I've been a drummer since 8th grade but have always lived away from town, so annoying my neighbors wasn't too much of an issue. However, now I live in a studio in Monterey and my family is up in Sunnyvale, both places heavily populated with potential noise complainers.

My question is, what do drummers in the cities do to avoid annoying the people around you? Are there rental practice units that I'm unaware of? Unfortunately there isn't an extra room to soundproof in either location. All I can think of right now is a monthly storage unit with some temporary soundproofing.

Also: I hate electric drums, I hate the feel of the muting pads, I've contemplated mesh heads but there is still the issue of the cymbals.

 

Learn the guitar.

Trouble follows drummers no matter where you go man, sorry it's just the way it is.

 

i think you can get in on some shared industrial space for musicians - like a time share type of thing. look on cl or the musician boards. i see alot of people practicing under overpasses lol. they seem like legit drummers and not homeless people. you can tell cuz they have full kits and nice trucks they drive up in too.

play on the street in downtown. make a few cents.

 

practice at church

OR there are a few practice studios around the city that do hourly (or monthly, but VERY expensive) rates for rehearsal rooms. you can hit up CL to see if any bands are willing to do shared space in their rehearsal studios.

 

Guitar is for people that don't actually know how to play real music

The only reason I play the bass is so that if I want to play music at 11:00 at night I don't wake the neighbors. Percussionists > other musicians

I don't know why I didn't think to look for anything on craigslist! haha

churches and me don't mix too well

"what is that you're playing?"
"Voodoo, by Godsma....... nevermind"

 

Drum machines may have no soul - but at least they show up to practice on time

Yeah the best bet is find other bands who have practice rooms and time share them. I can give you some info if you are interested...

 

I'll remember to hit you up this summer when I'm up in SJ full time. In the mean time I'm going to search around down here in Monterey.

We don't show up on time because if we hit you with all that awesomeness at once, you'd die. We have to do it slowly.

 

is this a drummer thing? my drummer always says i'm telling him to turn down the awesome.

 

^lol great excuse. i'm going to be using this at work from now on.

 

Drummers are inherently awesome. I did an informative speech on why we're the most awesome musicians. When I was done some guy went "You just inspired me to change the topic of my speech." Apparently he was a bassist, and my point on why bassist were not as awesome as drummers was "Sting.... enough said."

 

what about your boy phil collins

 

exception that proves the rule (same with Lars Ulrich)

 

I think hes an awesome all around performer.

My list of drummers: Neil Peart, Joey from Slipknot, Lars, Phil Collins and then Tommy Lee.

 

John Bonham, Peart, Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle and MANY other bands), Taylor Hawkins (Dave Grohl sucks), Shannon Larkin (Godsmack, he's very talented, but I think Godsmack had a better sound back when they had Tommy Stewart who is now playing with Everclear....wtfm8?), and I can't forget Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater!

ok, thats gone a little off topic.

 

You're about 5 years too late - I used to play rhythm and a little bit of lead guitar...without practice and work/school eroding my mind I have succumbed to little more than a retarded monkey strumming strings.