Fills and variation in grunge drum beats
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can develop a drum beat with fills and variation and arrange it into a verse-chorus structure.
Key learning points
- Drum fills are used at the end of sections and phrases to create variety and to highlight the change.
- There are limitless possibilities for drum fills, but there are some patterns that are commonly used.
- A crash cymbal on beat one of the new section is an effective way to end a drum fill.
- We can add variation to our drum groove by using the ride cymbal, open hi-hats and varying the drum patterns.
- Verse-chorus form is normally as follows: intro - verse - chorus - verse - chorus - middle 8 - chorus - outro
Keywords
Drum fill - a break in the groove in which the drummer plays a different pattern, often used at the end of sections or phrases
Crash cymbal - produces a loud, sharp 'crash' and is typically used to emphasise key moments
Ride cymbal - has a thin 'ringing' sound and is an alternative to the hi-hat in drum grooves
Verse-chorus form - a common structure in popular music styles that is based around alternating verses and choruses
Common misconception
Drum fills have to be complex and use lots of different parts of the drum kit. The tom-toms can be played in any order.
Drum fills can be effective using only one or two parts of the kit, such as the snare and kick. The key is that they have a distinct rhythm that separates them from the main drum groove. When using the toms, they should be played from high to low.
Teacher tip
Pupils may wish to look for inspiration for their drum fills from famous songs and artists. If so, consider exploring classic rock bands, such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Aerosmith. They may also be influenced by drummers from other genres - drawing cross-genre links should be encouraged if so.
Equipment
A DAW or other suitable compositional tool or instrument.
Licence
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