In this lesson you will be learning a Flam based fill inspired by the Nirvana song Smells Like Teen Spirit. You can here the fill around 6 seconds into the video linked above. It is built from the same movement played four times so is relatively simple, the trouble comes with co ordinating the hands and feet accurately.
Below I have shown the fill as it is played in the song:
So the movement played over beat 1 is repeated through beats 2 and 3 with a straight quarter note count on the last beat. The hi hats will be played with the right hand and the count is just straight 16ths. Just make sure all notes fall exactly on count. Spend some time getting this pattern upto a tempo around 118bpm then have a go at some of the orchestrations shown below.
Orchestration 1
The fill can be simplified by removing the hi hats and playing a straight quarter note on beat 4. This won't sound as complex but is still a good sounding fill.
Orchestration 2
In this version the flam is moved around the kit over various toms. I have written this version to end on two sixteenth note snares.
Orchestration 3
Here the hi hats have been removed again and the flam is split between floor tom and snare.
Orchestration 4
This is a half bar version of the fill with the flam split bettwen floor tom and high tom.
Orchestration 5
In this orchestration I have made a lot of changes. Hi hats are moved around within the bar and flams are placed at various points.
TASK
- Using the 2 minute rule, get all example phrases up to a tempo of at least 118bpm.
- Create your own versions of these fills.
- Include these fills in a 4 or 8 bar pattern.
