SLIPKNOT · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Nomadic

31 fills to learn, played 73 times across 200 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
188 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
200
LENGTH
4:10
DIFFICULTY
59/100

Bar 8, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 8-9 · LANDS ON BAR 10

On crash, hi-hat, snare 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 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, and 3 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 13, 148, 188 AND 196 · LANDS ON BAR 14

On crash, snare and kick. 40 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 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 2 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 17-19 · LANDS ON BAR 20

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 52 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 20. 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 21, and 2 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 21, 83 AND 180 · LANDS ON BAR 22

On crash, snare 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 22. 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 25

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 25 · LANDS ON BAR 26

On crash, snare and kick. 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 26. 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

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 29, 49, 67 AND 152 · LANDS ON BAR 30

On crash, snare and kick. 49 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 30. 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 · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 33 · LANDS ON BAR 34

On crash, snare, mid 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 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 45, and 3 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 45, 91, 103 AND 164 · LANDS ON BAR 46

On crash, snare and kick. 27 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 46. 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 53

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 53 · LANDS ON BAR 54

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 60 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 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 57, and 3 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 57-60 · LANDS ON BAR 61

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 61. 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 63

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 63 · LANDS ON BAR 64

On snare, mid 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 64. 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 71

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 71 · LANDS ON BAR 72

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 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 72. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 74-75 · LANDS ON BAR 76

On crash, snare and kick. 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 76. 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 77, and 2 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 77-79 · LANDS ON BAR 80

On crash, snare and kick. 55 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 80. 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 81, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 81 AND 154 · LANDS ON BAR 82

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 32 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 82. 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 85

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 85 · LANDS ON BAR 86

On crash, snare and kick. 48 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 86. 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, and 9 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 95-99 AND 168-172 · LANDS ON BAR 100

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor 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 100. 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

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 111 · LANDS ON BAR 112

On snare, 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 112. 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 115

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 115 · LANDS ON BAR 116

On crash, snare 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 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 119

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 119 · LANDS ON BAR 120

On crash, snare 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 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 123, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 123 AND 132 · LANDS ON BAR 124

On crash, snare and kick. 49 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 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 127, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 127-128 · LANDS ON BAR 129

On 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 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 136

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 136 · LANDS ON BAR 137

On 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 137. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 138-139 · LANDS ON BAR 140

On crash, snare 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 140. 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 141, and 3 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 141-144 · LANDS ON BAR 145

On crash, snare and kick. 48 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 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 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 146 AND 150 · LANDS ON BAR 147

On crash, snare and kick. 41 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 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 156

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 156 · LANDS ON BAR 157

On crash and kick. 39 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 157. 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 2 more times

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 158-160 · LANDS ON BAR 161

On crash, snare 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 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 176, and 1 more time

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 176-177 · LANDS ON BAR 178

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

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 182-184 · LANDS ON BAR 185

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 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 200

LOOP · 188 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 200

On crash, snare, floor tom and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet.

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 Nomadic?

31 distinct fills, played 73 times: bars 8-9, 13, 17-19, 21, 25 and 29, and 40 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Nomadic?

The one at bar 158, at 72 out of 100. 200 bars at 188 BPM -- fast, and 4:10 of it without a break -- on crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 200 BARS ANALYSED