In this exercise you will be developing your ability to control the open sound of a hi hat. This will be particularly useful when using open hi hats to decorate a groove but is also a good exercise in controlling your left foot.
The exercises on this page are similar to our Hand Foot Independence Exercise, only you have switched all right hand limbs to left hand limbs.
Exercise 1
You will start by playing an open hi hat on beats 1 and 3 and a hi hat on the foot on beats 2 and 4. The left foot will be making an 'up down' movement, where it is completely up on beat 1 (when the hi hat should be open) and comes down again on beat 2 (for the hi hat foot). The hi hat should remain open for the whole of beat 1, make sure you don't cut it short.
TASK
- Learn the exercise above upto a tempo of at least 140bpm.
Exercise 2
For our second exercise we are going to double up the note values. So on all numbered counts you will play an open hi hat then close it with the left foot on all '+' counts. Like before, don't cut the hi hat short by bringing your left foot down too early.
TASK
- Learn the exercise above upto a tempo of at least 120bpm.
Exercise 3
Next we'll go back to exercise 1 and reverse the order of efet and hands.
TASK
- Learn the exercise above upto a tempo of at least 140bpm.
Exercise 4
And finally we'll do the same the same with exercise 2.
TASK
- Learn the exercise above upto a tempo of at least 120bpm.
