Dynamics
Deeaa, I too have resorted to using a lot of unsightly duct tape and foam, sticky on one side, window insulation on my drum heads.
I have found the current pin-stripe heads and the snare head and Aquarian muffled bass head, work really great to produce a nice warm thuddy tone, without the unsightly looking strips of duct tape, etc.
I have yet to try to record my drums but want to do so with my JamMan, along with some backing tracks; otherwise I'm going to resort to recording my Conga drums for an interesting beat.
I'm also considering a rivited ride cymbal to add some sizzle. I played a couple very nice Zildjans today that were rivited rides.
You might want to consider using a conga drum or a set in your recording. I have a pro set of three; 12", 11.75", and 9". These sound really good and a cymbal could be easily thrown in and played by hand. Hey, sometimes John Bonam would play his regular drum rig with just his hands during his solo's.
There's a way to quiet a drummer down, take his sticks away or have him play with brushes or mallets. LOL.
Unless you have enough influence in the band I don't think you are going to be able to get a slamming drummer or super loud, full stack guitar player to quiet down; as ego's sometimes run high in these type people, no insult intended. I like to play super loud sometimes myself, and was, in fact, playing my Schecter C-1 E/A and my Agile very loud this evening, with lots of overdrive. I don't usually hammer my drums excessively hard though, and never play slammingly head breaking.
After all, it oftentimes is Rock 'n Roll that we play and that has a certain inherent increasingly loud element to it that makes it fun and characteristically "gone too far". That's a big part of the fun, studio work, in some cases, aside.
Duffy Bolduc
South Williamsport, Pa.
"Now all the things that use to mean so much to me has got me old before my time." G. Allman, "Old Before My Time", Hittin' the Note.
Major changes to guitars and amps, to be updated soon.
Fiance - Supportive of musical art