Drum Practice Pads
Before you hit that massive drum set of your dreams, you got to learn how to hit it, and how to hit it in tempo. And that takes practice, and I mean on daily basis. So what do you do when you can't carry your whole drum set around? You turn to a practice pad.
Why do you need a practice pad?
First of all, to be mobile. You take it anywhere with you, and since it is very quiet, you can practice pretty much anywhere you want (although museums and churches make a bit of an odd choice).
But other than mobility there is a more essential reason, why all pro drummers integrate drum pad practice into their daily routine no matter what.
It is unforgiving. A drum pad will give you a very accurate representation of your speed and ability to keep up with tempo. Use it with a help of metronome, and you will be surprised how many mistakes you'll find in your playing, opposed to the time when you are on an actual drum set.
This is because drums are loud, and they will cover up for most mistakes you might make, but a quiet little practice pad will make it easy to hear the metronome loud enough to notice what speeds or rudiments you have the most trouble with.
Don't feel discouraged. The sooner you notice what parts are problematic for you, the sooner you'll be able to correct your technique and improve your speed, strokes and accuracy.
And that brings us to another issue. Strokes and rebound. What's there to practice? A hit is a hit, right? Well, not really. Different surface rebounds differently, or to explain it simply, it "bounces" the stick back to you in a different way.
An accurate strike of a drum head surface, with a proper rebound is what gives you ability to control the volume and feel of your sound, but before you can do that, you must learn how to control the rebound itself.
Most pads are designed to imitate the rebound level of a snare drum. It is the tightest head on your drum set, and also the one you'll hit the most. It's nature is to react immediately and it will bounce the stick back the moment you hit it. A decent, rubber practice pad will give you this experience, forcing you to very carefully measure the power of your strokes and the way you handle the comeback.
Down side is that once you try to apply this to your toms, you get a very different experience, as the heads are more loose and they absorb more impact, returning the stick to you with less power and speed, making it at times hard to stay in tempo.
But lo and behold, there are practice pads for that too. They're called workout pads, and they come with a soft surface that remind hitting a pillow. Here, there is hardly any real rebound, and you'll have to produce it your self. It gets hard and sweaty after a while, so the name is well deserved, but keep doing it and you'll find that your chops and overall control of power had improved massively.
What to practice?
Rudiments, rudiments, rudiments. And when you are tired of those… well, ok, you may practice patterns.
Rudiments are essential for your growth as a drummer, so don't avoid them. And doing that at a practice pad with a metronome running at different tempos, will give you a very clear picture of your progress. Keep a log of this, and you'll see how much can this little piece of rubber help you advance.
Where and when?
Do it while watching TV or in the back of a tram while riding home or whenever. It will keep your joints in good shape and familiarize you with the sticks of your choice.
Some pads are foldable, so you can just put them in your pocket and they'll go back to their shape once you take them out. So transportation is easy.
Now, practice pads are NOT substitute for drums. You must spend equal amount of time behind your drum set as you do with a practice pad. Do essentials and rudiments on practice pad, and get creative in front of a real thing.
And if you are more into jazz and brushes? Here's a good news - there are pads for that too.
So, with prices ranging from as little as $10 and up to max $60, there is no excuse not to get one of these. Get out and equip yourself, because it might be the most important purchase you've made as a drummer, next to that massive double kick Ludwig from 1982.
Happy practice.