VERSAILLES · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Masquerade

29 fills to learn, played 56 times across 262 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
180 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
262
LENGTH
5:49
DIFFICULTY
80/100

Bar 24

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, hi-hat, 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 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 28

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 28 · LANDS ON BAR 29

On crash, snare, mid 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 29. 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 · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 32 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On crash, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 60 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 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 · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 35-36 · LANDS ON BAR 37

On crash, 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 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 68

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 68 · LANDS ON BAR 69

On crash, hi-hat, snare, 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 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 76

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 76 · LANDS ON BAR 77

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, 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 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 · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 84 · LANDS ON BAR 85

On crash, hi-hat, 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 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 91, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 91-92 · LANDS ON BAR 93

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid 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 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 100

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 100 · LANDS ON BAR 101

On ride, snare, floor tom and kick. 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 101. 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 107, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 107-108 · LANDS ON BAR 109

On snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 53 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 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 119, and 3 more times

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 119-120 AND 212-213 · LANDS ON BAR 121

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 53 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 121. 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

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 124 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 63 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 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 128

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 128 · LANDS ON BAR 129

On crash, snare, floor tom and kick. 49 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 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 · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 130-132 · LANDS ON BAR 133

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 60 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 133. 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 146, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 146 AND 150 · LANDS ON BAR 147

On crash, snare 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 147. 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 148

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 148 · LANDS ON BAR 149

On crash, snare and kick. 49 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 149. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 159-160 · LANDS ON BAR 161

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 80 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 161. 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 162, and 4 more times

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 162-166 · LANDS ON BAR 167

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 71 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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.

Bar 168

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 168 · LANDS ON BAR 169

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 69 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 169. 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 175, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 175-176 · LANDS ON BAR 177

On crash, snare and kick. 63 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 177. 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 182, and 2 more times

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 182-184 · LANDS ON BAR 185

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 185. 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

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 192 · LANDS ON BAR 193

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 31 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 193. 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 · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 201 · LANDS ON BAR 202

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 71 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 217, and 4 more times

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 217-221 · LANDS ON BAR 222

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 66 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 222. 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 229

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 229 · LANDS ON BAR 230

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 50 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 230. 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 236, and 1 more time

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 236-237 · LANDS ON BAR 238

On crash, 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 238. 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 240, and 5 more times

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 240-245 · LANDS ON BAR 246

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 57 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 246. 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 257

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 257 · LANDS ON BAR 258

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom 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 258. 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 261

LOOP · 180 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 261 · LANDS ON BAR 262

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 34 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 262. 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 Masquerade?

29 distinct fills, played 56 times: bars 24, 28, 32, 35-36, 68 and 76, and 25 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Masquerade?

The one at bar 159, at 80 out of 100. 262 bars at 180 BPM -- fast, and 5:49 of it without a break -- on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 262 BARS ANALYSED