A PERFECT CIRCLE · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Orestes (A Perfect Spiral version)

25 fills to learn, played 50 times across 113 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
75 BPM
TIME
3/4
BARS
113
LENGTH
4:31
DIFFICULTY
85/100

Bar 4

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 4 · LANDS ON BAR 5

On ride, high tom, mid tom and floor tom. 36 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 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 12, and 1 more time

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 12 AND 36 · LANDS ON BAR 13

On hi-hat, snare, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 75 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 20

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 20 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor 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 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 24

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, ride, snare, 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 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 26, and 1 more time

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 26 AND 94 · LANDS ON BAR 27

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 75 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 27. 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 · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 28 · LANDS ON BAR 29

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 77 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 44

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 44 · LANDS ON BAR 45

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 81 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 46

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 46 · LANDS ON BAR 47

On hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 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 47. 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 48

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 48 · LANDS ON BAR 49

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 87 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 49. 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 2 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 52-54 · LANDS ON BAR 55

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 85 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 55. 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 56

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 56 · LANDS ON BAR 57

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- 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 58, and 1 more time

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 58 AND 92 · LANDS ON BAR 59

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 68 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 59. 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 60, and 8 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 60-68 · LANDS ON BAR 69

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 85 out of 100 -- hard -- 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

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 72 · LANDS ON BAR 73

On mid tom, floor tom and kick. 56 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 73. 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 · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 74 · LANDS ON BAR 75

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 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 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 76

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 76 · LANDS ON BAR 77

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 70 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 78

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 78 · LANDS ON BAR 79

On crash, snare and kick. 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 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 80

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 80 · LANDS ON BAR 81

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 81 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 81. 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 · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 82 · LANDS ON BAR 83

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 84

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 84 · LANDS ON BAR 85

On ride, snare, floor tom and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 86, and 2 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 86-88 · LANDS ON BAR 89

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor 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 89. 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 96, and 2 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 96-98 · LANDS ON BAR 99

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 85 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 99. 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 · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 100 · LANDS ON BAR 101

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 81 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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 102, and 4 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 102-106 · LANDS ON BAR 107

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 83 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 108, and 4 more times

LOOP · 75 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 108-112 · LANDS ON BAR 113

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 82 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 113. 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 Orestes (A Perfect Spiral version)?

25 distinct fills, played 50 times: bars 4, 12, 20, 24, 26 and 28, and 22 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Orestes (A Perfect Spiral version)?

The one at bar 48, at 87 out of 100. 113 bars of 3/4 -- not four -- at 75 BPM, 4:31 of playing on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 113 BARS ANALYSED