3 Over 2 Hand Co Ordination Exercise Using Only 8ths Notes

3 Over 2 Eighth Note Hand Co Ordination Exercise | Free Online Drumscore resources

3 Over 2 Hand Co Ordination Exercise Using Only 8ths Notes

In this lesson you will be improving your hand independance and co ordination by taking two separate rhythms and playing them at the same time. All exercises will involve one hand play straight eighth notes whilst the other plays a Syncopated grouping based on dotted quarter notes. Various different lengths and formats have been given. In these exercises I will orchestrate the two rhythms with the left hand on the snare and the right on the floor tom, but you may play these anywhere.

The syncopated rhythm will be based around the bar shown below. I will refer to this as the 'basic rhythm' in this lesson:

The syncopated rhythm

So the idea is that you will play a note of the basic rhythm on every third eighth note. To make this pattern fit into a set amount of space the last note of the rhythm will be longer or shorter depending on the length.

The intention of this exercise is to improve your ability to separate your hands in your hand, allowing them to play independant parts to each other which will open up more options when constructing grooves and fills.


Exercise 1

Eighths on the right hand, basic rhythm on the left.

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


Exercise 2

Exercise 1 reversed. So eighths on the left and the basic rhythm on the right,

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


Exercise 3

Eighths on the right, basic rhythm on the left. This time the rhythm has been extended over two bars.

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


Exercise 4

Exercise 3 with the hands reversed.

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


Exercise 5

Back to eighths on the right. This time the rhythm has been extended over four bars. Watch the timing at the end, there is a quarter note at the end.

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


Exercise 6

Exercise 5 reversed.

A multi rhythmed hand co ordination exercise


TASKS

  1. Learn all exercises at a tempo of at least 140bpm.
  2. Experiment with different orchestrations.
  3. Add feet underneath as quarter notes. This will give you three separate rhythms.