BEFORE TODAY · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in The Process of Losing and Gaining

31 fills to learn, played 83 times across 217 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
156 BPM
TIME
4/4
BARS
217
LENGTH
5:34
DIFFICULTY
67/100

Bar 1

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 1 · LANDS ON BAR 2

On snare and kick. 20 out of 100 -- straightforward -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 2. 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 10, and 3 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 10-13 · LANDS ON BAR 14

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 59 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 14. 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 15, and 4 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 15, 17, 19, 35 AND 138 · LANDS ON BAR 16

On hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 40 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 16. 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 21-22 AND 29-30 · LANDS ON BAR 23

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 27 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 23. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 24-25 · LANDS ON BAR 26

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

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 27 · LANDS ON BAR 28

On hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 40 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 28. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 32-33 · LANDS ON BAR 34

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 48 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 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 38, and 3 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 38-41 · LANDS ON BAR 42

On crash, ride, snare, floor tom and hi-hat foot. 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 42. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 44-45 · LANDS ON BAR 46

On crash, ride and hi-hat foot. 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 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 49, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 49 AND 65 · LANDS ON BAR 50

On ride, hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 55 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 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 53, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 53 AND 61 · LANDS ON BAR 54

On hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 40 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 57 AND 101 · LANDS ON BAR 58

On hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 27 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 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 69

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 69 · LANDS ON BAR 70

On ride, hi-hat, snare and kick. 65 out of 100 -- demanding -- 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 73 AND 88 · LANDS ON BAR 74

On hi-hat, snare and kick. 31 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 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 81, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 81-82 · LANDS ON BAR 83

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 63 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 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 84, 155 AND 157 · LANDS ON BAR 85

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 29 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 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 92, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 92-93 · LANDS ON BAR 94

On crash, snare and kick. 64 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 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 95-97 · LANDS ON BAR 98

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 54 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 98. 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 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 104-105 · LANDS ON BAR 106

On hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 51 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 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, and 5 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 109-114 · LANDS ON BAR 115

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 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 119, and 2 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 119-121 · LANDS ON BAR 122

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 38 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 122. 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 126, and 3 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 126-129 · LANDS ON BAR 130

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 54 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 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 134-135 · LANDS ON BAR 136

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 36 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 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 152, and 1 more time

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 152-153 · LANDS ON BAR 154

On crash, ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 31 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 154. 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 159 · LANDS ON BAR 160

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 36 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 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 167

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 167 · LANDS ON BAR 168

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 46 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 168. 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, and 2 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 188-190 · LANDS ON BAR 191

On crash, ride, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 39 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how many notes a second it asks for. In the song it lands on bar 191. 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 194, and 7 more times

On crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 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 202. 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 · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 204 · LANDS ON BAR 205

On crash, snare and kick. 44 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 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 210

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 210 · LANDS ON BAR 211

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 53 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 211. 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 212, and 4 more times

LOOP · 156 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 212-216 · LANDS ON BAR 217

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 48 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 217. 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 The Process of Losing and Gaining?

31 distinct fills, played 83 times: bars 1, 10-13, 15, 17, 19 and 21-22, and 36 more places.

What is the hardest fill in The Process of Losing and Gaining?

The one at bar 44, at 75 out of 100. 217 bars at 156 BPM -- fast, and 5:34 of it without a break -- on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 217 BARS ANALYSED