areas, keeping sound in.
- Seal
seams and other obvious gaps with caulk or tape.
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Next Steps for a Sound Proof Drum Room |