How on Earth do you tame a loud drummer???

MatthewShreddery

So the drummer in my band is amazing. He's got great groove, time etc, and sings at the same time.
The trouble is he hits them too bloody hard. I see people in pain in the audience. 
Whenever me or the other band members bring it up he gets offended and upset and sulks.

Help!!!!!!

Roland

Ask him. He’s your local expert, and the one who has to work with any solution. Suggest that the only solution you’ve seen is acrylic screens, and you’re not happy with that.

richh

Make him wear a hearing aid, set to maximum sensitivity?

Possibly different sticks, or an electronic kit?

Gizmo

Tell him you've had complains from the venue staff then buy him one of these

 

sweepy

Tbh, ff he can’t control his volume, he’s not a very good drummer, some venues aren’t big enough for screens so maybe have a grown up conversation with him and say that you have had noise complaints from venues that he particularly likes playing at

meltedbuzzbox

Dont you set your levels before you play so nothing dominates?

Snags

If you find out, let me know.  I sometimes play with a really good friend, who knows he plays loud and gets carried away, but despite best intentions usually fails to restrain his natural exuberance. I did get him to tone it down once, but I think it was one of those miracle days when everything just aligned

In his defence, he doesn't sulk; he's just totally unrepentant

Octafish

MatthewShreddery said:

So the drummer in my band is amazing. He's got great groove, time etc, and sings at the same time.
The trouble is he hits them too bloody hard. I see people in pain in the audience. 
Whenever me or the other band members bring it up he gets offended and upset and sulks.

Help!!!!!!

He might have great groove, timing etc, but his apparent lack of dynamic control marks him down heavily and suggest he isn't quite that amazing. Not sure what to suggest, but there's a significant area of his technique lacking.

Longtallronnie

Almost every drummer I’ve played with has trotted out the same line, “there’s no volume control on a drum kit.” There is, it’s the fucking drummer! 

p90fool

Fire him, find someone less childish and /or egotistical. 

VimFuego

take his crayons and colouring in books away from him until he learns to play quieter. 

CarpeDiem

As @richh says, ask him to try different (lighter) drum sticks.

vasselmeyer

Unless he really can't play more quietly (unlikely, it sounds like he just likes hitting hard) then flats and different cymbals can make a huge difference in volume.

starwarsnosebleed

Tell him, however hard he hits his drums, is how hard you’ll punch him in the bollocks after the gig.

ESBlonde

How balanced is the sound. Chances are the share and cymbals dominate. Ask him to play the kit together and balanced. The  it's his problem. Record the results of his efforts.

longi

Tell him to buy an electronic drum kit!

Reverend

What sort of gigs do you play? Loud drummers have never ever been a problem for me. 

John_P

You won’t take him.     Some drummers struggle to play quietly and I would include some of the best drummers I know in that.    I left a band earlier this year for that reason - amazing player and a mate but he is only suited to decebt stages and venues designed for a loud band not pubs.  He was a bit of an exception, other drummers I know are too loud imo but just manageable at pub gigs if you can balance the sound - less in the pa and careful eq to give spread not volume. 
I would either live with it and accept some gigs are too small for that lineup or experiment with a screen.    

camf

Taser?

slacker

Years ago I played with an insanely loud drummer. He started going deaf and played louder. Don't play with him anymore.

Conversely i was in a jam band with a drummer who just couldn't play loud. We micd up the whole kit for rehearsal. Sheer joy.

So what I'm saying is get another drummer.

merlin

Drummer kicks off at 1.07....