Making a set completely (or as close as possible) silent.

[Mr. Grill]

Hey guys, I've come to a bit of a problem. I've got a landlord living below me, and parents that don't exactly like noise, so I've got to make my kit quieter. I can't buy a e-kit, not enough money for that.

So heres the question: Mesh heads or pads? What are the pro's and con's for each? I play shows with my band a couple of times a month (soon to be more), so I'd like to take that into account too. Thanks!

Maybe I should add: Cost effective and convenient.

[Carn]

mesh heads and triggers; pads are still noisy.

[rohbit]

Aren't triggers quite expensive?

[Carn]

nah.

[Mr. Grill]

How loud exactly are the pads?

[MeaninglessPhoto]

Pads are still hearable, while mesh heads arent. I forgot the loudness of pads, but mesh is the best way to go.

[Motleyguy]

Pads aren't all that loud, and fairly in expensive. If you don't wanna have to change the heads before every show, go with pads, they quietit down a fairbit, the drums are relatively inaudible, it's really on the cymbals that you can still hear. The pads for the cymbals completely kill the sustain, and make it a bit quieter.

[Mista Bob]

For the ultimate in quiet

I'd recomend a setup like this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/mistabob/01ie2.jpg

[Sthrudel]

Pads suck, the rebound is just awful. I used them for quite a while and I needed some time to adjust back to normal set playing.

Yes I know you can still practice independence but agh...

[Talos]

I have pads, theyre good in some ways crap in others.

BAD
They make the snare sound horrible
Need to buy cymbal pads then otherwise its pointless
I didnt get a bass for some reason?
Rebound is not too great
When playing with a bass pad it completely deadens it because you get a piece of foam about 10 inches thick.

GOOD
Toms sound decent
More convenient than mesh heads, you can take em on n off whenever
Good for practicing on, kinda like pad work.
The cymbal pads really work, you can still hear the cymbal a tiny bit but no decay
Hihat pads are great, you get a 14" or 13" pad with a hole in the middle to go in between the hats for foot clicks and a fraction of 14/13" to go on top of the top hat.


However theres a solution to the mesh heads, make them the resos so then you can turn them the other for the mesh and turn again for real.

[pitchfork]

I use pads when my parents are about and I ****ing hate them, they make the volume talking volume sorta, but it makes everything incredibly dead.

I would go with mesh heads if you aren't gonna be playing proper volume much, you get the feel bu not the sound.

[Mr. Grill]

However theres a solution to the mesh heads, make them the resos so then you can turn them the other for the mesh and turn again for real.

I'm probably going to do this. Thanks guys.