DISSECTION · DRUM FILLS

The drum fills in Where Dead Angels Lie

34 fills to learn, played 54 times across 216 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
80 BPM
TIME
3/4
BARS
216
LENGTH
8:05
DIFFICULTY
73/100

Bar 12, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 12 AND 200 · LANDS ON BAR 13

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 42 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 13. 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 · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 20, 136 AND 194 · LANDS ON BAR 21

On crash, hi-hat, 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 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 23, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 23-24 · LANDS ON BAR 25

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom and kick. 56 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 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 31, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 31-32 · LANDS ON BAR 33

On crash, snare 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 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 · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 40 · LANDS ON BAR 41

On crash, snare, high tom, mid tom 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 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 48

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 48 · LANDS ON BAR 49

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 59 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 49. 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 56

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 56 · LANDS ON BAR 57

On high tom and mid tom. 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 57. 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 3 more times

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 59-60 AND 99-100 · LANDS ON BAR 61

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid 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 61. 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 63, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 63-64 · LANDS ON BAR 65

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, 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 65. 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 71, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 71-72 · LANDS ON BAR 73

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 73. 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 79, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 79-80 · LANDS ON BAR 81

On crash, ride, snare, 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 81. 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 85, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 85 AND 112 · LANDS ON BAR 86

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 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 86. 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 · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 92 AND 132 · LANDS ON BAR 93

On snare and kick. 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 93. 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 96

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 96 · LANDS ON BAR 97

On crash, hi-hat, snare, floor tom and kick. 39 out of 100 -- a fair first song -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. In the song it lands on bar 97. 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 103, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 103-104 · LANDS ON BAR 105

On crash, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 58 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 105. 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 108

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 108 · LANDS ON BAR 109

On hi-hat, snare and kick. 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 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

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 110 · LANDS ON BAR 111

On hi-hat, snare, high tom and kick. 58 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 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 118

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 118 · LANDS ON BAR 119

On hi-hat, snare, high tom, 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 119. 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, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 124 AND 128 · LANDS ON BAR 125

On ride, snare, mid tom and kick. 46 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 138, and 2 more times

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 138-140 · LANDS ON BAR 141

On ride, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 60 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 152

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 152 · LANDS ON BAR 153

On crash, ride, snare 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 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 156

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 156 · LANDS ON BAR 157

On high tom, mid tom and floor tom. 42 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 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 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 158 AND 166 · LANDS ON BAR 159

On crash, snare 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 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 160

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 160 · LANDS ON BAR 161

On crash, snare, high tom, 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 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 164

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 164 · LANDS ON BAR 165

On crash, hi-hat, 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 165. 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 168

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 168 · LANDS ON BAR 169

On snare, high tom, 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 169. 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

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 170 · LANDS ON BAR 171

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 53 out of 100 -- a step up -- and what decides that is how fine the subdivision is. 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 172

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 172 · LANDS ON BAR 173

On crash, hi-hat, snare and kick. 54 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 173. 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 174

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 174 · LANDS ON BAR 175

On crash, hi-hat, snare 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 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 176

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 176 · LANDS ON BAR 177

On crash, hi-hat, snare, mid 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 177. 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 · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 184 · LANDS ON BAR 185

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom 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 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 187, and 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 187-188 · LANDS ON BAR 189

On crash, snare and kick. 60 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 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 1 more time

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BARS 191-192 · LANDS ON BAR 193

On crash, ride, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick. 64 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 193. 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 196

LOOP · 80 BPM
PLAYED AT BAR 196 · LANDS ON BAR 197

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 197. 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 Where Dead Angels Lie?

34 distinct fills, played 54 times: bars 12, 20, 23-24, 31-32, 40 and 48, and 36 more places.

What is the hardest fill in Where Dead Angels Lie?

The one at bar 160, at 73 out of 100. 216 bars of 3/4 -- not four -- at 80 BPM, 8:05 of playing on crash, ride, hi-hat, snare, high tom, mid tom, floor tom and kick.

READ OFF THE SCORE ITSELF · 216 BARS ANALYSED