Using Basic Drum Fills

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Part of the video series: How to Play Drums

Summary: Use drum fills to apply rhythm to empty space and offer the drum a fuller, more complex sound; learn how with tips from our expert drum and percussion instructor in this free drum kit video music lesson.

Views: 21,320 | Tags: online, pattern, instrument, drums, drum, set, beat, kit, instruction, instruments, rhythm, stick, fill, percussion, musiclessons, snaredrum, musical instruments, musical technique


About the Expert
Contact: bluehandpercussion.com

Frank Favacho Frank Favacho began the study of music informally at age four, when his family used records to aid him in overcoming dyslexia. The music began something speci... read more

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by Linky

Thanks for all your videos. Your drum fills video has given me some good tips

I've sold my mattress and it changed my drumming drammatically. Thanks for the tip!

This is a solid fill that I can see myself using a lot. I'm losing some sleep, though.

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Video Transcript

Using Basic Drum Fills

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.

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