Getting your hands and feet in synch

[ChrisVinnicombe]

I am rubbish at this. Any tips?

[sammo303]

If you practise lots, you will get gooder and then be less rubbish. Or alternatively I've heard that that creatine stuff is supposed to help.

[Metallideth]

Find a really simple beat that contains syncing hands and feet, and play it real slow for about a week. then up the tempo in tiny incretements and soon you'll be able to play those beats with ease!

[danabnormal]

I can't play, but get away with enough to be able to put a beat together.

I listen to music a lot and dissect it. If you can do this easily you've probably got a head full of complete commercial tracks in your head for which you know the drums down to the last detail. I sit down, put on a song, and just tap my thighs with my hands (left thigh hihat, right thigh snare), and feet on the pedals. After a while you'll get the hang of it and the neighbours won't have got you evicted for breach of the peace!

Not good for strength on the drumkit mind - but you'll know how and when to move when you're on it.

[smokingbeagle]

If you drive (I do) and spend a lot of time in traffic (I certainly do *grrr*), be sure to keep a pair of drumsticks in the car. The rebound from most steering wheels isn't a million miles away from a snare drum, and I've gotten tons of grooves under my hands/feet from tapping away in traffic jams.

Other than that, start with a nice simple beat (think AC/DC simple) then start shifting the kick drum part around the bar. So start with:


H H H H H H H H
S S S S
K K K K

Then introduce another stroke on the kick, so:

H H H H H H H H
S S S S
KK K KK K

Then maybe take out the kick on the 'one' of the bar:

H H H H H H H H
S S S S
K K K K

In fairness, you might be well past that stage already; if so try doing it left-handed

[smokingbeagle]

Oh, pish; bloody forum takes out my careful spacings.

[kennyjammin]

Does the odd spacing work with 'code' tags around it?

[cozy]

Your Avatar box doesn't state where you live, cos I was gonna suggest picking up Rhythm magazine (UK) which has some great video tutorials with it each month. Other than that just go for what the other guys have said.

[Kerpunk]

If you drive (I do) and spend a lot of time in traffic (I certainly do *grrr*), be sure to keep a pair of drumsticks in the car. The rebound from most steering wheels isn't a million miles away from a snare drum, and I've gotten tons of grooves under my hands/feet from tapping away in traffic jams.

Other than that, start with a nice simple beat (think AC/DC simple) then start shifting the kick drum part around the bar. So start with:

H   H   H   H   H   H   H   H  
      S        S        S        S  
K         K        K        K       

Then introduce another stroke on the kick, so:

H   H   H   H   H   H   H   H   
      S        S        S        S 
KK      K         KK      K

Then maybe take out the kick on the 'one' of the bar:

H   H   H   H   H   H   H   H   
      S        S        S        S
  K      K           K      K

In fairness, you might be well past that stage already; if so try doing it left-handed

There ya go

[ganofo]

Don't be in too much of a hurry to get lightning fast - practice intependent coordination slowly and STICK to each exercise until you can speed it up naturally. There are no shortcuts.