Francis' Drumming Blog

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Drum Grooves and Fills
3. Full Drum Transcription
4. More of Neil Peart

Introduction

It’s been five years since the passing of the late Neil Peart; The Professor will always be missed! His artistic legacy with Rush will forever remain an inspiration for drummers worldwide.
In the last 4 years, I shared drum transcriptions of his memorable drum parts with Rush from the beginning of Fly By Night (1975) to the acclaimed Moving Pictures (1981). I also published Neil Peart: An Introduction to His Drumming Style (available in English and Italian editions), a comprehensive book on his life, drum influences, technique, phrasing, and approach to the drums.

This new chapter focuses on the Rush ’80s era to the early ’90s, starting with “Subdivisions” from the album Signals (1982). The track was released as the album’s second single and showcases the band’s more synth-driven sound, reflecting the musical trends of the early ’80s while maintaining their signature complexity and technical proficiency. Lyrically crafted by Neil Peart, “Subdivisions” explores themes of alienation, conformity, and the challenges individuals face growing up in suburban environments. Musically, it features intricate rhythms, time signature changes, and epic solos, creating an unforgettable experience in Rush’s performances. This article examines the song’s drum grooves and fills, including the complete drum transcription.

Drum Grooves and Fills

“Subdivisions” opens with a synthesizer riff in 7/8, subdivided as 2+2+3. Neil Peart plays these accents on the bass drum, filling in 16th notes on the hi-hat with accents in unison with the bass drum. This part recurs throughout the song as a bridge connecting the various sections, leading to a 4/4 part.

Peart plays an engaging groove during the intro, reminiscent of Steve Gadd’s drumming. It consists of a 16th-note half-time groove on the hi-hat, moving the third 16th on the ride bell, with the bass drum in four, and snare on the third beat. This creates a drum groove that combines an upbeat feel with a laid-back half-time groove.

In the synth solo section, Peart plays one of his signature drum grooves: a ride bell drum beat with a fast bass drum part and snare on “2” and “4” embellished with subtle ghost notes. The ride bell pattern is the key element of this captivating drum groove, playing a specific pattern alternating 8th and 16th notes, as notated in the transcription below. You can hear this, with variations, on other Rush songs such as “YYZ” and “La Villa Strangiato.”

The last part we analyze is the 6/4 drum fill at the end of the first synth solo. It can be subdivided into two parts:

• The first part is based on a 3 over 4 hemiola pattern, consisting of a 3-sixteenth-note idea repeated over the beat, featuring the open hi-hat in unison with the bass drum and two snare ghost notes filling the space. Note that the open/closed hi-hat pattern is loose and not immediately closed. This idea recurs often during the song, both as a drum fill and as an obbligato opening a new section. The hemiola pattern is a trademark of Peart’s drumming, as we saw in the “Tom Sawyer” drum fill shared in the latest Drum Shorts episode.

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• In the second part of the fill, Peart plays a musical phrase between the tom and snare, with great use of stickings and ghost notes, leading to the song’s second half.

Full Drum Transcription

There’s more to analyze, and a blog post is not enough to cover all of Neil Peart’s playing. For those who want to study and understand his legendary drumming, the complete drum transcription for “Subdivisions” is now available. Elevate your drumming mastery!

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More of Neil Peart