The Pad - Exercise 1
By Nate Brown
If possible, it's great to practice pad exercises in front of a mirror. A lot of times you can pick out inconsistencies in your stick strokes that you wouldn't otherwise have noticed. As with any exercise, practice these slowly and ideally with a metronome. Record your top speeds (while ensuring clean playing) so that you have a log of your progress to look back on for motivation.
The great thing about practicing foundational patterns on the practice pad is that they translate very well to drum set playing, whether that's within drum beats or creative fills around the kit. Laying a solid foundation is key to taking your drumming to the next level.
