MESHUGGAH · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in God He Sees in Mirrors

28 fills to learn, played 97 times across 182 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
150 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
182
LENGTH
4:51
DIFFICULTY
61/100

Bar 2, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 2-4 · LANDS ON BAR 5

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 7, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 7-9 · LANDS ON BAR 10

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 10. 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 · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 13 · LANDS ON BAR 14

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 63 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 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 18, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 18 AND 156 · LANDS ON BAR 19

On snare. 20 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 19. 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 5 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 20-22 AND 158-160 · LANDS ON BAR 23

On crash, snare, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 51 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 23. 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 9 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 28-32 AND 166-170 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On crash, snare, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 46 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 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 35, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 35-36 · LANDS ON BAR 37

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 37. 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, and 5 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 38-40 AND 176-178 · LANDS ON BAR 41

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 51 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 41. 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 43, and 7 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 43-50 · LANDS ON BAR 51

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 51. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 52-53 · LANDS ON BAR 54

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 54. 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 55, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 55 AND 101 · LANDS ON BAR 56

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 56. 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 59, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 59, 105 AND 151 · LANDS ON BAR 60

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 60. 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 3 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 61-62 AND 107-108 · LANDS ON BAR 63

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 48 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 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 64

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 64 · LANDS ON BAR 65

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 64 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 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 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 66-68 · LANDS ON BAR 69

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 66 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 72, and 3 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 72-73 AND 95-96 · LANDS ON BAR 74

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 74. 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 5 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 76-78 AND 145-147 · LANDS ON BAR 79

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 79. 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 82

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 82 · LANDS ON BAR 83

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 54 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 83. 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 86, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 86-87 · LANDS ON BAR 88

On crash, snare and kick. 46 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 88. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 89-91 · LANDS ON BAR 92

On crash, snare, mid tom, 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 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 111, and 4 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 111-115 · LANDS ON BAR 116

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 60 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 116. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 118-119 · LANDS ON BAR 120

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 122, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 122-124 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 127, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 127-128 · LANDS ON BAR 129

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 64 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 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 134, and 3 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 134-137 · LANDS ON BAR 138

On crash, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 139, and 3 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 139-142 · LANDS ON BAR 143

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 53 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 143. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 173-174 · LANDS ON BAR 175

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 175. 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 180, and 2 more times

LOOP · 150 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 180-182

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 49 out of 100 -- a step up -- 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 God He Sees in Mirrors?

28 distinct fills, played 97 times: bars 2-4, 7-9, 13, 18, 20-22 and 28-32, and 32 more places.

What is the hardest fill in God He Sees in Mirrors?

The one at bar 173, at 69 out of 100. 182 bars of 4/4 at 150 BPM, about 4:51 of playing, on crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 182 BARS ANALYSED