Using Basic Drum Fills

Video Transcript

" Hi! My name is Frank, and in this clip we’re going to look at drum fills. We’ve already looked at different patterns. Let’s just pick a basic easier pattern that almost anybody can play; it’s just a basic rock pattern. It’s based in four 1 2 3 4, 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, and the fills come inside the patterns, usually in phrases of four or in phrases in eight; at the end of those phrases you play fills. Fills can come, a lot of the tom work can be fills; you can fill off of a snare drum, you can even fill it off the cymbals, and even silence can fill—it’s pretty hip. So let’s take a look at just playing a basic rock pattern, and let’s say in a four bar phrase 1 2 3 4 2 2 3 4 3 2 3 4 and on that fourth bar, in that fourth measure I’m going to fill take a look…2 3 4…2…3…4…1…2…3…so in practicing your fills, you want to find music that’s going to support that. In every clip that I’ve explained about playing styles, I’ve always included listening as part of the routine. I encourage you to listen to so much music, and listen to what drummers do, borrow their ideas, steal their ideas, sell your mattress and go get the money, and then take that money and spend it on music, and go listen to that music—it’ll change the way you play."