MASTODON · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Sickle and Peace

29 fills to learn, played 69 times across 201 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
110 BPM
TIME
3/4
BARS
201
LENGTH
5:52
DIFFICULTY
77/100

Bar 4, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 4 AND 16 · LANDS ON BAR 5

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. 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 21, and 3 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 21-24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, ride, snare 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 28

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 28 · LANDS ON BAR 29

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 83 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 32, and 2 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 32, 40 AND 78 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 66 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 36 · LANDS ON BAR 37

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 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 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 54, and 5 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 54-55, 104-105 AND 176-177 · LANDS ON BAR 56

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 44 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 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 58, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 58-59 · LANDS ON BAR 60

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 52 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 60. 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 62, and 5 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 62-63, 96-97 AND 168-169 · LANDS ON BAR 64

On crash, snare, 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 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 66

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 66 · LANDS ON BAR 67

On crash, snare and kick. 44 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 67. 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 70

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 70 · LANDS ON BAR 71

On hi-hat, snare, high tom and kick. 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 71. 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 · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 74 · LANDS ON BAR 75

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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 84

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 84 · LANDS ON BAR 85

On crash, hi-hat, 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 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 99, and 2 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 99-101 · LANDS ON BAR 102

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 61 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 102. 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 107, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 107-108 · LANDS ON BAR 109

On crash, snare and kick. 52 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 109. 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 110, and 3 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 110, 150, 182 AND 196 · LANDS ON BAR 111

On crash, snare and kick. 65 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 112, and 5 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 112-117 · LANDS ON BAR 118

On crash, snare and kick. 72 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 118. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 119-120 · LANDS ON BAR 121

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 71 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. In the song it lands on bar 121. 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 124

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 124 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On crash, snare, mid tom and floor tom. 43 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 125. 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 131, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 131-132 · LANDS ON BAR 133

On ride, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 35 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 133. 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 139, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 139-140 · LANDS ON BAR 141

On ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 43 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 141. 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 148

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 148 · LANDS ON BAR 149

On snare. 38 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 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 154, and 2 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 154-156 · LANDS ON BAR 157

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 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 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 · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 158-160 · LANDS ON BAR 161

On crash, snare 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 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 172, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 172-173 · LANDS ON BAR 174

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 49 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 179, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 179-180 · LANDS ON BAR 181

On crash, snare and kick. 66 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how much of it falls off the beat. 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 184

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 184 · LANDS ON BAR 185

On crash, snare and kick. 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 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 188

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 188 · LANDS ON BAR 189

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 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 189. 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 191, and 2 more times

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 191-193 · LANDS ON BAR 194

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 49 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 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 199, and 1 more time

LOOP · 110 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 199-200 · LANDS ON BAR 201

On crash, snare and kick. 73 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is the independence between the hands and the feet. In the song it lands on bar 201. 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 Sickle and Peace?

29 distinct fills, played 69 times: bars 4, 16, 21-24, 28, 32 and 36, and 33 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Sickle and Peace?

The one at bar 70, at 86 out of 100. 201 bars of 3/4 -- not four -- at 110 BPM, 5:52 of playing on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 201 BARS ANALYSED