Most of your playing on the drum-set will involve beats, sometimes called grooves. This is a steady, repeated pattern that usually follows the bass players and/or the rhythm guitarist.
In this lesson you’ll play your first drum fills. These can be considered a temporary departure, or interruption of the beat you’re playing.
Note: Play each exercise over and over without stopping. Practice at different speeds.
Exercises
Exercise #1:
In this exercise you will play an 8th note rock beat one time, which is one complete measure. One measure in 4/4 time is 4 counts. You will then play a drum fill on the snare drum for one measure. Make sure that you play the fill with alternate sticking – right, left, right, left. Notice that you end on your left hand. This frees your right hand to go back to the hi-hat cymbal on beat one and immediately repeat the whole thing again.
Exercise #2:
We’ll now play the same 8th note fill around the drum set. We’ll start by playing 2 8th notes on the snare drum, and then play 2 8th notes on each of the toms.
Exercise #3:
Next we’ll play a shorter fill – just 2 counts. So on the second measure, you’ll play part of the beat on counts 1 and 2. On counts 3 and 4 you’ll play a fill on the snare drum.
Exercise #4
Now we’ll shorten our fill to just beat 4.
Congratulations! You just played your first drum fills. In the next lesson we’ll play a fill while jamming with a band.
Exercise #2:
We’ll now play the same 8th note fill around the drum set. We’ll start by playing 2 8th notes on the snare drum, and then play 2 8th notes on each of the toms.
Exercise #3:
Next we’ll play a shorter fill – just 2 counts. So on the second measure, you’ll play part of the beat on counts 1 and 2. On counts 3 and 4 you’ll play a fill on the snare drum.
Exercise #4
Now we’ll shorten our fill to just beat 4.
Congratulations! You just played your first drum fills. In the next lesson we’ll play a fill while jamming with a band.