DYING FETUS · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Compulsion For Cruelty

35 fills to learn, played 79 times across 221 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
210 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
221
LENGTH
4:09
DIFFICULTY
70/100

Bar 3, and 2 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 3-5 · LANDS ON BAR 6

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 78 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 6. 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 7

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 7 · LANDS ON BAR 8

On crash, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 46 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 8. 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 11

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 11 · LANDS ON BAR 12

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 54 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 12. 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 13

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 13 · LANDS ON BAR 14

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 14. 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 15, and 2 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 15-17 · LANDS ON BAR 18

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 78 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 18. 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 4 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 20, 22, 24, 26 AND 149 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is the speed of the hand keeping time. 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 30

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 30 · LANDS ON BAR 31

On crash, snare and kick. 59 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 31. 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 · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 34 · LANDS ON BAR 35

On crash, snare and kick. 28 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 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 38

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 38 · LANDS ON BAR 39

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 45 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 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 42

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 42 · LANDS ON BAR 43

On crash, snare and kick. 50 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 43. 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 2 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 44, 46 AND 48 · LANDS ON BAR 45

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare and kick. 74 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 45. 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 52

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 52 · LANDS ON BAR 53

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 59 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 53. 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 54

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 54 · LANDS ON BAR 55

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 61 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 55. 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 56

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 56 · LANDS ON BAR 57

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 56 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 57. 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 62, and 1 more time

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 62 AND 71 · LANDS ON BAR 63

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 44 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 63. 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 66, and 3 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 66-67 AND 75-76 · LANDS ON BAR 68

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 45 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 68. 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 80, and 1 more time

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 80 AND 84 · LANDS ON BAR 81

On crash, snare and kick. 19 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 103, and 11 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 103-108 AND 208-213 · LANDS ON BAR 109

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 39 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 109. 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 112, and 2 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 112, 189 AND 217 · LANDS ON BAR 113

On crash, snare and kick. 42 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 113. 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 116, and 3 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 116-119 · LANDS ON BAR 120

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 48 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 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 127, and 1 more time

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 127-128 · LANDS ON BAR 129

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 58 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 129. 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 130, and 2 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 130, 138 AND 197 · LANDS ON BAR 131

On hi-hat, snare and kick. 55 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 131. 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 134

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 134 · LANDS ON BAR 135

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 135. 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 · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 136 · LANDS ON BAR 137

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 47 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 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 144, and 3 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 144-147 · LANDS ON BAR 148

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 58 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 148. 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, and 4 more times

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 153-157 · LANDS ON BAR 158

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 83 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 158. 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 · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 161 · LANDS ON BAR 162

On snare, mid tom and floor tom. 27 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 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 165

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 165 · LANDS ON BAR 166

On snare, mid tom and floor tom. 21 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 166. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 169-170 · LANDS ON BAR 171

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 51 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 171. 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 172, and 1 more time

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 172-173 · LANDS ON BAR 174

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 51 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 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 181

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 181 · LANDS ON BAR 182

On crash, snare and kick. 36 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 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 185

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 185 · LANDS ON BAR 186

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 45 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 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 · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 192-193 · LANDS ON BAR 194

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 58 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 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 201

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 201 · LANDS ON BAR 202

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 56 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 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 221

LOOP · 210 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 221

On crash, snare and kick. 41 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for.

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 Compulsion For Cruelty?

35 distinct fills, played 79 times: bars 3-5, 7, 11, 13, 15-17 and 20, and 43 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Compulsion For Cruelty?

The one at bar 153, at 83 out of 100. 221 bars at 210 BPM -- fast, and 4:09 of it without a break -- on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 221 BARS ANALYSED