Drum Riser Ideas?
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Drum Riser Ideas?
I need to build a 10' x 7' drum riser in our studio. What ideas do y'all have for height, and what kind of construction methods have people employeed? Thanks!
Larry Crane, Editor/Founder Tape Op Magazine
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www.larry-crane.com
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www.larry-crane.com
my first inclination is to make it 18" tall (high enough to get the outside kick head away from the floor but still low enough that you can easily step up onto it) and leave the sides open so it doesn't become a resonator.
also find some way to decouple it from the floor.
gah, sorry i can't come up with more, my brain barely keeping my skull from caving in right now.
also find some way to decouple it from the floor.
gah, sorry i can't come up with more, my brain barely keeping my skull from caving in right now.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca
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Auralex makes some stuff called PlatFoam for this purpose.RefD wrote:...also find some way to decouple it from the floor....
This thread suggests using tires underneath the riser as a means of decoupling.
I have no idea how either method works, my drum riser consists of a carpet.
redear wrote:Why not build it like it was a "floated floor" with a little insulation? Doesnt even need to be 18 inches.
agreed, i was recommending the height as a way to get the kit away from the floor and minimise reflections that could introduce weird phase crap...
but, to do the same thing, all you really need are some area rugs!
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca
Larry, I built a drum riser for my place using several layers of Owens Corning 705 rigid fiberglass and high density MDF (plus carpet and pad).
When I built my riser a couple years ago, I considered those PlatFoam things - but figured there had to be a DIY way to go. Folks at the John Sayer site helped me realize a design; you can find the thread documenting my progress here .
Anyway, I've attached a picture below. Since I track in a one room environment, I was very concerned with stopping resonances and minimizing bleed. I feel it's helped a great deal with that.
Feel free to ask any questions if this is what you're after.
Best,
Adam Druckman
drawingroom.org
When I built my riser a couple years ago, I considered those PlatFoam things - but figured there had to be a DIY way to go. Folks at the John Sayer site helped me realize a design; you can find the thread documenting my progress here .
Anyway, I've attached a picture below. Since I track in a one room environment, I was very concerned with stopping resonances and minimizing bleed. I feel it's helped a great deal with that.
Feel free to ask any questions if this is what you're after.
Best,
Adam Druckman
drawingroom.org
Latest single from Druckman Bros. here
OK. There are some things you need to decide.
First, do you want the riser to alter the tone of the drums? Some drum risers resonate audibly, the question then becomes does it resonate in a way the helps your drum sounds. This will mean one building methodology (probably the insulation filled framing with MDF/Plywood on top), you will have to figure out resonance frequencies.
If not, then you want the riser to be dead. Probably going sand-filled, with a few layers of plywood or MDF on top is the way to go.
Or you can go somewhere in between.
First, do you want the riser to alter the tone of the drums? Some drum risers resonate audibly, the question then becomes does it resonate in a way the helps your drum sounds. This will mean one building methodology (probably the insulation filled framing with MDF/Plywood on top), you will have to figure out resonance frequencies.
If not, then you want the riser to be dead. Probably going sand-filled, with a few layers of plywood or MDF on top is the way to go.
Or you can go somewhere in between.
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It helps the sound of the drums, if they are truly decoupled from the floor/walls. It's a purer drum tone, less colored by outside resonance sources. Plus, the height seems to help, the reflections coming up from the floor seem to sound different on a good drum riser.
The problem is, a lot of people build drum risers that have a resonance frequency well within the audio spectrum, usually somewhere under a couple hundred Hz. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on whether or not you like the sound of the resonance.
The key to build a solid drum riser is to get the resonance frequency below 20Hz, which is very difficult to do with wood framing. Filling the frames with sand is about the closest you can get.
The problem is, a lot of people build drum risers that have a resonance frequency well within the audio spectrum, usually somewhere under a couple hundred Hz. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on whether or not you like the sound of the resonance.
The key to build a solid drum riser is to get the resonance frequency below 20Hz, which is very difficult to do with wood framing. Filling the frames with sand is about the closest you can get.
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