Free Drum Lessons

Chad Smith Drum Fill - Give It Away
This lesson explores a drum fill played by Chad Smith in the outro section of the song Give It Away. Learn this extending-the-fill technique and some applications for around the drum kit.

Exploring the "& ah" Drum Lesson
This lesson explores adding a syncopated crash on the "ah" of beat 4.

Moving Hands - Simple Drum Fill Technique
The Moving Hands technique is a simple way to create a drum fill by playing the same drum beat while moving your hands around the toms.

What is a Drum Fill, Really?
What constitutes a drum fill? Could a single stroke be considered a drum fill? Find out!

Six Punchy Short Fills
Short fills are perfect for light transitions or breaking up repeated bars of drum beats. If overused, they can become annoying and predictable. Used with purpose and judgement, short fills are a great addition to the song.

Simple Swing Sixteenths - Drum Fills
Some simple patterns, when orchestrated around multiple drums, create complex-sounding, syncopated grooves. In this lesson, we're orchestrating a full bar of sixteenth notes around the kit.

Time-Tested Power Fill - Paradise City
Steven Adler plays this beastly drum fill leading into the double-time outro of Paradise City. Though it sounds impressively confusing, it's based on a simple pattern of repeating 'right, left, kick.'

This Is War - Chorus Groove and Fill
In this drum lesson, learn the chorus groove and monster fill from the song This Is War by 30 Seconds To Mars.

Drum Fill from Rock And Roll by Led Zeppelin
This lesson sheet notates the drum fill from the third and final verse of the song Rock And Roll and lays out a template for applying Bonham's fill technique to your own drumming.

Nothing Else Matters - Drum Fill Concept
Learn a cool technique used by Lars in the song Nothing Else Matters.

Roger Taylor Drum Solo - Explained
Learn the classic 8 bar drum break played by Roger Taylor in the song Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie.

A Unique Pick Withers Drum Fill Technique
Pick Withers uses a unique drum fill technique throughout the song Sultans of Swing. The most common fills we play are full or partial measure and end with a crash on beat 1. Sometimes, the fill is extended into the next measure, and the fill ends with a crash after beat 1.