Drum pads come in many different forms, and they are really useful for drummers and people interested in percussion to be able to practice when a kit is not available or would make to much noise. The three most common types of pads are flat on table ones, strap pads and putty. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, so here is a brief outline of each:
On-table pad:
These pads are the most common by far, and are reliable but quite bulky. If I can afford to carry it around, I would probably choose this type of pad to bring with me because of how realistic it is to practice on.
Pros Cons
Most similar to a snare Bulkier to carry around
Really nice bounce Generally more expensive
Larger head= easier to play
Here is an example of an on table pad
This is a Remo tunable practice pad, and they are really nice because you can adjust it to your playing style almost completely. I own one of these and use it to practice for my military snare drumming and it works really, really well. I would highly recommend it, and for the price its hard to beat in my opinion for something of this style because not only can you use it on a table it also has a stand connector on the bottom, which is the same as the standard tripod connector so you can use your camera tripod with it if you have one. You can find a 8" one for around $30 on amazon, although now its on sale at $20 so if you are considering it, and want this one now is the time. http://www.amazon.com/Remo-RT0008-00-8-Inch-Practice-Pad/dp/B0002E56H6/ref=pd_cp_MI_0
Strap pad:
These pads are amazing, and quite a bit rarer than the ones above. They are similar to a normal pad, except they are considerably smaller and can strap onto your leg for playing virtually anywhere. The advantage with these is of course portability: you can take it practically anywhere as they will fit into a pocket. Here is a pad that I have used, but I do not currently own one of this type.
Pros Cons
Portable Expensive
Improve technique a lot Small pad
Here is an example of one:
These pads are quite expensive, with a drum workshop one costing you over $100 (probs why I dont have one yet lol) but this one from Gibraltar is $45 and at a reduction to $25 at the moment. They are quite nice but the heads are REALLY small so it takes some getting used to, although they definitely improve sticking technique and consistency the most.
Putty pad:
These are the coolest, and the ones I have recently gotten into the most. You can use any kind of silly putty for this, which is really cool because when you think about silly putties charecteristics they are perfect for drum pads: bouncy, portable, sticky and pliable so you can easily make them into any shape. I use magnetic putty that I have from a couple of years ago and it works like a charm, although I know remo make putty specially for drumming which costs around $8. I don't really think the extra money is necessary though, so just pick up some ordinary silly putty and you're game. I have also found that Blu tac works ok, although it does not have as much bounce it has good resistance and damping, so it is good for wrist practicing and closed rolls. To use putty you need a hard flat surface like a table or hard chair, and you just mould it into a pancake with your hands and roll it out with the drum stick until it is around 6" in diameter, and then you have a sweet practice pad! experiment with the thickness to wee what kind of bounce and sound you want from it, I found that the thinner it is the bouncier it gets.
On-table pad:
These pads are the most common by far, and are reliable but quite bulky. If I can afford to carry it around, I would probably choose this type of pad to bring with me because of how realistic it is to practice on.
Pros Cons
Most similar to a snare Bulkier to carry around
Really nice bounce Generally more expensive
Larger head= easier to play
Here is an example of an on table pad
This is a Remo tunable practice pad, and they are really nice because you can adjust it to your playing style almost completely. I own one of these and use it to practice for my military snare drumming and it works really, really well. I would highly recommend it, and for the price its hard to beat in my opinion for something of this style because not only can you use it on a table it also has a stand connector on the bottom, which is the same as the standard tripod connector so you can use your camera tripod with it if you have one. You can find a 8" one for around $30 on amazon, although now its on sale at $20 so if you are considering it, and want this one now is the time. http://www.amazon.com/Remo-RT0008-00-8-Inch-Practice-Pad/dp/B0002E56H6/ref=pd_cp_MI_0
Strap pad:
These pads are amazing, and quite a bit rarer than the ones above. They are similar to a normal pad, except they are considerably smaller and can strap onto your leg for playing virtually anywhere. The advantage with these is of course portability: you can take it practically anywhere as they will fit into a pocket. Here is a pad that I have used, but I do not currently own one of this type.
Pros Cons
Portable Expensive
Improve technique a lot Small pad
Here is an example of one:
These pads are quite expensive, with a drum workshop one costing you over $100 (probs why I dont have one yet lol) but this one from Gibraltar is $45 and at a reduction to $25 at the moment. They are quite nice but the heads are REALLY small so it takes some getting used to, although they definitely improve sticking technique and consistency the most.
Putty pad:
These are the coolest, and the ones I have recently gotten into the most. You can use any kind of silly putty for this, which is really cool because when you think about silly putties charecteristics they are perfect for drum pads: bouncy, portable, sticky and pliable so you can easily make them into any shape. I use magnetic putty that I have from a couple of years ago and it works like a charm, although I know remo make putty specially for drumming which costs around $8. I don't really think the extra money is necessary though, so just pick up some ordinary silly putty and you're game. I have also found that Blu tac works ok, although it does not have as much bounce it has good resistance and damping, so it is good for wrist practicing and closed rolls. To use putty you need a hard flat surface like a table or hard chair, and you just mould it into a pancake with your hands and roll it out with the drum stick until it is around 6" in diameter, and then you have a sweet practice pad! experiment with the thickness to wee what kind of bounce and sound you want from it, I found that the thinner it is the bouncier it gets.
