Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate drummer, good hand-eye coordination will help you develop accuracy and control. Here are some tips from music teacher Tracy D., to help you improve your hand-eye coordination and some at-home hand eye coordination exercises…
No matter what your level of experience, developing good hand-eye coordination is essential to becoming a successful drummer. Here are three exercises you can do to improve your coordination skills. Try to do these exercises regularly and you’ll be playing like a pro in no time!
What Are 5 Exercises for Coordination?
Drumming is a physical activity that requires coordination and stamina. To build up these skills, drummers can benefit from doing exercises that improve their coordination. Some simple hand eye coordination exercises that are helpful for this purpose include:
- Playing catch: This exercise helps to improve hand-eye coordination. Drummers can throw a ball back and forth with a partner, or they can bounce the ball off a wall.
- Hitting targets: This exercise helps to improve accuracy. Drummers can set up targets at different distances and practice hitting them with a drumstick.
- Juggling: This exercise helps to improve coordination of the hands and feet. Drummers can practice juggling various objects, such as balls and drumsticks.
- Balance exercises: These exercises help to improve balance and coordination. Drummers can try standing on one leg or walking on a balance beam.
- Reactive drills: These drills help to improve reaction time. Drummers can set up cones at different distances and sprint between them, or they can place objects in different positions and reach for them quickly.
By doing these exercises regularly, drummers can develop the coordination skills needed to be successful in their craft.
We’ll walk you through even more hand eye coordination exercises for drummers in this post. But one of the best ways to improve this crucial skill is to take drumming lessons. Learn more about the benefits of drumming lessons by watching the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6R2QeM3fBA
How Can I Improve My Drumming Coordination?
One of the best things you can do to improve your coordination is to practice regularly. Set aside some time each day to work on your drumming, and you’ll see a big improvement over time.
Another helpful tip is to break down complicated drumming patterns into simpler parts. Practice each part slowly and deliberately at first, then put them all together once you’ve got the hang of it.
You should also try to vary your practice routine as much as possible.
In addition to working on specific skills, spend some time just improvising and playing around. This will help you to stay flexible and always be able to think on your feet.
With a little patience and practice, you’ll be surprised at how much your coordination improves.
3 Hand to Eye Coordination Exercises for Drummers
When you’re learning drums, you need to watch and sense where your hands are in relation to the kit. It’s easy to let your hands outrun your field of vision, and this can result in sloppy execution.
Pay attention to your hands; make sure they land in the right place, and then think about your next move. You can accomplish this by moving your eyes before your hands. As soon as you land on one surface, move your eyes to the next surface or target. This will help you play with fluid, accurate movements.
Since your hands will be on different parts of the drum kit as you play, it’s also important to develop your peripheral vision, the ability to see objects and movement outside of your direct line of vision. Also, when you play with other musicians, good peripheral vision will allow you to focus on the drums and still see what your band mates are doing on stage.
Use the pattern and the exercises below to improve your hand-eye coordination. This is one of the best exercises for hand eye coordination!
Take the time to work out each pattern, until you no longer have to look at the page.
- Look straight ahead and practice the six measures four times through.
- This time, follow your eyes around the kit and practice the measures four times through. Make sure to move your eyes to the next target before your hands finish playing the pattern on the current surface.
- Challenge yourself, and practice playing with your eyes closed.
These exercises were written for a five-piece set, so adjust the notes accordingly for your own drum kit. These exercises should spark your creativity, so don’t be afraid to try some new things and have fun!
More Exercises to Improve Hand Eye Coordination for Drummers
Drummers require a high degree of hand-eye coordination in order to play their instruments effectively. While some musicians are naturally gifted with this coordination, others may need to work a little harder to develop it. However, there are several exercises that can help improve hand-eye coordination for drummers.
As drummers become more comfortable with these exercises, they can gradually increase the speed and complexity of the patterns. With enough practice, most drummers will be able to develop the hand-eye coordination needed to play their instrument with precision and accuracy.
Practice With One Hand at a Time
When you are first starting out as a drummer, it is important to practice with one hand at a time. This will help you to develop better hand-eye coordination and make it easier to play complex rhythms. Start by sitting at your drum set and playing a simple beat with your right hand. Once you have the hang of it, try adding in a few left-hand strokes.
As you become more comfortable, you can start to increase the speed and complexity of your rhythms. With practice, you’ll soon be able to play with both hands equally well. In addition to improving your hand-eye coordination, practicing with one hand at a time will also help you to develop a feel for the drums that is essential for all great drummers.
Play on a Pillow
As a drummer, it is important to have good hand eye coordination. One way to improve this coordination is to play on a pillow. The pillow provides a soft surface for the drums, and the uneven surface helps to improve accuracy. In addition, the pillow helps to muffle the sound of the drums, which can be important when practicing in a small space.
Playing on a pillow can also help to improve stamina, as it requires more energy to keep the drumsticks moving on an uneven surface. Ultimately, pillow play is an important tool for any drummer who wants to improve their hand eye coordination.
Strengthen by Squeezing a Tennis Ball
One of the best ways to improve your hand-eye coordination as a drummer is to strengthen your grip by squeezing a tennis ball. This simple exercise can be done anywhere, at any time, and it doesn’t require any special equipment. All you need is a tennis ball and some determination. Start by holding the tennis ball in your dominant hand and squeeze it as hard as you can for 30 seconds. Then switch hands and repeat the process with your non-dominant hand.
If you can do this routine three times a day, you’ll start to see a difference in your coordination within a few weeks. The key is to be consistent and to really challenge yourself by squeezing the tennis ball as hard as you can. So don’t be afraid to put some muscle into it!
Practice Rudiments
One way to improve hand eye coordination is to practice rudiments. Rudiments are basic drumming patterns that can be performed with a single hand or with both hands. By practicing rudiments regularly, drummers can improve their speed, accuracy, and endurance. In addition, rudiments can help to develop muscle memory, making it easier to play complex drumming patterns. As a result, practicing rudiments is an effective way to improve hand eye coordination as a drummer.
Use a Metronome
A metronome is a device that produces a tick-tock sound at regular intervals. By practicing with a metronome, a drummer can learn to better match the sound with his or her movements. As a result, using a metronome can help to improve coordination and timing. In addition, it can also help to make practice sessions more efficient by ensuring that each movement is executed with precision.
Slow Down
One way to improve your hand-eye coordination is to play the drums slowly. By playing slowly, you are forced to focus more on where your hands are and what they are doing. This extra focus can help to improve your coordination over time. In addition, playing slowly can also help you to develop a better sense of timing.
As you become more aware of the timing of your drum hits, you will be better able to coordinate your hands and eyes. By slowing down and taking the time to focus on your hand-eye coordination, you can play the drums more accurately and efficiently.
Do Drummers Have Good Hand-Eye Coordination?
The answer is a resounding yes – drummers have amazing hand-eye coordination! This isn’t really surprising when you think about it, as drumming requires split-second timing and coordination between the hands and feet. In fact, studies have shown that drummers have better than average reflexes and reaction times.
Drummers also tend to have good spatial awareness, which helps them to keep track of their surroundings while they’re playing. So if you’re looking for a musical instrument that will help improve your hand-eye coordination, the drums are a great choice!Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced drummer, hand-eye coordination exercises are important to keep your skills sharp. These three exercises will help improve your accuracy, timing and dexterity while playing the drums. Have you tried any of these exercises? What challenges have you faced when trying to improve your hand-eye coordination?
Developing coordination and technique will help you be a better drummer. Need some extra help? Find a private drum teacher near you.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lesson in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums in various bands for more than 13 years, and has also played intermittently with the OKC Community Orchestra for the past five years. Learn more about Tracy here!
Photo by Darrell Miller
Maile Proctor