Drum platform

[liveintheglory]

Hi,

This is my first post here. I want to get some opinions regarding the following scenario:

I live in an apartment on the second (top) floor of a private house. I have a drumset and play/practice in a room with hardwood floors. I play mostly straight-ahead jazz and I'm not a real heavy hitter, but I was wondering if I could build some kind of platform to help stop some of the vibration etc to the apartment downstairs. So far I haven't had any complaints as due to my schedule I only play at home around 1-2 hours a week.

Anyway, here's my idea - please comment, give opinions, suggestions, etc, but please also go easy!! I'm new to this stuff.

Build 2 platforms (for sake of being able to move them if and when necessary) - I haven't figured out what dimensions as I'm interested if this idea will fly - made of an mdf top and bottom (basically a closed box, i guess about 3-4 inches deep). Fill the inside of the riser with 2" mineral wool. Float the whole thing on platfoam type stuff (is there any cheaper alternative out there?).

Again, I'm looking to isolate my drums from the floor to help in cutting down the transmission through the floor. I'm also going to treat a section of the wall infont of my set with 703.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Myriad_Rocker]

That should work fairly well for isolating SOME sound. You might want to hang some broadbands around the kit as well...

[liveintheglory]

Thanks Myriad.

Pardon my ignorance, but what are broadbands?

Thanks in advance

[notbradsohner]

Broadband absorbers. Usually something like Owens Corning 703 or mineral wool in a frame, wrapped in fabric.

[c7sus]

You might look into placing your platform on some Aurelex U-Boats or something similar. De-coupling the platform from direct contact with the floor as much as possible should go a long way toward reducing vibration.

Plus, in spite of the insulation in the platform, you really need to think about it being a big speaker. Mass and air is what stops sound transmission. It's possible that done incoreectly the platform could make things seem louder or vibrate more.

[Myriad_Rocker]

Originally Posted by c7sus

You might look into placing your platform on some Aurelex U-Boats or something similar. De-coupling the platform from direct contact with the floor as much as possible should go a long way toward reducing vibration.

Plus, in spite of the insulation in the platform, you really need to think about it being a big speaker. Mass and air is what stops sound transmission. It's possible that done incoreectly the platform could make things seem louder or vibrate more.

Good points here. I assumed he was going to use some sort of rubber things like the Auralex U-Boats already. I guess I should stop making assumptions...it just gets me in trouble.

c7sus makes excellent points here.

[Obi-Wan zenabI]

I'm sure you know, but auralex sells a "hoverdeck"

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HoverDeck64/

I think its intent is more to clean up the sound coming from the drums, by freeing them from resonance with the floor. I'm sure it helps at least a little with transmitting sound to downstairs.

[liveintheglory]

Thanks everyone for your informative posts. I saw the U boats on Auralex's website, but I thought the platfoam would give more isolation - my bad. Plus the U boats are a lot cheaper!

Obi Wan - thanks for the suggestion - I thought from memory Auralex had a product like that but I didn't look hard enough to find it - it's also a little out of my price range.

If it is OK with everyone I'll try to do a google sketchup of it with your suggestions and present that for comment in the next couple of days.

I really appreciate your suggestions and help.