Drum Screens[ 36 vote(s) ]
1.	You use one because the artist wants it	6 / 17%
2.	You use one because you want it	16 / 44%
3.	You don't use one at all	7 / 19%
4.	You want to use one but the artist says "hell no!"	7 / 19%

Just for my personal interest... obviously the kit will sound better without the fishbowl but then you also have the issue with the kit coming through other mics.

We use one for our worship services and we still have issues with the cymbals and hats still making it into vocal mics and don't bother trying to get anything other than cymbal wash out of the choir mics!. Recently we had a drum clinic and the dude made a comment of not liking said screens - he doesn't hit as hard as our guys.

We have had a visiting band (Parachute from NZ) ask for a higher screen - 1.8m (ours is 1.5m) - the 2 vox were on ears and didn't like the spill they could hear.

On the other hand, the Hillsong United guys prefer no screen (also on ears).

I prefer to have a screen to give me some control at FOH but a more musical approach to drumming (rather than the Muppet approach - "animal beat drums") would give on a better result. However, the screen will most probably always be my friend because you can't turn down a drum kit - unless you throw a brick in its general direction!

I have noticed that the Rogue Traders use little shields on their kit... I have also been to a church up the road that has a lid on their fishbowl - it sounds really bad!

What's your $0.02?

So I thought I would show you what our screen looks like...



it is not a fishbowl in the technical sense of the word except that you can see the drummer swimming aimlessly behind it...

in response to comments that this should be a question asked in the church sound forum, as a church sound guy, I am also interested in what the larger industry has to do with them. Most churches, if they have kits at all, will have a screen of some sort just to keep the oldies happy.

Quote:

You see the church with the drummer in the corner (brick wall behind him) and the screen in front. The screen isn't absorbing any sound, just sending some of the high freq's back to the bricks to echo back at you. Another issue is drummers (admittedly not all of them, and I'm NOT a drum-hater, I too carry a stick bag) feel like they can 'cut loose' because they've got a screen. Another misconception with the screens is what exactly they will accomplish. You're dreaming if you think you're going to absorb the sound of a 22" kick with a 1/4" plexi shield!

true... although we have a reasonably well deadened stage with curtains and cyc - brick walls are not an issue. But on the other hand, the drummer will hit just a bit harder because he thinks people can't hear the crash...

Quote:

Oh yeah, thats right, because drum screens are ONLY used in churches, never in any other situation, ever, especially live concerts, or anywhere else in the pro audio world, only churches.

but the interesting thing is I saw a Rod Stewart gig with a huge 6ft (or higher) screen closing the drummer in... I am absolutely sure that wasn't a church service?

In my limited (read church) experience (and maybe a pub gig or two) a drum screen allows one to cut the drum sound a little, thus giving you extra control and a better mix out front (which BTW is the total reason why you would have a band, i.e. to have a good sound and not just mush).

Does anyone out there tell guitarists to turn it down? Now that is another poll... U2 has a screen to keep the guitar out of the kit, or is it to keep the kit out of the guitar?

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[Updated on: Thu, 07 February 2008 03:21]

[Updated on: Thu, 07 February 2008 14:36]

Going back a few years the drummer for Garth Brooks was completly enclosed in a spaceship like booth for a tour or two.

Mike Caldwell

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