ALKALINE TRIO · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in '97

23 fills to learn, played 56 times across 155 bars. Two fills that share a rhythm and differ only in how they are spread round the toms are one fill here, learned once and orchestrated twice.

TEMPO
108 BPM
TIME
3/4
BARS
155
LENGTH
4:18
DIFFICULTY
92/100

Bar 4, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 4 AND 22 · LANDS ON BAR 5

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 56 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 5. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 8, and 6 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 8, 12, 50, 54 AND 66, AND 2 MORE PLACES · LANDS ON BAR 9

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 9. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 20, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 20 AND 104 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 72 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 21. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 24, and 3 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 24-25 AND 56-57 · LANDS ON BAR 26

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 73 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 26. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 28, and 4 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 28, 52, 60, 64 AND 152 · LANDS ON BAR 29

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 69 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 29. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 32

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 32 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On crash, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 83 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 33. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 34

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 34 · LANDS ON BAR 35

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 71 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 35. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 37, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 37-38 · LANDS ON BAR 39

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 83 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 39. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 40, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 40-41 · LANDS ON BAR 42

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 84 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 42. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 44, and 3 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 44-45 AND 88-89 · LANDS ON BAR 46

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 76 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 46. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 48, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 48 AND 72 · LANDS ON BAR 49

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 75 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 49. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 68, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 68-69 · LANDS ON BAR 70

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 84 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 70. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 76, and 4 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 76-80 · LANDS ON BAR 81

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 89 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 81. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 84, and 2 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 84-86 · LANDS ON BAR 87

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 75 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 87. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 92, and 2 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 92-94 · LANDS ON BAR 95

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 84 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 95. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 96

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 96 · LANDS ON BAR 97

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 84 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 97. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 98

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 98 · LANDS ON BAR 99

On ride, snare, floor tom and kick. 73 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 99. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 120

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 120 · LANDS ON BAR 121

On snare, floor tom and kick. 78 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 121. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 124, and 2 more times

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 124, 128 AND 134 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 68 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 125. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 132

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 132 · LANDS ON BAR 133

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 133. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 136

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 136 · LANDS ON BAR 137

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 85 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 137. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 140, and 1 more time

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 140 AND 148 · LANDS ON BAR 141

On crash, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 70 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 141. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

Bar 146

LOOP · 108 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 146 · LANDS ON BAR 147

On crash, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 80 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 147. The exercise loops the figure on its own first, and the one after it puts it back: one bar of rest to count yourself in, the figure, then the landing with the time still running. Getting out of a fill is the half most people never practise.

How a fill is practised

A fill is rhythm before it is orchestration. The room plays the whole figure on the snare first, puts the feet under it second, and moves it round the toms last -- looped on its own, round and round, until the hands know it. Then it puts the fill back where it lives: a bar of rest to count in, the figure, and the downbeat it lands on, because landing square is the other half of the job.

PRACTISE THESE FILLS →

Questions

How many drum fills are in '97?

23 distinct fills, played 56 times: bars 4, 8, 12, 20, 22 and 24-25, and 35 more places.

What is the hardest fill in '97?

The one at bar 76, at 89 out of 100. 155 bars of 3/4 -- not four -- at 108 BPM, 4:18 of playing on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 155 BARS ANALYSED