Doing Rudiments on a Pillow

[Lafirin]

I have been doing Rudiments on a Pillow throughout the years because I heard it was beneficial to your overall wrist strength. How true do you think this is and how common is this?

[spesman]

Can't see the harm in it mate, and hey, it worked for Dave Grohl.

[isaacvining]

I think it could build wrist strength but it doesn't really help in any sense of developing rebound control. I'd say you'd be much better practicing on carpet which allows an ever so slight amount of rebound versus the pillow which almost 100% absorbs the entire impact. On almost any drum surface you play on there will always be at least a HINT of rebound (even that 18" floor tom with a super slacked head!) so I prefer to practice on a surface that builds the kind of muscles that you use on a kit than pure wrist strength (which I have no doubt is helpful in one way or another).

[MrB]

This was first suggested to me when I was 15 or so, and I didn't take heed until I was around 25. I now try to do it daily.

It is nearly silent and allows you to focus your full attention on grip. It absorbs nearly all impact, thus letting you practice and give your joints a break.

The negative has been mentioned- it doesn't duplicate the same feel as a pad or kit would, mostly by not forcing you to deal with the rebound- but as something to do while the roomate's asleep or while watching TV with others, it is the least disruptive.

[rickthedrummer]

Take a pillow and fold it, hold it between you knees. That will give it a little tension (rebound).

I did that as a kid, and did it, though not as often, as I got older.

It will make you use your fingers and wrists.

I was always considered fairly fast, and I owe it to the good old pillow.

[PHROGGE]

Lafirin,,,,
2 words for ya,,,,,

DENNIS CHAMBERS!!!!!!

[Balanced for lean]

Lafirin,,,,
2 words for ya,,,,,

DENNIS CHAMBERS!!!!!!

Never heard of him..does he sell pillows.!?

[Larrysperf]

One of the best for practicing all the greats do it. If you are practicing rudiments not to worry yet about rebounds. Nuff said

[NPYYZ]

Lafirin,,,,
2 words for ya,,,,,

DENNIS CHAMBERS!!!!!!

Correct. I saw Dennis in clinic and he said he developed his incredible speed by practicing on a pillow. If I remember correctly he said he also held phone books under his arms so he would be forced to use only his wrists for some exercises. Click the link below and be amazed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAkMrEcxQVk

[scott123]

I started lessons a month ago, and using a pillow for rudiments is the first thing the instructor suggested...that, and practicing the rudiments with marching sticks. He also told me never use those sticks on the drum kit lol.

[Russ]

I sometimes did it on the bed, but never on a pillow. Too soft, not enough rebound to feel similar to a drum's surface. I usually use a book or a table with a towel covering it.

[DrummerD]

Worked for Buddy Rich.

[NPYYZ]

I sometimes did it on the bed, but never on a pillow. Too soft, not enough rebound to feel similar to a drum's surface. I usually use a book or a table with a towel covering it.

The point of using the pillow is not to have any rebound. Your wrists have to do all the work. A great way to develop lightning speed and control.

[Lafirin]

Thanks for your replies everyone, you guys rock!

[trickg]

Lafirin,,,,
2 words for ya,,,,,

DENNIS CHAMBERS!!!!!!

Never heard of him..does he sell pillows.!?

I LOLed!

I might try doing a little more practicing on low-rebound surfaces like a pillow - I could definitley use some more hand speed.

[longgun]

I LOLed!

I might try doing a little more practicing on low-rebound surfaces like a pillow - I could definitley use some more hand speed.

Couldn't we all......sometimes I think I've hit my "max" speed......some people are just faster than others.....but more practice on a pillow couldn't hurt

[kennabis]

im a connoisseur of the "pillow Kit"

for the snare i prefer a buckwheat pillow, and for the kick, it's got to be a memory foam, i mix the toms up between specialty and decorative pillows for a nice color contrast, all the while im sitting on a pilates ball....and, i cover my cymbals with pillow cases of different colors to complete the perfect accent....

[trickg]

Couldn't we all......sometimes I think I've hit my "max" speed......some people are just faster than others.....but more practice on a pillow couldn't hurt

It's interesting you should mention that - kind of unrelated to this thread, but the neighbor kid kinda irks me. I've been drumming going on 9 years now, and I work at it. This kid started messing around with it a couple of years ago after pulling a kit out of a dumpster and dragging it home, and he's WAY faster than I am. I hear him rehearsing with the band he's been with for a few months (he used to just jam out to recordings) and he's GOOD. Like way better than I was comparitively. Granted, there are things that I can do that he might not be able to do, and I think I'm probably a bit more expresive, but this kid's sheer chops easily blow mine away. And I don't think he practices with a pillow.

[longgun]

It's interesting you should mention that - kind of unrelated to this thread, but the neighbor kid kinda irks me. I've been drumming going on 9 years now, and I work at it. This kid started messing around with it a couple of years ago after pulling a kit out of a dumpster and dragging it home, and he's WAY faster than I am. I hear him rehearsing with the band he's been with for a few months (he used to just jam out to recordings) and he's GOOD. Like way better than I was comparitively. Granted, there are things that I can do that he might not be able to do, and I think I'm probably a bit more expresive, but this kid's sheer chops easily blow mine away. And I don't think he practices with a pillow.

...yep, some people are just born with "it"....I could practice basketball 24/7 and still would not be nearly as good as Michael Jordan. We all are blessed with certain things. The trick (no pun intended) is to find our "gift" and go with it.

[trickg]

It's interesting that you should mention Michael Jordan though - he got cut from his HS basketball team one year. I'm sure he had "it" but he had yet to develop it and come to a point where he could really do something with it, so he worked his butt off to get better.

Maybe I'm just not working the right stuff - time to get out that pillow!

[Lafirin]

Interesting thread, insightful!

[kennabis]

It's interesting that you should mention Michael Jordan though - he got cut from his HS basketball team one year. I'm sure he had "it" but he had yet to develop it and come to a point where he could really do something with it, so he worked his butt off to get better.

Maybe I'm just not working the right stuff - time to get out that pillow!

i'm pretty sure michael discovered "pillow training"....

[Russ]

I'd rather save mine for sleeping, or muffling the bass drum. Pillows can get expensive when you start beating on them with things and shredding them up.

[rickthedrummer]

It's interesting you should mention that - kind of unrelated to this thread, but the neighbor kid kinda irks me. I've been drumming going on 9 years now, and I work at it. This kid started messing around with it a couple of years ago after pulling a kit out of a dumpster and dragging it home, and he's WAY faster than I am. I hear him rehearsing with the band he's been with for a few months (he used to just jam out to recordings) and he's GOOD. Like way better than I was comparitively. Granted, there are things that I can do that he might not be able to do, and I think I'm probably a bit more expresive, but this kid's sheer chops easily blow mine away. And I don't think he practices with a pillow.

As Longgun said, some are just faster than others. By the same token speed and being a good all around drummer, while not mutually exclusive, don't always go hand in hand.

It seems that a lot of the younger drummers (I DON'T MEAN ALL) get caught up in the Roddy-Kolias speed thing, and that is what they work on. Are they fast, yes, are they good, no.

I see it around here all the time. One trick ponies, take them out of their element and they s***.

I have a young friend who is a pretty good drummer (he's 22 and been playing 6-7 years) he's fast, into the metal stuff. He is a nice guy, a little ****y once in a while, but a lot of musicians are like that.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I went there and brought Dave Brubeks "Time Further Out" CD. I put on Maori Blues and said listen to the drumming in this and then try to play with it. He listened and told me that there was no way he could play with that kind of independence.

I told him, "therein lies the rub".

I think you get my drift.

[Northern Redneck]

As Longgun said, some are just faster than others. By the same token speed and being a good all around drummer, while not mutually exclusive, don't always go hand in hand.

It seems that a lot of the younger drummers (I DON'T MEAN ALL) get caught up in the Roddy-Kolias speed thing, and that is what they work on. Are they fast, yes, are they good, no.

I see it around here all the time. One trick ponies, take them out of their element and they s***.

I have a young friend who is a pretty good drummer (he's 22 and been playing 6-7 years) he's fast, into the metal stuff. He is a nice guy, a little ****y once in a while, but a lot of musicians are like that.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I went there and brought Dave Brubeks "Time Further Out" CD. I put on Maori Blues and said listen to the drumming in this and then try to play with it. He listened and told me that there was no way he could play with that kind of independence.

I told him, "therein lies the rub".

I think you get my drift.

I agree, Ive seen plenty of super fast guys, ask them to play a simple groove and they are lost. The other thing Ive found is that speed covers a lot of mistakes. You slow down some of these speed guys recordings and you find missed beats, inconsitant meters, ect.