ATHEIST · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Piece Of Time

27 fills to learn, played 49 times across 206 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
128 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
206
LENGTH
6:26
DIFFICULTY
64/100

Bar 26

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 26 · LANDS ON BAR 27

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, 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 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 45

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 45 · LANDS ON BAR 46

On snare, high tom and mid tom. 29 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 47, and 2 more times

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 47-49 · LANDS ON BAR 50

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 44 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 50. 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 51

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 51 · LANDS ON BAR 52

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 52. 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 · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 53 · LANDS ON BAR 54

On high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 41 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 57 AND 151 · LANDS ON BAR 58

On hi-hat, snare, high tom and kick. 33 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 58. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 63-65 · LANDS ON BAR 66

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 44 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 66. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 71-73 · LANDS ON BAR 74

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 50 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 79, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 79-80 · LANDS ON BAR 81

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 51 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 82 · LANDS ON BAR 83

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 55 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

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 86 · LANDS ON BAR 87

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 41 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 87. 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 106, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 106 AND 128 · LANDS ON BAR 107

On crash, snare and kick. 35 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 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 2 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid 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 111. 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 114

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 114 · LANDS ON BAR 115

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 115. 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 · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 118 AND 126 · LANDS ON BAR 119

On hi-hat and snare. 19 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 119. 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

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 122 · LANDS ON BAR 123

On high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 123. 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 3 more times

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 138-139 AND 146-147 · LANDS ON BAR 140

On crash, snare and kick. 38 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 154, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 154-155 · LANDS ON BAR 156

On snare, high tom, mid tom and floor tom. 29 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 159

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 159 · LANDS ON BAR 160

On ride, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 41 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 160. 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 165

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 165 · LANDS ON BAR 166

On crash and kick. 16 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 166. 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 169, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 169 AND 181 · LANDS ON BAR 170

On crash, high tom, mid tom and kick. 47 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 170. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 172-173 · LANDS ON BAR 174

On crash, snare 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 174. 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 187, and 2 more times

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 187-189 · LANDS ON BAR 190

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 70 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 190. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 192-193 · LANDS ON BAR 194

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 76 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 194. 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 196, and 1 more time

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 196-197 · LANDS ON BAR 198

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor 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 198. 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 204

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 204 · LANDS ON BAR 205

On crash, snare 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 205. 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 206

LOOP · 128 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 206

On crash and kick. 39 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat.

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 Piece Of Time?

27 distinct fills, played 49 times: bars 26, 45, 47-49, 51, 53 and 57, and 26 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Piece Of Time?

The one at bar 192, at 76 out of 100. 206 bars of 4/4 at 128 BPM, about 6:26 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 206 BARS ANALYSED