Since getting back into concert percussoion, I've been noticing timpani practice pads.
Commercially-made, these highly specialized pads start at around $40 and go up to over $150.
I decided to see if I could make a set for use at home.
All it took was some scrap wood, closed-cell ensolite camper pad material, and some Super-Glue gel. Et voila! One is small enough to fit in my mallet bag; two are perfect for practicing tricky passages at home. The feel is close to that of a tuned kettledrum, and if used ONLY with felt-covered mallets should last awhile.
After hanging out with these a little while, I decided to preserve the edges by wrapping them in gaffing tape. Once the tape sets, I’m hoping it will protect the edges from scuffs and snags, that step, plus playing ONLY with felt-covered mallets, should be enough to preserve the useful life of these pads for quite awhile.
Happy drumming.
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