GENESIS · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Firth Of Fifth

27 fills to learn, played 36 times across 167 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
88 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
167
LENGTH
7:05
DIFFICULTY
71/100

Bar 8

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 8 · LANDS ON BAR 9

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 56 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 12 · LANDS ON BAR 13

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 58 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 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 16

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 16 · LANDS ON BAR 17

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, floor tom and kick. 52 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 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 24 AND 99 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, ride and kick. 70 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 33

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 33 · LANDS ON BAR 34

On snare and high tom. 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 34. 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 64

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 64 · LANDS ON BAR 65

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 87 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 65. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 66 AND 70 · LANDS ON BAR 67

On crash, snare and kick. 58 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 67. 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 · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 68 AND 72 · LANDS ON BAR 69

On crash, snare 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 69. 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 · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 83, 85 AND 87 · LANDS ON BAR 84

On crash, hi-hat, snare 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 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 89

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 89 · LANDS ON BAR 90

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 72 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 91

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 91 · LANDS ON BAR 92

On crash, snare and kick. 64 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 92. 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 93

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 93 · LANDS ON BAR 94

On crash, snare and kick. 63 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 94. 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 95

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 95 · LANDS ON BAR 96

On crash, snare 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 96. 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 104

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 104 · LANDS ON BAR 105

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 60 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 105. 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 106

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 106 · LANDS ON BAR 107

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 62 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 107. 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 110

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 110 · LANDS ON BAR 111

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 55 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 111. 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 114

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 114 · LANDS ON BAR 115

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 55 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 115. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 121-123 · LANDS ON BAR 124

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 64 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 124. 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 129

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 129 · LANDS ON BAR 130

On crash, snare and kick. 51 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 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 131

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 131 · LANDS ON BAR 132

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 61 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 132. 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 · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 137 · LANDS ON BAR 138

On crash, snare, 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 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 140

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 140 · LANDS ON BAR 141

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 54 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 145

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 145 · LANDS ON BAR 146

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 61 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 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 155

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 155 · LANDS ON BAR 156

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 49 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 156. 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 159

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 159 · LANDS ON BAR 160

On crash, snare, mid tom 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 160. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 161-163 · LANDS ON BAR 164

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 51 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 164. 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 166

LOOP · 88 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 166 · LANDS ON BAR 167

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 49 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 167. 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 Firth Of Fifth?

27 distinct fills, played 36 times: bars 8, 12, 16, 24, 33 and 64, and 26 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Firth Of Fifth?

The one at bar 64, at 87 out of 100. 167 bars of 4/4 at a walking 88 BPM, 7:05 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 167 BARS ANALYSED