Whenever bands have part of their sound emanating off the stage acoustically (usually the drums), and part of their sound directed through the primary PA system (typically electronic instruments and vocals), problems inevitably arise. Drummers have to play sufficiently loudly to keep pace with the PA system, which is inaudible to them. This results in an overpowering volume on stage that is too much for the venue. To reduce the noise of the drums, plexiglass drum shields are often employed as a cost effective solution. The plexiglass deflects most sound, stopping the noise from reaching the audience.
The troubles however, are that some drum shields look like onstage fish tanks, and they get hot. For this reason, most bands (especially drummers) prefer not to use them. Undoubtedly, shields can also detract from the intimacy of the concert for band and audience members alike. Worse still, a drum shield can make the entire drum kit, particularly the cymbals, sound delayed -- because the noise from the kit bounces off the glass, before being picked up by the microphones.
Thankfully, there are alternative solutions to the problem of percussion volume. Firstly, try using lighter and smaller drumsticks, and thinner cymbals. These small things can make a massive impact on the overall sound of the drums, and they are not costly to implement at all. This allows drummers to minimize the overwhelming noise produced by a lot of crash ride cymbals, which affects many bands that perform live gigs.
Possibly the best advice however, is to place a short section of perspex glass to the side of the drum kit nearest to the audience. This is will reduce the snare volume slightly, which makes a big difference. The perspex alters the acoustic volume just enough, so that the audience only hears the drummer through the sound system. The small drum kits offered by Parish Drum Designs are a great alternative to using shields. They produce an excellent, earthy percussion sound for live performances.
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