Fills aren't just for leading into the chorus or adding a bit more to the verse. One neat tip is to start your song with a fill. Yes, the first thing a listener hears is a fill.
Normally intro's are fairly basic versions of the main beat. But, why not start with a fill.
Here's an example where we'll create a beat with starting out with a fill.
We'll use drum fill pattern 0042 from the Drum Fill Guide.
Here's what that drum fill sounds like:
And here's a short example of the intro fill leading into a verse
Alternate Fill
Here's another example where we modify the above fill a bit:
Alternate Fill:
Alternate Fill leading into a verse:
Obviously a bit more you can do to make it flow but you get the idea. Try using a fill as an intro in your next song.
And if you're in need of drum fill ideas, take a look at the Drum Fill Guide. Comes with midi files and building blocks to help you make your own.