How do I learn a drum fill from a YouTube lesson?

By the RepeatWatch team · Updated

Quick answer

Loop the fill together with the bar of groove before it and the crash on beat one after it, because getting in and out is the hard part. Slow it to 0.6×, count the subdivisions out loud, and play hands only at first. Then let the speed trainer raise it to full tempo.

Try this now: loop one fill at 0.6× and count "1-e-and-a" out loud. Can you say the count and tap the sticking on your knees before you sit at the kit?

How to learn a drum fill with the Loop Ladder

  1. Loop groove, fill and landing. Set A one bar before the fill and B just after the crash on the next beat one. Nudge B by 0.1 s so the landing is included.
  2. Slow it to 0.6×. At this speed you can hear every stroke and which drum it's on, and the drums keep their pitch.
  3. Count the subdivisions. Say "1-e-and-a" for sixteenths or "1-and-a" for triplets along with the loop. Write the sticking down, such as R L R L.
  4. Hands first, then feet. Play the fill on a practice pad or your knees, then on the kit, then add the bass drum where the lesson shows it.
  5. Climb with a reset pause. Speed trainer: Step +0.05×, Every 3 loops, Goal 1×. A 2 s Pause between loops gives you time to settle before the next pass.
  6. Play it out of the groove. Move A back to include four bars of groove before the fill, so you practice leaving the beat and coming back in on time.

Try it on an example: open Drumeo's free beginner rock drum fills lesson with a 15-second loop already set at 0.75×.

Try it on an example

5 common mistakes

  • Practicing the fill on its own, then rushing or dragging when the groove comes back.
  • Leaving out the landing, so the crash on beat one arrives late.
  • Speeding up before you can say the count while you play.
  • Changing the sticking every time, which makes the fill uneven at speed.
  • Playing every fill at full volume; the fill's dynamics are part of how it sounds.

Frequently asked questions

What is a drum fill?

A drum fill is a short passage, often one bar or less, that breaks from the main beat to mark a transition such as the end of a verse. It ends by landing back on the groove.

Why do I speed up when I play a fill?

Fills feel exciting, so many drummers rush them. Looping the bar before and after at a slow speed trains you to keep the same pulse into, through and out of the fill.

How many times should I loop a fill?

Aim for three to five clean repeats at each speed before moving up. Set Stop after to 5 loops if you want the loop to end on its own.

Sources