MASTODON · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Megalodon

28 fills to learn, played 83 times across 199 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
152 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
199
LENGTH
5:02
DIFFICULTY
81/100

Bar 5, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 5-6 · LANDS ON BAR 7

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 74 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 7. 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 8, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 8-9 · LANDS ON BAR 10

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor 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 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 11, and 2 more times

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 11-13 · LANDS ON BAR 14

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 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 17, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 17-18 · LANDS ON BAR 19

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 67 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 20 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 22

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 22 · LANDS ON BAR 23

On high tom, mid tom and floor tom. 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 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 24

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 53 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 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 29, and 3 more times

On crash, snare and kick. 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 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 36

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 36 · LANDS ON BAR 37

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid 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 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 39, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 39-40 · LANDS ON BAR 41

On crash, 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 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 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 43-44 · LANDS ON BAR 45

On crash, ride, snare, high 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 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 49, and 7 more times

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 49-56 · LANDS ON BAR 57

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 55 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 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 74

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 74 · LANDS ON BAR 75

On 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 75. 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 90

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 90 · LANDS ON BAR 91

On crash, snare, high tom and kick. 76 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 91. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 92 AND 124 · LANDS ON BAR 93

On snare and kick. 55 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 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 129, and 5 more times

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 81 out of 100 -- hard -- 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, and 8 more times

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 80 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 145. 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 5 more times

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 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 150, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 150 AND 186 · LANDS ON BAR 151

On crash, snare, high tom, mid 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 151. 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 152, and 1 more time

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 152 AND 188 · LANDS ON BAR 153

On snare, high 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 153. 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 · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 155 · LANDS ON BAR 156

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 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 158, and 3 more times

On crash, 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 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 164, and 4 more times

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 85 out of 100 -- hard -- 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 170

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 170 · LANDS ON BAR 171

On 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 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

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 172 · LANDS ON BAR 173

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 72 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 173. 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 174, and 6 more times

On crash, hi-hat, 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 181. 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 4 more times

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 192-196 · LANDS ON BAR 197

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, 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 197. 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 198

LOOP · 152 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 198 · LANDS ON BAR 199

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 81 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 199. 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 Megalodon?

28 distinct fills, played 83 times: bars 5-6, 8-9, 11-13, 17-18, 20 and 22, and 26 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Megalodon?

The one at bar 164, at 85 out of 100. 199 bars of 4/4 at 152 BPM, about 5:02 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 199 BARS ANALYSED