Thoughts on no-rebound practice pads?

Philaiy9 said:
Fair enough, it seems there are different ways to skin the metaphorical cat. I like to (try to) play melodic single stroke rolls around the toms ala Tony Williams and the no rebound practice helps with that. But you're right, it's not essential to have that ability.
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well, i I think it is essential to have that ability, but feel like there are more ways than one to get to it, like you said.

we as educators need to make sure that we tell people ALL of the info about using a certain practice technique other than just: "do this, and you will play like Tony Williams". I think the bigger issue is in that area.
 
This is interesting, I started the soft pad on a a heap of fabric, it's pretty boring but a peculiar muscle workout.

BUT at the office it's 100% silent to practice during launch time. Some practice on soft, thick fabric is better then no practice at all. In my drum kit jazz practice, the rebound is extremely important, for that reason, I would spend more time on a pad with a rebound, seems more logical to me.

I have better results on the rebound pad with my heavy sticks, 60g per sticks. On the drums my 7a are 40g per sticks, it's just like jogging with 20lbs weight (60g) then jogging without the weight after (40g), it feels much easier when switching to the 40g. It's a pleasant feeling, even.

I think the heavy sticks are much better for the pad practice, more efficient at working the muscles, the rebound of the heavy 60g sticks is much better with the right dynamics also.

Interesting stuff here.

(y)
 
Philaiy9 said:
I got that from Alan Dawson--he taught this using brushes but it's the same principle.
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I've seen videos of him playing that and to me it just looks painful. I'm not fan of that scratchy brush sound either. But people swear by it.

It's probably like playing with big sticks on a firm pad - if somebody hasn't figured out the knack of how to approach it, it's not going to feel great.
 
When I saw JoJo Mayer play rudiments on a pepperoni pizza I thought give me a no rebound pad..he SO inspired me. No joke..i never forgot that.
 
jda said:
I like the old black rubber Gladstone pad. the round rubber
that can fit into a drum 14" head - or better put - on a simple stand thru the mid point
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I have one but it’s very hard like a corp snare. Great for trying to do the Buddy one hard roll. No, I can’t do it.
 
TJK said:
I have one but it’s very hard like a corp snare.
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something must a happened to it Or is was built that way.
Mine has nice easy bounce (for decades_
there's been so many knock off and copies)
they're not all the same +/- ; )
 
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.

If you can play on low-rebound, you can play on high rebound even better. Given a choice between a high and low rebound pad to practice fundamentals on, I'll pick low all day long. This might differ if I was on a drum line or something, but as a kit player who plays different types and volumes of music, I want my hand to be as in control as I possibly can, utilizing but not relying on or expecting so much bounce back.

Your worries that you'll hamper your ability to play with rebound are not founded, in literally all cases you will benefit from having more control on the stick and it will translate to more control overall. If you think about a drum kit and all the various surfaces both hard and soft we play on you'll probably realize that you literally cannot rely on a certain amount of rebound for anything if you want to be efficient and adaptable. Take that a step further to realize that every drum and every cymbal will feel different and provide different rebound.

Lastly there are pads that include different amounts of "bounce" on one pad to buy and carry. You might look into that, or just try to pick something more in the middle.
 
jda said:
something must a happened to it Or is was built that way.
Mine has nice easy bounce (for decades_
there's been so many knock off and copies)
they're not all the same +/- ; )
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No it’s the real deal, not sure how old; it came with something I bought years ago. Probably plastic aging
 
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I've never really used a pad for practicing. I always have been able to play my drums everywhere I've lived. During the 80s and 90s, I read modern drummer like crazy and there were several times that professional drummers reported practicing on pillows. I also read that practicing on a loosely tuned floor Tom will help your double and triple stroke rolls. In recent years, I've bought a apprentice practice pad and put it on my treadmill. And this is helped me develop finger Technique which I never used to use. I also never used to use anything but a single stroke. I felt that I had to play every note and bouncing the stick was cheating. I think the real feel Apprentice pad has helped me develop my technique on the drum set. I also think that if professional drummers who I look up to and idolize play on pillows then there's nothing wrong with using a soft pad. Like others have said the drums have all kinds of tensions, some have lots of rebound. Some have very little rebound and we have to play along with all of that I see no harm in Rhett iess rebound pad.
 
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
I feel like these are still the "safest" quiet pad out there.


RealFeel Apprentice Drum Pad | Percussion | D'Addario

The EVANS RealFeel Apprentice practice pads are the most popular option available. These single-sided pads are compact and lightweight for maximum portability.
www.daddario.com

Safest meaning that they are not so soft that you will develop hard tissue damage after playing on them for a while. In my 30+ years of teaching, I have had so many people come to me after using a pillow/moon-gel type pad and ask about "pain when I play drums now". It is almost always becasue of using those types of pads with incorrect technique, or the popular "heavier sticks to build strength" thing.
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The key to playing safely on soft surfaces is a loose grip. Just like you need a loose grip to sound good playing loudly on a 32” timpani tuned very low
 
Push pull stroke said:
The key to playing safely on soft surfaces is a loose grip. Just like you need a loose grip to sound good playing loudly on a 32” timpani tuned very low
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Are you sure about that? Not that I'm ever squeezing the life out of the stick but I always need to tighten my grip (especially with the back fingers) to make up for the lack of rebound.
 
Musicsucks said:
I’m sure jo-jo was playing some hot and spicy licks on that pie. Probably some hybrid rudiments?


Maybe a cheese paradiddle or two?


(I’m sorry. I’ll show myself out)
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or some:
inverted cheese flam taps
Swiss Cheese Triplets
Cheese Flam Accent
Cheese Triplet Pataflafla
Cheese Roll
 
Push pull stroke said:
The key to playing safely on soft surfaces is a loose grip. Just like you need a loose grip to sound good playing loudly on a 32” timpani tuned very low
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lose grip in the right place...for sure!!!!
 
After studying nearly all the "grip" and "rebound" and Moeller techniques, I've come to the conclusion that both approaches are correct. Tony Williams, as illustrated in his Zildjian Days video. offers the secret to his power. It's a very physical approach, and from the look of his shoulders, it appears me might've been even doing some weight lifting. When he said "I don't rely on bounce," many thought he meant "never." But Tony bounces all the time--when he plays fast on the ride cymbal, and his open-stroke roll he often kicked off his gigs with. I think Tony meant that he doesn't RELY on bounce, but he certainly EMPLOYS it. I studied Stick Control and Wilcoxon, and I employ whatever grip is needed at the moment. I play both matched and traditional. I can bounce, and I can grab the stick in my two smallest fingers and make good, stabbing single-strokes strong enough to carry the groove. When I want to exercise my wrists and forearms, I fold a bath towel over the pad. I take it off when I want to EMPLOY bouncing. Both are crucial, IMO.
 
It's a mixture, but Moongel pads are just as big a part of my practice as my Xymox pads.

The question is really how you use them.
 
Dr_Watso said:
If you can play on low-rebound, you can play on high rebound even better.
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Yep.
Philaiy9 said:
But it for sure helps with wrist technique and teaching your hands to give the stick a little lift when it's needed.
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Yep yep!
lefty2 said:
I read modern drummer like crazy and there were several times that professional drummers reported practicing on pillows.
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Correct. Practicing doubles on a pillow teaches wrist and finger control. Nobody is expected to actually do a great roll on a pillow - possibly except Vinnie - but the development of control is beneficial. Going to a drum after a pillow workout is a revelation, the sticks fly. And that control also translates to better articulation on the (ride) cymbal where there's little rebound to rely on.

A gel pad is probably a suitable alternative to a pillow, and certainly more portable, although we all have pillows around and they're free. :) But there weren't gel pads decades ago, so that's where the pillow thing eveolved.
 
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