Practice on pad...

jotman

Member
When I cant practice sometimes on the drums I'm forced to practice on the pad. Can you still progress if you practice on the pad, i know you cant really practice independence doing that , but drummers are forced to sometimes. Does anyone know any good exercises for hand technique, or independence for the pad?
 
who told you you can't practice independence on the pad? i do that! i sit down and tap the floor with my feet while playing the pad with my hands. it doesn't sound like much but i still get a chance to work on 4-limb independence.
 
Hi jotman!
That's a good question. I totally agree with dairyairman's observation, a lot can be done on a pad and even without a pad. I learned most of the basic rhythms of the afrocuban styles using a padded bar stool as a pad, and tapping my feet. At the time I had a regular gig in a bar in my home town (Jerusalem) and my drums were there. When I couldn't play the drums I played with sticks on that bar stool. It worked great.

Here's another thought: If you will practice any given independence exercise on a surface, say a table, with brushes, you can improve your independence as well as your technique. The reduced rebound of the brushes will make sticks fly when you come back to them.
This is also very useful in a practical sense.... your brush playing will improve.
:)

Ami
 
Jotman,

All of the replies to have been spot on. I also practice with hands and feet while using a practice pad.....and any other surface available. Even while sitting at my desk at work.

I've been able to work on "Stick Control by George Stone" and "The Drummer's Complete Vocabulary As Taught by Alan Dawson by John Ramsay" on the pad.

If you have "Stick Control" try doing page 1 and tap quarter notes or eighth notes with both feet while playing the exercises. If you can do that comfortably try playing the excersises over a samba with your feet. That should help with control, timing, and coordination at the same time.
 
I know, I dont know why i posted this hah, i was just not happy i could not play and wanted to see if anyone had any cool exercises.
 
I know, I dont know why i posted this hah, i was just not happy i could not play and wanted to see if anyone had any cool exercises.

Here's what I do.....space confinements means I can't have my kit set up permanantly either. I have 3 practice pads, One set up on a snare stand, one set up as a makeshift hi hat and the other as a tom/cymbal/ride/whatever. I also have a kick practice pad.....this set up more or less allows me to practice anything I would normally do on a kit. It's not the same, but you still get the feel of moving your hands around and can still practice grooves etc. It's certainly beats nothing at all!!

Keep using the pads mate.....nothing is better than time behind the kit, but these are a pretty good alternative.
 
I do have a kit set up, its just I cant play it sometimes because of noise issues. It's not a big deal, its just I was looking for some practice pad things to work on heh
 
I do have a kit set up, its just I cant play it sometimes because of noise issues. It's not a big deal, its just I was looking for some practice pad things to work on heh

Doesn't change the fact that you can still get a good practice routine down on a pad though does it? Why can't you work on the same things you'd do when you're on the kit?
 
The practice pad helps us learn technique..

I have a real feel pad. I love it. I learn and perfect (yea right..!) my technique on the great bounce side, then turn it over and get a real work out on the not-so-bouncy side. This is actually better than using your drums. If you want to increase/improve your hand technique, there's no better way..

The real feel side (or any good practice pad) exaggerates what is happening so you can really understand and physically comprehend what is going on. So it helps you with muscle memory and ultimately stick control. Once you have this down it's time to work out. A good stick workout is a little frustrating at first, then you go back to the soft side and work out the kinks. Each time you do this your work outs get better, stronger and more exhilarating.

Once you get it down on the pad, taking it to your drums is 1,000 percent more effective.

Keep using your pad man!
 
I do most of my practicing on a pad. I live in apartment and my practice times can be at various odd hours. At 11:00pm at night or even at 2:00am in the morning, I am not bothering too many of my neighbors practicing on a pad. Also, it forces me to concentrate on the "boring" stuff that will develop my technique. It is easy at the kit to go off and just start playing along with songs I like. The pad is also more convienient. I can take it anywhere and practice. Any room, any place.
 
When I cant practice sometimes on the drums I'm forced to practice on the pad. Can you still progress if you practice on the pad, i know you cant really practice independence doing that , but drummers are forced to sometimes. Does anyone know any good exercises for hand technique, or independence for the pad?

The pad is your friend.


Many books. I recommend Stick control and both Master studies volumes.
 
I do practice on a pad, but ever since I was a kid I've tried to find the LEAST responsive pad I can find. Because acoustic drums are never as responsive as those hard pieces of rubber, so why fool yourself?
When I first started playing drums my father was too cheap to buy me a proper pad, so he made me one out of a soft rubber. Due to that, my bounce technique and rolls have always been tighter then even some Scottish marching band drummers I've known (hey guys).
Thanks Dad!!!!!


thoughts?
 
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