Drum Fills Every Beginner Should Know – Practice Routine (Part 13)

A good drum fill can connect song sections, create tension, and show your personality behind the kit. But for beginners, it can feel overwhelming deciding where to start.

In this 13th part of our Drum Practice Routine Series, I’ll walk you through must-know beginner drum fills and how to practice them effectively and musically.

At Drum Lessons In Home, I help students build confidence in their fills so they feel comfortable playing transitions, solos, or just jamming along to their favorite songs.

🥁 Why Fills Matter

✅ Help transition between sections of a song
✅ Add personality to your playing
✅ Strengthen timing, coordination, and creativity
✅ Teach you how to build tension and release

🕒 30-Minute Drum Fill Practice Routine for Beginners

1. Basic Quarter Note Fill (5 min)

Play a standard groove for 3 bars → then fill on the 4th bar:

• Use quarter notes:
  Snare | Rack Tom | Floor Tom | Snare

🎯 Practice at 60–80 bpm
🎯 Focus on clean transitions between time and fill

2. 8th Note Fill Variations (10 min)

Try these across 4 bars:

• Snare → Snare/Rack → Rack/Floor

• R L R L R L R L (even spacing)

• End each fill with a crash

🔁 Combine this with the groove from Part 12’s foot control routine to work on flow from kick to toms.

3. Paradiddle-Based Fill (10 min)

Play paradiddles:
R L R R → L R L L
Move them around the kit:

• Snare → Snare/Rack → Rack/Floor → Floor/Crash

• Try as a 1-bar or 2-bar fill

🎯 Builds around Part 11’s rudiments

4. Call-and-Response Fills (5 min)

Play groove for 1 bar → Fill for 1 bar:

• Groove (1 bar)

• Fill idea (1 bar): Ex: R L R L on snare/toms

• Alternate and improvise simple variations

🎯 Practice keeping groove timing steady when switching back from the fill

💡 Teaching Tip:

Keep fills short and clear. A busy fill played out of time is worse than a simple fill that locks in.

I always tell my students — the best fills are the ones that feel natural and support the music.

📍 In-Home Drum Lessons Available In:

• Redondo Beach

• Torrance

• Gardena

• Manhattan Beach

• Palos Verdes

Ready to level up your fills? Contact me today to schedule a personalized lesson!

📞 Contact Info:

In-Home Drum Lessons by David Montoya
📞 310-502-4413
🌐 www.drumlessonsinhome.com