DREAM THEATER · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Bend The Clock

33 fills to learn, played 55 times across 217 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
138 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
217
LENGTH
6:22
DIFFICULTY
56/100

Bar 72

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 72 · LANDS ON BAR 73

On crash, snare and kick. 45 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 73. 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 81

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 81 · LANDS ON BAR 82

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 44 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 82. 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 83, and 2 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 83, 107 AND 157 · LANDS ON BAR 84

On crash, snare and kick. 38 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 84. 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 85, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 85-86 · LANDS ON BAR 87

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 43 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 89

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 89 · LANDS ON BAR 90

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 55 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 90. 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 97

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 97 · LANDS ON BAR 98

On ride, snare, floor tom and kick. 44 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 98. 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 101

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 101 · LANDS ON BAR 102

On snare, mid tom and floor tom. 40 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 102. 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 105

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 105 · LANDS ON BAR 106

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 38 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 106. 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 109

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 109 · LANDS ON BAR 110

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 47 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 110. 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 111, and 2 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 111-113 · LANDS ON BAR 114

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 52 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 114. 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 117, and 3 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 117, 125, 141 AND 189 · LANDS ON BAR 118

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 32 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 118. 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 119, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 119 AND 203 · LANDS ON BAR 120

On crash, snare and kick. 35 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 120. 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 121

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 121 · LANDS ON BAR 122

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 43 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 122. 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 127, and 2 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 127-129 · LANDS ON BAR 130

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 41 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 130. 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, and 3 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 132-135 · LANDS ON BAR 136

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 61 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 136. 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 137

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 137 · LANDS ON BAR 138

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 138. 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 145, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 145 AND 165 · LANDS ON BAR 146

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 13 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 146. 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 149

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 149 · LANDS ON BAR 150

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 44 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 150. 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 151

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 151 · LANDS ON BAR 152

On hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 152. 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 153

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 153 · LANDS ON BAR 154

On hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 40 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 154. 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 161

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 161 · LANDS ON BAR 162

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 53 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 162. 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 169

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 169 · LANDS ON BAR 170

On snare. 30 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 170. 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 173

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 173 · LANDS ON BAR 174

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 40 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 174. 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 176, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 176-177 · LANDS ON BAR 178

On crash, snare and kick. 54 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 178. 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 181

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 181 · LANDS ON BAR 182

On crash, snare, floor tom and kick. 47 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 182. 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 183, and 2 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 183-185 · LANDS ON BAR 186

On crash, snare and kick. 57 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 186. 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 192, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 192-193 · LANDS ON BAR 194

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 34 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 194. 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 197

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 197 · LANDS ON BAR 198

On crash, snare and mid tom. 43 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 198. 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 199, and 2 more times

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 199-201 · LANDS ON BAR 202

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 69 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 202. 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 205

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 205 · LANDS ON BAR 206

On snare and kick. 50 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 206. 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 208, and 1 more time

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 208-209 · LANDS ON BAR 210

On crash, snare, mid 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 210. 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 211

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 211 · LANDS ON BAR 212

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 55 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 212. 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 213

LOOP · 138 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 213 · LANDS ON BAR 214

On crash, snare and kick. 57 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 214. 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 Bend The Clock?

33 distinct fills, played 55 times: bars 72, 81, 83, 85-86, 89 and 97, and 34 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Bend The Clock?

The one at bar 208, at 70 out of 100. 217 bars of 4/4 at 138 BPM, about 6:22 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 217 BARS ANALYSED