3 TYPES OF DRUM FILLS.

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Now, in this lesson you’ll learn the three types of drum fills, where
to use them, and how to make them. But first…
 INTRO
You know how in some movies there’s a narrator who guides the audience through
the story? Well, drum fills act as a percussive narrator for our musical stories. For
example, when a song is about to transition into a new section, a drum fill will
narrate this upcoming change to the audience, thereby creating anticipation for it.
All drum fills can be grouped into three types: variation, tension, and notification.
Each type of fill has a different function. In other words, they each narrate
something different to the listener. Alright, now let’s jump into each type of drum
fill by exploring its unique function, and how to use it in your music.

TYPE 1 VARIATION
The function of a variation drum fill is to spice up a section. An example of where
you’d use this type of fill in your music, is halfway through a 16-bar verse.
Whenever you have a longer section without many changes, there’s a chance of
losing your listener’s attention. A fill of this type will gently bring their attention
back. You can simply add a few extra notes to your drum beat, that’ll do it. Go for
subtlety, and avoid big fills (those will disrupt the flow of your section). We just
threw in a few snares and toms, while keeping our kick and snare pattern the same.

Bar 6 in MIDI example: Variation drum fill (highlighted) spicing up our section

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 TYPE 2 TENSION

The function of a tension drum fill is to build up to something big. An example of

where you’d use this type of fill in your music, is leading up to a bass drop (or a
breakdown, in the metal genre). Whenever you want to build up the intensity to an
energetic climax in your song, the best way to get there is with a fill of this type.

For that reason, it needs to be big and loud! And the longer the fill lasts, the more
tension it builds. These fills are often on the snare drum, but you can use anything
(or everything) in your kit. Tension fills typically start with 1/4 or 1/8 notes, and
build into 1/16, 1/32, or even 1/64 notes, depending on the tempo. You can use
whatever note values you want, though, as long as you keep building the tension.

We went with the standard approach, but made it more interesting by using toms,
as well as a few 1/16 and 1/32 note triplets on the snare, at the very end of the fill.

Bars 9-10 in MIDI example: Tension drum fill (highlighted) building up to our breakdown

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 TYPE 3 NOTIFICATION
The function of a notification drum fill is to introduce something. An example of
where you’d use this type of fill in your music, is transitioning from the verse to the
chorus. Whenever you want to alert the listener of an upcoming change, use this
type of fill. The size and speed of your fill depends on what it’s going into. If you’re
transitioning into a higher energy section, then go bigger and faster. If you’re
transitioning into a lower energy section, then decrease the overall intensity with a
subtler and slower fill. And if you’re transitioning into a section with a similar
energy level, then find the middle path between too much intensity and too little.

Also, notification fills aren’t only for transitions, you can use them anytime you
want to introduce something new, like a new melody, or a new instrument. You can
even use a notification fill to start a song, which is what we did in our example.

Bar 2 in MIDI example: Notification drum fill (highlighted) introducing our song

Lastly, drum fills are all about setting up an expectation in the listener. Remember
though, your songs are your musical stories. You decide the plot. So, feel free to set
up an expectation, but then take your listener somewhere totally unexpected. For
example, use a tension fill to build towards a climax, then stop in total silence. Or,
use a variation fill, but then suddenly change into a completely different section.

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