It’s very common to see a drummer sitting behind a tall glass structure (often made of plexiglass or acrylic) at gigs. What are those giant glass structures and why do drummers play behind them?
Those glass structures are called drum shields or drum screens and are incredibly popular, especially in churches.
But why purpose do they serve? Surely the drummer must feel a bit isolated from the rest of the band? And from a logistical point of view, carrying such large glasses around must be a real headache?
Let’s explore the world of drum shields and find out those answers!
Table of Contents
Drum Shields
Drum screens are typically referred to as drum shields. They’re large pieces of glass (usually made of plexiglass or acrylic) that are often supported by sound-isolating material.
The main reason why some drummers sit behind glass is to stop the drums from being picked up by other mics on a stage.
They also act as a sound dampener, helping the drums not to overpower other instruments. You know how loud big acoustic kits can get. Especially ones with large bass drums and ones with a double bass setup.
You can’t ask a high-flying hard rock or metal drummer who’s full of energy to keep it in check. But you can prevent drums from being a problem to the rest of the soundscape by adding a drum shield. It’s an easy way for serious bands.
When Drum Shields are Used
They’re mostly used when there is an intricate sound setup on a stage. If there are several microphones being used to run all the instruments through the system, the drum shield will cut off the bleed from the drums.
If there aren’t many microphones on stage, or there is plenty of space between all the instruments, the drum shield typically won’t be needed.
Many churches use drum shields because they make the drums a bit softer. Every church has that one person who complains that it’s too loud. The drum shield is there to fight that.
I’ve personally seen drum shields for the first time when I was a teenager. I went to a live show of a local pop band. I’d previously seen the drummer performing without one, but given how energetic he used to be while playing, I got why they decided to get a shield in front of him.
I didn’t actually know about drum shields at that point, so I just guessed their functionality. Upon returning home from that show, I did some quick research and found my guess to be accurate.
Pros and Cons
I’ve already mentioned the pros of the drum shield. They help with mic bleed and they dampen the sound of the drums. They’re a fantastic piece of equipment. However, they have a few downsides.
Depending on how big the drum shield is, it often gets really hot inside those things. You’ll have to put a fan in there, otherwise, you’ll sweat profusely through the whole gig.
You already know that drumming is by far the highest calorie-burning musical activity one can engage in. If there’s an artificial cause for a lack of airflow on top of that, things can get messy very easily and it can even take a toll on your health in extreme cases.
Drum shields also make drummers feel quite disconnected from the rest of the band. Even though you can see them through the glass panels, it’s difficult to communicate with them clearly. The drummer inside a shield and other musicians remain on the same page primarily with the help of IEMs.
Price
The biggest downside of drum shields is their price. Most shields, like this acrylic shield from ClearSonic, cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.
I know a lot of drummers who would rather buy a new drum kit with that money. However, they’re invaluable when it comes to getting a good stage mix, so potential buyers just need to bite the bullet.
Like I said, drum shields are mostly used by big-hitting serious bands (both in terms of their conduct and the amount they rake in). For a band earning tens of thousands of dollars per show or more, getting a drum shield doesn’t need any second thoughts.
In Summary
The next time you see a drummer behind a drum shield, pay attention to how the good the drums sound coming through the speaker system. The shield allows the sound engineer to work freely with the mix, giving a better sounding band as the end result.
Great explanation. Thank you for clearing that up.