Rockschool music qualifications are tailor-made for the contemporary musician.
Drums
Grade 1
The Grade 1 Drum exam is for candidates who have been learning for a relatively short period and have mastered the key basic skills. There are two types of exams available at Grade 1, Grade Exam or Performance Certificate.
Estimated Examination Time:
- Grade Exam: 20 minutes (approx.)
- Performance Certificate: 15 minutes (approx.)
Purchase Your Book & Exam Entry
The Drums Grade 1 book is the essential companion to your Grade 1 exam. It covers fundamental techniques and introduces you to the core music theory behind six styles of rock and pop.
Drums Grade 1
The Drums Grade 1 book is the essential companion to your Grade 1 exam. It covers fundamental tec...
Graded Music Exam: Grade 1
All Instruments - General guidance: Graded Music Exams Overview - How to book an exam UK / Republ...
Performance Pieces
At Grade 1 the pieces last up to a maximum of 1 minute 15 seconds. Pieces are over two pages and the length of the piece is designed to enable the candidate to remain focused on the requirements of notation, technical control, coordination, balance and sync.
Featured Repertoire:
Rockschool Drums Hit Tunes 2024 Syllabus
- Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
- Nirvana – Come As You Are
- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tracks Of My Tears
- Ed Sheeran – Bad Habits
- The Specials – A Message to You Rudy
- WILLOW – Wait a Minute!
Rockschool Originals 2024 Syllabus
- Ignite
- Downtown Detroit
- As Night Falls
Rockschool Drums Hit Tunes 2018 Syllabus
- Queen – I Want To Break Free
- Wilson Pickett – In The Midnight Hour
- Sam & Dave – Soul Man
- Wretch 32 – Liberation
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
- Usher – Yeah!
Rockschool Originals 2018 / 2012 Syllabus
- Kaiser Roll
- Bend And Snap
- Jangle Road
- West Coast Rollin’
- Deep Trouble
- Munky Fusic
Technical Exercises
At Grade 1 there are four groups of technical work. The examiner will ask a selection from each group and before you start the section you will be asked whether you would like to play the exercises along with the click or hear a single bar of click before you commence the test. Groups A–C should be played at tempo = 70bpm
GROUP A – Single and Double strokes
(in eighth notes alternate bars)
GROUP B – Single and Double strokes
(in 16th notes alternate bars)
GROUP C – Paradiddles
(single paradiddle in 16th notes)
GROUP D – Fill
In the exam, you will be asked to play the Fill exercise from the Grade 1 book to a backing track. The groove is shown in bars 1–3 and the examiner will choose one fill from a set of four to be played in bar 4.
Supporting Tests
At Grade 1 you will be offered the choice between Sight Reading or Improvisation & Interpretation. This is a previously unseen test. An example is shown in the Grade 1 book.
Sight Reading
Key: A minor
Tempo: 80 bpm
At Grade 1 you will be offered a Sight Reading test thatis in the form of a four bar rhythm played on the snaredrum. The test is made up of eighth and quarter notes, and quarter note rests. The examiner will allow 90 seconds of preparation and practice time and will offer the option of practising with or without a metronome. The candidate will then perform the test for the examination.
Improvisation & Interpretation
Tempo: 70–80 bpm
At Grade 1 the test is four bars long and the candidate will have 30 seconds of preparation time. The test is in the form of a notated one bar groove that should be developed and a one bar fill. The examiner will offer the metronome as a guide throughout this time. The candidate will then have a complete practice run through with the backing track and then on the repeat, the test will be examined.
Ear Tests
There are two tests: Fill Playback & Recognition and Groove recall.
Fill Playback & Recognition
Tempo: 70 bpm
The examiner will play you a one bar fill played on the snare drum with a metronome backing. You will hear the test twice. The test is made up of quarter and eighth notes and quarter note rests. Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one bar count-in. There will be a short gap for you to practise. Next, you will hear a vocal count-in and you will then play the fill back with the metronome backing. The candidate will then be required to identify the test from two printed examples.
Groove Recall
Tempo: 80 bpm
The examiner will play you a two bar groove that is repeated played on the hi hat, snare and bass drum with a metronome backing. You will hear the test twice. Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one bar count-in. There will be a short gap for you to practise. Next, you will hear a vocal count-in and you will then play the groove back with the metronome backing.
General Musicianship Questions
In this part of the exam, you will be asked five questions. Four of these questions will be about general music knowledge and the fifth question will be asked about your instrument. For this section of the exam, the candidate chooses the piece to answer 5 questions on. The examiner will ask you four music knowledge questions and one instrument knowledge question.
Music Knowledge
In Grade 1, candidates will be asked to identify:
- Drum voices on the stave
- Quarter note and eighth note values
- A rest in the piece
Instrument Knowledge
In Grade 1, candidates will be asked to identify:
- The following parts of the drum kit – bass drum, snare, high tom, medium tom, floor tom, hi-hat, ride cymbal and crash cymbal
- Two main drum kit makes
Exam Structure
There are two types of exam available, a Grade Exam or Performance Certificate.
Grade Exam
| 3 Performance Pieces (two of which may be Free Choice Pieces) | Candidates choose to play either Performance Pieces or Technical Exercises first | These account for 60% of the exam mark |
| Technical Exercises (Section A, B, C and D for Level 3 qualifications) | Candidates choose to play either Performance Pieces or Technical Exercises first | These account for 15% of the exam mark |
| Sight Reading or Improvisation & Interpretation (Debut to Grade 5); Quick Study Pieces (Grade 6 to Grade 8) | Candidates are given an unseen test to prepare and perform | This accounts for 10% of the exam marks |
| 2 Ear Tests | Candidates respond to 2 aural tests. | These account for 10% of the exam marks |
| 5 General Musicianship Questions | Candidates answer 5 questions based on one of the pieces performed | These account for 5% of the exam marks |
Performance Certificate
| 5 Performance Pieces only (three of these can be Free Choice Pieces) | These account for 20% of the exam mark each. |
Assessment Criteria
Performance Pieces
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 18-20 | 15-17 | 12-14 | 6-11 | 0-5 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | all of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Style & Expression | Consistently convincing projection of the music. | Mostly convincing projection of the music. | Some convincing projection of the music. | Music not convincingly projected. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Technical Exercises
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 13–15 | 11–12 | 9–10 | 4–8 | 0–3 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | all of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Ear Tests
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 9-10 | 7-8 | 6 | 3-5 | 0-2 |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Supporting Tests
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 9-10 | 7-8 | 6 | 3-5 | 0-2 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
General Musicianship Questions
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 5 correct responses | 4 correct responses | 3 correct responses | 2 correct responses | 0-1 correct responses |
Performance Certificate
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 18-20 | 15-17 | 12-14 | 6-11 | 0-5 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Style & Expression | Consistently convincing projection of the music. | Mostly convincing projection of the music. | Some convincing projection of the music. | Music not convincingly projected. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
