RATA BLANCA · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in El Guardián de la Luz

28 fills to learn, played 48 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
143 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
217
LENGTH
6:03
DIFFICULTY
76/100

Bar 8

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 8 · LANDS ON BAR 9

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 67 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 12

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 12 · LANDS ON BAR 13

On crash, snare, floor tom 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 13. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 15-16 · LANDS ON BAR 17

On crash, snare, floor 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 17. 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

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, hi-hat and kick. 27 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 25. 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 · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 32 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On ride, snare and kick. 52 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 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 48

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 48 · LANDS ON BAR 49

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom 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 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 54

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 54 · LANDS ON BAR 55

On snare, floor tom and kick. 41 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 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 61, and 5 more times

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 61-62, 105-106 AND 190-191 · LANDS ON BAR 63

On ride, snare, 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 69, and 5 more times

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 69-70, 113-114 AND 198-199 · LANDS ON BAR 71

On ride, snare, floor tom and kick. 38 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 71. 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 74, and 2 more times

On crash, ride, 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 77. 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

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 84 · LANDS ON BAR 85

On hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 59 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 85. 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

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 92 · LANDS ON BAR 93

On snare, floor tom and kick. 32 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 93. 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 · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 98 · LANDS ON BAR 99

On hi-hat, snare and kick. 32 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 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 118

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 118 · LANDS ON BAR 119

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 33 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 119. 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 122

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 122 · LANDS ON BAR 123

On snare, high tom and kick. 32 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 123. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 124 AND 128 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 23 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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 126

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 126 · LANDS ON BAR 127

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 35 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 127. 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

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 130 · LANDS ON BAR 131

On crash, snare, high tom and kick. 16 out of 100 -- straightforward -- 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 · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 134 · LANDS ON BAR 135

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 24 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 138

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 138 · LANDS ON BAR 139

On snare, floor tom and kick. 37 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 139. 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 154, and 2 more times

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 154, 158 AND 203 · LANDS ON BAR 155

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 68 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 155. 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 167

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 167 · LANDS ON BAR 168

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 41 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 168. 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 · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 176-177 · LANDS ON BAR 178

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor 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 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 · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 181 · LANDS ON BAR 182

On hi-hat, snare, floor 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 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

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 183 · LANDS ON BAR 184

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 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 184. 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 207

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 207 · LANDS ON BAR 208

On ride, snare and kick. 84 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 208. 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 210, and 1 more time

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 210-211 · LANDS ON BAR 212

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 86 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 214, and 2 more times

LOOP · 143 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 214-216 · LANDS ON BAR 217

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom and kick. 62 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 217. 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 El Guardián de la Luz?

28 distinct fills, played 48 times: bars 8, 12, 15-16, 24, 32 and 48, and 29 more places.

What is the hardest fill in El Guardián de la Luz?

The one at bar 210, at 86 out of 100. 217 bars of 4/4 at 143 BPM, about 6:03 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 217 BARS ANALYSED