WHAT'S The BEST PRACTICE PAD?! - How To Choose One!

There are a LOT of practice pads out there. This video will help you narrow down your choices before you buy!

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ROB BROWN ENDORSES

[Gretschnut]

Rob you keep impressing me with your expansive knowledge and technique . I sort of had you pegged as a "groove drummer" based on your cool/hip demeanor, but your knowledge and technical skills go very deep. Really enjoy and am getting a lot from your vids. Thank you kind sir.

[sandc]

a basketball on a snare stand pressurized to 7-9 lbs per sq inch. that's what i use...

[RAMusic]

I agree with everything you said Rob. I strongly encourage my students to get a good pad to begin with. I usually recommend the Vic Firth or Evans RealFeal pads. I have used both extensively and think they are solid performers. I personally use the Prologix Russ Miller 3 in 1 pad. It has a gum rubber primary surface, a neoprene insert for a bit more resistance, and a thin textured plastic insert for brush work. It is a 13” pad which I prefer because it is the same size as my primary snare drum. I also pair this with an Evans RealFeel bass drum practice pad with an identical Yamaha/Danmar pedal set up as I have on my kit. With this combination, there is no technical exercise I cannot work on whenever I want. To expand on your closing thoughts. I see my pad as a musical instrument in and of itself, so even though I use it to develop my technique I also want to play music with it, the two should not be separate. Keep up the good work Rob.

[dianecandoflamtaps]

I have the gel pad for developing muscle. It has helped my double strokes and overall strength and endurance with long rolls.

[paulysci]

I just set up a Dw go anywhere practice kit with all 7” moongel pads, it’s fantastic! I cost me $118 for the 4 pads and $80 for the Dw go anywhere so it was $200 in all but I cannot express to you how good it feels and how quiet it is! I really recommend this setup for anyone it’s worth the investment it’s the best I’ve ever played and I’ve had everything including 3 td-30 kits which is an amazing kit but doesn’t give you the right rebound and feel for real unassisted rebound practice like you’ll find on a real kit. Ps if your technique is good it’s easy to get rebounds from a gel pad

[Nelsdrums]

You are awesome. Love the down-to-earth explanations. A lot of sensible thought process. And you're fun to watch. I have the same Ludwig brand Billy Gladstone hard rubber vacuum pad that I got with my first snare drum. Works great on a table, or on the snare. Also has a small 6" target, though the pad itself is made for 14" snare drums.

[camilomateus]

One of the better drumming channels in Youtube. Thanks Rob.

[Cpayne]

I have the Evans RealFeel and I love it. I like a nice, sturdy pad with wood.

[DavidOakesMusic]

I got the Drumeo Silent pad and also a Stagg cheapy Pad which had bad reviews ( which genuinely has no problems at all. ) and I use them both equally.

[bennymalone]

I’ve bought and tried quite a few and I always come back to my Evans Real Feel

[mpcvore]

Another good video, even if i already have 2 practice pads (both are "rubber pads", i don't practice very much, i confess). Your videos help me to improve my English too, i almost understand evrything you say, man, your accent is so "goodsounding" to me...! Tanx...!

[pocketdrummer]

YOU MADE SOME PRETTY GOOD POINTS HER ABOUT THE DRUM PADS. I HAVE A EVANS PAD AND A MOONGEL PAD FOR THE SNARE. UNFORTUNATELY I HAD TO STOP PLAYING FOR LIKE 10 YRS BUT WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PICK IT BACK UP THE MOONGEL REALLY HELPED ME OUT ESPECIALLY WITH STAMINA AND STRENGTH. I COULD REALLY FEEL THE DIFFERENCE AFTER SPENDING LIKE 3-4 HRS A DAY ON THAT PAD THEN GOING TO THE EVANS PAD OR TO THE DRUMKIT. AWESOME VID BRO...KEEP IT UP I AM BECOMING A FAN

[barrybebenek]

Subscribed to your channel a few weeks ago. So much info, and your teachings are fantastic. So glad I found your channel brother! 👍🏼 Looking forward to more.

[BennyTheBusker]

Great advice, as usual Rob! However, I'm sorry to say there was one error at about 7:45 mins. You made a common mistake which often confuses beginner drummers so I think it's worth mentioning. You said, "... an even harder black surface to help you work a little bit harder...". However, I think you made a slip of the tongue because, as you know, the harder the surface is then the easier it is to play due to there being more bounce.

So the advice should have been, "an even SOFTER black surface to help you work a lttle bit harder". As you rightly said, the gel pads are the softest of all and that is why sticks don't bounce and why it is harder to play on them - like it is on pillows too.

I've noticed even some drum pad makers don't make this clear. For example, Prologix has four grades of practice pads going from green, the hardest rubber which has most bounce so is easiest to play, through red then blue to black, which is the softest rubber with least bounce and hardest to play. Prologix describes these four grades as increasing in "resistance", with the black being called the "Extreme Resistance" pad. Since resistance is not usually associated with softness then I think that could confuse some people too.

So the general rule for practice pads is this:
The harder the pad, the easier to play; the softer the pad, the harder to play.

I hope you don't mind me mentioning and clarifying this for the benefit of others.

Anyway, thanks a million, Rob, for sharing your excellent videos!

[rosejuliette]

In my bag since I was 15 years old I have had a 'pro-mark POCKETPAD' and I'd for sure. Its playing surface is only 2" by 6" and is kinda oblong in shape but because of this I can always have it in my bag or even my stick case and without a doubt it did wonders for my accuracy. I currently have my whole kit set up with mesh heads but that little pad gets used every day.

[DennisJohnsonDrummer]

Offworld BYOSPHERE with the snare insert. Newest product from a great company producing quality products at a fair price with great customer service. Ordering mine soon.

[wayneholderbee]

I was considering making my own
Outta wood or something. Original practice pad was a 5 gallon bucket

[drakeblackledge]

Thanks for the vid!! I been wondering what practice pad to buy and I think I know now!

[rhythm-t]

I just got a marching snare practice pad and a practice bass-drum pad. The reason why I chose those pads well I always a pad that sound like a actual marching snare drum sound. And the practice bass-drum pad I want something to work on foot at the same time so that way whenever I'm ready to get behind on my drums. So those pads I mostly use them to work on my rudiments and marching cadence that brings me back in high school.

[joeysmith]

I have a lot of pads now if your a set player I recommend realfeal, innovative percussion gum rubber pad, or the vater gym rubber pad... I’m a big set player but I’m also on a drumline so I also recommend xymox(unless you can’t afford it or don’t have enough patiences cuz it took me 7 months to get mine) or an invader or Vic Firth slim/stock pad