Practice pads for drums and cymbals?

[KONA]

I remember seeing some sound control that you can put on each drum and also on your cymbals. It's used for practicing on your kit.

Can't remember where I saw it.

Anyone know where I can look at some?



http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z208/kona1084/MynewGretschdrums-justpickedthemupt.jpg

[Norske]

If you're talking about drum mutes, there are probably a few out there. I have a friend who uses the Vic Firth mutes, and I personally use the HQ Soundoff drum mutes. HQ is owned by the same company that owns Evans. You can either buy a set, or each pad individually. I use them on my practice kit, and they cut down on the volume tremendously. The major drum stores should have them or check on eBay. That's where I bought mine, and at a very good price (brand new).

[Bossa Nova]

Yeah, it sounds like you are talking about drum mutes. I have a vic firth set and they do the job nicely if volume is a problem. They come most economically in a prepack with bass, snare, three toms, hi-hat, and one cymbal.

Cons: They don't have the natural bounce/rebound of a drum skin and they make it difficult to work on dynamics.

Pros: If you can sit down and play drums with them as opposed to no drums at all, then it's better than nothing, plus they cost about $650 less than the alternative, which is a bottom of the line electronic kit. They are also like a practice pad for the whole kit. A practice pad isolates your sticking from the extreme volume of a snare drum. The drum mutes allow you to hear the evenness (or lack thereof) of your tom and bass hits as you work your way "around the kit".

Overall: Highly recommended as an essential component of any city-living home practice routine.


BE WARNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I used to leave my mutes on my home kit all the time until the day I came home and they had melted onto my hi-hat (it's +++$$$ to run the AC while I am gone all day). The hats were OK, b/c I scraped the melted mutes off. Albeit, winter approaches, but still... you have been warned.