DrumKit Syllabus – YEAR 1

Attainment Target / Term 1 (1 BRONZE) / Term 2 (1 SILVER) /

Term 3 (1 GOLD) (Grade 1)

1. RHYTHM/DURATION/METRE

Students can: / a)  Play crotchet, quaver and equivalent rests
b)  Play in 4/4 metre
c)  Understand concept of pulse (find and clap pulse in time to music in 4/4) / a)  Play semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver and equivalent rests / a)  Play groups 4 semiquavers/16th notes
b)  Play 3/4 groove

2. RUDIMENTS

Students can: / a)  Play single stroke roll (basic stick coordination
b)  Play double stroke roll (basic stick coordination)
c)  Play paradiddle (basic stick coordination) / a)  Play flams (basic stick coordination)
b)  Play single stroke roll (with equal dynamics)
c)  Play double stroke roll (with equal dynamics)
d)  Play paradiddle (with equal dynamics) / a)  Play flams with correct dynamics (accented main stroke – quiet grace note)
b)  Play single stroke roll (in quavers and triplet quavers)
c)  Play paradiddle (with accents on beat)
d)  Play double stroke roll (with equal dynamics and timing)

3. MUSICAL LITERACY

Students can: / a)  Recognise bars, bar lines, 4/4 time signature, repeat sign (repeat bars and 1 bar repeat)
b)  Read crotchet, quaver and equivalent rests
c)  Identify 3 voice kit notation: hi-hat, snare and bass drum on stave / a)  Recognise bar repeats
b)  Identify 6 voice kit notation: difference between ride, crash and hi-hat foot on stave
c)  Identify basic dynamic markings (f, mf, p)
d)  Recognise difference between ‘groove’ and ‘fill’ and their respective functions / a)  Recognise cresc. and dim.
b)  Understand 3/4 time
c)  Identify toms on stave and open/closed hi-hat notation (full kit notation)
d)  Identify triplet quavers
e)  Correctly name all drums and cymbals in a 8-piece kit

4. INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUE

Students can: / a)  Understand basics of matched grip
b)  Demonstrate correct playing posture
c)  Keep steady time with hi-hat in crotchets/quavers
d)  Play basic 3-way Rock coordination: constant quaver/crotchet hi-hat; steady 2 + 4 snare backbeat (in unison with hi-hat); with crotchet and quaver patterns in bass drum / a)  Demonstrate matched grip (with movement predominantly from wrists)
b)  Demonstrate awareness of how to achieve basic dynamics from drums (distance of stick from drum, as oppose to hitting harder!)
c)  Play bass, snare and hi-hat doubles accurately in unison / a)  Demonstrate consistent use of matched grip (with relaxed movement from wrists)
b)  4-way coordination make hi-hat ‘chokes’ in quavers (placement of foot on beat)
c)  Play basic 2-4 beat fills in 4/4 and successfully move from groove to fill and back, without losing a sense of pulse

5. AURAL

Students can: / a)  Play back simple 1 bar groove (in 4/4 time) played by the teacher on hi-hat, snare and bass drum / a)  Play back 2 bar groove played by the teacher played by the teacher on hi-hat, snare and bass drum
b)  Clap back rhythm from a 1 bar snare drum fill played by the teacher
c)  Tap pulse to a passage of music in 2 or 3 time and identify time signature / a)  Play back 4 bar groove (either 3/4 or 4/4) played by the teacher on hi-hat, snare and bass drum
b)  Clap back and identify note values from a 1 bar snare drum fill played by the teacher
c)  Identify time signatures used

6. DYNAMICS

Students can: / a)  Play using an consistent and appropriate dynamic between voices / a)  Play basic dynamic markings (f, mf, p) / a)  Play cresc. and dim.

7. PERFORMING SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Students can: / a)  Sight read 2 bar single line snare drum phrase incorporating crotchets, quavers and equivalent rests.
b)  Play individually and with awareness of others / a)  Sight read 4 bar single line snare drum phrase incorporating crotchets, quavers and equivalent rests
b)  Perform with backing track
c)  Play simple snare drum duet / a)  Sight read 4 bar single line snare drum phrase incorporating groups of 4 semiquavers
b)  Perform with backing track with an awareness of place within ‘ensemble’ and with a solid sense of pulse.
Attainment Target / Term 1 (2 BRONZE) / Term 2 (2 SILVER) /

Term 3 (2 GOLD) (Grade 2)

1. RHYTHM/DURATION/METRE

Students can: / a)  Play groups of 2 and 4 semi quavers/16th notes
b)  Play in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 metre

2. RUDIMENTS

Students can: / a)  Play drags (basic stick coordination)
b)  Play 5-Stroke Roll (basic stick coordination) / a)  Play drags (with correct dynamics accented main stroke – quiet grace notes)
b)  Play ruffs (with equal dynamics)
c)  Play 5-stroke roll (with equal dynamics)
d)  Play 7-stroke roll (basic stick coordination) / a)  Play ruffs (with correct dynamics – as drags)
b)  Play 7-stroke roll (with equal dynamics)
c)  Play 9-stroke roll (With equal dynamics)

3. MUSICAL LITERACY

Students can: / a)  Recognise and differentiate between flam, drag and ruff notation within a passage of music / a)  Recognise accents and 1st/2nd time bars
b)  Identify more advanced dynamic markings (mp, pp, ff)
c)  Recognise roll notation within a passage of music

4. INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUE

Students can: / a)  Understand basic technique for closed/’buzz’/multiple bounce roll
b)  Apply this within exercise to build a fluid roll from a v.slow-medium tempo / a)  Play closed roll exercise at a medium-fast tempo
b)  Play in unison between hands around kit e.g. quaver doubles on snare and floor tom. / a)  Execute a consistent, reasonably fluid closed roll at a medium-fast tempo with relaxed wrists

5. AURAL

Students can:

6. DYNAMICS

Students can: / a)  Play more advanced dynamic markings (mp, pp, ff) with subtlety

7. PERFORMING SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Students can:
Attainment Target / Term 1 (3 BRONZE) / Term 2 (3 SILVER) /

Term 3 (3 GOLD) (GRADE 3)

1. RHYTHM/DURATION/METRE

Students can: / a)  Play in 12/8, 6/8
b)  Accurately Play 2nd and 4th semiquaver divisions; dotted quaver – semiquavers:

2. RUDIMENTS

Students can: / a)  Play paradiddle-diddle (basic stick coordination)
b)  Play double paradiddle (basic stick coordination) / a)  Play paradiddle-diddle (with accented main stroke to create fluidity)
b)  Play double paradiddle (as above)
c)  Play flam tap (basic sticking) / a)  Play flam tap (with correct dynamics - accented main stroke)

3. MUSICAL LITERACY

Students can: / a)  Understand the function of a dot / a)  Understand basis of simple and compound time – demonstrate full understanding of time signatures
b)  Understand how ‘triplitizing’ quavers on hi-hat/cymbal can create shuffle and jazz swing patterns / a)  Understand full drum-kit notation: including notation for rim-clicks, ghost notes, open and closed hi-hat etc

4. INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUE

Students can: / a)  Play basic 12/8 ‘Blues’/Rock patterns on hi-hat and ride cymbal.
b)  Play dotted quaver; 2nd and 4th semiquaver divisions on snare drum against a steady quaver hi-hat to, create basic funk/ funk rock grooves / a)  Play basic ‘Shuffle’ rock patterns on hi-hat and ride cymbal.
b)  Play basic 4/4 jazz ‘swing’ on hi hat and ride cymbal with hi- hat foot on 2nd and 4th beat. / a)  Demonstrate basic awareness of how to achieve more advanced dynamics from drums to create ‘groove’: (snare ‘ghost’ notes, rim shots; hi hat accents etc)
b)  Play basic ‘one-drop’ reggae groove (with basic shuffle hi-hat and rim click/bass drum on ‘3’)

5. AURAL

Students can:

6. DYNAMICS

Students can:

7. PERFORMING SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Students can: