The recent launch of a drum kit syllabus by ABRSM has been keenly awaited. The syllabus arrives in a much-changed scene compared with the last occasion I reviewed drum grades for Music Teacher (MT July 2015).
By far the biggest factor that has changed the way we teach and examine students has been the Covid pandemic, with digital exams becoming the favoured choice for students. It is hardly surprising to find that ABRSM drum kit grades are digital exams, with no mention of exam centre options in the books at all.
I received Grades 1–5 for review; Initial grade and Grades 6–8 are, of course, also available. The factors I wanted to explore were how ABRSM would fit into the current drum grade scene, what might differentiate them from the competition, and, most importantly, how they may appeal to drum students.
Content
The first thing that is clear with the books is just how thin they are, with Grade 1 comprising 12 pages, and Grade 5 having 21 pages. All books have nine performance pieces, grouped into three in Lists A, B and C. Lists A and B are played to backing-tracks, while List C pieces are solo. I couldn't perceive any differences in approach in lists A and B, other than organisation. There are no supplementary tests or exercises.
The quality of the scores is superb. They are well laid out, impeccably clear and extremely easy to read. I could not find a single error in any of the five books. The cover artwork for each book is bright and distinctive, using the same image and colour scheme for each book. I felt the pieces were broadly suited to the grade requirements, with no major surprises.
There is a notation guide at the start of each book, which also gives useful information on how to approach open passages of music. A QR code is provided to link to stream demos and backing-tracks. There is no direct download offer for the tracks included in the books.
Although only mentioned briefly, all tracks are available on the excellent Tomplay app. A separate subscription is needed to use the service.
Standout tracks for me were ‘Laguna’ (Grade 1), ‘Inspector Tommy’ (Grade 2), ‘Urban Disco’ (Grade 3), ‘Something’ (Grade 4) and ‘Sunset Funk’ (Grade 5).
Approach
I like the simplicity of the three groups of pieces. The student must choose four pieces, taking at least one from each of lists A, B and C. Own choice pieces can be taken as a fourth piece, or simply take a second piece from one of the lists in the book. I can also see how pieces from any of the other exam boards would fit in nicely with the own choice possibility. All books have two hit tunes, with the other pieces contributed exclusively to ABRSM.
The books build well on skills and knowledge, with improvised fills and dynamics included in Grade 1. Grade 2 introduces chart navigation, open hi-hats and flams. Grade 3 adds cont. sim. passages, development, drags and stepped hi-hats in two-page scores. Grade 4 pieces are also two pages, with brushes, 1st and 2nd time endings, and tied notes. Surprisingly, the Grade 5 pieces are also only two pages in length, introducing more syncopation, higher tempi, ghost notes and time signature changes. It is worth making clear that these elements are not announced or listed anywhere in the books, other than in the pieces.
There is virtually no guidance about the pieces or how to go about performing them, other than within the scores themselves. This may sound odd today, but I found it rather refreshing. I have noticed that my own students hardly ever bother or even consider reading the information about pieces in other syllabuses, and this shouldn't worry any music teacher worth their salt. It also goes a long way to explaining why the books are so thin.
Target audience
If I had to pitch where the ABRSM syllabus sits in comparison with offerings from Rockschool and Trinity College London, I would say that the material is broadly like RSL and Trinity Rock & Pop, but borrows from the approach of Trinity College London. There is a good variety of styles present, and with the possibility of own choice pieces, a student should be able to find their niche when using this syllabus.
Additional features
I would have liked to see ABRSM being the first to offer an interactive element within the syllabus. I'm not entirely sure how many students would want to spend money on another app, having paid for their grade book. Even a discounted offer might have been a promising idea, but I'm left thinking that it's only a matter of time before someone does it.
From a teacher's perspective, I suggest downloading the syllabus document and reading it carefully. Students and parents may well wonder how the exams are marked, and although we are now used to digital exams not requiring the same supplementary tests, an awareness of synoptic assessment is essential here.
Conclusion
Overall, I feel that ABRSM is a welcome contender in what has become a remarkably familiar landscape, even post-Covid. The digital-only offer of exams makes sense, although I still have a nagging doubt about every student having access to a suitable recording environment. It's great to have a fresh set of tunes at the very least, and the choices made there are excellent. I don't think the syllabus will make a huge dent in the market initially, but given the timing of the launch, this was never likely in the short term.
Final thoughts
I'd be happy to use the ABRSM syllabus with my students. The slimline approach may appear a bit miserly, but the quality of the pieces and scores just about makes up for it. It will be interesting to see how ABRSM goes about engaging with music teachers, who could well make all the difference in a strong launch.
