Drums · Level 3 · Rock and pop
Your first drum fill
Don’t just read about the your first drum fill. Play it.
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One bar of groove, then a short fill on beat 4 of the second bar that leads back to a crash on beat 1.
Tap an instrument name to mute it and play that part yourself.
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a steady groove.
- Press play and listen to the whole groove twice before you play.
- Mute every row except the hi-hat (or ride) and play along with the rest. Keep counting through the fill; it lasts exactly one beat, then the crash lands on “1”.
- Add the bass drum, then the snare, one part at a time.
- Set the tempo to 53 BPM and play the full groove four times without stopping.
- Raise the tempo to 76 BPM once it feels easy.
- Record a take and listen for the crash and bass drum landing together right after the fill.
Listen for
Aim for the crash and bass drum landing together right after the fill. A common mistake is making the fill too long or too fast and coming back late.
Why it works
A fill marks the end of a section. Short fills that land on time sound better than long ones that don’t.
Questions
How do you count the your first drum fill?
It is in 4/4. Count 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a for each bar.
What tempo should I practise the your first drum fill at?
Start around 53 BPM and work up to 76 BPM. Only speed up when you can play it four times in a row without mistakes.
Is this drum lesson right for my level?
It is a level 3 groove. If it feels too hard, go back to “Half-time groove”.