Multi-instrumentalist Heather Thomas is a pro at writing melodic drum parts, and in this lesson she’ll show you a simple method for writing fills that stay within the groove so you don’t lose momentum.

On top of this, she shares tips on trusting your instincts, how to listen better, and much more. Check it out!

Lesson Outline:
0:00 – SONG: “When I Was Young” by Heather Thomas
3:42 – Introduction
6:10 – “People In Places” by Heather Thomas
9:45 – How to incorporate fills into the groove
11:34 – Step 1: Establish a pocket
13:24 – Step 2: Establish the fill
15:41 – Step 3: Play it over and over
16:30 – Step 4: Isolate the fill
22:31 – Step 5: Break it down
25:56 – Step 6: Explore options around the kit
27:43 – Step 7: Make it groove
36:05 – Final tips
38:48 – “Open Up” by Heather Thomas

Did you enjoy this lesson? Don’t miss Heather’s course, “Playing the fills you hear in your head” plus other foundational courses in Drumeo .

About Heather:
Heather Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist known primarily as a drummer and singer. She is an experienced studio and live musician who has traveled the world performing as the drummer for Grammy-nominated singer, Mary Lambert, and as part of opening acts for artists like Sam Smith, Ariana Grande and Pharrell. Besides her work as a side woman, Heather has found great success as the leader for The Heather Thomas Band and a member of the psychedelic project, General Mojo’s.

Heather Plays:
Allegra Custom Drums

Follow Heather:
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Who said singing while drumming was easy? If you thought four-way independence was a challenge, try five-way independence. Like drummer-singers before her – Phil Collins and Karen Carpenter included – songwriter Heather Thomas is able to combine her talents in a way that would make anyone say “wow”.

Check out her original song, “When I Was Young”!

As someone who has a lot of experience singing while drumming, Heather Thomas shares five tips to help you comfortably do it too.

1. Start from a balanced seated position

Because you’re singing, you need full breath support while you play. Many drummers slouch or lean forward, but you need to stay relaxed and balanced. Make sure the mic is right in front of your face – not off to the side or up or down – and make sure it’s out of your stick path.

2. Plan your breathing

You need to breathe before you sing. Where in the song will you take in air? If you need to sing on the downbeat, you might want to take a breath at the end of the previous bar. Practice doing this in and out in time. Figure out where you’re going to sing and back up a beat or so where you can take a deep breath.

3. Be confident in your groove

You need to be solid in your groove before you try to sing over it. Singing is easier when you don’t have to think about your drumming. Playing the drum part should be so natural it doesn’t take up any brain space. You should be so comfortable that you could easily talk while doing it. Start with a simple beat, especially if singing over top is new for you.

4. Line up your rhythm

Where do the rhythms of your voice line up with your hands and feet? If you’re playing a steady groove, think about which hand or foot matches with each word. Take the time to map the connections and think of this as another form of independence. Your voice is just another rhythmic instrument.

5. Practice your entrances

If your entrances (the points at which you start singing) are nice and strong, you’ll probably be fine from there. Loop the beat and practice each vocal entrance until it feels easy and natural. The rest should come more easily. And the longer you do it, the less you have to think about it.

Want to improve your sticking consistency and strengthen your non-dominant hand? Play along with Heather Thomas and work your way through page 1 of one of the most important drumming books: Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone.

Heather practices it per the book’s instructions: repeat each exercise 20 times. The advantages to practicing this way is that you need to stay focused for a long period of time, which gives you an opportunity to relax in an almost meditative way.

Grab your practice pad, ideally in a place where you can stand, and make sure you’re nice and centered in front of it. You’ll be playing for about half an hour, so get comfortable and try to relax!

In this boot camp video, Heather plays it at 152 BPM. If this is too fast for you, take it at a slower tempo on your own until you’re ready.

This page starts with single strokes, then goes into double strokes, paradiddles, inverted paradiddles, single mills (reverse paradiddles), and a variety of other single and double stroke exercises.

Play each exercise 20 times:

If you want to work through more of Stick Control, you can also check out Dom Famularo’s course that takes you through the book (available to Drumeo members).

More importantly, if you’re struggling with your hand technique and speed – or if you found these exercises challenging – get this free 10-video course called The Fastest Way To Get Faster.