Posture, hand position/grip and freedom of movement
- Play with some control of the body:
- developing an appropriate and functional posture
- sitting or standing in a way that enables freedom of movement
- Play with some control of the hands:
- developing an appropriate stick/mallet grip, with relaxed wrists, arms and shoulders
- developing an appropriate hand position when playing without sticks
- developing an awareness of the parts that both hands play in hand percussion
Ask learners to observe and describe a good example of posture, demonstrated by the teacher or a more experienced learner.
Creating effective exercises and drills to enable learners to adopt appropriate posture is invaluable in large-group and whole-class teaching. It promotes independence, giving learners the necessary skills to recreate the desired posture in their individual practice.
Reinforce the importance of always taking a moment to ensure that posture is correct before starting to play, whether in the lesson or in individual practice.
Ask learners to stand with feet slightly apart and practise shifting their weight from foot to foot.
To practise drum kit posture, encourage learners to sit upright towards the front of the stool/chair and to tap out simple rhythms using their toes while keeping their heels in contact with the floor.
Djembe players should sit upright towards the front of their chair and be able to reach the floor with their feet in order to hold the instrument successfully. For younger djembe players, ensure that the djembe is not too heavy or too big, otherwise this will make it difficult for them to hold the djembe with their legs and tilt it forwards.
Be aware of learners’ individual physical characteristics and make adaptations as appropriate.
If learners have photographic permission, encourage them to take photos of themselves and annotate them to identify elements of good posture. This can be done with a photo editing app or presentation programs such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.
Ensure that the instruments are set up correctly and comfortably and at an appropriate height. Where the height of an instrument is fixed, adjust the height of the stools if appropriate and/or use blocks to raise the height of the learner or instruments. Where learners are supporting their instrument, e.g. djembe, ensure that this is done in a way that facilitates freedom of movement.
If music stands are used they should be suitably placed and at an appropriate height.
Encourage self-evaluation by use of a mirror. Video-recording could also be used for this purpose, but it is vital to check the policy of the school or other organisation you are working in with regards to any form of recording. Children must never be videoed without parental consent and all policies regarding use and storage of recordings must be adhered to.
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