Storage..

[ez_willis]

My studio is so small, I have to record drum tracks for 3 or 4 songs, then tear them down and move them out to record the rest of the parts. They'll be put away for about a month.

Anything I should do before breaking them down, i.e. loosen the heads, etc??

 

[jaykeMURD]

I'd loosen the heads at the least. Probably cover them up with sheets to keep the dust off them.

Will they be stored in a heated room? Garage?

Try to keep drums away from drastic temperature change. It's just wood after all. Think about your guitar, how much it can go out of tune from a simple climate change.....

 

[ez_willis]

I'd loosen the heads at the least. Probably cover them up with sheets to keep the dust off them.

Will they be stored in a heated room? Garage?

Try to keep drums away from drastic temperature change. It's just wood after all. Think about your guitar, how much it can go out of tune from a simple climate change.....

Actually, I'll just be tearing them down and stacking them in the corner of my studio. It's heated/cooled with the rest of the house, but I live in Southern California so there isn't a drastic temperature change in either direction.

Loosen the heads, you say? I just got them tuned up real nice.

 

[travelin travis]

Actually, I'll just be tearing them down and stacking them in the corner of my studio. It's heated/cooled with the rest of the house, but I live in Southern California so there isn't a drastic temperature change in either direction.

Loosen the heads, you say? I just got them tuned up real nice.

If they're going to be sitting to the side for a month chances are they'll have to be retuned any way.

 

[mikeh]

I agree to loosen the heads a little if they will be dorment for a while. As indicated, they will require some retuning regardless.

While I know you see it in drum shops all the time - I am not a fan of stacking drums. Placing weight on a head for an extended period of time is not good for the head or the lugs.

I have cases for all my drum kits (since I gig) - but in the absence of cases I would suggest the following - something I did before I had cases for all my kits:

I spent the time to cut some sheets of thin plywood to act as a layer between each drum (mainly to eliminate the pressure on the heads). I actually took the time to "notch" the plywood so it would sit on the rim of the bottom drum - but not put presssure on the lugs. For the bass drum, I had some 2"x4" boards and then laid the plywood on the boards (again, notched to protect the lugs). This kept the drum off the floor and prevented the full weight of the stacked kit from sitting on the lugs.

Anal? Maybe - but I try to take good care of my gear (it costs waaaaay too much risk damage if I can avoid it).

 

[ez_willis]

I spent the time to cut some sheets of thin plywood to act as a layer between each drum (mainly to eliminate the pressure on the heads).

I did that. I like the notching idea though. Thanks!

 

[PYRRHO]

Why loosen the heads...makes absolutely no sense.
Do you loosen your heads after every gig or rehearsal? Of course not...so why do it just because the drums are going to sit unplayed? Loose heads, by the way...are going to be more easily damaged than tensioned heads.

A month is nothing. Stack 'em in the corner with a layer of dense cardboard between each drum and throw a sheet over them...done.

 

[ez_willis]

Do you loosen your heads after every gig or rehearsal? .

I don't gig and I'm not in a band!

 

[JuliánFernández]

Why loosen the heads...makes absolutely no sense.
Do you loosen your heads after every gig or rehearsal? Of course not...so why do it just because the drums are going to sit unplayed? Loose heads, by the way...are going to be more easily damaged than tensioned heads.

A month is nothing. Stack 'em in the corner with a layer of dense cardboard between each drum and throw a sheet over them...done.

Absolutly right! Good rep to you, man!

 

[mikeh]

A drum head that is under tension is losing some of it's life (naturally being played is a bigger factor - but continuous tension is a factor). There can be a reasonable value is loosening the heads for an extened period of down time.

Loosening heads between gigs can be a problem, since most of us don't have the set-up/tear down time and less than ideal conditions to tune in a loud club (and you are very correct a loose head can be more subseptable to damage - in particular if the drums are being transported).

However, in a controlled environment (where you can be more careful with the head) and in particular in a studio situation, where you will likely be re-tuning the drums anyway - loose heads (during storage) can add a little more life to the head (assuming they are not being beat to crap when played).

That being said - I must have overlooked the 1 month period in the original post - I do agree that if the drums will only be sitting for a month, then perhaps the value of loosening the heads is more limited.

I agree heavy cardboard can also work as a layer between drums (more short term) but for longer term storage I still think plywood makes sense.

 

[ez_willis]

Still haven't taken them down.

I think I like playing drums more than any other instrument right now.

 

[L mandrake]

Still haven't taken them down.

I think I like playing drums more than any other instrument right now.

I agree. I'm a guitarist and I live in a 300sq ft cabin in the woods. A large part of that square footage is a permanently set up drum kit. I play them more than anything else these days. I also share that space with my 3 boys part time. Life just revolves around the drum kit. Leave em set up. Every guitarist needs to play more drums.

 

[ez_willis]

I agree. I'm a guitarist and I live in a 300sq ft cabin in the woods. A large part of that square footage is a permanently set up drum kit. I play them more than anything else these days. I also share that space with my 3 boys part time. Life just revolves around the drum kit. Leave em set up. Every guitarist needs to play more drums.

I record and mix everything in a 12' x 12' room. It's physically impossible to leave the kit set up and get everything else tracked, then mixed.