When you’re just starting to learn drums, a practice pad is one of the most useful tools you can have. It’s affordable, quiet, and helps you build real technique without needing a full drum kit. If you’re brand new to drumming, here are a few simple practice pad exercises that are worth repeating every day.
1. Basic Single Strokes
Start by alternating your hands: right, left, right, left. Don’t rush. Aim to make each hit sound the same. Watch how high your sticks go, and try to keep them even. This exercise is all about control. You’ll naturally get faster over time, but in the beginning, smooth and consistent is what matters most. Practicing this is supposed to be boring, but when you keep this in time, it’s great for natural coordination, especially as a beginner.
2. Double Strokes
Play two hits per hand: right-right, left-left. This feels different because you need to use rebound properly. Let the stick bounce, don’t force the second stroke. Work slowly and focus on making both strokes sound clean. This builds wrist control and helps your fingers get used to guiding the stick. If you can master manual double-stokes, it becomes the baseline for most of your playing in the future. Many drummers never get comfortable playing controlled doubles with their non-dominant hand, and it holds them back long-term. Get this down early, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a great drummer.
3. Paradiddles
This one goes: RLRR, then LRLL. If you’re a beginner, it may feel weird at first, but it’s great for coordination. Once you get used to it, try playing it in a loop without stopping. Paradiddles come up all the time in grooves and fills, so getting this down early really helps – even if it’s your first week playing drums.
4. Accents and Taps
Try this pattern: one loud note, followed by three soft ones. For example: RIGHT (loud), left (soft), right (soft), left (soft). This teaches you how to control dynamics. Don’t just hit everything the same way, learn to play with feel, just as you would on the setBeing able to shift between loud and soft is what makes your playing musical. Play around with flam taps, Stick Control-style accents, and more.
5. Timing Practice with a Metronome
Pick a slow tempo and play quarter notes in time. Then move to eighth notes. Then the sixteenth notes. Then to sixteenth note triplets, and transition to double-stroke rolls over 32nd notes. If you find yourself rushing or dragging, go back and slow it down. Counting out loud or tapping your foot can really help. The goal is to build a steady, reliable sense of timing. Keep repeating this exercise to get comfortable switching between the basic rudiments in time.
6. Ghost Notes
Try to play as softly as you can without losing control. You’ll be surprised how hard that is at first. Practicing quiet strokes makes your hands more sensitive and controlled. It also comes in handy later when you’re playing more complex rhythms. If you notice the best drummers on stage, their ghost notes in groove add so much, even if you don’t audibly hear it. This all starts by playing with control on the practice pad.