KING CRIMSON · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Red

29 fills to learn, played 59 times across 147 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
90 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
147
LENGTH
6:05
DIFFICULTY
81/100

Bar 1, and 2 more times

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 4. 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 5, and 3 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 77 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 9. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 11 · LANDS ON BAR 12

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and hi-hat foot. 79 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 12. 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 19

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 19 · LANDS ON BAR 20

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 67 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 21 · LANDS ON BAR 22

On ride, snare, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 25 · LANDS ON BAR 26

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 27, and 2 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 78 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 31, and 2 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 86 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 35

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 35 · LANDS ON BAR 36

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 36. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 39 · LANDS ON BAR 40

On crash, ride, snare, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 40. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 43 · LANDS ON BAR 44

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 58 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 44. 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 · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 45 · LANDS ON BAR 46

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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 47 · LANDS ON BAR 48

On ride, snare, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 48. 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 4 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 55, and 1 more time

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 55 AND 97 · LANDS ON BAR 56

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 68 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 56. 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 64, and 1 more time

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 64-65 · LANDS ON BAR 66

On crash, snare and kick. 73 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 93

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 93 · LANDS ON BAR 94

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 94. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 95 · LANDS ON BAR 96

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 69 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 96. 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 99

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 99 · LANDS ON BAR 100

On crash, snare 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 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 101, and 2 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 104. 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 105

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 105 · LANDS ON BAR 106

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 106. 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 109

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 109 · LANDS ON BAR 110

On ride, snare, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 79 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 110. 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 · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 115 · LANDS ON BAR 116

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 73 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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 117, and 6 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 125

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 125 · LANDS ON BAR 126

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 126. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 129 · LANDS ON BAR 130

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 78 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 130. 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 134, and 1 more time

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 134-135 · LANDS ON BAR 136

On crash, snare 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 136. 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

LOOP · 90 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 138 · LANDS ON BAR 139

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and hi-hat foot. 77 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 139. 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 140, and 6 more times

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 74 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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.

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 Red?

29 distinct fills, played 59 times: bars 1-3, 5-8, 11, 19, 21 and 25, and 24 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Red?

The one at bar 31, at 86 out of 100. 147 bars of 4/4 at a walking 90 BPM, 6:05 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 147 BARS ANALYSED