Mastering beginner drum fills is one of the most exciting parts of learning how to play the drums.
However, it can be utterly frustrating as well.
Ask me how I know. 😉
The question is:
Where should you start when it comes to learning your first beginner drum fills?
Let’s find out.
How To Start Playing Drum Fills: The Golden Rule
Table Of Contents
Keep it simple!
Ear-catching drum fills don’t have to be complex.
Simple rhythms can sound – and feel – fantastic as well.
After all, it’s about how you play the drums.
When it comes to learning beginner drum fills, my personal “Golden Rule” for this reason is:
Start as easy as possible – but start.
Small steps are your best friends.
They add up over time.
Take a look at our free printable sheet music:
4 Beginner Drum Fills: Free PDF Notes
1. Fill: Snare Only
As you can see, our first drum fill is solely played on the snare drum.
You play four strokes or four quarter notes.
Nice and simple, right?
Let’s spice up things a little by changing the instruments you play.
2. Fill: Same Rhythm But Other Sounds
The second fill contains the same rhythms or notes as our first bar.
However, there’s one huge difference when it comes to the instruments you’ll play:
Instead of focusing solely on the snare drum, you also add three toms.
We’re starting from
- the high tom to the
- middle tom and then
- adding the lowest tom.
By doing so, you’re playing a fun little melody on your drum set.
Can you hear it?
3. Fill: Let’s Add Another Instrument
As a drummer, you often play more than one instrument at a time.
This applies to drum grooves or beats, but also to drum fills.
By adding a second instrument to your fill, you can make it sound even better.
And the best part is:
You can play all the instruments you want at a time.
- Kick and snare?
- Crash and ride?
- Low tom and snare?
Try different combinations and make a small change that sounds huge.
4. Fill: Make It Double
When it comes to drumming, you’ll play various notes and rests.
The thing is:
Each rhythm is made up of notes.
There’s no exception.
So far, you’ve played beginner drum notes with only quarter notes.
Now, we make it double:
Instead of quarters, you’ll be playing eighth notes.
Can you see and hear the difference?
Bonus-Tips For Mastering Your First Drum Fills
- Know what you’re going to play before you actually play it. This will prevent careless mistakes.
- Start slow. In fact, start so slow that you can’t play your fill wrong.
- Count your rhythms, if you’ve already learned to do so. If not, make sure to learn it. It’s super helpful for most drummers.
- Practice with the metronome or – even better – music you love.
- Record yourself regularly while practicing the drums.
- Never give up. Learning something new takes time.
- Repeat your fills until you’ve memorized them.
- Have fun!
All the best to you,
Manu
