One of the greatest challenges for drummers working in smaller rooms and on quieter gigs is figuring out how to keep the volume under control while still delivering a powerful, intense performance. The cymbals are often the most difficult pieces of the kit to contain. Part of the burden falls on us; we need to develop a nimble and sensitive touch that can quickly switch from full strokes on the drums to light flicks on the cymbals. But the instruments themselves carry part of the blame.