Improve fills

P

petit-rocker

Junior Member
Hey,

I'm a drummer for about 2 years now (unfortunately I don't really get to play as often as I wish to play) and have got the basics down. I know my way around different types of beats and know some fills. My problem however is that the bands--and indirectly the drummers--I listen to don't really use fills and if they do it's a snare fill or really basic. So what I need are some suggestions to get my fills better by playing some songs. I would really appreciate the help!

Btw, I don't know if this is useful in anyway, but I listen to Linkin Park, Hoobastank, Paramore and the Police (not necessarily what I play to).

Thanks!
 
Re: Improving Your Fills

Sounds to me like your talking about improving your fills by including more toms in your fills. If so, you can play along to songs from busier styles. Rush, Yes, Dream Theater.. ..there are tons of bands out there whose music fits the bill.

Conceptually, work on being solid with your single strokes and your double strokes. If you're leading to a fill before resuming a verse or chorus, start your fill a little earlier than what feels natural to you now and experiement with different stickings in that big open space you have before you get to the next measure.

A fill for a fills sake is not as cool as being there at the right time with the right feel.
 
Re: Improving Your Fills

TTNW said:
Sounds to me like your talking about improving your fills by including more toms in your fills. If so, you can play along to songs from busier styles. Rush, Yes, Dream Theater.. ..there are tons of bands out there whose music fits the bill.

Conceptually, work on being solid with your single strokes and your double strokes. If you're leading to a fill before resuming a verse or chorus, start your fill a little earlier than what feels natural to you now and experiement with different stickings in that big open space you have before you get to the next measure.

A fill for a fills sake is not as cool as being there at the right time with the right feel.
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Your last point is exactly why I haven't really spend that much attention on fills yet. A fill has to be functional in directing the band where to go. Keeping the band solid and tight goes before being cool... well in my eyes. I have a 5 piece, so I don´t know if Dream Theatre would be doable but thanks anyway!

...keep them coming people! I'm really eager to hear more people
 
you might want to listen to and emulate some of the drummers who keep their chops simple, but effective. Charlie Watts of the Stones, Kenny Arnoff on all of the Mellencamp stuff and Billy Kreutzmann on American Beauty and Workingman's Dead....get the simple stuff down first and then work your way up in to more complex fills.....That being said, fills must fit the tune, not the other way around. Sometimes simple is good.
 
Get that $10 book called Stick Control. Learn the rudiments on the snare then experiment moving the sticking around to various surfaces.
 
Sounds to me like your talking about improving your fills by including more toms in your fills. If so, you can play along to songs from busier styles. Rush, Yes, Dream Theater.. ..there are tons of bands out there whose music fits the bill.
Click to expand...

Whoa! Hold it there...!...this guy has been playing for two years, just learning the bare basics...

Btw, I don't know if this is useful in anyway, but I listen to Linkin Park, Hoobastank, Paramore and the Police (not necessarily what I play to).
Click to expand...

Good...play along to those songs and it helps go over the basics that your learning...not mention playing along to songs as a beginner makes you a bit more solid with time keeping and keeping your fills tight (and giving you some ideas)...it really helped me, before playing along to songs I didn't realise how crap I was a timing, now I've improved heaps.
 
Best thing you can do is stop thinking of them as "fills" and start thinking of them as "setups."

"Filling" in holes is a musical dead end; "setting up" the next section is thinking like a musician.

So: while the recommendations have been great, I suggest you listen to some big band music. Any Basie will do, listen to the master, Sonny Payne.

After you've experimented with blazing flurries of fills, I also recommend you see how few notes you can play in a fill and still get the job done.

And always ask the question: does this make the song better? Then ask: what if no fill is better than any fill?
 
BassDriver said:
Whoa! Hold it there...!...this guy has been playing for two years, just learning the bare basics...

.
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call me crazy but i do believe after 2 years of playing drums it is very possible to be able to play the whole dream theater discography if you practiced enough
 
Of course it's possible if you practice enough. If your exceptional. I could not do it, still after 7 years I don't think I can.

Basically, take your standard rudiments and apply them around the kit. Forget speed now, that's not really important. See how you get on..

Remember youtube could be of help here for inspiration!


Trys
 
trysthedrummer said:
Of course it's possible if you practice enough. If your exceptional. I could not do it, still after 7 years I don't think I can.
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i doubt that.

i really think the time youre playing drums is absolutely insignificant in comparison to the devotion and approach. i would not be surprised to see a half year drum student ripping apart some guy whos "playing drums" for 5 years.

people underestimate what can be achieved in short periods of time through correct practicing and enough motivation
 
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