Hand/Foot Independence

Matt Byrne
Originally published in DRUM! Magazine’s December 2005 Issue

This month, we’re going to work on building coordination and endurance between one hand and one foot. All drumming revolves around singles, doubles, and paradiddles. It’s important to practice those rudiments by mixing them together using various combinations of one hand, one foot, and some imagination. Here are some patterns that will get your limbs working independently. They also make for some great fills. Go for it!

P.S. Check out a drummer named Derek Roddy, who plays for an extreme metal band called HATE ETERNAL. He is the master of similar types of exercises.