In this free video drum lesson we’re going to take a look at a really cool and famous drum fill break from the song Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds. Mel Gaynor is the featured drummer and puts in a stellar drum performance on this recording, with punchy bass drum, accented ride bell fun and double handed hi-hat galore!

The drum fill break we’re going to look at in this free drum lesson occurs at the end of a build up section at around 3:44. Mel busts out this almighty drum fill before taking us into the last section of the song. It’s simply impossible not to air drum along too!

 

“Don’t You Forget About Me” – Free Video Drum Fill Drum Lesson

View the video on YouTube HERE – Learn How To Play Drums Don’t You Forget About Me Video Drum Lesson (Simple Minds & Mel Gaynor)

 

“Don’t You Forget About Me” – Drum Fill (3:42 Album Version)

Mel Takes us into the drum fill with some double handed singles on the hi-hat, the bass drum is simply pumping out quarter notes on the downbeats of the bar. Notice that the bass drum is played on the downbeats for the whole drum fill (bars 1 and 2).

The fill actually starts on the ‘+’ of beat 3 where Mel moves down to the snare drum to play a thirty second note roll (played RRLL). The roll then turns back into single handed sixteenth notes for the whole of beat 4 and beat 1 of the next bar. Mel doubles the left hand that falls on the ‘e’ of beat 1 of bar 2 creating a little offbeat moment of interest.

The sixteenth note roll then moves into beat 2 before Mel moves his right hand to the open hi-hat on the ‘+’ of beat 2. The hi-hat closes on beat 3 where the pattern that was played in beat 2 is then repeated again for beat 3.

The drum fill ends with a great little roll down the toms and double handed crash stabs. The left hand plays the crash on the ‘a’ of beat 4 while the right hand plays the crash on beat 1 of bar 3.

 

Check out more drum lessons for Simple Minds below…

• “Someone Somewhere In Summertime” – Full Song Video Drum Lesson
• “Waterfront” – Mini Song Video Drum Lesson
• “Alive And Kicking” – Full Song Video Drum Lesson
• “Don’t You Forget About Me” – Full Song Video Drum Lesson

 

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Please email rob@drumstheword.com or contact me through the Contact Form if you have any questions at all.