I started with kit. I would say that practice pad is a complement to playing kit. I would get a kit as soon as possible but practice pad is a great practice tool.
This is probably a lame question but here it goes: I don’t have a kit, probably won’t get one for a while. Can I get good with using only a practice pad? How long did any of you practice with a practice pad before you were ready for a drum kit or did you have drums from day one?
Last edited by drum_chick; 03-21-2007 at 12:01 PM.
I started with kit. I would say that practice pad is a complement to playing kit. I would get a kit as soon as possible but practice pad is a great practice tool.
you can work on sticking rudiments on the pad, but dont really need a kit to get a good grip on the concepts of drum set playing. i was actually able to cary beats and simulate drumset playing by doing the same things tapping my hands and feet. (you know, that thing all drummers do that everyone else hates ) i was learning this for prolly 6 months before ever playing a real set of drums. the first time i ever played a kit i was pretty much able to keep time to most radio pop songs because i had simulated the basic beats and had practiced singles, doubles, buzz rolls and paradiddles on a pad. i could be even easier for you than for some of us older folks because of the vast amount of study material available thu the net. you can find lessons for about anything on the youtube.
Not at all... Even the ever worshipped Neil Peart began with a practice pad, and well, look where he is now. Practice your rudements now and you'll have a leg up on everyone else. I say this because with a drum set infront of you it is difficult to hold your attention to rudements, especially with all that drum in front of you... aaagh, *drool*... With knowledge of rudements and continual practice it can only make you a better, well rounded player.
A link you may be interested in,
www.webthumper.com
It contains a lot of drum set stuff, but the snare drum/rudements articles are rather helpful, at least I found them so
DRUM NAKED!
I Tried To Think Of Something Insightful, But This Is All That Came To Mind...
-PerpetualFrog
Thanks everybody
Yes and no. A big part of drumming is the 'fun' aspect. As much as I love my practice pad for doing rudiments and exercises, I really can't look past my kit as something to entertain me, and keep me into drumming. Rudiments on a practice pad, while helpful, get boring very quickly because you can't apply them to the kit.
I started without a kit. Just tapping a lot, no lessons or anything, no practice pad. And then I got my first kit for Christmas.
I think having a kit is a great way to start, but its not essential if you're dedicated to learning the rudiments. I think if I had of paid more attention to rudiments in my earlier drumming years, I'd be a more competent drummer now. I'm only now discovering the real importance of solid rudiment work.
HB58
My Kit: Pearl Session Custom 7 Piece w/ Zildjian Cymbals
My Band: Lead Redemption
Current Favourite Band: Necrophagist
Current Favourite Song: To Rid The Disease - Opeth
Next purchase: Pearl 18"x16" Floor Tom, Zildjian A Custom Crash
Rudiments?
Hey Perpfrog, rudiments, not rudements. Don't mean to be, uh rude.
Drum-chick, you can learn a lot on a pad. And you can always "simulate" a kit. I used two old padded kitchen chairs when the parents were home. Now I'm an old fart, I play when my wife lets me...
if your talking about the roland you own, it's a lot different from playing an actual set. 1, the drums themselves are alot farther apart so that might feel unusual. 2, using synthetic or plastic heads give less rebound than mesh or rubber pads. stick with the pads for a while and try out acoustics from time to time. you'll do great
www.myspace.com/maudeephyfe
The good times won't roll themselves
Gretsch Renown Maple, Paiste Signature, Reflector, and Dark Energy
hey drummer chick, i'm not suggesting this way is the the most effective way but, I learned how to drum on my knees and using my feet and hands, like a number of people on here had done. I didn't practice rudiments (although I strongly suggest you do) but after about a year, I decided it was time to buy a Kit and I could keep a beat, nothing special, but I could "drum". But my suggestion is to buy a kit because you can't coordinate everything on your knees.
you could try a portable double bass/snare practice pad. those things are fun and you can take them anywhere (hense portable). i like to hear sounds though so i couldnt do my hands and knees
www.myspace.com/maudeephyfe
The good times won't roll themselves
Gretsch Renown Maple, Paiste Signature, Reflector, and Dark Energy
Hellsbells brought up a great point, rudiments will get boring when you got a kit sprawled out in front of you. My friend got a kit and practiced rudiments before he went on to his kit. He told me he took the snare/stand and placed it in front of his kit about 15ft away, and then he told himself "you wont play the full drumset untill you know your rudiments" he practiced rudiments for 2 months every day, looking straight at his drumset before ever playing on his kit. He said he did that because it gave him something to work up to. He made himself get decent at rudiments before he let himself move up to his drumset. Kinda gave him more determination to get good.. i plan on doing the same thing.
I'm very much a noob to drummin'. Got me a pair of Pro-Mark DC12i 17" sticks, made me a couple of practice pads out of old mouse-pads glued to 3/4" plywood, and I practice. Found a good site for learning rudiments, the Vic Firth 40, with good videos and I'm working on them. I want to get a kit some time soon, but in the mean time, I'm practice-paddin' it. There's not much rebound, but i'm gettin' used to the sticks and working on my right hand, left-hand coordination and my speed, and that more difficult hand-foot coordination. Even though I'm an old guy, and have a touch of ADD, which consequently causes me to lose interest sometimes, even of important things, I'm tryin' to do at least a little practice every day. I won't let my lack of a kit sway my enthusiasm. I too have always kept the beat on my knees while pattin' my feet. That can be done anywhere the music's playin' without a kit in front of you. And the home-made practice pads go anywhere with you. It was interesting; I found somewhere, the history of rudiments, which was very interesting. I'm an old military man, so the fact that rudiments came out of that caught my attention. They're great at teaching coordination. Someone somewhere on this forum suggested that buying a new kit wasn't the way to go if you could find a used kit, especially for the 1st kit. I've sort of limited myself to $300 or so for my first kit, then work up to something better. But if I got a used kit then decided to upgrade to a much better kit, I'd have to get rid of the old one. Choices, choices, choices!!
Well, you guys have a great day. Keep drummin'
Don
Don, you seem like a cool guy....... Keep drumming and loving the Lord.
You can't learn to play a drumset with a practice pad, BUT you can learn rudiments and hand technique AWESOME on a practice pad, unfortunately there is just not a whole lot you can do with a practice pads.
But it is great until you can get a drumset, but just wait until you sit behind your first set, OH man it is a great feeling to start playing the whole thing.
Sales pitch
I am selling a 4 pc TAMA rockstar kit, it is red, comes with everything, here is the list, comes with newer aquarian heads.
22x16 Bass drum
12" tom
16" floor tom
14" metal snare drum
All zildjian cymbals, ride, 2 crashs, hats, and all the hardware needed.
Drum thrown and bass pedal.
if interested PM me an offer.
Thanks, ddrumbum, sounds like a great set, unfortunately I can't get a drum kit right now, I have to wait patiently, we have no room in our condo at this moment.
I will be sitting behind a drum set this coming Wednesday the 28th, which is my b-day, what a nice gift that's going to be! I'm going to my teacher’s house for a lesson and he's going to let me try out his set...... I'm so excited!
OH how sweet, BUT I worn you, once you do this, you are seriously going to go nuts until you can get a kit for yourself, lol.
Don't I know it brother! After listening to all of you I want to get a kit BAD, so I'm sure the real deal right in front of me will just KILL ME!!!! My husbands going to have to buy me a set and put me up in the attic LOL
Now your talking, lol
Any ideas of a what kind of kit you are after drum chick? any favorite brand(s).
I'm proabably leaning towards the Roland Electronic Drums - Roland TD12S V-Stage Drum Set. I have to go the "electronic" route because I live in a condo and I will be playing it 24-7!
With that said, how easy is it to play a "real" drum set when you are used to playing on and electronic drum set?
OH thats right, I forgot.
With that kit, it will be pretty similar, those are awesome electric kits.
My teacher says they are great, I'd like the TD-20S V-Pro but I don't think my husband will buy that for me (not yet anyway LOL)
Yea they are very expensive
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