LILISA, OTOHA, RED FAMILIAR · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in TAKARAJIMA

27 fills to learn, played 56 times across 157 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
135 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
157
LENGTH
4:39
DIFFICULTY
84/100

Bar 4

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 4 · LANDS ON BAR 5

On snare 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 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 8

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 8 · LANDS ON BAR 9

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 80 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 12, and 4 more times

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 12-16 · LANDS ON BAR 17

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 76 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 17. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 20, 28 AND 36 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 67 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 · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On snare, mid tom, floor 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 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 32

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 32 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On snare, mid tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 40

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 40 · LANDS ON BAR 41

On crash, snare, mid tom and floor tom. 50 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 41. 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

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 49-53 · LANDS ON BAR 54

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 62 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 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 59, and 1 more time

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 59 AND 132 · LANDS ON BAR 60

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom and kick. 43 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 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 61

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 61 · LANDS ON BAR 62

On crash, snare and kick. 75 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 62. 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 65

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 65 · LANDS ON BAR 66

On crash, snare and kick. 60 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 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 69

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 69 · LANDS ON BAR 70

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 58 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 70. 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 73, and 1 more time

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 73-74 · LANDS ON BAR 75

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor 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 77, and 1 more time

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 77-78 · LANDS ON BAR 79

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 68 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 86

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 86 · LANDS ON BAR 87

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom 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 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 94

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 94 · LANDS ON BAR 95

On hi-hat, 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 95. 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 98

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 98 · LANDS ON BAR 99

On hi-hat, 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 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 · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 100 · LANDS ON BAR 101

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor 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 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

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 102 · LANDS ON BAR 103

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid 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 103. 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 104, and 6 more times

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 104-110 · LANDS ON BAR 111

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid 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 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 · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 114 · LANDS ON BAR 115

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 67 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 121, and 9 more times

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 121-130 · LANDS ON BAR 131

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 90 out of 100 -- hard -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 131. 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

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 134 · LANDS ON BAR 135

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom 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 135. 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 · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 138 · LANDS ON BAR 139

On crash, snare 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 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 142

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 142 · LANDS ON BAR 143

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 70 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 143. 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

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 146 · LANDS ON BAR 147

On crash, snare, mid tom and kick. 69 out of 100 -- demanding -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 148, and 1 more time

LOOP · 135 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 148 AND 150 · LANDS ON BAR 149

On crash, snare 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 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.

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 TAKARAJIMA?

27 distinct fills, played 56 times: bars 4, 8, 12-16, 20, 24 and 28, and 25 more places.

What is the hardest fill in TAKARAJIMA?

The one at bar 121, at 90 out of 100. 157 bars of 4/4 at 135 BPM, about 4:39 of playing, on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 157 BARS ANALYSED