SLIPKNOT · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Vermilion

26 fills to learn, played 66 times across 239 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
141 BPM
TIME
3/4
BARS
239
LENGTH
5:33
DIFFICULTY
61/100

Bar 5, and 2 more times

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 5-7 · LANDS ON BAR 8

On hi-hat, snare, 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 8. 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 · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 15-19 · LANDS ON BAR 20

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, 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 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 35

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 35 · LANDS ON BAR 36

On snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 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 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 43

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 43 · LANDS ON BAR 44

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 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 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 49, and 2 more times

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 49-51 · LANDS ON BAR 52

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 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 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 59

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 59 · LANDS ON BAR 60

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 49 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 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 67

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 67 · LANDS ON BAR 68

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot. 36 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 68. 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 75

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 75 · LANDS ON BAR 76

On ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 26 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 76. 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 2 more times

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 77-79 · LANDS ON BAR 80

On crash, ride, snare and kick. 33 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 80. 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, and 9 more times

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 86-87, 102-103, 165-166, 181-182 AND 197-198 · LANDS ON BAR 88

On crash, hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 33 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 88. 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 91, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 91 AND 130 · LANDS ON BAR 92

On ride, snare, high tom and kick. 25 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 92. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 94-95 · LANDS ON BAR 96

On snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 32 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 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 112, and 10 more times

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 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 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 128, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 128 AND 136 · LANDS ON BAR 129

On hi-hat, snare, kick and hi-hat foot. 42 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 129. 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 · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 138 · LANDS ON BAR 139

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 41 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 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 143, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 143-144 · LANDS ON BAR 145

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 34 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 145. 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 · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 146 · LANDS ON BAR 147

On crash, snare, mid tom, floor tom 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 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 151, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 151-152 · LANDS ON BAR 153

On snare, high tom and mid tom. 30 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 153. 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 · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 154 AND 156 · LANDS ON BAR 155

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 45 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 155. 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

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 158 · LANDS ON BAR 159

On snare, floor tom 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 159. 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 170, and 2 more times

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 170, 230 AND 238 · LANDS ON BAR 171

On ride, hi-hat, snare and kick. 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 171. 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 173, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 173-174 · LANDS ON BAR 175

On snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 47 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 175. 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 189, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 189-190 · LANDS ON BAR 191

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 47 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 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 205, and 1 more time

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 205-206 · LANDS ON BAR 207

On snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 62 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 207. 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 214

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 214 · LANDS ON BAR 215

On snare, high tom, 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 215. 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 222

LOOP · 141 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 222 · LANDS ON BAR 223

On snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 34 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 223. 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 Vermilion?

26 distinct fills, played 66 times: bars 5-7, 15-19, 35, 43, 49-51 and 59, and 29 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Vermilion?

The one at bar 205, at 62 out of 100. 239 bars of 3/4 -- not four -- at 141 BPM, 5:33 of playing on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom, kick and hi-hat foot.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 239 BARS ANALYSED