Hey Arky!
Thats great! So glad you dig it...Let me know how it is more beneficial than a "normal" pad..
Pat,
the benefits are exactly as you describe on the YouTube outtakes from your DVD and product video on the P4:
- Various playing zones
- Various playing levels
- Various rebound feel AND sound per playing zone/rubber material
In total this makes the P4 clearly a "sophisticated" pad with unprecedented playing feel simulating a drumkit, providing a lot of fun using it. The P4 helps detecting weaknesses which aren't that obvious when using regular pads, it's a whole new challenge to adapt to the P4 and get comfy with it (at least to me - 1.5 years into drumming).
What I also like a lot is that the P4 allows to switch the hihat/ride hand which I practice a lot. It feels so much better doing this on the P4 than on the other pads I have (to simulate this I needed to use multiple pads so far). I'm still usingmy other pads - for more one-dimensional stuff, or often times isolated left hand workout, but the P4 is the boss pad for some extra fun.
The rebound feel on the P4 is something I'm still adjusting to. I was expecting a more "spongy" feel on the "tom" pads (I have very limited experience playing an actual full drumkit and don't have a full kit ATM). But the rebound is great to acquire the control to get ready for the real thing.
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Your "Hands, Grooves, & Fills" DVD arrived yesterday (with "Learn to Read..." to be delivered in a few days - have ordered it at different sites). Wow! Pat, you did an excellent job! I've read recommendations of this DVD on Drummerworld and was sure your DVD would be great, now I know for myself ;-) You've combined so much useful material - that shorthand system, even a short "how to read rhythm" section.
I've never cared much about that "1e+a" counting method but now I see it makes perfect sense. From now on and esp. as soon as I'll get the "Learn to Read..." DVD this should completely change my approach to reading! Now THIS is important stuff, and I'm happy to get into proper reading at that stage, still in (almost) beginner mode.
Your rudiment shorthand system is quite interesting, too, but it's brand new for me.
The section on fills will take some time for me to work it through, haha.
In the Closing Notes section it was cool to see you've integrated your cute kids into the vid. The very ending of the DVD is really funny
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Yet another update (April 20th):
LTRRB has arrived! Again this is a superb DVD. I must admit that even having no proper formal education, I noticed that doing those exercises step by step are really conditioning me to take the next bite. Stopped at ex. 25 and will continue today.
Pat, thanks for another outstanding tutorial!