Francis' Drumming Blog

In 1974, Deep Purple released the album Burn, which included the title track as the opener. The impact of “Burn” was impressive, becoming one of the most iconic songs in rock history and contributing to the origin of progressive and heavy metal. The timeless guitar riff and solo, Jon Lord’s Hammond organ work, the soaring vocals, and the extraordinary drumming of Ian Paice are still inspiring today!

“Burn” is a trademark of Paice’s signature sound, technique, and hand speed. His work is not merely rhythmic; it’s a dynamic force propelling the track forward. From a drum perspective, the verses’ drum fills are the key elements that give the song its distinctive edge, as the unique feel for every section. This article examines the song grooves and fills in depth, including the complete drum transcription. For this article, we refer to the latest remastered version.

Drum Grooves and Fills

The main groove is a fast rock drum beat, which also occurs in the solo section with some bass drum variations and moving from the hi-hat to the ride cymbal. Despite the relative simplicity, this groove requires energy and power.

As discussed, Ian Paice plays in the verses drum phrases, starting with two-bar and one-bar phrases (see figure below). That’s the most impressive aspect of the “Burn” drum part, especially considering the 196 bpm! A classic snare drum lick often occurs throughout the song, consisting of a 16th-note pattern accenting the first and last notes. I indicated four possible stickings, even considering Paice is left-handed.

Before the chorus, Paice plays a press roll ending with a snare accent and a pickup on toms to launch the chorus. Note that in the drum fills, the left-foot hi-hat in quarter notes is optional. In the recording, it’s not always recognizable; use it at your discretion.

In the interlude and the guitar and organ solo sections, Paice often plays a drum fill at the end of every musical phrase and song section. It’s similar to the snare drum lick seen before, with the first accent on the tom (rack toms or floor tom). The drum fill starts on the third beat, with the last part on the fourth beat consisting of a snare accent followed by a bass drum drum hit. A classic and musical drum fill suitable for various styles; make it yours!

In the second part of the solos section, Paice plays an alternative groove, keeping essentially the same bass drum and snare pattern and breaking the ride cymbal rhythm. He accents the ride in unison with the bass drum, playing some variations throughout the section and driving the band with an outstanding drumming style.

Full Drum Transcription

For those who want to study and understand Ian Paice’s legendary drumming, the complete drum transcription for “Burn” is now available for purchase. As always, the first two pages are available for free as a preview. Elevate your drumming mastery!

Discover other rock drum transcriptions of legendary drummers.