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Thread: Drum fill ideas

  1. #1

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    Default Drum fill ideas

    I am starting this thread so that some of the newer or inexperienced drummers like myself can benefit from those of you that have the chops.

    Basically, I would like you to submit some of your favorite fill ideas. Of course all of us are going to practice and try to invent new fills, so there is no need to post that as a response.

    For example, I read the following tip on drumtips.com: play a flam on "1" and the "e" of 3, and play 4 as a triplet. So that would be something like this:
    flam e and uh 2 e and uh 3 flam and uh 4 ka ta.

    Two others I liked were: play five-stroke rolls as fills (I am going to try this one tonight when I get home) and play paradiddles between the snare and bass (this too).

    So what's your addition? I think this can really help some of us newer drummers here to get our own chops.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Drum fill ideas

    RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL played ad infinitum on the snare at about a million bpm.
    Sorry I can't think of anything better right now.
    Last edited by su_admin; 01-05-2009 at 06:17 PM. Reason: language
    Today, on Ethel The Frog...

  3. #3

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    ...and I thought this was a family show.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ethel_The_Frog View Post
    RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL played ad infinitum on the snare at about a million bpm.
    Sorry I can't think of anything better right now,

    You're joking right?

  5. #5

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    Not an idea as such, but im going to say this.
    Its not what you play, its what you dont play.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vinnysimmo mk:II View Post
    Not an idea as such, but im going to say this.
    Its not what you play, its what you dont play.
    Well that was very deep amd vauge at the same time lol.

  7. #7

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    My favorite fill is very basic, but its the delivery you see...

    I hop off my throne and do a couple laps around the set while laying those beats. If you try it, I suggest you take an extra stick with you, there hard to hold onto the first few times.

  8. #8

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    My homeowrk last week was to come up with some of my own fills. When my teacher told me this I was like "ok, yeah, right, me, make up fills, you're high!" but I sat at my kit and came up with 22 fills! I'm sure they are fills that most drummers already do but I didn't listen to songs or look in books I just sat down, put my creative cap on and started playing around with some 8th, 16th and triplet note fills and then I wrote them down My teacher was impressed although he didn't want to say it LOL Yeah me!

    If I have time I'll post some of them

  9. #9

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    The best drum fill or fills, in my opinion, are variations of basic rudiments: paradiddles...single and double...around the drum set, including bass drum and cymbals. Just start playing a Rock or Jazz groove in an easy tempo and let the fun begin. Place the double strokes where ever it seems right to you. I alternate singles played as 16th notes...RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL and as 8th note triplets...RLR RLR LLR LRR. This one exercise will solidify your time keeping. The other basic rudiments I favor for developing fills are the Flam Tap; Flam Accents 1 and 2; and the Swiss Army Triplet. Just start playing these in various combinations around your kit and you will come up with dozens of interesting fills.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

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  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    I alternate singles played as 16th notes...RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL and as 8th note triplets...RLR RLR LLR LRR.
    Are you talking about playing a fill with one measure as 16ths and the next measure in the same fill as 8th note triplets? That WOULD help you work on your timing. I will give that a (feeble, I'm sure) try tonight. Thanks.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  11. #11

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    I would recommend two things:

    1. Rudiments. work on them they are the key to all of it

    2. Find fills you like from your favorite songs. Sit down and transcribe them. This will force you to really listen and figure out what is going on. then start slowly and work on the fill with a metronome to make sure you keep things lined up.
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  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    The best drum fill or fills, in my opinion, are variations of basic rudiments: paradiddles...single and double...around the drum set, including bass drum and cymbals. Just start playing a Rock or Jazz groove in an easy tempo and let the fun begin. Place the double strokes where ever it seems right to you. I alternate singles played as 16th notes...RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL and as 8th note triplets...RLR RLR LLR LRR. This one exercise will solidify your time keeping. The other basic rudiments I favor for developing fills are the Flam Tap; Flam Accents 1 and 2; and the Swiss Army Triplet. Just start playing these in various combinations around your kit and you will come up with dozens of interesting fills.
    Quote Originally Posted by rmandelbaum View Post
    I would recommend two things:

    1. Rudiments. work on them they are the key to all of it

    2. Find fills you like from your favorite songs. Sit down and transcribe them. This will force you to really listen and figure out what is going on. then start slowly and work on the fill with a metronome to make sure you keep things lined up.
    i agree with both of these ideas. You never know what you might find makes a cool fill by doing that. trying to make a fill just for the sake of a fill to me is not all that useful.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by rmandelbaum View Post
    1. Rudiments. work on them they are the key to all of it
    I am spending a lot of time with rudiments lately, due in a large part to input from this forum. My problem is that I haven't been playing long enough to really incorporate them into my playing in truly creative ways.
    For example, I had to read ideas on working a 5 stroke roll into a fill, other than just doing it on the snare. Once I read one idea, it opened up more ideas on the 5 stroke roll. That's what I was hoping for. So one might suggest, for example, doing a fill using the 5 stroke roll by doing two hits on the bass, two on the snare, then one on the bass, and then reversing it, making a four count fill. In tab format, that fill might look something like this followed by a basic rock beat:

    C|----------------|X
    ---------------|
    H|x---x---x---x---|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
    S|--oo----oo--o---|----o-------o---|
    B|oo--o-----oo----|o-------o-o-----|
    --1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a 1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a

    So what I am looking for is some of your favorite ways to incorporate those rudiments into your everyday playing.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  14. #14

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    If you are beginner, triplets and 5 stroke rolls are the way to go to start being creative. If you can play them on the snare, start playing them around the toms. Then start incorporating the bass as one of the beats. You'll be surprised at how cool it can sound.

    As many said, the more advanced you get, the more you do the same thing with more involved rudiments (even if basic) like paradiddles.

    You can also start to play with the sequence. I was watching a video from dummerworld.com showing a interesting "roll" type thing at the end of songs. When you hear it played it looks like the guy should be flying, but watching he's not. He slows it down and it's just L, R, BD, R, L, BD. Start slow, get it clean, then build speed.
    Jesse

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  15. #15

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    4 stroke ruffs. quick and to the point. doubles and paradiddles can give you some good ideas.
    As Randy Van Patten says : make sure your fill fits the song.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by bassist learning drums View Post
    4 stroke ruffs. quick and to the point.
    I am a fan of the Ruff too BLD.
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  17. #17

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    Start off just keeping it simple.

    Take a single stroke three and do the first two strokes on the snare and the third on the tom. Then try the same thing with a single stroke four - two on the snare and two on the tom, then single stroke five, three on the snare and two on the tom.

    Or try a flam on the snare, and a single stroke on each of two toms. Sometimes you can play the single tom strokes with a little delay, and it totally changes how it sounds. Just make sure you stay on tempo.

    Fills don't have to be complicated. Once you've experimented with simple fills and mastered them, move on to something more complicated. But keep in mind that some of the most successful drummers you hear on your favorite CD are usually keeping it simple most of the time.
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  18. #18

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    Norske, thanks so much. Those are exactly the kinds of things I was talking about. Nothing earth-shattering, just little things you've added to your repertoire. As a beginner I'm not trying to get someone to show me how to do a Neil Peart style 20 minute drum solo on this site. I'll get there eventually. But those little tips are great things to add to our arsenal. I will be trying each of those out and working to perfect them starting tonight. I will also try to add to them.
    Keep 'em coming!
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  19. #19

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    I really thought this would be a thread that would take off. I must say I'm somewhat disappointed. Oh well, I guess I'll go hang out in the "I Win" thread. I'll get plenty of responses there.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  20. #20

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    I have a little 6" Splash that I sometimes will do 16th note patterns on for a fill like I would for a tom. It has a quick enough decay that it sounds cool and different. I am building on something the old drummer for Carbon Leaf used to do.
    And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. . .

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by LagerHead View Post
    I really thought this would be a thread that would take off. I must say I'm somewhat disappointed. Oh well, I guess I'll go hang out in the "I Win" thread. I'll get plenty of responses there.
    Patience Weedhopper.

    Most of us work full time, and have lots of other activities outside of work, like band practices, gigs, etc. And many members are not able to log on every day. People will answer.
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  22. #22

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    i found a cool fill last night which i will fit into a song somewhere. I was just playing a simple beat, and i did a fill which was one bar, and one bar of space.

    beat 1 i hit the snare RLR,4th beat hit, and choke the cymbal, bar of space, hit another cymbal to start the next bar.

  23. #23

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    in 16th notes i like to do an accent on the hi hat on one then e+a on the snare

    cha da da da cha da da da cha da da da cha da da da

    its simple but i have been using it alot lately and though i would share
    -Steven

  24. #24

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    Thanks for the replies guys. I am trying all these out. The four stroke ruff is giving me some problems. I'll keep at it though.
    Robert

    "Ok Guys This Is In Da Key Of Boom Chick Boom Boom Chick...." - SIR PHROGGE

    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, design a building, write a sonnet, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, solve equations, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert Heinlein

    Zildjian League #1 Flunkie

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    I am a fan of the Ruff too BLD.
    Aren't they fun!!!

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