Ever use a Pillow to practice on?

[NikoSeven]

I'm a beginning drummer and I don't want to irritate my wife or damage my hearing, so I stopped using my practice pad and now am practicing my rudiments on a pillow. I know I'm not getting the kind of bounce I might need but it sounds pretty good actually and I feel that I am improving my dexterity and speed some and saving my relationship at the same time Any thoughts?

[GoyaDrumr!]

Yeah, get a new wife, if she loves ya she'll put up with it, just kidding I feel bad for ya can't even drum on a pract pad? whoa!

[drummer]

You're worried about your hearing by practicing on a practice pad?

[slinglander]

I think practicing on a pillow or cushion is great for strengthening your wrists. You won't get the bounce that you'll have to learn to handle when hitting a drum, tho. So pillow, etc., are good if you already know the rudiments, but need to build muscle strength and muscle memory, to a point.

[NikoSeven]

Oh no don't get me wrong she is very supportive just want to be considerate.

[NikoSeven]

Well yeah, after about a half hour my ears start hurting and ringing some. So I thought it was a good idea. Maybe I'm hitting too hard too hard?

[GoyaDrumr!]

Your saying the practice pad hurts your ears friend? that's weird, what kind of pad and what kind of sticks? Steel?

[Goro]

Try some ear protection, you can still feel and hear a little bit

[rickthedrummer]

I practiced on pillows for a long time. Never owned a practice pad.

[jedi]

Pillows are cool . I use to practice on my little sister's head .
If you can't handle the sound of a pad what's gonna happen when you go to a real drum !?
You need both . You can't really learn how to do a buzz roll on a pillow . And you need to practice on a real drum .. cause after all you will be playing a drum at the gig and not a pillow . I understand your dilemma , trying to keep peace at home . But if you're going to be a drummer don't tip toe around it ... BE A DRUMMER and play on real drums .
Here's something I learned from Terry Bozzio . Practice with different sizes and weights of sticks . Each pair will build different muscles in the hands and wrists . But then when you gig you use your stick of choice .
Rudy .

[kay-gee]

Nope. Used a pillow to cry on

LOL

all the best...

[Johnny G]

Pillow is great for building muscle and control. I did it regularly as a beginner. I always recommend it to my beginning students, too.
Now, I live with my son who is a bassist so I can play whenever I want on my full kit.

[Ricardo]

Pillow is great for building muscle and control. I did it regularly as a beginner. I always recommend it to my beginning students, too.

I had a teacher in college that required students to play a certain drill on a pillow................after the entire semester I got it up to about 130 bpm.

Two other guys could do the drill at faster speeds.

[NikoSeven]

It's a remo pad and some standard drum sticks. I think my ears are sensitive. Hope I don't have to rethink this whole being a drummer thing.

[NikoSeven]

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like to some, it's a dumb idea and to others good. I think I will stick with the pillow for while until I get better and use the pad too, with ear muffs on.

[late8]

I use a pillow to build back lost muscle memory in my arms but a practice pad for hands and wrists.

[drummer]

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like to some, it's a dumb idea and to others good.

It's a controversial subject. Even when name artists like Dennis Chambers swore by practicing on a pillow, others disagreed as to its advantages. I think if you mix it up, you'll be just fine.

[jedi]

It's a remo pad and some standard drum sticks. I think my ears are sensitive. Hope I don't have to rethink this whole being a drummer thing.

Look.. just start wearing hearing protection right off the bat .
You'll be fine .
And to keep the peace at home you could get and electronic kit .
Don't give up the dream !
Rudy.

[inthpktplayer]

Using a pillow to practice is very beneficial on many levels. One of them for you apparently is the ability to keep your wife. Your call though really.

[rickthedrummer]

"Looks like to some, it's a dumb idea and to others good"


I think the fact that Dennis Chambers and Emmanuelle Caplette have practiced on pillows pretty much removes the "dumb idea" part.

[NikoSeven]

I will keep practicing and use both. Thank you dpfir all the input. I'm new to this whole thing and this forum is really cool. I've learned so much already.

[GoyaDrumr!]

Nope. Used a pillow to cry on

Hah! Hilarious! I think at some point we all practiced on pillows from the looks of it, some to build muscle and me because I couldn't afford a real kit. It's really not the terrible, but like others said switch it up and don't worry about annoying the better half, when she sees your committed to it she will support whatever you decide to do with your talents. An E-kit ins't a bad consideration if you want to play at home those Rolands are real nice.

[inthpktplayer]

"Looks like to some, it's a dumb idea and to others good"


I think the fact that Dennis Chambers and Emmanuelle Caplette have practiced on pillows pretty much removes the "dumb idea" part.

Truth

[longgun]

Some people's ears are more sensitive than others.....................just stick with some quality hearing protection.

[omauro]

At nite when family asleep i use a combo of my knee, and air drumming to practice songs, or drumming. Takes both control not to play hard so as to kill the knee area, and imagination to see the Toms and bass and high hats lol. works for me might for you too.

Happy Drumming!