Practice pad

A practice pad or drum pad, is a type of percussion implement utilized by drummers and percussionists to quietly practice or warm up before a performance. Many percussionists practice primarily using practice pads. Practice pads have adapted to fit the needs of different percussion drums.

In recent years, a variety of types of practice pads have been designed to assist percussionists. These implements may commonly include the use of both an actual disk of mylar or similar element (equivalent to material used in the construction of true drumheads). This typically is stretched over an underlying buffer, affixed by way of a rim of metal or plastic to an underlying rigid surface to approximate the stretch and reflection similar to that a true drumhead when struck, such as REMO's RT series drum practice pad (featured). Many more modern devices utilize a thin layer of elastomer, such as natural gum rubber or synthetic rubber equivalent consisting of various densities as a playing surface. This type of rubber surface, (having become a significantly standard appliance when fabricating most modern practice drum pads), is either placed directly over the top of an existing drumhead in some form, or adhered onto the top of a dense and flat substrate (usually wood) allowing for the material to reflect a drumstick or mallet after being struck, which generally bears a response and “feel” to the players that is similar to that of a true drumhead.