In this article, we will talk about Drum Shields- what they are, the different kinds of drum shields, purposes, and pros and cons. Continue reading.
What Are Drum Shields?
When performing live as part of a band, a drum shield is a kind of screen placed around the drum kit to help limit the loudness of the drums heard by other players and the audience.
Drum shields improve the quality of onstage sounds by making them clearer and easier to control. They’re also fantastic for recording music.
What Are The Different Types of Drum Shields?
Drum shields are available in three different styles. They are as follows:
Full Front
Partial Front
Full Coverage
What Is The Importance Of Drum Shields?
- Drum shields are commonly utilized in churches, theaters, concert halls, and other smaller settings for a purpose.
Drum shields provide some noise reduction and volume reduction. Drum shields provide a valuable and effective sound mixing solution for stage concerts and recording.
Their advantages include strong noise isolation, lowered levels, and the ability to provide volume reduction, and booming, reverb echoes.
- Drummers Can Get Great Isolation.
Drum shields are available in various sizes and combinations, with high-quality acrylic screens that are clear while also deflecting drum sounds away from your audience, making them perfect for live show circumstances that require ultimate control over the sound environment.
A drum shield shields your band and crowd from flying drum sticks. And, certainly, if you’re not careful, this may happen pretty frequently. The shield also protects the drummer from flying objects in the event of audience disturbance or rowdiness.
- A drum shield’s transparent shape allows the drummer to keep an eye on their band and the audience during the performance.
- For reverb effects, this is ideal for churches.
Drum shields provide efficient acoustic isolation between instruments on stage or in the studio, making them suitable for use in tiny venues like worship homes, small venue event spaces, recording studios, or even bands who need their drum mix to blend nicely with low volume sounds like jazz and others.
It works well with pianos, organs, keyboards, and other instruments used in church worship.
- Controlling the volume
The primary function of a drum shield is to manage volume and create clean live sound mixes. When drum sounds aren’t reduced, they might drown out other vocalists and instruments. In addition, they cause the sound return to be disrupted. Therefore, sound engineers regulate the drum sound and separate it from mics, other instruments, and stage speakers using a drum shield.
- Easily transportable. Drum shields aren’t particularly large. So you can bring them along with you on a trip or a tour. They fold up quickly and may be carried in a bag.
ClearSonic now offers a carrying case that can safely carry and store up to seven acrylic panels in one go. When you’re traveling or on tour with your band, the handy carrying case has a zipped opening and stitched the padded lining to guard the panels!
Pros
- Drum noises are frequently the strongest of all musical instruments, keeping the stage volume low. You can adjust the drum sound with a drum shield. Then turn down the volume on the stage as a whole.
- Cleaner live mixes — In addition to the decreased on-stage volume, the live sound mixing is cleaner. Drum shields protect your sound from distortion.
- Singers who use in-ear monitors are happier – Overly loud drums might also cause issues for the singers. They could become preoccupied and lose focus of the beats of the song. As a result, singers with or without in-ear mics feel more relaxed when drum shields are used. They find their vocals in harmony with the rest of the members because they can hear their voices clearly.
Cons
- Inside the enclosure, there is a lot of noise, which is bad for the drummer. They’ll be the ones to take the brunt of the drum beats. If you don’t wear ear protection while performing inside the shield, you’ll get a severe headache. You run the chance of getting a migraine. Use earmuffs or in-ear monitors if you utilize a drum shield.
- Lighting can be tricky. Drummers inside the drum shield face challenging lighting circumstances. When employing a covered shield, illumination from the top down is nearly impossible.
- Travel and setup time. When it comes to assembling and loading drum shields for transport, they’re a headache. A drum shield can take 45 minutes to several hours to assemble. If you’re in a touring band and think you’ll be bringing one of these along, don’t. The amount of prep time you’ll add will be a nightmare, and you’ll almost certainly need the assistance of two or three men.
Buying Guide For Drum Shields
When purchasing a drum shield, there are a few things to consider.
- Size
Size is quite essential for finding the ideal drum shield for your kit. Drum shields should be the right size for your drum set. Before you go out and buy one, you should take the time to measure the space. It should provide the drummer enough room to maneuver around while performing.
In addition, the drum shield should provide adequate space for the drummer to navigate comfortably while performing. Otherwise, they would feel confined, negatively impacting their work and skill.
- Material
Determine the material utilized in designing a drum shield before acquiring one. It’s all about the quality! The material used to make the drum shield impacts its performance and durability.
Since they are weak and delicate, plastic and rubber are terrible materials. Acrylics have the best appearance and are durable and effective at reducing noise. However, if you come across a product made of a different substance, you should check before purchasing.
- Absorption of Sound
The drum shield’s acoustic absorption power should also be considered. Shields composed of sound-deadening materials should be used. This feature contributes significantly to the reduction of vibrations and reflected sounds.
- Durability
When it comes to drum shields, pick quality over quantity based on the durability of the design. Since drum shields can cost anywhere from $200 to over $1,000, you’ll want to be sure you get one that you’ll use for a long time.
- Budget
Before anything else, consider your budget. Consult with your church leaders and other stakeholders regarding your band’s requirements. The finest tool is one that meets your requirements without breaking the wallet.
Drum shields are available in a variety of price ranges. However, if you require a shield, cymbal shields are a better option and are less expensive.
Conclusion
Drum shields are an excellent method to minimize overall stage volume and improve live mix quality at your events. Some are inexpensive, while others are quite costly.
There are two things you should know in getting the most out of a drum shield:
- First, you should understand your requirements.
- You should know where you will play it.
You’ll be more likely to find the right piece you need for your case if you have this information.