'a 1' Crash Placement Fill

In this lesson you will be developing the ideas presented in level 1 for placing crashes at the end of a bar to create a subtle fill. In the previous level you learned about crashing on 4 and 1 as well as '+ 1' and it will be worth reviewing these lessons if you haven't already. For the fills on this page the crashes will be falling on the '+' after beat 4 followed by the 1 at the start of the next bar. This gives you two quick 16th notes in a row.

When playing eigth notes on the right hand these crashes will generally be played with the left hand followed by the right. When quarter notes are being used the sticking is less important. The good thing about these kind of parts is that the sticking is implied by the cymbals being used. For example, if the notation shows the main crash followed by the second crash, the hands will be left followed by right.

Because the pattern is quicker it is quite common to not play a kick drum on the first crash cymbal. Written below are give examples of this fill a long with a short piece at the bottom of the page.


Common Time, Eighth Notes

The concept applied to a common time groove with eighth note right hands


Common Time, Quarter Notes

The concept applied to a common time groove with quarter note right hands


Half Time, Eighth Notes

The concept applied to a half time groove with eighth note right hands


Half Time, Quarter Notes

The concept applied to a half time groove with quarter note right hands


Double Time

The concept applied to a double time groove


TASK:

  1. Learn all examples upto a tempo of at least 130bpm.
  2. Use different kick and snare combinations in each example.
  3. Add each example into one of the structures we have covered previously.

Piece

A piece with the concept applied

Lessons

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