Sound Shields...

[Krabsworth]

I'm not a drummer, but I was wondering what the deal with these were? I know they block sound, etc., but shouldn't drummers, being percussionists, have a very tight grasp on their dynamics? These sound shields seem to just persuade drummers to play as loud as they can, so when they are not behind a sound shield, they just can't help but to be really loud, which will get on guitar/bass/keyboard players nerves, since they don't always want to push their amps. So are these useful drum accessories or something that dissuades a player from the technique of dynamics?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=perc/search/detail/base_pid/404501/

[Jersey's Best Dancer]

That's just for if you live in a place where u can b heard easily and is a problem to others. Its not promoting loudness or harder playing.

[dontblink182]

"The whole purpose of a drum shield is to help isolate the drums & the drum mics, and to also help so that the vocal mics don't pick up the drums."

Taken from the first review in the link.

[Krabsworth]

That's just for if you live in a place where u can b heard easily and is a problem to others. Its not promoting loudness or harder playing.

I doubt it would do that much of have much of an effect on blocking noise for people a floor down or up..

[Krabsworth]

"The whole purpose of a drum shield is to help isolate the drums & the drum mics, and to also help so that the vocal mics don't pick up the drums."

Taken from the first review in the link.

But drummers should still be able to control how loud they play with out shields.

[billdrum]

It doesn't matter how you play. In certain stage setups, you could be playing with brushes and the mics on stage could pick you up. Sound engineers like to have complete control when possible over the sound, and the shield is meant to keep the drum sounds from bleeding into the stage mics, and vice-versa, no matter what kind of dynamics you play with. Besides, if you're touring with a hard rock band, are you supposed to hold back if you don't have a shield?

[Krabsworth]

It doesn't matter how you play. In certain stage setups, you could be playing with brushes and the mics on stage could pick you up. Sound engineers like to have complete control when possible over the sound, and the shield is meant to keep the drum sounds from bleeding into the stage mics, and vice-versa, no matter what kind of dynamics you play with. Besides, if you're touring with a hard rock band, are you supposed to hold back if you don't have a shield?


Well, I'm talking studio terms.

[billdrum]

I believe they are mostly used live. A good studio will usually already have isolated, acoustically controlled rooms for drum recording.

[The Fiction We Live]

I've maybe seen one used twice at most. I don't think they're a big enough deal to be making a fuss about them.

[RedDot]

Ohhhh... But in my 'Jazz band' class (Which for some unknown reason they play punk...) they put a shield in front of him because he plays stupidly loud.

I think it's mostly because he sucks so bad.

[rockindrummer]

They are used for recording live floor takes. This helps as the drum mics won't pick up guitar and vise versa.

[Chippy569]

we use those in my church to isolate mics and cut down on the forward direction of the drum sound.

[poppinfresh]

Well, I'm talking studio terms.
it does help with beleeding by causing the sound to keep out of hte direct path of the mic.

Ive seen things like this used in the studio for live recordings but not with the drums. The bass amp and guitar amp had baffles and the bass amp was on a raised platform. Its either one or the other.

And in my experiences, it has seemed to me like the guitar players and the bass players are always looking for an excuse to turn up their amps.

And the sound shield has nothing to do with a tight grasp on dynamics.