The 10 Best Drum Practice Pads
This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in February of 2019. Every musician knows that practice is essential, but percussion instruments can be loud, bulky, and not very portable, which can make at-home rehearsals a challenge. These drum pads can help you improve your skills without annoying the neighbors, and come in a variety of configurations to accommodate different methods. Some can be used as standalone units and others as additions to a drum kit. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Movement Drum Co. All-in-1
2. Sabian Quiet Tone Mesh
3. Offworld Percussion Invader V3
Editor's Notes
September 24, 2020:
Four changes have been made since this ranking was last updated. First is the addition of the Sabian Quiet Tone Mesh, which replaces the previously-ranked Sabian Quiet Tone, and features a new and innovative sound-absorbing skin. We also included the eight-piece Vic Firth MutePP6 which dampens a full kit consisting of two toms, a floor tom, kick drum, snare drum, hi-hat, and two cymbals, and the Rtom Black Hole, which is a drum-mounted mesh dampener that maintains a snare's natural tone and feel, but makes it resonate at a much lower volume. Lastly, we added the Kibaga 12-Inch due to its durable build-quality, double-sided versatility, and good value for money.
While practice pads are still widely used today, especially as a mobile means of practicing chops where space is limited and excess volume is a consideration, the introduction of electronic drum sets has taken this convenience and versatility a step further. These provide realistic-feeling drum heads that can be played through headphones, and can replicate a myriad of drum and percussion sounds by way of triggering samples within the drum module's memory. With that said, those looking for a simple and cost-effective means for practicing at lower volume levels would benefit from one of these pads, whether it's used as a standalone unit, or as an addition to an acoustic kit.
March 01, 2019:
In terms of versatility, the Movement Drum Co. All-in-1 and Drumeo P4 are both excellent choices, providing playing surfaces with varying levels of rebound, volume, and responsiveness. The latter is better for developing the accuracy and dexterity you need to play on a full drum set, but the small surfaces make it less than ideal for marching or drum corps practice. The Sabian Quiet Tone's metal rim, adjustable tension, and coated mesh head give it a feel that's about as close as you can get to the real thing, but its large size and 5-pound weight make it a pain to travel with. If you're just looking for something that will allow you to quietly build your chops, the Evans Realfeel and Vic Firth Double-Sided are both high-quality and affordably priced. An old-school model used in classrooms for years, the Remo Ambassador Tunable has less rebound than a rubber head, but the tension can be adjusted to your liking using a flathead screwdriver. While its plastic rim lets you practice your rimshots, it is very thin and tends to destroy sticks quickly.
4. Vic Firth MutePP6
5. Vic Firth Double-Sided
6. Rtom Black Hole
7. ProLogix Blue Lightning
8. Evans Realfeel
9. Remo Ambassador Tunable
10. Kibaga 12-Inch
Having grown weary of working in office environments, music graduate Luke decided to trade the dismal skies of southern England for the far more agreeable climate of south Asia. Prior to writing for Ezvid Wiki, he established a small agency providing websites for clients all over the world. This enabled him to travel extensively, living for prolonged periods in a number of interesting countries and experiencing several different cultures along the way. When not playing or writing music, Luke likes to ride his motorcycle in far-flung regions where the air is thin and the roads are dusty. His areas of expertise are largely gleaned from his nomadic lifestyle and include travel, computers, automotive goods and accessories, musical instruments and gear, and boats.