YYZ Drum Fills

[Shranexis0]

You know the section of YYZ in which Neil is opening and closing the hat, Alex is playing like funk, and Geddy and Neil are taking turns doing fills? I'm having trouble figuring out the first drum fill down the toms. It sounds like there are five accents, but since I'm not trained in the rudiments, it could be anything. So can someone show me how Neil properly does this fill?

[kazzman]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076925055...glance&n=283155

 

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0769250556.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Edited March 18, 2006 by kazzman

[fledgehog]

Just roll down the toms in whatever orders come to your mind, and wait for the right one to come to you. That's how I figured it out.

[2112-Rob-2112]

Ive been playing drums for 2 years and have been self taught so I dont know much about the vocab in drumming..but when I play that song I can make it sound like the original just by listening to neil...all I really do is just do a regular fill pretty much going from the snare down to my floor toms.

[frouse]

QUOTE (fledgehog @ Mar 18 2006, 08:34 PM)

Just roll down the toms in whatever orders come to your mind, and wait for the right one to come to you. That's how I figured it out.

Simply roll down your toms to your bass drum and jump back into the main beat with the open-close hat at "and". that's all! Of course, still maintaining the timing of the song...

[fledgehog]

Yeah, I found out though, that you have to be creative with a five-peice.

[frouse]

Exactly!

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

This fill is basically the same patern on the snare and the four closed toms (though the floor tom has a few more strokes). Each drum is accented over the course of the fill. When playing this on a five piece (as I did when I was learning it) I would play the snare as normal and play one tom as if it were two (two phrases on one tom, either the first or second tom). Many of Neil's fills require a certain number of toms, but can be tweaked to suit smaller kits.

[tascam]

Send me a PM, Shranexis0, and I will send you the first drum fill written out in standard drum notation.

 

[tascam]

As a matter of fact...here it is....Enjoy!

 

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j44/tasc...12/ea129e63.jpg

 

The trick to this fill is to lead off with your left hand with the four sixteenth notes on the snare drum. Then, the sextuplets fall very, very nicely from drum to drum in a very natural flow with simple alternate sticking (LRLRLRLRLR etc.).

 

Also of note are the accents. Practice these VERY, VERY slowly at first to get the feel of where the accents actually are...instead of just "trying to remember with your ear/brain" where you thought the accents were.

 

This fill is actually not hard to get, once you practice leading with your left hand and hitting those accents where Neil originally placed them...of course paying attention to hitting the correct tom at the correct time helps too! But, pay close attention to the notation, and it will make sense after practicing it for a while.

 

For those that need to know...here's what each of the above snare/tom notes correspond to:

 

C = Snare Drum

B = 12 inch rack tom

A = 13 inch rack tom

G = 15 inch rack tom

F = 18 inch floor tom

 

Thank you Neil for giving us yet another percussive puzzle to solve.

[progrush2112]

QUOTE (kazzman @ Mar 18 2006, 01:18 PM)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076925055...glance&n=283155 http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0769250556.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

nice one Kazz, that's what I was going to suggest. That's how I learned to play YYZ and I can play it almost perfect. Shranexis, you gotta get this book man, teaches you that, and more!

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Um, none of those fills are led with the left hand, unless you are playing left handed. The accent of the first fill though is with the left hand. That notation doesn't look like any of the fills. I wish I had some notation software handy.

 

Technically a sextuplet is not a pair of triplets as you have written in this transcript. An eighth note sextuplet would resemble and occupy the same space as a quarter note triplet but with added eighth note subdivisions. So instead of being counted as 1 Ti Ta 2 Ti Ta it would be counted as 1 & Ti & Ta & 2 & Ti & Ta &.

 

Ah the old marching days are coming back to me...

 

The second fill is started by two sextuplets, one on the snare the the next on the 12" tom.

[tascam]

Well...I completely disagree with you!

 

The fill works out perfectly as notated. If you have another way of playing it...so be it...but, the notation...as listed...works!

 

Many years ago, I attempted to try and play the fill starting off with my right hand, and for a right handed drummer, such as myself...and of course such as Neil Peart...starting with a right lead just doesn't come naturally. It just doesn't allow a right handed drummer to naturally flow from the 12 inch tom to the 13 inch tom to the 15 inch tom to the 18 inch tom.

 

Leading off with the left hand is the way that I have played this fill for years. If you can play it another way...good for you. Then please notate it and place the sticking under each note so that we can all learn from you. I've only listed what has worked for me...and many, many of my drumming students. I'm not saying that my way is the ONLY way...just ONE of the ways!

 

There is no "correct way" to play drums. Each of us must adapt and adjust what works best for each of us.

 

Glad to have some dialog about this. But...please don't say someone is wrong...when in fact...I've simply listed "one way" to accomplish this first drum fill in YYZ.

 

 

 

 

 

[KirkDS]

Hey guys - (What's up Tascam!)

 

First post here..... Not sure how I found this place, but it looks like a lot of us wandered in as a result of Counterparts having problems.

Anyway... cool site!

 

Regarding YYZ and all other Rush tunes (if I can add my two cents)... Thank the lord for optional sticking patterns! I've had a little hobby of playing and recording Rush tunes lately as a motivation to keep drumming on a regular basis. Not being nearly the Neil expert that Tascam is, I often don't know the exact sticking that Neil used on a particular fill or passage, but like anyone else who's been drumming for over 25 years, I've developed and learned a way of interpreting and sticking that seems logical and works for me....and sometimes I get the desired result

Neil does have certain tools in his toolbox that get modified slightly here and there to be used in various situations, so once you have a grasp of some of these, playing Rush tunes will be much easier. The first tom fill in YYZ is a perfect example and is probably the pattern that Neil uses the most in various forms.

 

Personally, I play it RLR-L RLR-L RLR-L RLR-L RLR-L , but my opinion is that if you can get it to sound right, who cares how you stick it!

 

Neil does a lot of hi-hat or cymbal accents with ghost notes on the snare underneath (Subdivisions, etc) and I always assumed the accents were right handed with the ghost notes being played with the left (perfectly logical right!?) but NOooo, Neil single hands all of that stuff, so one accent is right handed and then the next accent will be left handed due to the right-left sticking of the ghost notes (which really disqualifies them from being true ghost notes....but I digress....)

 

Anyway...if anyone wants to hear my recent attempt at YYZ, here it is....along with the finished version that includes tracks from my virtual buddies (we each record tracks in our house and send them around and add our own parts...and it all gets mixed by one of the participants in Toronto of all places!)

 

Drum track - http://h1.ripway.com/KirkDS/Drum%20Tracks/YYZ-Kirk.mp3

 

Complete - http://h1.ripway.com/KirkDS/Rush%20Remix/Y...n-Pete-Kirk.mp3

 

 

 

 

 

[launchpad67a]

If I may chime in here. (just my thoughts)

First of all, All tabbed music books are crap unless they are authored by the artist who actually played and wrote the parts. Look at all the lame ass guitar tabs out there that are transcribed so poorly and played by so many hacks in local bars and bedrooms around the world. Why would anyone try to learn from a book written by someone other than the artist who played the parts?? Why would would you believe that some guy knows more than the original artist?

Secondly, what is wrong with simply 'listening' to the song and playing what you hear. If anyone thinks they are a musician, or has a shot at being a good musician, but can't listen to a song a few times and pick up what the artist is playing...you should hang it up now. Musicians taught from books lack feel, emotion, passion and everything else that is (or was) music. Don't get me wrong here, I believe every musician should be able to sight read and have formal training, but your ears are your biggest asset, so use them.

 

*Tascam, your comment about "there is no correct way to play drums", is kinda like saying there is no correct way to drive a car. Sure there is, although we each may do it differently, some better some worse, but there is a "correct way" to do everything!

 

*KirkDS, I thought your drum track was right on! good work.

Edited May 10, 2006 by launchpad67a

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

QUOTE (launchpad67a @ May 10 2006, 06:43 AM)

If I may chime in here. (just my thoughts) First of all, All tabbed music books are crap unless they are authored by the artist who actually played and wrote the parts. Look at all the lame ass guitar tabs out there that are transcribed so poorly and played by so many hacks in local bars and bedrooms around the world. Why would anyone try to learn from a book written by someone other than the artist who played the parts?? Why would would you believe that some guy knows more than the original artist? Secondly, what is wrong with simply 'listening' to the song and playing what you hear. If anyone thinks they are a musician, or has a shot at being a good musician, but can't listen to a song a few times and pick up what the artist is playing...you should hang it up now. Musicians taught from books lack feel, emotion, passion and everything else that is (or was) music. Don't get me wrong here, I believe every musician should be able to sight read and have formal training, but your ears are your biggest asset, so use them. *Tascam, your comment about "there is no correct way to play drums", is kinda like saying there is no correct way to drive a car. Sure there is, although we each may do it differently, some better some worse, but there is a "correct way" to do everything! *KirkDS, I thought your drum track was right on! good work.

Can I get an Amen?!?!

 

[GhostGirl]

Amen!

 

(Does it matter if it came from me, the non-drummer? )

[tascam]

QUOTE (launchpad67a @ May 10 2006, 09:43 AM)

If I may chime in here. (just my thoughts) First of all, All tabbed music books are crap unless they are authored by the artist who actually played and wrote the parts. Look at all the lame ass guitar tabs out there that are transcribed so poorly and played by so many hacks in local bars and bedrooms around the world. Why would anyone try to learn from a book written by someone other than the artist who played the parts?? Why would would you believe that some guy knows more than the original artist? Secondly, what is wrong with simply 'listening' to the song and playing what you hear. If anyone thinks they are a musician, or has a shot at being a good musician, but can't listen to a song a few times and pick up what the artist is playing...you should hang it up now. Musicians taught from books lack feel, emotion, passion and everything else that is (or was) music. Don't get me wrong here, I believe every musician should be able to sight read and have formal training, but your ears are your biggest asset, so use them. *Tascam, your comment about "there is no correct way to play drums", is kinda like saying there is no correct way to drive a car. Sure there is, although we each may do it differently, some better some worse, but there is a "correct way" to do everything! *KirkDS, I thought your drum track was right on! good work.

I'll say it another way...

 

There is no "ONE CORRECT WAY" to play drums. (And obviously no "ONE CORRECT WAY" to play the first fill in YYZ either!)

 

We all have our own way of playing things. My way of playing the first fill in YYZ is not the end all, be all way of playing this fill. I wasn't there while Neil was recording this track, so I can't comment on how he played this fill exactly, or what pattern of sticking he used. (Even if I was there, I don't think I'd be able to write down PRECISELY the sticking pattern that Neil used.)

 

I'm sure if you asked Neil today what sticking pattern he used for this fill, he'd most likely would respond that he doesn't give it much thought...and that he just "plays it".

 

My original reply was to help the original poster on asking how to play the first drum fill in YYZ. I don't have the "ONLY" way to play this fill...but, my method of playing it does work for me...for many of my drum students...and most likely for others that attempt it. PERIOD!

 

To say anything different is just plain....okay too! I'm so glad that others have found another way to play this drum fill. Drumming, to me anyway, is not a competition..but rather a brotherhood. I am thankful for any and all comments, whether for, or against my sticking pattern....so long as others don't try to turn this into a competition of "No way man, I'M RIGHT"....or... "Who does this guy think he is"....or..."My way is the right way, so all other ways MUST be wrong."

 

I thank Kirk for giving his sticking pattern. As a matter of fact, he is THE ONLY ONE that cared enough to actually put down how "HE PLAYED THE FIRST FILL IN YYZ". So, thanks Kirk! All of the other responders...please put list your exact sticking, so that others, myself included, can possibly learn from your method.

 

Okay...now another sidebar to this thread...did Neil use Traditional Grip or Matched grip while playing the first drum fill in YYZ. DISCUSS!

[launchpad67a]

QUOTE (tascam @ May 10 2006, 12:15 PM)

Okay...now another sidebar to this thread...did Neil use Traditional Grip or Matched grip while playing the first drum fill in YYZ. DISCUSS!

Far as I know, Neil never played anything traditional grip until a few years ago.

[tascam]

Not true launchpad67a.

 

Neil actually has played Traditional Grip on the ending part of Xanadu...as far back as AFTK (1977).

 

Neil has stated in interviews, on DVD, and in Modern Drummer magazine that he learned how to play snare drum (and the 26 orginal rudiments) via Traditional Grip, back when he was 13 years old. Also, you'll be able to see shots of Neil playing the "snare drum only" part of his drum solos with Traditional grip.

 

The traditional grip is not a Freddie Gruber only thing for Neil. Although, Freddie did convince Neil to play most, if not all of the Test For Echo album drum parts (not just snare only work) with Traditional Grip...and that was over 10 years ago in 1996.

 

 

 

 

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Yes, Kirk's sticking does look "correct" to me.

 

Neil mentions in Anatomy that he would go to trad grip for certain snare paterns because that is how he learned, the end of Xanadu is an example he uses. He seems most comfortable with left handed double strokes that way.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ May 10 2006, 07:01 PM)

Yes, Kirk's sticking does look "correct" to me. Neil mentions in Anatomy that he would go to trad grip for certain snare paterns because that is how he learned, the end of Xanadu is an example he uses. He seems most comfortable with left handed double strokes that way.

The first solo section in "La Villa" is another place Neil uses traditional grip. On one of the videos you see him switch from matched to traditional just as the quiet double-stroke part comes up.

[launchpad67a]

Well I should have said 'entire songs' played with traditional grip. I mean, I know he plays 'parts' like this but as a whole 95% of his playing is matched grip, always has been. Right?

[KirkDS]

QUOTE (launchpad67a @ May 10 2006, 09:43 AM)

*KirkDS, I thought your drum track was right on! good work.

Thanks for the comments. You can have all the parts in your head and have them sorted out, but Neil has a certain vibe that's pretty much impossible to re-create.....but I'm having fun trying anyway...as are my fellow "Digital Men" conspiritors.

 

If anyone's interested, here's a link to a few of the tunes our little virtual group has completed so far. There are four of us guys who kinda hooked up in the Musicians' section of the Counterparts board and started sharing and mixing our tracks together.

 

http://h1.ripway.com/KirkDS/Rush%20Remix/index.html

 

 

And here are the drum tracks I've done in my basement in case anyone cares to use them for anything else.

 

http://h1.ripway.com/KirkDS/Drum%20Tracks/index.html

[Der Trommler]

QUOTE (kazzman @ Mar 18 2006, 03:18 PM)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076925055...glance&n=283155 http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0769250556.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

This is not accurate. It's close but off....Also, stay away from 'in the style of' series....Way off!! I watched the video & know just by sight not even by sound he was off!!!

 

Can you read music? If you can, you will able to make your life easier. If not, you can go the route I did....I watched soooooo many times it was ridiculous.

So, are you looking for all 3 fills or just one in particular. In typical Pratt way, he makes sure the next fill was not like the last....

I'll have to listen to it again to see if I can break it down (haven't done that in a while...should be fun)