Drums Grade 5 Performance pieces, technical exercises and in-depth guidance

for Rockschool examinations

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by

any means without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

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www.halleonard.com

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 Acknowledgements

Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2012 & 2018

Catalogue Number: RSK200065

CONTACTING ROCKSCHOOL
www.rslawards.com
Telephone: +44 (0)345 460 4747
Email: info@rslawards.com

Syllabus Designer Recording & Audio Engineering (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire)
Nik Preston Recording engineers: Oli Jacobs, Scott Barnett, Patrick Phillips
Mixing engineer: Samuel Vasanth
Producer Mastering engineer: Samuel Vasanth
Nik Preston Audio production: Nik Preston
Audio management: Ash Preston, Samuel Vasanth
Syllabus Advisor and Project Management Recording studios: Real World Studios, The Premises
Sharon Kelly
Publishing (Rockschool 2012 Repertoire)
Proof reading Fact Files written by Joe Bennett, Charlie Griffiths, Stephen Lawson,
Sharon Kelly, Jono Harrison, Nik Preston (and all arrangers/performers) Simon Pitt, Stuart Ryan and James Uings
Walkthroughs written by James Uings
Syllabus Consultants (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire) Music engraving, internal design and layout by
Guitar: James Betteridge, Andy G Jones Simon Troup & Jennie Troup (Digital Music Art)
Bass: Joe Hubbard, Diego Kovadloff, Joel McIver Proof reading and copy editing by Chris Bird, Claire Davies, Stephen
Drums: Paul Elliott, Pete Riley Lawson, Simon Pitt and James Uings
Publishing administration by Caroline Uings
Arrangers (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire) Additional drum proof reading by Miguel Andrews
Guitar: James Betteridge, Andy G Jones, Mike Goodman, Viv Lock
Bass: Diego Kovadloff, Andy Robertson, Joe Hubbard Instrumental Specialists (Rockschool 2012 Repertoire)
Drums: Paul Elliott, Stu Roberts, Pete Riley Guitar: James Uings
Bass: Stuart Clayton
Publishing (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire) Drums: Noam Lederman
Fact files by Diego Kovadloff
Covers designed by Phil Millard (Rather Nice design) Musicians (Rockschool 2012 Repertoire)
Music engraving, internal design and layout by Andy Crompton, Camilo Tirado, Carl Sterling, Charlie Griffiths,
Simon Troup & Jennie Troup (Digital Music Art) Chris Webster, Dave Marks, DJ Harry Love, Felipe Karam,
Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Caligraving Ltd. Fergus Gerrand, Henry Thomas, Jake Painter, James Arben,
James Uings, Jason Bowld, Joe Bennett, Jon Musgrave, Kishon Khan,
Musicians (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire) Kit Morgan, Larry Carlton, Neel Dhorajiwala, Nir Z, Noam Lederman,
Guitar: Andy G Jones, James Betteridge, Mike Goodman, Norton York, Richard Pardy, Ross Stanley, Simon Troup, Steve Walker,
David Rhodes (Peter Gabriel) Stuart Clayton, Stuart Ryan
Bass: Nik Preston, Joe Hubbard, Stuart Clayton,
Andy Robertson, John Illsley (Dire Straits) Endorsements (Rockschool 2012 Repertoire)
Drums: Paul Elliott, Pete Riley, Peter Huntington, Stu Roberts, Noam Lederman: Mapex drums, Paiste cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks
Billy Cobham (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra)
Vocals: Kim Chandler Recording & Audio Engineering (Rockschool 2012 Repertoire)
Keys: Jono Harrison, Hannah V (on ‘Red Baron’), Andy Robertson Recorded at The Farm (Fisher Lane Studios)
Horns: Tom Walsh (tpt), Martin Williams (sax), Andy Wood (trmb) Produced and engineered by Nick Davis
Assistant engineer and Pro Tools operator Mark Binge
Endorsements (Hit Tunes 2018 Repertoire) Mixed and mastered at Langlei Studios
Nik Preston: Overwater basses, Positive Grid amps Mixing and additional editing by Duncan Jordan
Paul Elliott:  Liberty drums, Istanbul Mehmet cymbals, Supporting Tests recorded by Duncan Jordan and Kit Morgan
Regal Tip drumsticks, Remo heads, Mastered by Duncan Jordan
ACS custom ear plugs, Protection Racket cases Executive producers: James Uings, Jeremy Ward and Noam Lederman
Stu Roberts:  Paiste cymbals, Regal Tip drumsticks,
Yamaha drums, Protection Racket cases Executive Producers
John Simpson, Norton York
Drums Grade 5

2
Table of Contents

Introductions & Information

1 Title Page
2 Acknowledgements
3 Table of Contents
4 Welcome to Rockschool Drums Grade 5

Hit Tunes

5 Jay-Z. . . . ................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘4:44’

9 En Vogue. . ........................................................... . . . . . . . . ‘Don’t Let Go’
13 Erykah Badu..................................................... . . . . . . . ‘Window Seat’
17 Otis Redding. . .................................................... . ‘Hard to Handle’
21 Ricky Lee Jones............................................ ‘Chuck E’s In Love’
25 Toto.. . . . . .................................................................. . . . . . . ‘Hold the Line’

Rockschool Originals

29 ‘Geek’
35 ‘Rollin’’
41 ‘Do Balanço’
45 ‘Tiberius’
49 ‘Smack Talk’
53 ‘Slam Dunk Funk’

Technical Exercises

58 Single and Double Strokes, Paradiddles, Flams and Ruffs, Rolls, Hands and Feet Patterns & Fill

Supporting Tests

60 Sight Reading
61 Improvisation & Interpretation
62 Ear Tests
63 General Musicianship Questions

Additional Information

64 Entering Rockschool Exams

65 Marking Schemes
66 Drums Notation Explained
67 Mechanical Copyright Information
68 Rockschool Popular Music Theory
Drums Grade 5

3
 Welcome to Rockschool Drums Grade 5

Welcome to Drums Grade 5

Welcome to the Rockschool 2018 Drums syllabus. This book and the accompanying downloadable audio contain
everything you need to play drums at this grade. In the book you will find the exam scores in standard drum notation, as
well as Fact Files and Walkthroughs for each song.
The downloadable audio includes:
■■full stereo mixes of 6 Rockschool compositions and 6 arrangements of classic and contemporary hits
■■backing tracks (in both click and no-click versions, minus the assessed drum part)
■■all necessary audio for the complete range of supporting tests

Drum Exams
At each grade, you have the option of taking one of two different types of examination:

■■Grade Exam: a Grade Exam is a mixture of music performances, technical work and tests. You prepare three pieces
(two of which may be Free Choice Pieces) and the contents of the Technical Exercise section. This accounts for 75%
of the exam marks. The other 25% consists of: either a Sight Reading or an Improvisation & Interpretation test (10%),
a pair of instrument specific Ear Tests (10%) and finally you will be asked five General Musicianship Questions (5%).
The pass mark is 60%.

■■Performance Certificate: in a Performance Certificate you play five pieces. Up to three of these can be Free Choice
Pieces. Each song is marked out of 20 and the pass mark is 60%.

Book Contents
The book is divided into a number of sections. These are:

■■Exam Pieces: in this book you will find six specially commissioned pieces of Grade 5 standard. Each of these is
preceded by a Fact File. Each Fact File contains a summary of the song, its style, tempo, key and technical features,
along with a list of the musicians who played on it. The song itself is printed on up to four pages. Immediately after
each song is a Walkthrough. This covers the song from a performance perspective, focusing on the technical issues you
will encounter. Each song comes with a full mix version and a backing track. Both versions have spoken count-ins at
the beginning. Please note that any solos played on the full mix versions are indicative only.

■■Technical Exercises: you should prepare the exercises set in this grade as indicated. There is also a Fill test that should
be practised and played to the backing track.

■■Supporting Tests and General Musicianship Questions: in Drums Grade 5 there are three supporting tests – either a
Sight Reading or an Improvisation & Interpretation test and two Ear Tests – and a set of General Musicianship Questions
(GMQs) asked at the end of each exam. Examples of the types of tests likely to appear in the exam are printed in this book.
Additional examples of both types of test and the GMQs can be found in the Rockschool Companion Guide To Drums.

■■Additional Information: finally, you will find information on exam procedures, marking schemes, and the full
notation and backing track of a piece from the next grade as a taster.

Audio
Audio is provided in the form of backing tracks (minus drums, and in two versions: click and no-click ) and examples
(including drums) for the pieces and the supporting tests where applicable. Audio files are supplied in MP3 format to enable
playback on a wide range of compatible devices. Digital versions of the book include audio files in the download. Download
audio for hardcopy books from RSL directly at www.rslawards.com/downloads — you will need to input this code when
prompted: Y8D3L82KMN

Syllabus Guide
Drums Grade 5

All candidates should read the accompanying syllabus guide when using this grade book. This can be downloaded from the
RSL website: www.rslawards.com

Errata
Updates and changes to Rockschool books are documented online. Candidates should check for errata periodically while
4 studying for any examination. Further details can be found on the RSL website: www.rslawards.com/errata
 Jay-Z

SONG TITLE: 4:44

c 89 Hip Hop
ALBUM: 4:44

>
LABEL: ROC NATION / UMG
GENRE: HIP-HOP/R&B

y y y y
WRITTEN BY: JAY Z

44 ‰
PRODUCED BY: JAY Z, NO ID,
A

ã 5 5
JAMES BLAKE,
DOMINIC MAKER

J
UK CHART PEAK: 3

>
BACKGROUND INFO 4:44 was received with widespread acclaim by
critics and fans alike. The album received three
Jay-Z is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Grammy Award nominations, including Song Of
He holds the record for the most no.1 albums by a The Year for the single ‘4:44’. The song packs a wide

y y y . y y‰ y
solo artist on the US Billboard 200 chart with 14. He reaching commentary on social relations and contains
also had 4 no. 1 records on the Billboard Hot 100 a variety of samples that not only display Jay-Z’s vast

‰
chart. His net worth is estimated at 900 million US array of soul and funk influences but also revisits the

5
dollars, making him the richest hip hop artist in the early hip-hop trend of sample-heavy records. The

ã 5 5
world. His business interests are far reaching. Jay-Z album’s lyrics intermingle social topics with strictly

J
is a successful entrepreneur with a business empire personal elements. The record’s release was followed

R
including record labels Def Jam Recordings and with a 32 date North American tour.
Roc-A Fella Records, production companies for music
and TV, sport agencies for NBA and MLB, clothing Jay-Z’s live drummer is the highly respected Tony
lines and property investments. Royster Jr. whose drumming has been heard with
artists including Imajin, Lazyeye, New Flava and En
Jay-Z’s career started in the mid 1990s.[4
]His 1998 Vogue. He also backed Japanese star Hikaru Utada
single ‘Hard Knock Life’ was a huge success and and later Joe Jonas. Tony Roster Jr. won the National
placed Jay-Z amongst hip hop’s heavy hitters. Much of Drum-Off Competition aged 11 in 1995 and he was
his production technique relies on the use of samples voted no. 1 Up and Coming Drummer by Modern
but his live shows include a full live band that add an Drummer Magazine in 1997. His first Grammy
extra element to the original sound. Jay-Z’s rapping Award performance was at the age of 15. In 2009 he
style is noted for its singular flow, both at fast and received the ‘Louis Armstrong Jazz Award’. He was
slow tempi. His lyrical content is highly charged a featured artist on the Late Show and The Tonight
in social and political terms. Jay-Z was an early Show in 2011.
supporter of Barack Obama and supported Hillary

y y y y y y
Clinton during her presidential bid.
Drums Grade 5

œ Œ
B

ã 5 5 5
 4:44
Jay-Z
Words & Music by Shawn Carter,
Ernest Wilson & Kanan Keeney

c 89 Hip Hop
> > > > > >
4 y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
‰. 5 ‰ 5 Œ
A

ã4 5 ‰ 5 Œ ‰ 5 Œ ‰ 5 Œ ‰ 5 5
J J J J R J

> > > >

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y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã 5 ‰. 5 ‰ 5 Œ 5 ‰. 5 ‰ 5 Œ œœ
J 5 5 5 5 ‰ Jœ
[4] R J R J

y y y y y y y y y y œy y y y œy y y y y y y y y y
œ. 5 5 5 œ
B

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5 Π5 Π5 5
[7]

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ã 5 . 5 5 5 5 5 5 ‰ 5 œœ
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[10] J

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y ‰ yj ‰ yj ‰ y y
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ã 5 œ œ 5 Œ œ 5 Œ œ 5 Œ œ 5 5
[13] J

y y y y y y y y
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> > >

Drums Grade 5

Bass Solo (8 bars)

D
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y œ y y y
ã 5 ‰ 5 Œ ‰ 5 Œ ‰ 5 Œ
[19] J J J
6 © Copyright 2017 Carter Boys Music/Let The Story Begin Publishing/BMG Monarch/Record Kicks Di Pozzoli Nicolo.
Bucks Music Group Limited/Warner/Chappell North America Limited/BMG Rights Management (US) LLC.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 > >
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã 5 ‰. 5 ‰ Œ ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

5
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[25]

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E Drum Solo (8 bars) S S S S
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[27]

‰ j Œ
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[31]

y y 0 y 0 y 0 y 0 y œ0 y 0 y 0œ y 0 y 0œ . y 0 y 0œ y
.
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Drums Grade 5

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ã 5 5. 55 55 5 5 5 5 ’
[41]

7
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–6) C Section (Bars 13–18)

This hip hop track comes straight in with a six bar This is another six bar section and features several
syncopated groove between hi-hat and bass drum. There are syncopated and challenging hi-hat and bass drum variations,
no snare drum backbeats at this stage, however, the hi-hat anchored, with the snare drum backbeats for the most part,
features accents on beats 2 and 4, and this sets the rhythmic and again played as rim-shots. Be aware of the open hi-hat
scene for the full groove at Section B. figure at the end of bar 16. Again, the section ends with
the recurring rhythmic motif over bar 18, followed by an
Given the slow tempo, lack of snare and sparse bass drum, improvised fill on beat 4.
the groove feels spacious, so it’s important to internalise
the time-feel before coming in with the drums. Be aware of
the quarter note pulse, together with the eighth notes and D Section (Bars 19–26)
16th-note subdivisions. This will help you to feel the flow of This eight bar section features a bass solo, with the drums
notes and to maintain steady time throughout the track. playing a spacious groove between 16th notes on the hi-hat
and syncopated bass drum. Notice the hi-hat accents
The section ends on bar 6 with a rhythmic phrase, set up throughout and the snare backbeat in bar 20. Following
with a snare drum flam, stepped hi-hat and accentuated these introductory bars, the section develops through to bar
with crash cymbal and bass drum unisons. Be definite and 26. In developing the groove it makes sense to work around
powerful with the flam. The crash cymbal and bass drum the 16th-note feel on the hi-hat, and other creative ideas
phrase recurs throughout the track as a rhythmic and might include additional bass drum, snare backbeats and
melodic motif. open hi-hats. It’s better to create subtle embellishments of
the groove, rather than adding too much.
At the end of bar 6 there is a single snare hit, played as a rim-
shot, on the “&” of beat 4. Make a powerful connection and
be aware of anticipating the crash cymbal and movement to E Section (Bars 27–34)
the hi-hat for the following section. This section features an eight bar drum solo. Notice the
rhythmic motif at bar 30, which should be emphasised. The
solo should not be a free form demonstration of technical
B Section (Bars 7–12) prowess but rather an extension of the development section,
This six bar section introduces the full groove, featuring with further improvisation but, as always, paying respect to
eighth notes on the hi-hat, snare backbeats played as rim- the context.
shots and syncopated bass drum patterns. Notice the offbeat
crash cymbal and bass drum unison figures in bars 7 and 8.
This requires careful technical movement from the hi-hat to F Section (Bars 35–43)
the crash and vice versa. This section essentially repeats and extends Section B, but
this time it is played on ride cymbal and features downbeat
In bars 9–11 there are 16th-note syncopated bass drum accents on the cymbal bell. Notice the general repeats at bars
figures. Pay close attention to anticipating these against the 35 and 42 and the recurring rhythmic motif, which leads to
tight and consistent hi-hats. Be aware also of the 16th-note the fill, emphasising the crash cymbals, at bar 43 to finish.
hi-hat embellishments in bars 10 and 11.

The section ends at bar 13 with a repeat of the

rhythmic motif played in bar 6, together with 16th-note
embellishments, to complement the phrase. When coming
out of the fill on the floor tom at bar 13, be sure to anticipate
the movement to the crash cymbal and hi-hat for the
following section.
Drums Grade 5

8
 En Vogue

SONG TITLE: DON’T LET GO (LOVE)

ALBUM: EV3
LABEL: EAST WEST
c 77 R’n’B Ballad

Yæ
GENRE: R&B/POP

44 ∑
WRITTEN BY: ANDREA MARTIN,

ã
IVAN MATIAS,
MARQUEZE ETHERIDGE,
SLEEPY BROWN, RICO WADE
AND RAY MURRAY

PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED NOISE

y y y y y
UK CHART PEAK: 5

y ∑
BACKGROUND INFO
ã The Supremes, Martha and The Vandellas and The
Ronettes. Auditions were held and approximately

+
‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ was En Vogue’s most 3000 candidates applied. Initially a trio consisting of
successful single. The song was released in [4]
October Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron and Maxine Jones
1996 and sold 1.3 million copies in the US alone It made the final cut but the group was augmented to
peaked at no.2 in the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and a quartet after hearing Terry Ellis’ late audition. The

y y y y y y ∑y
no.1 in the R&B charts. The song encapsulates the group released Born To Sing in 1990. The album
essence of much of 1990s R&B-Pop. was successful and was followed by Funky Divas.
The record doubled the commercial success of its

ã
‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ was a collaborative predecessor. Both albums received Grammy Award
production project and included drum programming nominations. The band’s songs were included in a
by Lil John. The piano part was recorded by Marvin number of high profile commercial ad campaigns,
‘Chanz’ Parkman. The song was featured in the movie such as Diet Coke and Converse. Their strong
Set It Off. It re-entered the UK charts at number 23 in live performances were met with great acclaim by
November 2011 after girl group Little Mix performed
[6] audiences in the US and Europe, where En Vogue
it on The X Factor on British TV. supported Luther Vandross in 1993.

y y y y y y
The single was the last recording that Dawn ‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ was released ahead of

∑
Robinson made as a member of En Vogue. Maxine the EV3 album as the lead single for the Set It Off
Jones released a version of the song in 2017 as a duet soundtrack. The song’s success propelled the band

ã
with Australian singer Greg Gould after hearing to record a third album. After difficult negotiations
Gould’s version online. It reached no. 5 on the Dawn Robinson decided to leave the group. EV3 saw
Australian charts and the video was viewed over 20 the band shift direction and collaborate with a variety
million times. of writers and producers including David Foster.

En Vogue were formed in Oakland, California,

[8]
Drums Grade 5

in the late 1980s by producer-songwriters Denzil

Foster and Thomas McElroy whose idea was to
form a modern day girl group in the tradition of
Chorus 1

y y y y
9
y
 Don’t Let Go
En Vogue
Words & Music by Marqueze Etheridge,
Ivan Matias, Andrea Martin & Organized Noise

c 77 R’n’B Ballad

Yæ
Intro

4 y yyy yyy yyy y y yyy y y yyy yy

ã4 ∑ ∑ ∑
F

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y A
ã ∑ Ó Œ ⇥ œ œ œ
+
[4]

y y y y y y ∑y y y y y y y y y y y
ã ∑y y y y y
[6]

y y y Œ Ó
y y y y ∑ y y y y ‰ œ ⇥ œJ œJ . œœ œœ œ œ œ
㠜
J
J J 5 œ œ œ 5
[8]

Chorus 1

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y
ã5 5 5 5 5 5
f
[10]

2 2
ã « «
[12]

y ⇥ y
y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y œ œ A
ã5 5 5 5 5
[16]

Verse

C y yœ y y y yœ y
ã5 5 5 ’ ’ ’ ’
F
[18]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[20]
Drums Grade 5

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[22]

10 © Copyright 1996 Hitco Music/Almo Music Corporation/Sailandra Publishing.

Rondor International Incorporated/BMG Rights Management (US) LLC/Warner Chappell Music Limited.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 y y y y y y y y A
ã’ ’ ’ ’ œ œ
5 5 5
[24]

+ Bridge

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y
ã5 5 5 5 5 5
+
[26]

Œ
y y y y y A
ã’ ’ ’ ’ œ œ œ œ œ
5 5 5
[28]

Chorus 2

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y
ã5 5 5 5 5 5
f
[30]

2 2
ã « «
[32]

‰ j
y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y œ A
ã5 5 5 5 5 œ œ œ
[36]

+ Middle 8

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã5 œ 5 5 œ 5 œ 5 5 œ
[38]

y y yœ y y y yœ y A
ã’ ’ ’ ’
cont. sim.

5 5 5
[40]

C y y y y y y y
ã5 œ œ ’ ’ ’ ’
cont. sim.

5 5
+ +
[42]

‰ j Œ
y y y A A
ã’ ’ ’ ’ 5 œ 5 5 œœ
J 5 5 œ œ œ œ
[44]

Chorus 3

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y
ã5 5 5 5 5 5
U
[46]
Drums Grade 5

Π1
y y yœ y y y œ œ
ã’ ’ ’ ’ œœ 5 Œ Ó
cont. sim.

5 5 5
[48]

11
 Walkthrough

This arrangement is based upon a live performance Verse (Bar 18)

which features a surprisingly hard-hitting approach given The verse is eight bars long and essentially the right hand
the ballad setting. For the most the part the grooves are moves from the ride cymbal to the hi-hats. Notice how
relatively straightforward, however, some of the transitional there’s no crash on the beginning of bar 18.
fills are both syncopated and powerful, and always featuring
an underlying musical quality.
Bridge (Bar 26)
Intro The four-bar bridge continues on the closed hi-hats until
The piece begins with a cymbal roll crescendo from nothing the fill in bar 29. The most challenging element here is the
to the marked mezzo forte. It can be beneficial to step the orchestration of the last four 16th notes and where the left
pulse with the left heel through this kind of figure, in order to hand has to immediately move to the high-tom.
guarantee hitting the crash on beat 1 of the next bar precisely.

Bar 2 Chorus 2 (Bar 30)

The following four bars feature a broken 16th-note rhythm The second chorus sees the same two-bar pattern we saw in
played on the hi-hats. At this tempo it’s feasible to play this chorus 1 (Bar 10), with a crash every two bars. This eight-
either single-handed or break it between the hands, perhaps bar section ends with a fill in bar 37 which involves the right
with the right hand playing the eighth-notes and the left hand playing the ‘&’ of beat 3 before heading to the floor
hand filling in the upbeat 16th notes. Notice that the crashes tom for the second and third 16th notes of beat 4. The left
played throughout this eight-bar intro are all played without hand also hits the open hi-hats on the ‘&’ of beat 4.
an accompanying bass drum.

Bars 6–9 Middle 8 (Bar 38)

In bar 6 the right hand moves over to the ride cymbal, and The middle returns to the closed hi-hats for eight bars and
the broken 16th notes continue to bar 9 where a one-bar fill concludes with a one-bar fill in bar 45. This fill features
sets up the main band entrance. Essentially the hands play open hi-hats on the ‘&’ of beats 2 and 3 and closing on the
both flams and double-stops throughout, moving from snare downbeats of three and four. The final four notes are the
to toms. However, although notated as traditional flams, same orchestration as seen in bar 29.
these should ideally be played with both hands at the same
volume (these are known as ‘rock’ or ‘power’ flams.
Chorus 3 (Bar 46)
The final chorus heads back to the ride cymbal and ends
Chorus 1 (Bar 10) after four bars with the familiar one-beat fill seen previously,
Bar 10 sees the main backbeat groove introduced and before hitting the final crash on bar 50.
features an eighth-note feel with the right hand playing
eighth-notes on the ride cymbal. It’s a two-bar pattern in so
much as there is crash played every two bars.

Bar 17
Bar 17 features an effective and subtle fill which carries the
listener into the first verse. All of the key movement comes
from the right hand, which begins with the 16th notes
played on the ride cymbal before moving to the high-tom
(on the ‘&’ of beat 3) and playing the final two notes on the
hi-hats. In other words, the left hand plays only the backbeat
on beats on two and four.
Drums Grade 5

12
 Erykah Badu

SONG TITLE: WINDOW SEAT

ALBUM: NEW AMERYKAH PART TWO

c 81 Neo Soul
(RETURN OF THE ANKH)
LABEL: UNIVERSAL MOTOWN
GENRE: NEO SOUL

44 ‰ œ
A

ã
WRITTEN BY: ERYKAH BADU

@J
AND JAMES POYSER
PRODUCED BY: ERYKAH BADU
AND JAMES POYSER

UK CHART PEAK: N/A

y y y y yœ . y y ye
BACKGROUND INFO Badu wrote some seventy five songs communicating

.
with various hip hop producers online. The record

ã . 5.
‘Window Seat’ was released in February 2010 features production by J Dilla, Questlove, James

5
and was the lead single from Erykah Badu’s album Poyser, Madlib, 9th Wonder, Sa-Ra, Georgia Anne
New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh). It Muldrow and Karriem Riggins. The album received
reached no.16 in the Billboard R&B / Hip Hop charts. favourable reviews, was ranked amongst the best
The song, written by Badu in collaboration with of 2010 by several critics, and reached no.4 in the
keyboardist James Poyser, was critically well received. Billboard 200 chart.

F
Part of the promotional campaign for the song
[2]Air Lines.
included its use as boarding music for Delta Erykah Badu is considered ‘The Queen of neo
The lyrics for ‘Window Seat’ are about liberating one’s soul’ by many and her unique vocal style and stage
self from demons that might be a hindrance to growth presence led to comparisons with artists such as Billie
but they also touch upon collective behaviour and Holiday. Erykah Badu is also an actress, and she
group thinking. There is a highly charged political studied theatre and performing arts before she broke
message, delivered at the end of the controversial into the music business. She also works as a model
promotional video. including participating in campaigns for Tom Ford

y y y y yœ y y y
and Givenchy.
Badu shot the video in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza,
the place where President John F. Kennedy was She continues to perform and has released six
assassinated. The video caused all sorts of controversy records to date. Her influence remains undiminished.

ã 5. 5
ranging from attacks on her utilisation of the site as
disrespectful to Kennedy’s memory, and condemnation
for appearing naked in the video, which in turn led to
her being fined $500 for disorderly conduct and being
given six months’ probation.
Drums Grade 5

New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) [4]

was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York
City. It is the second of a trilogy of albums for which

13
 Window Seat
Erykah Badu
Words & Music by James Poyser & Erica Wright

c 81 Neo Soul

ã 44 ‰
A

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
@J

y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
.
ã . 5. 5 . e e 5 . 5 5. 5 œ ‰. 5 œ 5 5
R
F
[2]

y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y .
ã 5. 5 ‰. 5 5. 5. 5 ‰. 5 5 5 .
[4] R R

y y y y yœ y y y y ey y y yœ y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
5 . . ‰.
B

ã 5. e 5 5 5. 5 œ 5 œ 5 5
[6] R

2
ã «
[8]

2
ã «
[10]

2
ã «
[12]
Drums Grade 5

y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y
‰.
C

ã 5. ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

5 5 5 5
[14] R
14 © Copyright 2010 Divine Pimp Publishing/Universal Music-MGB Songs/Jajapo Music Incorporated.
Peermusic (UK) Limited/Universal Music Publishing MBG Limited.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Fill

[16]

y y y y yœ y y ye y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y ye y y y y yœ y y y
5 . . 5 . .
D

ã 5. ⇥ e 5 5 5. ⇥ e 5 5
[22]
@

2
ã «
[24]

E ∑
ã 5 5y 5 œ f ‘ ‘ ‘
J
y
>
[26]

ã ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
[30]

Ó Œ ‰ j
œ A
ã ‘ ‘ ‘ 5 5 5
[34]

C y y y yœ y y ye y y y y yœ y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y A A
5 . . ‰.
F

ã 5. ⇥ e 5 5 5. 5
œ
5
œ 5
.
@ R
f
[38]

2
ã «
[40]

y y y y yœ y y y y y y y y y A A C y y y y y y y y y y y y y A A
ã 5. 5 . e ‰
@ 5 œ 5
. 5. 5 œ ‰. 5 œ 5.
[42] J R
>
Drums Grade 5

C y y y yœ y y ye y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y ye y y y y yœ y y y 1
ã 5. 5 . ⇥ e 5 . 5 5. 5 . @
⇥ e 5 5 Œ Ó
[44]

15
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–5) D Section (Bars 22–25)

Bar 1 | Anacrusis and solo drum fill Bars 22–23 | Snare drum syncopations
The song begins with a solo snare fill. Listen to the original During the four-bar link there are syncopated ghost notes.
audio to hear the feel of this slightly swung hip-hop phrasing Remember to play these at a quieter dynamic to the backbeat
and groove. There is an eighth note pick up at the start of accents. In bar 23 there is a 16th note which is “buzzed”.
the solo fill. This additional note is called an anacrusis. Squeeze the stick as if to play a buzz roll but control the
Experiment with different stickings and use whichever length of the note by applying pressure to the stick in the
pattern creates the sound and feel required. Play confidently fulcrum and lift off from the drum once the correct note
but notice the dynamic level is mezzo-forte (medium-loud). length has been achieved. This is a similar technique to
playing a buzz or press roll. This technique could be used to
Bar 2 | Drum pattern sticking and advice develop the patterns at any point throughout the piece.
The time feel begins in the second bar. The hi-hat plays 16th
notes and the snare drum plays the backbeat and additional
syncopated ghost notes. Play the ghost notes quieter than the E Section (Bars 26–37)
backbeat. When there are different volume levels between Bar 26 | Hi-hat left foot
the various parts of the kit and within one individual voice The hi-hat with foot plays on the backbeat from bar 26 until
these are referred to as internal dynamics. Pay attention to bar 36. The bass drum is playing on the first three quarter
the togetherness of the hi-hat and snare and avoid flams notes of each bar. If this is challenging isolate each element
between voices. When playing the hi-hat consider a slight and only add the hand part when the feet are secure.
accent on the first of every two notes to create dynamics
within the rhythm. Bar 26 | Hip-Hop cross-stick technique
A technique which can be incorporated into this drumming
style is to play a flam between the snare drum and the cross-
B Section (Bars 6–13) stick sound. This is a unique approach which creates some
Bar 8 | Two bar repeat rhythmic space between the two notes. Experiment with this
There is a two bar repeat in bars 8 and 9. This is recognised technique, which is being used on the recording to represent
by the two diagonal lines which cross over the bar line with the ‘wet’ finger snap and clap sound.
a dot on each side. Be aware of the visual difference between
a two bar repeat and a one bar repeat which does not cross
the bar line and contains only one diagonal line. There is a F Section (Bars 38–46)
one bar repeat in bar 14. Both types of repeats are frequently Bar 39 | Hi-hat open / close
used in rhythm section charts. There is a hi-hat open note at the end of bar 39. The hi-hat
then closes on the downbeat of bar 40. If this is challenging
remember that both the bass drum and the hi-hat foot
C Section (Bars 14–21) motion will move downward together.
Bar 15 | Develop pattern
The arranger requests the drummer to develop the pattern
in bar 15 and onwards. This gives the player an opportunity
to develop the rhythm and show stylistic awareness. Take
some time to listen to more hip-hop music with live drums
to gain some ideas. Notice how the sound of the drum
kit itself is very important in getting the right feel for the
style in each piece of music. Also try experimenting with
different tunings.
Drums Grade 5

16
 Otis Redding

SONG TITLE: HARD TO HANDLE

c 104 Rock
ALBUM: THE IMMORTAL
OTIS REDDING
LABEL: STAX
Loose HH throughout

y y yœ
GENRE: SOUL

44 .
WRITTEN BY: ALLEN JONES, AL BELL
A

ã 5
AND OTIS REDDING
PRODUCED BY: STEVE CROPPER

f
UK CHART PEAK: 15

>
y y y y œ y y yœ
BACKGROUND INFO passengers. Four were members of the Bar-Kays,

œ . ‰
with whom Redding was touring, and the other two
‘Hard To Handle’ was released in June 1968 as victims were the plane’s pilot and the band’s valet.

ã 5 5
part of The Immortal Otis Redding, a posthumous There was only one survivor, Ben Cauley, also a band

J
release containing recordings Otis Redding made member. Redding’s tragic death cut short a young life
in 1967 during a three week stint of sessions that and a pioneering career.
included ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ amongst
other classics. Four songs from the album charted Otis Redding was a hugely successful artist and
at the time of release – ‘The Happy Song’, ‘Amen’, entrepreneur during his time. In 1967 he sold
‘Remember’ and ‘Hard To Handle’. [3] more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
combined. He is considered the voice of Memphis
‘Hard To Handle’ features Otis Redding’s long Soul. Otis Redding toured Europe and appeared at the

>
time collaborators, and Stax’s label house band, now iconic Monterey Pop Festival, closing the bill on
Booker T. & The MG’s. Steve Cropper, who produced Saturday night. That performance propelled Redding
the recording, plays guitar, Booker T. Jones plays into national fame, appealing to audiences black and
the keyboards, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn plays bass, Al white. His list of classics include ‘My Girl’, ‘Respect’,

y y y y y y yœ y
Jackson Jr. plays drums. The Memphis Horns are ‘Knock On Wood’, ‘Security’, ‘Hard To Handle’ and
also featured, together with Isaac Hayes (later of Hot versions of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’ and The

œ . œ‰ 5
Buttered Soul and Shaft fame) also on keyboards. Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’. His legacy remains hugely
B significant and undiminished to this day.

ã 5
‘Hard To Handle’ has been covered by a multitude
of artists, including Patti Drew, King Floyd, The

J
Grateful Dead, Tom Jones, Toots and The Maytals,
Etta James, Mae West and The Black Crowes, whose
1990 version was made the Top 40.
Drums Grade 5

On December 10th 1967, travelling during

[6] a tour,
Redding’s chartered plane crashed into Lake Monona,
outside Madison, Wisconsin, killing him and six other

>
17
 Hard to Handle
Otis Redding
Words & Music by Otis Redding,
Alvertis Isbell & Allen Jones

c 104 Rock
Loose HH throughout

4 y y y y y y y y
œ.
A

ã4 5 œ ‰ œ ‘
5
J
f
>
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y œ y y yœ y y y yœ y œ y Œ
ã 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 . ‰ 5 5 . ‰ 5 œ œ5 œ œ5
[3] J J

>
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y œ y y yœ y y y yœ y y A Cœ œ
œ. œ ‰ 5 œ . 5‰ 5 . ‰ 5 . 5‰ 5
B

ã 5 5 5 5
[6] J J J

>
y y y y y y y y y y œy y y y yœ y y y yœ y œ y y yœ y y y yœ y Fill
ã 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 . 5‰ 5 5 . ‰ 5 5 ’ ’
[10] J J J

> o o o
y y y y A A A A A A Aœ A A A Cœ œ œ 1 ∑
ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 5 5 Œ Ó Ó .
‰ œœœœ
R
[14]

> > > >

y y y y y y y y y. ⇥ y y Ó
œ 5y ⇥ œ 5 œ œ œ œ œ
C

ã 5 œ 5 œ 5 ‰ œœ

[18]

>
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y œ y y yœ y y y yœ y y A Cœ œ
œ. œ ‰ 5 œ . 5‰ 5 . ‰ 5 . 5‰ 5
D

ã 5 5 5 5
[20] J J J

> > >

Drums Grade 5

y y y y y y y y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y y y y y y y y y œy yœ y Fill
ã 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 . 5‰ 5 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 5’ ’
[24] J J J
18 © Copyright 1968 Irving Music/Redwal Music Company Incorporated.
Carlin Music Corporation/Rondor International Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 > o o o >
‰ j ∑
y y y y A A A A A A Aœ A A A œ œ A 1
ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 5 5 5 5 Œ Ó Ó ‰. œ œ œ œ
R
[28]

> o o o o o o > > > >

E
y y y y A A A A y y y y A A A A y y y y y y . y ⇥ y y Fill
ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5
œ 5 œ
5 5 . œ ⇥ 5 œ ‰ œ œ5 œ œ5 œ œ5 œ 5 œ 5 ⇥ œ 5 ’ ’
[32]

> >
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y A Cœ Aœ
œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 œ. 5 ‰ 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 œ. 5 ‰ 5
F

ã 5 œ
5
[36] J J J

> o > >

y y y y y y y y y y œy y y y œy œ œ y y œy y œ y y yœ y y y œy yœ y Fill
ã 5 œ. œ ‰ 5 œ 5 . 5‰ 5 5 . ‰ 5 5 5’ ’
[40] J J J

> o o o >
y y y y A A A A A A A A A A A y ∑
.
G

ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 œ 5 5 œ œ œ 5 Œ Ó Ó ‰ œœœœœ
R
[44]

> o o o > o o o > > >

H
y y y y A A A A y y y y A A A A A A A A A y . y ⇥ y y Fill
ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5
œ
5 5
œ
5
œ œœœœœœ
5 5 Œ
œ œ
5 5⇥ 5 ’ ’
[48]

>
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y œ y y yœ y
œ. œ ‰ 5 œ . ‰ 5
I

ã 5 5 ‘ ‘
[52] J J

ã ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
[56]

> o o o > o o o > o o o > > >j

Drums Grade 5

J
y y y y A A A A y y y y A A A A y y y y A y. y ‰ y
ã 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 œ œ
5 œ5 œ œŒ œ œ œ 5 œ 5 ⇥ 5 Ó
[60]

19
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–5) Bar 14 | Open hi-hat

Bar 1 | Two bar groove solo The hi-hat is held open consistently to create a change in
The song begins with a two bar groove solo at a forte texture from bar 14 until bar 16. This same texture is used
dynamic. Play the pattern exactly as written, with confidence later in the song each time leading up to the two bar rhythm
and swagger. The hi-hats are held slightly loose – avoid a stop. Make sure that by holding the hi-hat open, you are not
tight crisp hi-hat sound and control the hi-hats with the unbalancing the bass drum foot or losing consistency in the
foot. Listen to the original audio and try to recreate the snare drum hits.
sound of the drum kit. Focus on the relative dynamics
between the bass drum, snare and hi-hat. Consider how to
phrase the hi-hat, possibly with a slight accent above every C–J Sections (Bars 18–63)
quarter note. Play the snare drum firmly and consider using Bar 19 | Unison figures
a rim shot for the backbeat. A rim shot is not written but is a There is a syncopated unison figure played by the full
stylistic feature in lots of rock drumming and would not be band in bar 19. The dotted eighth note followed by a 16th,
out of place in this song. an eighth-note rest and then the off-beat eighth note is a
common rhythm in pop and rock music. The drummer
Bar 3 | Crash on beat 1 plays the snare drum before each “hit” to set-up the figure
When the band enters in bar 3 the drummer acknowledges for the rest of the band. Play this rhythm with confidence
this with a crash cymbal and bass drum on the first beat and focus on beat placement. Avoid rushing through the
of the bar.When playing the crash, strike the cymbal rhythm. This figure occurs four times in this arrangement;
confidently but remember to balance the sound of the drum the last time is the final bar of the song.
kit as a complete instrument. Also, make sure that the bass
drum is played at exactly the same time and does not flam
with the crash.

B Section (Bars 6–17)

Bar 7 | Syncopated bass drum 16th note
So far, the bass drum has played only quarter notes and
eighth notes. However, there is now a rhythmic variation
with the last 16th note of beat 2 being played on the bass
drum. Make sure that the hi-hat and snare drum are
not disrupted by the bass drum playing in the gap
between the hi-hat eighth notes. This co-ordination
pattern is repeated throughout the piece. If this is
awkward, slow the tempo down and count out loud in
16th notes while using a metronome to ensure rhythmic
sub-divisions are evenly spaced.

Bar 9 | Open / closed hi-hat

The hi-hat opens and closes in bar 9. If this is challenging,
remember that when the snare drum is played on beat 4 the
hi-hat foot will also be travelling in a downward motion as
the hi-hats shut. As with all technical challenges, slow the
tempo down and isolate each beat. Once the trouble spots
are corrected put all the different elements back together and
restore the tempo to the original.

Bar 13 | Two beat drum fill

In bar 13 the two time slashes (with fill written above)
require an ad-libbed drum fill. Every fill has its own
Drums Grade 5

personality, so choose something which suits the musical

style and rock feel. Consider using both snare drum and
toms to create tonal variation.

20
 Ricky Lee Jones

SONG TITLE: CHUCK E.’S IN LOVE

c 113 Pop
ALBUM: RICKIE LEE JONES
LABEL: WARNER BROS.

y yœ y
GENRE: JAZZ/POP

44 œ œ y ‰
Œ
WRITTEN BY: RICKIE LEE JONES A

ã 5
PRODUCED BY: LENNY WARONKER AND
RUSS TITELMAN

F
UK CHART PEAK: 18

y A Cœ y y y
Œ Œ ‰
ã 5
BACKGROUND INFO Rickie Lee Jones’ debut album sold over 2 million
copies in the US alone. Jones embarked on a
‘Chuck E.’s In Love’ is Rickie Lee Jones’ biggest successful world tour to promote the record. She won
hit. The song was included on her eponymous debut a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1980. In
album, released in April 1979, and reached no.4 on 1981 she released Pirates, another critically acclaimed
[5] are written
the Billboard Hot 100 list. The song’s lyrics record with performances from Donald Fagen, Randy
in the tradition of metaphorical story telling used by Newman and the Brecker Brothers, and promoted the
writers such as Joni Mitchell, Donald Fagen, Walter album with another world tour. In 1984 she released

y y
Becker and Tom Waits, who was Rickie Lee Jones’ The Magazine and also started experimenting with

C A Cœ
lover at the time her record was released. Jones and jazz standards, releasing Duets in 1985. After a hiatus

‰ 5
Waits used to spend time with their friend Chuck E. she returned in 1989 with Flying Cowboys, produced

Œ
B
Weiss at the Tropicana Motel in Los Angeles. Weiss by Walter Becker from Steely Dan. She also recorded a

ã 5 5
disappeared all of sudden and sometime later called duet with Dr. John, a cover of ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ that
Jones and Waits at their apartment. He explained to earned her a second Grammy Award, this time for

J
Waits that he was in Denver and had moved there Best Jazz Vocal Collaboration. She has experimented
because he had fallen in love with a cousin. When with trip hop and acoustic folk and other styles in
Waits hung up he announced ‘Chuck E.‘s in love’, her successful and eclectic career. Rickie Lee Jones
Jones liked the sound of the sentence and wrote the released sixteen albums to date and has written an
song. The ending is fictional because Jones was never autobiography awaiting publication.
[9]
the girl with whom Chuck was in love. The first line
of the song is ‘How come he don’t come and PLP Amongst the drummers that recorded on her

y y y y yœ y y‰ y
with me down at the meter no more’ – PLP is an debut album are Steve Gadd, Andy Newmark and
old American colloquialism that stands for Public Jeff Porcaro.
Leaning Post and usually refers to a female leaning

‰
against a man in a friendly fashion.

ã 5 5 5
Drums Grade 5

[13]
J J 21
 Chuck E’s In Love
Ricky Lee Jones
Words & Music by Rickie Lee Jones

c 113 Pop

y y y y y y y y y y y y y yy Πy
4
A

ã4 5 Œ œ ‰ e ‰ 5 5 œ Œ Œ œ
‰ e 5ee ee5œ 5 ‰ 5
J 5 J
œœ

F J Ó J
>
y A Cœ y y y y yœ A C y yœ y y A Œ Ó œ
ã 5 Œ Œ ‰ 5 Œ Œ 5 ‰ 5 ‰ 5 ‰ 5 Œ
[5] J J J J y @

œ@
C A C y y y y y y y y y yœ y y ye y ye y y yœ
B

ã5 Œ œ ‰ 5 5 5 5 œ ‰ 5 ‰ 5 ‰ ‰ 5
5 @J 5 y
[9] J J J J

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã 5 ‰ 5 œ ‰ 5 5 e ‰ 5 œ ‰ 5 5 e ‰ 5 œ ‰ 5 e ‰ 5 ’ ’
Fill

5
[13] J J J J J J J
C Π0 Π0
ã5 ‰ 5 œ œ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

[17] J

y y y y y y y y y y A
ã’ ’ ’ ’ 5 ‰ 5 œ Œ 5 e ‰ 5
œ Œ
[20] J J

C y y y y y y y A C y y y y
ã5 ‰ 5 œ e Œ 5 e ‰ 5
œ Œ 5 e ‰ 5
œ Œ
[23] J J J

y y y y y y y A Cœ y y A œC y y‰ e 5
ã 5 e ‰ 5 œ ‰ 5 5 ‰ 5 ‰ 5 5 5 5
[26] J J J J
Œ Œ
3

y y y y yœ y y y y œ y yœ y A œ 0 0
ã 5 Œ ‰ 5 5 ‰ 5 J ‰ ‰ @J 5 ‰ 5 œ œ
[29] J J J
Drums Grade 5

Œ 0 Ó y j
3 3

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ‰ 5 œ œ œ 5 ‰ œ œœ œœœœ
Develop

5y 5 y y y
J
o
[32]

22 © Copyright 1979 Reservoir Media Management (Ireland) Limited.

Easy Money Music/Reservoir Media Management Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
 > + >
D
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y Aœ
ã 5 œ œ 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ5 œ œ ‰ 5 œ
5 5 5 5 5
[36] J J

C y yœ y y y yœ y y y œy y y y yœ y y y œy y y y Aœ
ã5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
[40]

y Œ y Œ y Œ Ó
Click stops

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã 5 5 5 5 5 5
‰ J Œ ‰ J Œ
P
[43]

E
U
ã
4 Clicks

[48] Rubato Rall.

Œ
a tempo

e e y y e e A C y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y A
F

ã 5 œ ‰ 5 ‰ 5 Œ
5 5 5 5 5
Ó Œ J J
F
[54]

Œ
C y y y y y y œ y y yœ y y y y A Cœ y y e
ã5 ‰ 5 œ ‰ 5 5 ‰ 5 ‰ 5 5 Œ 5
[57] J J J J
3

y y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y y y y yœ y y yœ y y A
ã 5 5 ‰ 5 5 ‰ 5 ‰ 5 5 ‰ 5 Œ
[60] J J J J

Œ Œ
0‰ 0
G

ã5 5 œ œ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

[63] J

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[68]

>
Drums Grade 5

3 3 3

y yyyyyyyyy œ œ œ
ã’ ’ ’ ’ 5 5 Œ 5 @ 5 Œ Ó
Œ Ó
>
[73]

23
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–8) D Section (Bars 36–47)

Bar 1 | Half time feel Bar 36 | Regular shuffle groove
This piece highlights the exceptional musical qualities of one A standard shuffle rhythm is played from bar 36. The
of the most influential drummers in the world today, Steve backbeat occurs twice in each bar on beat 2 and 4. Notice the
Gadd. The groove begins with a relaxed half-time feel played change of feel and pace.
at a mezzo-forte (medium loud) dynamic. Although notated
with four quarter notes per bar the pulse is felt with two Bar 43 | Diminuendo light cymbal work
strong beats in each bar. The dynamic drops with a diminuendo at bar 43. A
diminuendo is represented by two horizonal lines which
Bar 3 | Ghost notes eventually become one as the distance between them
Gadd is a very dynamic drummer. The use of ghosted notes disappears. There are some light cymbal touches with the tip
is frequent; they are shown with a bracketed note-head. of the stick in these bars showing great dynamic control.
Ghosted notes are to be played close to the surface of the
drum and at a low velocity. There should be a big dynamic Bar 46 | Click and tempo indications and classic Gadd fill
difference between ghosted notes and all others. The click on the backing track stops at bar 46 while the
rubato guitar lowers the tempo.
Bar 4 | Inverted double strokes and voice substitution
Inverted double strokes are used to create the linear pattern
in bar 4. In drumming terms linear means playing only one E–G Sections (Bars 48–76)
sound at a time. Inverted double strokes begin with a single There is a rall in bar 52 and a pause (fermata) in bar 53. The
stroke followed by a double in the opposite hand. In this fill click will give a four beat count back into tempo for bar 54.
Gadd goes further and applies a voicing substitution. Instead This classic linear fill is again based on inverted doubles with
of RLLRRLLR the right hand is substituted for the bass voicing substitution.
drum on the first and last notes of the phrase. The sticking is
FLLRRLLF (F refers to the bass drum foot). This is a great opportunity to learn some classic Steve Gadd
vocabulary. The candidate should listen to the original
Bar 8 | Press roll / buzz roll recording and practice the feel as much as the technical
On the fourth beat of bar 8 there is a light buzz roll on the aspects of this piece. Consider the velocity levels and
snare. One technique to give this a thicker sound is to buzz internal dynamics and consider the tuning of the drums.
both sticks in unison in a loose manner. The sound is more
relaxed than militaristic. Note there is no accented end to the
roll – the sound just blends into the next phrase. Stylistically
this is closer to a New Orleans style of drumming than
precise military marching band.

B Section (Bars 9–16)

Bar 16 | Drum fill
There is an opportunity to create rhythmic and tonal
variation with a fill in bar 16. Create your own fill showing
appropriate style and musical awareness.

C Section (Bars 17–35)

Bar 17 | Ride cymbal bell
The groove pattern evolves to include the ride cymbal
bell from bar 17. The ride cymbal bell is used to highlight
two and four within the pattern while the snare drum
continues to play in half-time. The floor tom plays on beat 4
giving tonal variation to the beat. Develop this rhythm as
Drums Grade 5

instructed on the chart but aim to keep the groove relaxed

and musical. Reference the original recording to hear Steve
Gadd’s ideas and amazing playing.

24
 Toto

SONG TITLE: HOLD THE LINE

ALBUM: TOTO
LABEL:
GENRE:
COLUMBIA
POP ROCK d96 Classic Rock

182 œ.
WRITTEN BY: DAVID PAICH
A

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PRODUCED BY: TOTO

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UK CHART PEAK: 14

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BACKGROUND INFO

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‘Hold The Line’ was released as Toto’s debut single
5.
Jeff Porcaro is a legendary drummer whose
pocket and time feel are unique. He has recorded
hundreds of albums with artists including Steely Dan,
in October 1978. The song was featured on the band’s Donald Fagen, Rickie Lee Jones, Michael Jackson,
eponymous album. ‘Hold The Line’ was a huge Al Jarreau, George Benson, Joe Cocker, Stan Getz,
success in the US and it reached no.5 on the Billboard Sergio Mendes, Lee Ritenour, Christopher Cross,
[3]of styles
Hit 100 chart. The song blended a number James Newton Howard, Barbra Streisand, Donna
seamlessly and the delivery shows that each of the Summer, Diana Ross, Eric Clapton, Miles Davis,
instrumentalists is a consummate player. Larry Carlton, Michael McDonald, Seals and Crofts,

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David Gilmour, amongst many others. His work on
Toto formed in 1976. The band was originally Thriller by Michael Jackson introduced his drumming
named Rural Still Life but whilst recording their to millions. Jeff Porcaro’s sound defined a great deal

5 5
debut the decision was made to change it to of music created between the mid 1970s and the

ã 5.
Toto. The band members were successful session early 1990s. His drumming remains influential, over

J
musicians at the time of their debut album release. twenty-five years after his tragic death in 1992.
Most notably they had recorded with Boz Scaggs on
Silk Degrees, a massive success in the US, reaching After Jeff Porcaro’s death Toto went through
no. 2 on the Billboard 200 and containing classics various line-up changes, but the only drummer
such as ‘Lowdown’ co-written between Scaggs and ever contacted to join the band was Simon Phillips,
keyboardist David Paich. The band was initially admired by Jeff Porcaro, who joined in 1995 and
[6]
made of Paich on keyboards, Jeff Porcaro on drums, toured and recorded with Toto for nearly twenty
David Hungate on bass, Steve Lukather on guitar, years. Keith Carlock, of Steely Dan fame, replaced

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Steve Porcaro on keyboards and Bobby Kimball on him in 2014.
vocals. David Paich was the main songwriter. These
musicians contributed to some of the most popular

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records of the 1970s including work by Steely Dan,
Drums Grade 5

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Seals and Crofts, and Sonny & Cher, to name a few.

[9] J 25
 Hold the Line
Toto
Words & Music by David Paich

d96 Classic Rock

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26 © Copyright 1978 Hudmar Publishing Company Incorporated

Kobalt Music Publishing Limited.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
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27
 Walkthrough

12/8 Time signature Bar 18 | Crescendo

The time signature is 12/8 so there are twelve eighth notes In the second half of bar 18 a crescendo occurs. A crescendo
per bar. This is a compound time signature because we can is represented by a long V on its side, starting with the
divide the top number equally by three. Each main pulse small end at the left and opening up to the right. As the
is a dotted quarter note and there are four per bar. 12/8 distance between the two lines increases so does the
is the compound equivalent of 4/4 which is a simple time dynamic volume. The hi-hat generates more volume when
signature. Both have four main beats but in 4/4 the beat is a the cymbals are opened and this technique is used in this
quarter note and in 12/8 the beat is a dotted quarter note. instance for the crescendo. In addition, the snare drum
plays on each main beat creating tension in the music and a
co-ordination challenge.
A Section (Bars 1–8)
Bar 0 | Anacrusis snare flam
A snare flam anacrusis opens this piece. A flam occurs when C Section (Bars 19–26)
one stick strikes fractionally before the other. Play the snare
drum confidently with a solid sound.
D Section (Bars 27–36)
Bar 2 | Multi-tom fill
The high tom, middle tom, and floor tom are used to create
tonal variation in this layered drum fill. Play each drum E Section (Bars 37–44)
strongly and balance the level of each drum relative to the
next. Refer to the original recording to hear the tuning of the
drums and experiment by trying to tune the drumkit in a F Section (Bars 45–62)
similar way. Bar 52 | Flam and tom fill
There is a challenging drum fill in bar 52. The groove
pattern is played for the first two beats of the bar. However,
B Section (Bars 9–18) a flam is used on beat 3 followed by 16th notes orchestrated
Bar 9 | Bass drum variations around the toms in a clock-wise direction. Note that a
There are many bass drum rhythms in this piece. At further crescendo is written here. To give the rhythm even
bar 9 there is a challenging pattern with three notes power try using single sticking.
played consecutively. Remember to stay balanced on the
drum seat from the core to avoid leaning onto the pedal Bar 58 | Drum fill analysis
excessively. If this is posing some technical difficulty, Another interesting fill occurs in bar 58. On the original
try isolating the figure and working on it slowly and recording this compliments the intricate guitar work.
accurately with a metronome, making sure all rhythmic Play the rhythm confidently, and again single sticking is
sub-divisions are even. It may be helpful to lightly accent recommended to get the right type of attack. Make sure that
the final note in the group as a destination point for the the bass drum plays in unison with the cymbal crashes and
phrase. Experiment with different foot techniques. The is not slightly early or late. Try slowing the fill down with a
drummer on the track, Jeff Porcaro, is documented as metronome and recording the practice to analyse playing.
preferring a “heel up” approach.
Bar 61 | Flam linear call and response feet pattern
Bar 13 | Two-bar repeat Bar 61 involves linear phrasing. In drumming the term
A two bar repeat is used in bar 13. There are two diagonal linear is used to mean playing one drum at a time. In the last
lines which cross-over the bar line with two dots either side. two beats a flam is accompanied by two bass drum beats.
This is a common feature in rhythm section chart writing. This figure repeats twice and is a classic compound time
Become familiar with this frequently used repeat sign. drum fill. Jeff Porcaro also uses this phrase on the third beat
of bar 56. Play the fill confidently and balance the bass drum
volume with that of the snare flam.
Drums Grade 5

28
 Geek

j
SONG TITLE: GEEK

q
3

=q
GENRE: POP PUNK
TEMPO: 137 BPM
q =137 Pop Punk q q
TECH FEATURES: SWUNG EIGHTH NOTES

44 œœ œœ œœ œœ
CRESCENDO A

ã
TRIPLETS

COMPOSER: JAMES UINGS

p
PERSONNEL: STUART RYAN (GTR)
DAVE MARKS (BASS)
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

OVERVIEW major record label and assimilated techniques and

songwriting tricks that were alien to their genre. The
‘Geek’ is a pop punk piece created in the style of group’s frontman and guitarist, Billie Joe Armstrong,
Green Day, The Offspring and Billy Talent. It features professed a love of the rock bands The Who and

œ œ œœ œ œ œœ
a crescendo, ghosting, and triplet and swung eighth Cheap Trick who obviously influenced his approach

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notes among its techniques. to songwriting. He also grew up in a musical

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household with a father who played jazz drums and
recalls singing jazz standards as a child.
STYLE FOCUS
Green Day’s contemporaries The Offspring had
Punk requires an awareness of musicality and a metal edge to their sound and became more open
versatility. Occasionally, as with ‘Geek’, a shuffle
[3]feel is to outside influences as their career progressed.
required to buoy the groove with extra bounce. Many Americana, their fifth album released in 1998, bore
drummers underestimate how tricky a shuffle is to the mark of various musical styles from new
3 3 wave to
pull off. In fact, some say you can judge a drummer’s hip hop, rocksteady to mariachi.
skill by how accurately he is able to play one. With
three eighth-note triplets played per beat instead of In the 2000s, Canadian four piece Billy Talent
two (as in a straight groove), you need to watch out demonstrated that punk could be shaped by
for any timing errors. influences as unlikely as Van Halen and The Police.

THE BIGGER PICTURE RECOMMENDED LISTENING

y y y
A shuffle feel may seem out of place in a punk song To gain an understanding of punk style drumming,

y
but as far back as the 1970s groups like The Clash listen to the album Setting Sons (1979) by The Jam

h e œ h
were absorbing influences from other genres. where Rick Buckler’s playing is a foretaste of Tre
B
Drums Grade 5

Cool’s from Green Day. For a shuffle similar to that

㜠œ œ
Green Day, in much the same way as The Clash, of ‘Geek’, listen to ‘Basket Case’ and ‘Longview’ from
began in a narrow punk field then signed to a Green Day’s Dookie (1994).

29
[5]
 Geek
James Uings

j
Pop Punk q q = q q
3

q =137

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A

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[11]
3 3 3
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Drums Grade 5

C
y y y y y y y y y y y y
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[14]

30
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 y y y Πy y y y y y y y
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B B B B B B B
3 3 3 3

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3 3 3
Drums Grade 5

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3 3
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31
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 + + +
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F
Drum Solo (8 bars)

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[39]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[43]

Guitar Solo (12 bars)

G
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Drums Grade 5

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
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32
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Bass Solo (8 bars)
H
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3
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33
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–4) D Section (Bars 22–29)

This introduction includes a long crescendo build-up on In this section the hi-hat pattern should be played as swung
the snare, floor tom and bass drum. Remember that the eighth notes. From bar 26 the closed hi-hat sound should be
rhythmic guidance above bar 1 indicates that all eighth notes changed to half open in preparation for the next section.
should be swung.
Bar 23 | Wrist movement
Bars 1–3 | Dynamic control Try playing the fast swung eighth notes and allow your wrist
Start playing soft strokes on the snare and floor tom. Keep to move up and down. Coordinate your arm movement
the drumsticks close to the drum head and perform these with your wrist and aim to produce the strokes without

f
as a tap. Gradually lift your arms and allow the strokes to expending too much energy. Solid and reliable stick grip is
increase naturally in dynamic level until you build up to . essential here.

Bar 4 | Accents
Lift your arms higher in order to achieve the accents and E Section (Bars 30–38)
aim to hit the middle of the drum for maximum projection. This is similar to the B section but the groove is played on
open hi-hat instead of the crash cymbal.

B Section (Bars 5–13)

The first main groove is introduced here, in the B section. F, G & H sections (Bars 39–66)
This groove is led by the crash and includes rim-shots and These sections are the drums, guitar and bass solos. The
ghost notes on the snare. eight bar drum solo is your opportunity to demonstrate your
technical ability and musicality. Listening to the drummer
Bar 5 | Rim-shot Tre Cool (Green Day) will give you ideas for improvisation
When performing a rim-shot you must strike the snare and development in this style.
drum and surrounding rim at the same time in order to
achieve a louder and more prominent sound. If you are
struggling to produce the rim-shot, try changing the height I Section (Bars 67–78)
and angle of your snare drum until you reach the position This groove is similar to the B section but with minor
that suits you best (Fig. 1). variations. The improvised fill in bar 77 leads to the final
unison phrase in bar 78.
Bar 5 | Ghost notes
Ghost notes are marked with brackets and played most
commonly on the snare drum. The dynamic level of the
ghost notes should be much lower than the non-ghosted
y y y y
snare strokes.
㠜 h e h
œ œ œ
Bar 8 | Triplet fill with hand/foot combination
There are six triplet notes to play in this fill. With the 3
exception of the second, these should all be played on the
snare. Experiment and choose the sticking option that suits
Fig. 1: Rim-shot
your technique best. You can achieve fluency by practising
similar hand/foot combinations at various speeds (Fig. 2).

C Section (Bars 14–21)

In this section a similar snare and bass drum pattern is
y y Ó
h œ œ œ œ œ œ
played with quarter note hi-hats.
㠜
Bar 14 | Rim to ghost
This is an important technique in drumming, where a ghost 3
Drums Grade 5

3
note is played after a rim-shot backbeat. After performing
the rim-shot, allow your stick to bounce once but keep your
hand close to the drum head. This will naturally create the Fig. 2: Triplet fill with hand/foot combination
ghost snare and allow you to focus on your timing.

34
 Rollin’

SONG TITLE: ROLLIN’

GENRE: BLUES ROCK
TEMPO: 107 BPM
q =107 Blues Rock

y y yh y
TECH FEATURES: SNARE RIM-SHOTS

44 .
GHOST NOTES
A

㠜
DRAGS

COMPOSERS: STUART RYAN, KUNG FU

DRUMMER & HENRY
œ
( )

F
THOMAS

PERSONNEL: STUART RYAN (GTR) (1° only)

HENRY THOMAS (BASS)
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)
ROSS STANLEY (KEYS)

OVERVIEW On the album, a young Eric Clapton performed with a

distorted tone through a Gibson Les Paul plugged into
‘Rollin’’ is a blues rock track in the style of Stevie a Marshall amp. That set-up has influenced blues rock

yh y y
Ray Vaughan, John Mayer and The Tedeschi Trucks and most other sub-genres of rock since.

y y
Band. It features ghost notes, drags and snare rim-

. ‰
shots among its techniques. While the Brits were happy to perform revved up

ã œ œ
versions of blues standards, in America The Allman

œ
Brothers Band took the new blues rock sound and
STYLE FOCUS infused it with soul, jazz and country.

It is easy for blues rock drummers to become lost By the 1980s, interest in blues had dwindled and it
in the shadow of the guitarists who dominate the took Texan guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan to revive the
[3]
genre, but ‘Rollin’ proves how this type of music genre. Although Vaughan was killed in a helicopter
offers drummers plenty of room to shine. Rim-shots crash at the age of 35, his influence is apparent on the
and ghost notes come into play, allowing the drums current crop of blues rock artists that includes Derek
to create a current that runs under the hi-hat or ride Trucks, John Mayer and Joe Bonamassa.
cymbal pattern. Fills need to be authoritative and
articulate, so simply running around the toms in
descending order will not be stylistically convincing. RECOMMENDED LISTENING

+
Tommy Aldridge was drumming for Pat Travers’

o
THE BIGGER PICTURE finest hour, Live! Go For What You Know (1978), with
a stomping cover of Little Walter’s ‘Boom Boom (Out
Blues rock was created in England in the 1960s Go The Lights)’. Vaughan’s Texas Flood (1983) is a

y yh y y
when The Yardbirds, Cream, Fleetwood Mac and monster with ‘Pride And Joy’ and ‘Love Struck Baby’;

y
other groups upped the tempo and amplification The Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Revelator (2011) is a great

‰
Drums Grade 5

.
of the blues. The John Mayall album Blues Breakers example of modern blues rock, as is the John Mayer

ã œ œ
With Eric Clapton (1966) set the standard and is Trio’s ‘Who Did You Think I Was’ with drummer
considered a landmark record in blues rock’s history. Steve Jordan.

35
[5]
 Rollin’
Stuart Ryan, Kung Fu Drummer & Henry Thomas

q =107 Blues Rock

y y yh y y y y y y y yh y y y yh y
4 . h. .
A

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To Coda
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œ œ œ œ
[7] J

o
‰ j ‰ j ‰ ‰ ‰ j
y y C y y y y y y y y y y A
œ. œ.
B

ã œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
[9] J J

j
Drums Grade 5

C yy y ‰ y y y y y ‰ y y y y y ‰ y y y y y ‰ A
œ. œ œ. œ
㜠œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ
[11] J J
36
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 2
ã «
[13]

+
j j j j
3

C y y y ‰ y y y y y ‰ A ‰ y ‰ y ‰ A Œ
㜠œ. œ ‰ œ œ œ œ. œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
[15] J J

y y œy . y y‰ y yœ y y y œy . y y‰ y yœ y
C

ã œ œ œ œ œ œ
[17] J J

y y yœ . y œ y‰ y yœ y y y yœ . y œ y‰ y œy
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[19] J

y y
ã œ œy . y y
œ ‰
y yœ y y y œy . y y
œ ‰
y yœ y
œ œ œ œ
[21] J
Drums Grade 5

y y yœ . y œ y y yœ y Ó
y y yœ y œ œ œ œ œ œ
ã œ ‰ œ œ œ œ

[23] J
37
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 >
Bass Solo (8 bars)

D
y > > >
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Develop

ã œ y y y ’ ’ ’ ’
P
[25]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[27]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[30]

E Drum Solo (8 bars)

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[33]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[37]
Drums Grade 5

Guitar Solo (8 bars)

y y œy . y e y e y yœ y y y yœ . y e y e y yœ y
F

ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
f
[41]

38
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 y y yœ . y e y e y yœ . y e y y yœ . y e y e y yœ y
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[43]

y y yœ . y e y e y yœ y y y yœ . y e y e y yœ . y e
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[45]

fi
Œ
D.C. al Coda

y y yœ . y e y e y yœ . y e y y yœ . y e y yœ œ œ œ
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[47]

fi Coda G o o o
A A Aœ Aœ A œ œ œ œŒ œ y y y y A A A A Aœ A Aœ A Aœ A Aœ A
㜠œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ
[49]

o o o
Aœ A Aœ A Aœ A Aœ A y y y y A A A A
㜠œ . œ ’ ’ ’ ’ œ. œ œ œ œ
Fill

œ œ
[52]

o o o o o o o o
Drums Grade 5

A A Aœ A A A A A y y y y A A A A y y y y y y y
ã œœ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ . œœ œ œ
œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ
[55]

39
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–8) D Section (Bars 25–32)

This intro section includes an eighth-note hi-hat groove The drum groove in the bass solo is based on the snare. Use
with rim-shot backbeat and a varied bass drum pattern. alternate sticking and aim to perform all the unaccented
strokes evenly. The dynamic level of the accented strokes
Bar 1 | Rim-shot should be audible and the quarter-note hi-hat foot should
When performing a rim-shot you must strike the snare be coordinated accurately. Aim to gradually intensify and
drum and surrounding rim at the same time in order to develop a foundation for the soloist (Fig. 2).
achieve a louder, more pronounced sound.

Bars 1–2 | Heel up E Section (Bars 33–40)

When playing a 16th-note bass drum followed by another The eight bar drum solo is your opportunity to demonstrate
bass drum stroke you will need to ensure accuracy. In this your technical ability and musicality.
style it is common to use the heel up technique. However,
this can be also played as heel down. When performing
the heel up technique, keep your toes in contact with the F Section (Bars 41–49)
pedal and allow the weight of your leg to naturally create the The guitar solo drum groove includes 16th-note ghost snares
second stroke. Find the point on the pedal that assists you to and consistent eighth notes on the ride cymbal.
perform this controlled bounce with ease.
Bar 48 | D.C. al Coda
Bar 8 | Drag D.C. al Coda indicates that after playing bar 48 you should
The two grace notes on the snare are followed by the main return to bar 1, play through until you see To Coda (bar 7)
stroke on the open hi-hat and bass drum. Loosen your grip then move directly to bar 49.
of the stick to perform these grace notes correctly.

G Section (Bars 50–57)

B Section (Bars 9–16) Focus on balanced and convincing projection as well as
The second main groove is introduced here with challenging exact unison of your three limbs in the G section.
broken 16th notes and 16th-note triplets on the hi-hat.

Bar 11 | Broken hi-hat pattern

This pattern should be played with alternate sticking on Sticking options:
R L R L
the hi-hat. You should move your right hand to the snare R R L L
in order to perform the backbeat. Focus on the rhythms, R R L R
R L L R

‰ ‰
sticking and flow to achieve a solid groove. 3

yyyy y y y y y y y
œ. œ
Bar 11 | Sticking
ã œ œ ‰ œ
The hi-hat pattern on beat 1 can be played with various
sticking options. You can use singles (R L R L), doubles (R R
J
L L), even R R L R or R L L R. Experiment with them all and
see which suits your technique best (Fig. 1). Fig. 1: Sticking

C Section (Bars 17–24)

This eighth-note ride-led groove includes a more syncopated
bass drum pattern and stylistic fills.
>
Bar 17 | Sound production: cymbals
y >R L R >L R L R L >R L R L
For best projection, you should play the crash cymbal with
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
the neck part of your drum stick and the ride cymbal with y y y
the tip. Aim to stroke the ride cymbal in the sweet spot in
Drums Grade 5

order to achieve the most rounded and consistent sound.

The sweet spot of the ride is half way between the bell and
the edge of the cymbal. If necessary, adjust the height and Fig. 2: D Section
angle of the cymbal to assist you.

40
 Do Balanço

SONG TITLE: DO BALANÇO

GENRE: SAMBA ROCK
TEMPO: 155 BPM
Samba Rock
Ó
q =155
TECH FEATURES: CROSS STICK

44 œ œ œ
SYNCOPATED PHRASES A

ã
FAST RIGHT HAND PATTERN

COMPOSER: NOAM LEDERMAN

PERSONNEL: NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

HENRY THOMAS (BASS)
STUART RYAN (GTR)
F
KISHON KHAN (KEYS)
FERGUS GERRAND (PERC)

y y y y y y yf y y
OVERVIEW international hit for Sérgio Mendes and the Black

f
Eyed Peas, and was used as the anthem of the 2006

ã œ œ œ
‘Do Balanço’ is a samba rock piece in the style of FIFA World Cup.

œ œ
artists like Jorge Ben Jor, Trio Mocotó and Clube Do
Balanço. It features cross stick, syncopated phrases Another noteworthy act were Banda Black Rio,
and a fast right hand pattern among its techniques. who formed in 1976. On their 1977 debut album,
Maria Fumaça, they mixed samba with jazz funk and
soul, inspired by American groups like Kool And
STYLE FOCUS [3] The Gang. They have since worked with a variety of
singers including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
The drummer’s role in samba rock is to provide the
fluency of the samba rhythm using consistent patterns Today samba rock’s greatest exponents are arguably
on the hi-hat and bass drum while holding a ‘rocky’ the São Paulo group, Clube Do Balanço. The band
backbeat that makes this style danceable. Although have fused the sound created by the masters of samba
the backbeat is played mostly on the snare drum, rock in the 1960s and 1970s with dancers, singers,
authentic samba rock drummers will vary the drum DJs, musicians and producers.
voices and move it around the kit. A common musical

y y yf y y y yf y
variation is to play the first backbeat on the snare and
the second on the bell of the ride cymbal. RECOMMENDED LISTENING

ã œ œ œ œ
As the originator of samba rock, listen to Jor’s
THE BIGGER PICTURE África Brasil (1976), Alô Alô, Como Vai? (1980) and
A Tábua De Esmeralda (1974). Bebeto’s album Bebeto
Samba rock was created in Brazil in the 1960s (2005) shows the influence of Ben Jor as Bebeto
and is a fusion of samba, rock, soul and jazz. continued to develop samba rock. Mocotó’s Trio
Jorge Ben Jor pioneered many of these stylistic Mocotó (1973) and Banda Black Rio’s Maria Fumaça
Drums Grade 5

fusions in his early albums and is considered one

[7] (1977) are examples of samba rock in the 1970s, while
of the most important figures in Brazilian music. Clube Do Balanço’s Swing & Samba-Rock (2001)
His composition ‘Mas Que Nada’ became an illustrates how the genre has evolved even further.

41
 Do Balanço
Noam Lederman

+ +
Ó ‰ j ‰ j
q =155 Samba Rock

A A
ã 44 œ
A

œ œ œ ‰ Ó Œ œ
œ œ
F J

y y y y y y y y y y fy y y y fy y y A fC y y y fy y y y fy y y y yf y
ã œ f œ œ f œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[3]

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y Œ Ó
f œ œ f œ f œ œ f œ f œ œ f œ œ œ
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[7]

y y y y y œ Œœ Œ A A A A A
3 3

y y y y y y y A C y y y y y y y
ã œ f œ œ f œ œ f œ œ f œ œ f œ œ œ
œœ
J œ œ œ œ œ
[11]

3 3

y C y y y y y y y y y y y y y y ‰ œj œ œ ‰ j ‰ j œ
ã œ f œ œ f œ f œ œ f œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ ‰ œJ œ ‰ œ œ Œ Œ ‰ J
[15] J

%
y y y y y y y y y y fy y y yf y y fœy y y‰ fœy yœ y yf yœ y y fy y y yf y y
B

ã œ ‰ fœ œ f œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ
[19] J J J J

+ +
‰ j ‰ j ‰ yj
Drums Grade 5

Œ
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y A A
f
ã œ f œ œ f ‰ œ fœ f œ œ f ‰ œ fœ ‰ fœ œ f œ œœ œœ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ
[23] J J J J J J
42
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y fy y y yf y y
ã œ ‰ fœ œ f œ œ f œ œ f ‰ œ fœ f œ œ f ‰ fœ œ œ œ ‰ œ
[27] J J J J

j + Fine
y. y Œœ œ y ‰ y. 1 Œ
A A ‰ Aj ‰ Aj Fill
œ œ
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ ’ ’ ’ ’
[31] J

Bass Solo (16 bars)

Develop on repeat

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y fy y y y y y
.
C

.
ã œ f œ œ œ œ f œ œ œ œ f œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[35]

y y y y y y Aœ C y y y y y y y y y y y y y Aœ œ œ .
ã œ f œ œ œ f œ œ œ œ f œ œ œJ
œ
œJ
œ
œ œ œ œ .
[39]

Drum Solo (8 bars)

‰ j Ó ‰ j Œ
D S S S S S S S

ã ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
[43]

ã? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
[47]

Guitar Solo (16 bars)

Develop on repeat

y yœ y y y 0 y y y yœ y y y 0 y y y yœ y y y 0‰ y y y œy y y y ‰0 y
.
E

ã . œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[51] J J J J

(2°) D.%. al Fine

Drums Grade 5

y y yœ y y y 0‰ y y y yœ y y y 0 y y y yœ y y y 0 y
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
[55] J J J
43
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–18) C Section (Bars 35–42)

This is the verse part of the song where the samba-rock In the bass solo there is a stylistic variation of samba-rock
groove is introduced. that uses cross stick, snare and floor tom on the backbeat.
The first backbeat in each bar should be played with the
Bar 1 | Open/closed hi-hat cross stick; the second backbeat alternates between snare
The stabs in this bar are played using the snare, bass drum and floor tom. Changing sounds at this tempo can be
and hi-hat. The offbeat open hi-hats should be followed by challenging, so start practising at a slower tempo then build
a closed hi-hat on the next beat. Your foot movement on the up the speed. Remember that when repeating this section
pedal must be quick and precise. you should develop the drum part. Feel free to create
variations and add fills that suit this style.
Bar 3 | Samba-rock
The basic samba-rock groove consists of eighth-note hi-hats,
cross stick backbeat and a repetitive bass drum pattern. D Section (Bars 43–50)
Ensure that you use the sweet spot of the rim and produce a In the drum solo you are free to demonstrate your
balanced sound from these three kit parts. The fast eighth- interpretation of the style. If you are playing with the
note hi-hats can be played with up and down strokes (wrist backing without click, you will notice that it is added during
movement) for maximum fluency. the drum solo to help you to stay synchronised.

Bar 14 | Quarter-note triplets

When playing two sets of quarter-note triplets, you need to E Section (Bars 51–58)
fit six even strokes in one bar of 4/4. If divided to eighth- The groove in the guitar solo section consists of a
note triplets, these strokes will be placed on the first and challenging ride and bell of ride pattern. Make sure that you
third triplets in the first beat and only the second triplet play the bell with the neck part of your stick for maximum
in the second beat. The guitar and bass can assist you here projection. Your movement between the bell and the ride
because they play the same rhythmic phrase (Fig. 1). needs to be effortless, so set up the ride cymbal in the most
comfortable place for you to hit it and work with your wrist.
Bars 17–18 | Co-ordinating the fill
It is a characteristic of samba-rock to maintain the bass
drum pattern while playing a fill. This should assist
in maintaining the flow, although the hi-hat pattern is 3 3
abandoned. Co-ordinate your hand rhythms accurately with
ΠA A A A A
ã œJ œ
the continuous bass drum pattern.
œ œ œ œ œ
B Section (Bars 19–34) 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
In the chorus section the groove develops to a 3–2 clave
samba. The drum voices used are similar to the A section. In
bars 26 and 31–33 there are syncopated phrases to perform.
3 3 3 3

Bars 21–22 | 3–2 clave samba

The cross stick pattern in these bars plays three strokes
Fig. 1: Quarter-note triplets
in bar 21 and two in bar 22. The rhythmic values of this
pattern represent the 3–2 clave that is common in Latin
beats. Ensure that the clave is solid and then accurately
synchronise it with the consistent hi-hat and bass drum
patterns. Hitting the sweet spot of the cross stick will

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
produce a more prominent sound (Fig. 2).

ã fœ ‰ fœ œ f œ œ f œ œ f ‰ œ
J J
Bars 31–32 | Syncopated phrase
This syncopated phrase begins on the last eighth note of bar
Drums Grade 5

30 then the crash/bass strokes play every three eighth notes.

This creates a syncopation feel that also goes across the bar.
Count the beats and ensure that you are comfortable with Fig. 2: 3–2 clave samba
the phrase before adding the written fills in between.

44
 Tiberius

SONG TITLE: TIBERIUS

GENRE: THRASH METAL
TEMPO: 90 BPM

44 œ œ œœ œ œ5 œœ œ5 œ
TECH FEATURES: POWER DRUMMING A q = 90 Metal

ã 5 5 5
RHYTHMIC DISPLACEMENT
FOUR-WAY COORDINATION

COMPOSERS: CHARLIE GRIFFITHS &

F
JASON BOWLD

PERSONNEL: CHARLIE GRIFFITHS (GTR)

DAVE MARKS (BASS)

Œ Ó
JASON BOWLD (DRUMS)

1 œ œ
OVERVIEW

‘Tiberius’ is inspired by thrash metal’s Big Four:

œ
ã 5 5 œ œ œ
5 5 œ œ
5 œ œ œ
5
remained close to the thrash style, Metallica and
Megadeth grew towards a more musical sound.

Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. It features Metallica’s 1986 album Master Of Puppets was
power drumming, rhythmic displacement, and [5]four- the first sign of thrash’s move away from all-out
way coordination among its techniques. aggression towards a musical sophistication. The
track ‘Welcome Home (Sanitarium)’, for example,
started with a light, clean guitar style and built up to a
STYLE FOCUS high tempo metal groove. Likewise, Megadeth’s sound
evolved from their hard-edged debut Killing Is My

Aœ
This track takes its lead from Lars Ulrich’s Business… And Business Is Good! (1985) to the more

y Aœ A
drumming circa Metallica’s Load (1996) era and controlled, focused approach of Rust In Peace (1990).

‰ . 5
features dynamic changes in groove that propel
B
the song’s intensity to a heavy climax. This type of Nowadays, each band has reconnected with their

ã 5 5 5
no-nonsense metal requires clarity and precision to thrash roots with both Lars Ulrich (Metallica) and

J
sound convincing. Cymbal hits and hi-hat dynamics Nick Menza (Megadeth) displaying hard hitting styles
should sound clean and not overpower the snare and and musical vision.
bass drum, both of which need to be played with

f
attitude and power to compete with the enormity
of this metal sound. All accents in the guitar riffs
[9] RECOMMENDED LISTENING
need to be carefully studied to ensure that the drums
emphasise their every nuance. Start with Metallica’s Kill ’Em All (1983). Ulrich’s
playing on Ride The Lightning (1984) and Master
Of Puppets (1986) is powerful yet musical. Menza’s
THE BIGGER PICTURE drumming on Rust In Peace is a masterclass

Aœ A Aœ . A
in achieving a balance between simplicity and

y
Drums Grade 5

When Metallica and Megadeth formed in the complexity. Metallica’s Load and Megadeth’s

44 ‰
early 1980s, they were part of a thrash metal scene Youthanasia (1994) are two albums that illustrate how

5 5
that included Slayer and Anthrax. While the latter both bands matured musically over time.

ã 5 5 5
J
45
 Tiberius
Charlie Griffiths & Jason Bowld

œœœœ
q = 90

ã 44 œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ œ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ œ œ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ œ œ5 œ5 œœ œ5 œ5
A Metal

5 œœ
F
>
1 Œ Ó 1 Œ Ó
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ5 œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
ã 5 œ5 œ œ5 œ5 œ œ5 œ œ œ5 œ5 œ œ5 œ5 œ œ5 œ œ œ œ5 œ5 œ œ5 œ5 œ œ5 œ
[5]

y A A A A A A A A A A A A Œ
œ 5 ‰ 5 œ. 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ. 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ œ œ 42 5 5 œœ 44
B

ã 5 y
J J J
f
[9]

4
y
œA 5 A‰ 5 Aœ . 5 A5 Aœ A Aœ A œA 5 A‰ 5 Aœ œ œ A 5 Aœ A œ œ œ œŒ œ œ œ
ã4 5 ‰
5 5 . 5 5 5 5
[13] J J J
3

Bass Solo (8 bars)

C
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y‰ y œy
ã 5y œ œ œœ
y 5y 5 y 5y y 5y 5 y 5 5y y 5y 5 y 5 5 5
J
F
[17]

j
y y y y y y y y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y y ‰œ y y œ Œ
ã 5y œy 5y 5 œy 5y y 5y 5 y 5 5y y 5y 5 y 5 5 œ 5 5 œ œœœœ
f
[21]

Guitar Solo (8 bars)

y A A A A A A A A A A A A Œ
œ 5 ‰ 5 œ. 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ. 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ œ œ 42 5 5 œœ 44
D

ã 5 y
[25] J J J

>
Drums Grade 5

y A A A A A A Aœ A A A A y Œ Ó
4 œ . .
ã4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 œ 5 5 5 œ
œ œ œ5 œ œ5 œ œ5 œ œ œJ œ œJ œ œ œ œ œ
5 5 5
[29]

46
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Double time feel

E
y A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A
ã 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 œ
5 ‰ 5
œ 5 5 œ 5 5 œ
[33] J J

1 ‰ 2j Œ A A A A A 1 ‰ 2j Œ A ∑
ã 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 5 œ 5 ‰ 5
œ 5 5 œ œ 5 œ œ œ œ
[37] J

Develop

ã ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[41]

ã ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[45]

1 ‰ 2j Œ 1 ‰ 2j Œ
œ ‰ 0œ 0 0œ 0 0œ œ ‰ 0œ
ã 5 5 ’ ’ ’ ’
Fill

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
[49] J J

1 ‰ 2j Œ 0œ 0 0œ 0 0œ 1 ‰ 2j Œ 0œ ∑
ã 5 5 œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Œ Ó
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
œ
J
[53] J

o o o o o o
F

∑ y y yœ y A A Aœ A y y yœ y A A Œ
œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ
㠜 55 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
[57]
3 3

o o o o
Œ y y A A Aœ y y y y
œ
㜠œ 5 œ œ œ 42 44 y y œ y A A Aœ A
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
[60]

o o o o
‰ 2j ‰ 2j ‰ 2j Œ
Drums Grade 5

y y yœ y A A Œœ œ œ œ Œœ œ œ yœ y A A Aœ A œ œ œ œ
ã 55 5 5 5 œ 5 5 5 5 œ œ 5 œ œ 5 œ œ œJ œ
[63]

47
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–8) features hard-rocking drumming, starting on the hi-hats and
A tribal tom part features here which builds to a crescendo developing through to the ride bell.
in the final bar and should be played moderately loudly.
Bars 37–56 | Crash emphasis and development
Bars 1–7 | Tribal tom dynamic The crashes played on beat 1 and the ‘&’ of beat 2 that occur
Be careful not to play this section too loudly because you throughout this section are useful for tying the music to the
will have nowhere to go dynamically for the louder B groove. They can be used as a basis for the development
section. Note that the bass drums effectively fill in the gap section from bars 41 to 48, where they should be played
between the mid tom during the bulk of the pattern. through bars that feature a variety of musical fills of differing
note values.
Bar 8 | Crescendo
Be aware of the snare and crash accent on beat 1 here. You
will then have to rein in the power to start the crescendo on F Section (Bars 58–65)
the snare and floor tom properly. This is the final section of the song. It features a disciplined
groove that locks in with the guitar riffs.

B Section (Bars 9–16) Bars 58–61 | Filling over the bar line
This section features the main heavy guitar riff of the song, Here the bass drum emphasises the guitar riff with a phrase
which you are to accompany with an open rock groove. that can be counted as “1e-a”. The crash that follows this on
beat 2 is vital in creating further musical emphasis. In bar 59,
Bar 9 | Open rock groove you will see a fill which starts on beat 4 and continues onto
This groove is deceptively tricky to keep in time because of beat 1 of bar 60 then returns to the crash emphasis on beat 2.
the slow quarter-note hi-hats. Playing it at its appropriate Don’t be caught out by the 2/4 in bar 61.
loud dynamic will help. You may find that counting will help
lock down the last syncopated bass drum of the bar too. Try Bar 65 | The final fill
“1 2& 3& 4—a” (Fig. 1). Finish the song positively by keep your leading hand the
same on every beat for consistent timing and a powerful
Bar 12 | 2/4 bar sound all the way to beat 4 where both limbs combine for a
This bar of 2/4, if missed, could throw you completely off unison tom and snare emphasis.
course after playing the expected bars of 4/4. Reading ahead
will prepare you for this.

y Aœ A œA .
C Section (Bars 17–24)
During the bass solo, the dynamic drops back to moderately ã œ œ ‰ œ œ
loud. A steady groove accompanies the music, which is J
similar to the A section.
Count: 1 (&) 2 & 3 & 4 (e) (&) a

D Section (Bars 25–32) Fig. 1: Open rock groove

The D section contains the guitar solo and is, effectively, a
reprise of the B section but ends with a more intense climax.

Bar 32 | Crescendo flam fill

You will need to examine your sticking to play the
crescendo on beats 1 and 2 effectively. Try playing the crash R

Œ Ó
L L R L R L R L R L R R L R L

y
with your right hand on beat 1, creating a left double on the
œ
ã œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œJ œ œ œJ œ œ œ œ œ
snare to continue with single strokes (Fig. 2). The flams on
beat 3 need to be slammed because they are at the peak of
the crescendo.
Drums Grade 5

E Section (Bars 33–57) Fig. 2: Crescendo flam fill

This riff section is played entirely in double time and

48
 Smack Talk

SONG TITLE: SMACK TALK

GENRE: BLUES ROCK
j
q
3

=q
Blues Rock q q
TEMPO: 115 BPM
q =115

Ó
TECH FEATURES: TEXAS SHUFFLE BEAT

44 ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
TRIPLET FILLS A

ã
GHOSTING

f 3
COMPOSER: SIMON TROUP

[1
PERSONNEL: STUART RYAN (GTR)
HENRY THOMAS (BASS) 3
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

Πy y
ROSS STANLEY (KEYS)

OVERVIEW
ã œœ
‘Smack Talk’ is a blues rock composition in the
œ œ
œ
emerged in the 1960s. British Invasion bands like
The Animals tapped into the rich vein of rhythm and
blues while the Yardbirds, Free and Fleetwood Mac
œ
style of Fleetwood Mac, Free and Joe Bonamassa. It played their own gutsy take on it. It was Cream and
features a Texas shuffle beat, triplet fills and[3]
ghosting Led Zeppelin, though, who increased the volume and
among its techniques. swagger to make blues heavier and louder than it had
ever been played before.

y yh ye ye ye yh
STYLE FOCUS Their influence was profound on the bands that
followed in their wake including Whitesnake, Bad

e
Simon Kirke, the drummer for Free and BadB Company and Foghat, through to modern artists Joe

ã œ œ œ œ
Company, summed up blues rock playing when he Bonamassa, Black Country Communion and The
professed that the best way to do it was to keep it Answer. The Irish guitarists Gary Moore and Rory
simple and solid. However, the style does require Gallagher both produced outstanding bodies of work
finesse and excellent technique and the shuffle is one that blended the feel of master blues players with the

> >
of the most important patterns in the drummer’s pyrotechnic intensity of rock.
repertoire. Many players struggle if they have grown
up playing straight quarter and eighth notes. [5]
It takes
time and practice to become fluent in the triplet feel RECOMMENDED LISTENING
of the shuffle and to play fills and solos comfortably in
this setting. Blues rock is a showcase for the guitarist Bonamassa’s cover of Bobby Parker’s ‘Steal Your

ye ye yh ye ye ye Ah
and his licks are complemented by the drum part’s Heart Away’ is a blues rock masterpiece. Free, with
fills and rhythmic punctuation. Kirke behind the kit, pumped out classic British blues
rock with their exceptional albums Tons Of Sobs
(1969), Fire And Water (1970) and Free Live! (1971). If

ã œ œ œ œ
THE BIGGER PICTURE you want to hear some classic blues shuffles in a rock
Drums Grade 5

context try Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Don’t Stop’ with Mick

Blues may be an American invention, but blues Fleetwood on drums, and John Bonham’s half-time
rock was a largely British phenomenon when it first shuffle on Led Zeppelin’s ‘Fool In The Rain’.

>
[8]
49
 Smack Talk
Simon Troup

j
Blues Rock q q = q q
3

q =115

Ó Œ y y Ó Œ y y
4 œ œ œ
A

ã 4 ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ Ó
f 3 [1] J
3 3

Πy y
3 3 3 3

ã œœ
œ œ
œ œ Ó œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ
[3]

B
y yh y ye ye yh y ye ye yh y y y y y ye ye yh y ye ye yh y
ã œ e œ e œ œ e œ œ e eœ e hœ e œ œ e œ œ e
> > > > > >
[5]

+ p p
y ye yh y ye ye Ah œ œ y y y
e
ã œ œ e œ œ hœ œy C y Bh Bœ C y B Bœ C y Bh œ œ
hœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
>
[8]

> 3 3

y Ch y ye ye yh y y
ã œ e œ e œ œ e ey ye yhœ ey yeœ ye Ahœ yh ey ye ye yh ey
œ œ œ œ œ
> > > > > >
[11]

ΠΠj
ye ye yh ey ye ye yh œy y y y y 1 œ œ œ œ œ y
㜠œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
J J
> >
[14]
3
3 3 3
3 3 3
Guitar Solo (12 bars)

C
y B B B B B B Be Be Bh B Be Be Bh B Be Be Bh B Be Be Bh B
h e e e h e
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ e œ œ e œ œ e œ œ e
> > > > > >
[17]

B B B B B B B B
ã eœ e hœ e eœ e hœ e ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

> >
[20]
Drums Grade 5

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[23]

50
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Fill

[26]

Bass Solo (12 bars)

D
y yœ y y y yœ y y y yœ y y e y yœ y A Cœ y y e y yœ y
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[29]

3 3

y e y yœ y y e y yœ Aœ C y œy Aœ C y œy Aœ C y œy Aœ C y Aœ œ
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[32]

3 3

y C y y y y y y y e y yœ y y e y yœ Aœ C y y y y y Bœ B
ã œ œ œ œ e œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[35]

3 3 3

B B B B B B B B y A A A 1 Œ Ó
œ œ œ œ œ e e e e œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
㜠œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
y y y
[38] J
3 3 3 3
3 3 3

E
y y y y y y y y y y yh y y y yh y y ey yh y y ey yh y y ey yh y y y yh h
ã œ œ hœ œ œ œ hœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ
[41]

3 3 3

y Œ
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0h 0 0 0 0h 0 0 0 0h 0 0 0 0h 0 0 0 0h 0 0 œ œ œ œ œ
ã œ œ hœ œ œ œ hœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
[45]
3
3

F
Drum Solo (8 bars)

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[49]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
[53]

G
y y y y y y 1 Œ Ó Œ y y Ó
ã œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ Œ ‰ œ
[57] J
3 3 3
3
Drums Grade 5

Œ Œ
œ y y Ó y y y y
3 3 3 3

ã œ œœ œ œ œ
œœ œ œ Ó œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œ œ Œ Ó
[60]
3

51
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–4) D Section (Bars 29–40)

This section includes rhythmic stabs and stylistic drum fills. In this bass solo section, the natural dynamic level of the
groove reduces because it is less busy. However, there are still
Pick-up bar | Counting the pick-up ghost notes and many open/closed hi-hats to consider.
There is a two beat pick-up fill before bar 1. The first snare/
floor tom stroke is placed on the second eighth-note triplet Bar 40 | Fill
of beat 3; be ready to launch as soon as you hear ‘three’ from Look at the rhythms that construct this fill. There are eighth-
the spoken count-in. The guitar plays the same rhythmic note triplets on every beat, but on beats 2 and 3 the middle
phrase so aim to synchronise accurately with it. triplet note is subdivided to two 16th notes. Play this rhythm
on the snare only and use a metronome to ensure that the
Bar 3 | Ruff around the kit pulse remains solid then you can plan the sticking that you
The grace notes of this ruff are played on the medium, high want to use. The suggested sticking is alternate starting with
and floor tom using the sticking R L R. The main stroke the right hand on the crash because this should flow around
bass drum is placed on the beat. Therefore, the grace notes the kit naturally. The last stage is adding the quarter-note
should be played as closely as possible before that without hi-hat foot on beats 2, 3 and 4 (Fig. 2).
affecting the timing.

E Section (Bars 41–48)

B Section (Bars 5–16) The drum groove intensifies with thundering swung eighth
The Texas shuffle groove is introduced in this section with notes in the bass drum and the bell of ride from bar 45.
rim-shots and several ghost notes. Practising this bass drum pattern slowly will ensure that the
movement is consistent and, as much as possible, effortless.
Bar 6 | Texas shuffle
The Texas shuffle groove includes swung eighth notes using
hi-hat/snare unison. Practise this hand pattern until it is F Section (Bars 49–56)
accurate and fluent then focus on the snare part and aim This is the drum solo where you are free to demonstrate
to achieve rim-shot backbeats and ghost notes in between. your interpretation of the style.
When you feel comfortable with this challenging snare
pattern, add the hi-hat and bass drum and focus on the
sound that you produce (Fig. 1). G Section (Bars 57–63)
This is a reprise of section A with similar fills and dynamics.
Bar 15 | Rhythmic phrase
This rhythmic phrase is repeated with variations throughout.
Count the beats and listen to the guitar part in order to play

y y y y y y y y
each crash stroke with the appropriate conviction.

Bar 16 | One vs two crashes ã eœ e hœ e eœ e hœ e

> >
If you have two crash cymbals in your set up, it will be
logical to follow alternate sticking in this fill and hit the
crash at the end of bar 16 with your left and the following
crash with your right. A similar thing can be done by using Fig. 1: Texas shuffle
the ride cymbal as a crash. If you decide to do that, make
sure that you hit the ride with the neck part of your stick
to produce the crash sound. Playing two consecutive fast
crashes on the same cymbal might choke the sound.

Œ Ó
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

C Section (Bars 17–28) 1 œ œ œ œ

In the guitar solo the shuffle is played on the half open ã œ œ œ œy y
œœœ œ œ œ
y
hi-hat. From bar 21 you are free to develop the drum part
Drums Grade 5

according to your interpretation of the style. 3

3 3 3

Fig. 2: Fill

52
 Slam Dunk Funk

SONG TITLE: SLAM DUNK FUNK

p
GENRE: FUNK
q = 88 Funk
j
TEMPO: 88 BPM

y ‰ B
y
TECH FEATURES: CROSS STICK/RIM-SHOT

44 h
DEVELOPMENT SECTIONS A

ã œ. œ œ
OFFBEAT HALF OPEN
HI-HATS

f
COMPOSER: KIT MORGAN

PERSONNEL: STUART RYAN (GTR)

HENRY THOMAS (BASS)

‰ j ‰ j ‰
NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

B B
h œ ‰
ã œ. œ
OVERVIEW as it was boundaries of sex and ethnicity. Their 1969
album Stand! combined the dance floor friendly
‘Slam Dunk Funk’ is a funk rock track in the rhythms of black funk acts with the distorted guitar
style of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Funkadelic and Sly licks of white rock groups. At the same time, Jimi

p
& The Family Stone. It features syncopated hi-hats Hendrix was incorporating elements of soul and R&B
[3]
and cross stick/rim-shot among its techniques, with into his music that he had absorbed while touring as a

j ‰
development sections included in its arrangement. session guitarist with The Isley Brothers.

‰ B
y
However, the funk rock sound was truly defined at

y
STYLE FOCUS this time by George Clinton who began his recording

h ‰
B career as the frontman of a doo-wop vocal group

ã œ. œ
This style of funk requires weight, so rim-shots called The Parliaments. In the late 1960s, when

œ
must be executed convincingly on the snare and Clinton discovered the music of Hendrix and Led
remain consistent throughout. Good composure is Zeppelin, he changed course musically and renamed
needed for the drums to sit in the pocket. Space is his newly guitar heavy group Funkadelic.
important because of what is being played, especially
in this track where the hi-hats feature a minimalist, Clinton also produced RHCP’s album Freakey
[5] fills
syncopated disco feel. Having a tool kit of various Styley (1985) and steered them towards creating their
is crucial to funk so make sure your flams, triplet rolls own unique funk rock sound.

j ‰ j ‰
and broken 16th rolls are in good shape.

‰ B B
RECOMMENDED LISTENING

‰
THE BIGGER PICTURE

h
In 1969, Sly & The Family Stone’s album Stand!

ã œ. œ œ
If James Brown invented funk with his single fused funk, rock, pop and soul. Funkadelic’s classic
‘Cold Sweat’ in 1967, Sly Stone has a fair claim on the Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On (1974) is full
Drums Grade 5

invention of funk rock. He was leader of the mixed- of tight funk rock riffs and grooves. For a further
race, mixed-gender Sly & The Family Stone, a group RHCP education, listen to their most consistently
that was as comfortable breaking musical barriers funky album BloodSugarSexMagik (1991).

p p
[7]
53
 Slam Dunk Funk
Kit Morgan

Funk
p
q = 88

y ‰ j ‰ j ‰ Bj ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j
A

4 y h B B B B B B
ã 4 œ. ‰ h œ h ‰ h œ œ
œ œ œ . œ. œ œ œ
f J J

‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j Œ
B h B B B C y
ã œ. ‰ h œ œœ œ Œ
œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
J J
J
p
[3]

y ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j
B
y h B B B B B B B
ã œ. ‰ h œ h ‰ h œ
œ œ œ . œ. œ œ œ .
[5] J J
‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j Œ ‰ j
B B B B B B y
ã œ. œ h œ ‰ œ h œ
. œ. œ h œ œ œ œ œ œJ œ œ
J
p p
[7]

‰ ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j
y y y B B B B B B
㉠h ‰ h œ œ h ‰ h œ
œ œ œ . œ. œ œ .
[9] J J
‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j Ó
B B B B B B
ã œ. œ h œ ‰ œ h œ œ œ. œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œJ œ œ
[11] J
‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j
y 0 h ‰ 0 0 0 0 h y 0 0
.
C

ã . œ. ‰ h œ ‰ h œ
œ œ . œ. œ œ œ .
[13] J J J

‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j j j
y. y.
1.

0 h 0 0 0 0 0
ã œ. œ œ ‰ œ h œ
. œ œ h œ h œ œ h œ œ ..
[15] J
j j ‰. r ‰+
Drums Grade 5

‰ j ‰ y. Œ
2.

0 h y y. A A y y A
ã œ. h œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œ œ œ œ y
[17]

54
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 + o
Bass Solo (8 bars)
† 2° closed hi-hat

y y y C y A C y A C y A C y A C y A C y A C y A
. f.
D

ã .œ f f f œ
†

œ œ œ œ œ œ .
P
[19]

1.

C y A Cf y A C y A Cf y A C y A C y A C y A Cf y A ..
㜠œ œ œ f. œ œ œ œ.
[21]

j
2.

C y A Cf y A C y A Ch y A y 1 y.
㜠h œ ’ ’
Fill

œ œ œ œ .
F
[23]

j
Solo on repeat

y Bh B Bh B Bh B y.
. . .
E

h œ
ã . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ .
J
f
[25]

+
y Bh B Bh B Bh . A Ó
ã œ . œ œ ‰ h œ œ œ ..
Play 3 times

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
J
[27] J
Guitar Solo (8 bars)

j
Develop on repeat

y y yh y y h y yh y y y yh y y h y y . Play 3 times
. ..
F

ã . œ h œ
œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ .
[29]

p
‰ j ‰ j ‰ Bj
G

y y B B
ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ h ‰ h œ
Develop

œ. œ œ œ .
[31] J

‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j
B B B B B B B B
ã œ. œ h œ ‰ œ h œ
. œ. œ h œ ‰ œ h œ œ
[34] J J

j j j j ‰. r
Drums Grade 5

‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ Œ
Choke

B B B B y y y
ã œ. œ h œ ‰ œ h œ
.
œœ œœ œœ œœ œJ œ œ œJ œ œ œ œ Œ
[36] J
55
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–4) Bar 19 | Cross stick

This section features a half open, offbeat hi-hat pattern with In order to perform this technique, place the palm of
a funky bass and snare drum pattern. your left hand on the snare drum head and strike the rim
with your stick. Ensure that part of your palm remains in
Bar 1 | Rim-shot contact with the drum head because removing your hand
The basic rim-shot technique is achieved by striking the before each stroke will affect the sound that is produced.
snare drum and surrounding rim at the same time in order Before attempting the full groove, you should practise this
to achieve a louder, more pronounced sound. If you are technique and find the area of the rim where the cross stick
struggling to produce the rim-shot, try changing the height sounds most balanced and rounded. This area is known as
and angle of your snare drum to a position that suits you. the sweet spot (Fig. 2).

Bar 1 | Half open hi-hat

The vertical line through the open hi-hat mark indicates that E Section (Bars 25–28)
the hi-hat should be only half open in this section. This can This section will be played three times and the drums will
be done by tightening your hi-hat foot on the pedal. Ideally, develop to a solo on the repeats.
the hi-hat cymbals will be consistently close to each other
and produce a sizzling sound.
F Section (Bars 29–37)
Bar 4 | Fill Following the eight bar guitar solo that starts in bar 29, there
This fill is challenging because of the hectic bass drum is a reprise of section B which leads to the ending phrase in
pattern. Focus on the rhythms played in the bass drum part bar 37. Remember that after playing the first two notated
and ensure that the two consecutive 16th notes in beat 1 are bars you must develop a drum part in keeping with the style.
accurate. Adjusting the tension of your bass drum pedal can
help. However, once you have mastered this technique, you Bar 37 | Choke
should be able to play it on any bass drum pedal (Fig. 1). When the word choke appears above a cymbal note, it means
that the natural decay of the cymbal must be stopped. This
is done by grabbing the cymbal straight after hitting it. The
B Section (Bars 5–12) most efficient way to perform this technique is to grab the
The groove of the A section continues here with occasional cymbal with the opposite hand to the one you used to stroke
fills and a syncopated push in bar 8. the cymbal.

Bars 8–9 | Syncopated push

At the end of bar 8 there is an eighth-note syncopated push.

Œ
The push should be played with the crash and bass drum
which follow a flam snare on beat 4. The first eighth note of
C y
œœ œ Œ
bar 9 is marked with a rest and from the following offbeat
the groove continues. If you are using the backing track
㜠œ œ J œ
œ
J œ œ
version with click you will hear that the click is set as eighth
notes rather than quarter notes. This technique is used by
many professional drummers when recording or playing
Fig. 1: Fill
along to relatively slow tempo tracks.

C Section (Bars 13–18)

In this section the offbeat funk groove develops on the bell
of the ride cymbal. There is a crescendo fill in bar 18 that + o
y y y C y A C y A C y A
prepares for the bass solo in section D.

㜠f œ œ f
D Section (Bars 19–24)
Drums Grade 5

This is the bass solo section and the drums are expected

P
to support it with a funky cross stick groove. Remember
that the indicated dynamic mark is which stands for Fig. 2: Cross stick
‘moderately soft’.

56
57
Drums Grade 5
 Technical Exercises

In this section the examiner will ask you to play a selection of exercises drawn from each of the five groups shown below.
In addition there is a Fill exercise which you will play using the designated backing track. You do not need to memorise the
exercises (and can use the book in the exam) but the examiner will be looking for the speed of your response.

The stickings shown (L & R) are there as a guide for right handed drummers. Left handed drummers should reverse the
sticking patterns. All exercises must be played to a metronome click. Groups A–D should be played at the tempo shown
for each exercise.

Group A: Single and Double Strokes

Single and double strokes in eighth notes, eighth-note triplets and 16th notes played alternately as a continuous exercise. To
be played first time with singles and second with doubles. The tempo is q = 80.

ã 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L

3 3 3 3

R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L

[4]
3 3 3 3

Group B: Paradiddles
Single paradiddle in 16th notes using the whole kit (bass drum follows the right hand). The tempo is q = 80.

> > > > > > >

R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y >
4 œ œ
ã 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ≈ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≈ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≈ œ . œ œ œ œ œŒ
..
J J J

Triple paradiddle in 16th notes using the whole kit (bass drum follows the right hand). The tempo is q = 80.

> > > >

R L R L R L R R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R R L R L R L

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y >
4 œ
ã 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≈ œ ≈œ œ œ≈ œ . œ œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ
œ œ ≈ œ ≈ œ Œœ
..
R R J R R

Group C: Flams and Ruffs

Flam accent and single drag tap. The tempo is q = 80.

4 j
Drums Grade 5

ã 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
L R L R R L R L L R L R R L L L R R RR L L L L R R RR L L
j j j
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

3 3 3

58
Group D: Rolls
Five stroke roll phrase. The tempo is q = 75.

4 . œ œ >œ œ œ >œ œ œ >œ œ œ >œ D >œ D >œ D >œ D >œ ..

R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L L R L L R R L R R L L R L L R R L

ã4 .

Group E: Hands and Feet Patterns (sticking shown is optional)

Pattern 1
q = 90 Fill A

ã 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .
œ œ .
R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L
L R L R L R L R L

œ œ

Pattern 2
q = 90

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œL œR œL œL œR œL ..
Fill B

ã 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
L R L L R L L R L L R L LR LR

œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
J J

Pattern 3
q = 90 Fill C

œ œ œ œ œ
ã 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œ œ
œ .
œ œ œ .
R L R L R L R L L R R
L R L R L

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Pattern 4
q = 90 Fill D

œ œ œ œ œ œ œL œ œ œL
ã 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ .
œ .
R L R L R L R L R L R R L R

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Group F: Fill
In the exam you will be asked to play the three bar groove shown followed by the second bar of one of the hands and feet
patterns (A–D) shown in Group E above chosen by the examiner. The snare is to be played with rim-shots and ghost notes.
You will perform this exercise to the backing track with a repeat. The tempo is q = 90.
q = 90 Funk
Drums Grade 5

y y y y y y y y y A C y y y y y y A C y y y y y
4 .
ã 4 . œ œ h. e œ e œ h. e œ œ h. e œ e œ h. e œ œ h. e œ e œ h ’ ’ ’ ’ ..
Fill

59
 Sight Reading

In this section you have a choice between either a Sight Reading test or an Improvisation & Interpretation test (see facing
page). You will be asked to prepare a Sight Reading test which will be given to you by the examiner. The test is an eight bar
groove using the whole kit. At this level there is an element of improvisation. This is in the form of a two bar development.
The examiner will allow you 90 seconds to prepare it and will set the tempo for you. The tempo is q = 80–120.

q = 85 Rock
o o o
y y
4
ã4 œ œy y A A
œ œ ‰
Aœ A A A Aœ A A A
œ œ ‰ œA Aœ
œ

‰. r
A A A A œ A A Aœ A œ y y Ó œ œ œ œ
㜠œ. œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
[3]

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
Develop

[5]

o o o
‰. r
y y y y A A A A y y ‰ j
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j
œ
[7]
Drums Grade 5

60
Improvisation & Interpretation

You will be asked to play a written two bar groove, vary it in the following four bars and then improvise a two bar solo. The
test will be played to a backing track using the bass drum, hi-hat (closed and open), snare drum, ride cymbal and crash
cymbal. You have 30 seconds to prepare and then you will be allowed to practise during the first playing of the backing
track, before playing it to the examiner on the second playing of the backing track. This test is continuous with a one bar
count-in at the beginning and after the practice session. The tempo is q = 80–120.

q = 100 Funk
y A Cœ y y y y y œ y A Cœ y y y y y
ã 44 .. œ. œœ‰ Œ ’ ’ ’ ’
1 2 3 4 Develop

œ œ œ

ã’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ..
Solo

[5]

Drums Grade 5

61
 Ear Tests

There are two Ear Tests in this grade. The examiner will play each test to you twice. You will find one example of each type
of test printed below.

Test 1: Fill Playback and Recognition

The examiner will play you a one bar fill in common time played on the snare drum. You will play back the fill on the snare
drum. You will then identify the fill from three printed examples shown to you by the examiner. 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 the vocal count in and you will then play the fill to the click. The tempo is q = 70.

ã 44 œ
A
œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
J
3

ã 44 œ
B
œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ
J

ã 44 œ
C
œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ
3

Test 2: Groove Recall

The examiner will play you a two-bar groove played on the bass drum, hi-hat (open and closed), crash cymbal, ride cymbal,
bell of ride, cross stick, snare and toms. This is a two bar groove repeated. You will hear the test twice. You will be asked to
play the groove back on the drum voices indicated for four bars then identify the style from three choices given to you by
the examiner.

Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one bar vocal count-in. The tempo is q = 80–120.

A: Latin
B: Jazz
C: Hip Hop

j j j j j j j j j
y ‰ y y y ‰ œy y ‰ y y ‰ œj y ‰ œy .
q = 110 3 3 3 3 3

4 y y
ã 4 .. Œ y Œ y Œ y Œ y .
Drums Grade 5

62
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 asked will be about your instrument.

Music Knowledge
The examiner will ask you four music knowledge questions based on a piece of music that you have played in the exam. You
will nominate the piece of music about which the questions will be asked.

In Grade 5 you will be asked to identify/explain:

■■Drum voices on the stave

■■The meaning of the time signature

■■The meaning of bpm markings

■■Repeat marks, first and second time bars, D.C., D.S., al Coda and al Fine markings

■■All note values used in the chosen piece

■■Stylistic drum notation

■■Equivalent rests

■■One type of rudiment that can be used stylistically in the solo or development section of the piece

■■Use of drum voices, rhythms and techniques in drum solo sections

Instrument Knowledge
The examiner will also ask you one question regarding your instrument.

In Grade 5 you will be asked to identify/explain:

■■Any part of the drum kit and drumstick

■■How to tune the drum kit

■■Cross stick, choke cymbal, bell of ride, rim-shots, ghost notes, half open hi-hat and accents

Further Information
Tips on how to approach this part of this exam can be found in the Syllabus Guide for Drums, the Rockschool Drums
Companion Guide and on the Rockschool website: www.rslawards.com.
Drums Grade 5

63
 Entering Rockschool Exams

Entering a Rockschool exam is easy, just go online and follow our simple six step process. All details for entering online,
dates, fees, regulations and Free Choice pieces can be found at www.rslawards.com

■■All candidates should ensure they bring their own Grade syllabus book to the exam or have proof of digital purchase
ready to show the examiner.

■■All Grade 6–8 candidates must ensure that they bring valid photo ID to their exam.
Drums Grade 5

64
Marking Schemes

Grade Exams | Debut to Grade 5 *

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 15 13 + out of 15

Sight Reading
or 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10
Improvisation & Interpretation

Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10

General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+

Grade Exams | Grades 6–8

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Technical Exercises 9–10 out of 15 11–12 out of 15 13 + out of 15

Quick Study Piece 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10

Ear Tests 6 out of 10 7–8 out of 10 9 + out of 10

General Musicianship Questions 3 out of 5 4 out of 5 5 out of 5

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 74%+ 90%+

Performance Certificates | Debut to Grade 8 *

ELEMENT PASS MERIT DISTINCTION

Performance Piece 1 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 2 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 3 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Drums Grade 5

Performance Piece 4 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

Performance Piece 5 12–14 out of 20 15–17 out of 20 18+ out of 20

TOTAL MARKS 60%+ 75%+ 90%+

65
* Note that there are no Debut Vocal exams.
 Drums Notation Explained

BASS DRUM & TOMS SNARE

œ œ œ œ e h f D
ã œ ã
Bass drum Floor tom Medium tom High tom Snare Ghost snare Rim-shot Cross stick Buzz snare
Strike snare drum Place palm on snare
and surrounding drum head and
rim at same time strike rim with stick

HI-HAT OTHER CYMBALS

+ ~~~
y B A C y o y 0 y 1 y
ã y y ã
Closed Half open Open Closed † Closed ‡ Hi-hat foot Hi-hat foot Ride Ride (bell) Crash Crash* Crash roll
closed open
Allow all cymbals to ring on unless explicitly stopped, as indicated by
† Used on the first closed hi-hat that follows an open hi-hat the keyword ‘Choke’. Occasionally ties may be used (*) to emphasise that
‡ The hi-hat is closed without being struck. Note that the hi-hat closed (cross) symbol may appear above cymbals should be allowed to ring on. This can avoid confusion during
drum voices other than the hi-hat (as shown above). This simply means another drum voice is being played syncopations and pushes.
at the same moment that the hi-hat is being closed.

GENERAL MUSIC NOTATION

>
œ Accentuate note (play it louder). ’ ’ ’ ’
Slashes are used to demarcate bars
during solos, fills, developments
and other ad lib. sections.

D.%. al Coda
Go back to the sign (%) then
.. ..
fi
play until the bar marked Repeat the bars between the

fi
To Coda then skip to the repeat signs.
section marked Coda.

.. ..
1. 2. When a repeated section has
Go back to beginning of song and different endings, play the first
D.C. al Fine play until bar marked Fine (end). ending only the first time and
the second ending only the
second time.

2
‘ «
Repeat the previous bar. In higher Repeat the previous two bars. In
grades these may also be marked higher grades these may also be
sim. or cont. sim. marked sim. or cont. sim.

œ œ œ œ >œ
R L L R R L L R

! ! !
In rudiments, each stem slash
subdivides the note value by half.

MUSICAL TERMS WITH SPECIFIC EXAMINATION DEFINITIONS

Fill Play an individual, stylistic fill. Develop Extend the musical part in a stylistically
Drums Grade 5

appropriate manner.

Cont. sim. Continue in similar way but vary the Rit. (ritardando) Gradually slow the tempo.
pattern slightly.

66
Mechanical Copyright Information

Don’t Let Go (Love)

(Etheridge/Matias/Martin/Organized Noise)
Universal Music Publishing Limited/BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited/Warner Chappell Music Limited

Hold The Line

(Paich)
Kobalt Music Publishing Limited

4:44
(Carter/Wilson/Keeney)
Bucks Music Group Limited/Warner/Chappell North America Limited/BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited

Window Seat
Poyser/Wright)
Peermusic (UK) Limited/Universal Music Publishing MBG Limited

Hard To Handle
(Redding/Isbell/Jones)
Carlin Music Corporation/Universal Music Publishing Limited

Chuck E’s In Love

(Jones)
Easy Money Music/Reservoir Media Management Incorporated

Drums Grade 5

67
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