What Are Drum Grades? Should I Study Trinity College London, Trinity Rock and Pop or Rockschool?

Get asked this loads - here’s my opinion!
Trinity College London Grade books available here: amzn.to/3rts19V
Trinity Rock and Pop Grade books here: amzn.to/3taZu9M
Rockschool Grade books here: amzn.to/3LGDDgJ
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[@tuddler]

That's my birthday treat to myself sorted out, I'm glad I had a chance to watch 🎉

[@honourisdrumming]

I’ve taught both Rockschool and Trinity rock&pop for the best part of twenty years and find the latter to be the easier option due to lack of technical exercises etc. The issue I have is that with Rock&pop exams pupils can get to grade8 by only learning three songs and nothing else! Great video dude, thanks for the positivity and enthusiasm 🤘🏻

[@blackteenswagger]

Great as always mike, I have just recnelty switched from grade 7 rock school to grade 8 trinity rock and pop drums for a change and the songs are so much more lively and laidback in rock and pop haha. Cheers and I subscribed 😎

[@mppound]

Thanks for this Mike. I’ve been doing rock and pop, I just prefer the songs! But following your advice on a recent video I also picked up the 2018 rock school rudiments book, so am doing these alongside! If I get far, I may find a place to do some regular trinity too.

[@jonfowell9045]

Mike my daughter who’s just turned 10 started drums in February and just graded with a distinction of 88 marks on initial playing we will rock you, islands in the sun and do I wanna know. Very proud dad lol

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Superb! Well done her, nice one Jon 👏🏻

[@luojunchu7996]

That zone for learning is called Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), a term coined by Vygotsky! Thanks for this vid! I've played the drums for around two decades and thinking of going into teaching drums so I thought I'd get myself some Rock and Pop grades as the songs are really manageable! When you said one should choose TCL-drums over Rock&Pop if one is serious about drumming and learning all songs in the book really hit me! I took ABRSM piano till grade 8 and been really practising for exams! Now I want to seriously consider taking up TCL-drums! Thanks for the quality content!

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Yes, very similar concept! Very cool and have fun. In fact my best advice is do both books if you’re serious about your playing. Thanks for watching and have fun!

[@AndrewCambridge-vy5lg]

Thank you , super informative as usual

[@rayboreham2648]

Great information as always, Mike. Thanks. Until now, I wasn't sure what the difference between the Trinity College syllabus and Trinity Rock & Pop was, but now I know. Cheers.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Cheers Ray! See also here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/povOgmV8lNaMjdEfeature=shared

[@gfuterfas]

Thanks! I'm going to check these out.

[@neil6666t]

great video mike , can you teel me the diffrence between Rockschool Drums Grade 1 and Rockschool Classics Drums Grade 1 ? thanks

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Grade 1 is the core book for the grade, "classics" is a book of additional (classic) songs to learn/offer in your exams if you want.

[@hollowdusk]

Great tip. Gold standard ordered 👍. No drills no skills

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Have fun, TCL the real deal and not for the faint-hearted. Rock and Pop also great songbooks to play through. Thanks for watching!

[@gfuterfas]

Are you able to do an Amazon US affiliate link? These UK ones probably won't work for me here. The books have the wrong accent. 🤣

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Don't think so, just buy them in the usual way!

[@chgcassiehappygirl]

I will have my firs ever rock and pop grade 1 drums exam on 28 October 2023 please give me some tips and pls reply to my comment, I’m gonna be so happy

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Good luck! My tips are simple - prepare as best you can, try to relax and enjoy it! Rock on.

[@bacbladerunner]

I'm still confused. Are these just books to work through, or is this a course one takes at a college? Who issues the grades? You say that you suggest being evaluated before moving on. How is one tested or evaluated?

[@luojunchu7996]

Trinity College London (TCL)is the examination board that will access the "TCL drums" and "Rock & Pop-drums" courses. Rockschool is another examination board from Australia. Trinity Rock & Pop is accessible as it has a digital certificate where you can send in videos of your performance and get assessed based on that. Of course on your certificate it'll be indicated that it is "digital". You can purchase the e-books and backing tracks online, learn through it by watching some KZbin videos, then register with your local TCL exam rep. Or you can find a drum teacher in music schools to train you for it.

[@rayboreham2648]

​@@luojunchu7996RSL is actually based in London, England.

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

They’re books of pieces and exercises a student studies on their own (typically with the aid of a teacher) rather than at college. The Grades are issued by Trinity College and London and Rockschool/RSL respectively. You’re evaluated by going to take an in-person assessment at an exam centre if there’s one near you, or alternatively via a digital assessment you record at home. Thanks for watching.

[@luojunchu7996]

@@rayboreham2648 oops sorry my bad!

[@wannabeadrummer]

Just started Grade 4 Rock and Pop, love these teaching books😊

[@tobylloyd4250]

are you currently teaching lessons? if so do you have a website or a place I can look ?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Yes, Zoom/face-to-face sessions available to channel members signing up at www.buymeacoffee.com/mikebarnesdrums

[@jonnywech]

Can you do this in America?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

You can get the books and study the material anywhere. Currently in the USA, digital exam submissions are possible but not in-person exams, to my knowledge.

[@KellyGrassi-n6s]

Can a person work through them on there own? ( without taking the exams)?

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

You can. I'd personally really recommend doing exams as they give you some great objective feedback on where you're at - and prevent a common issue I find of drummers underestimating the early levels and bypassing them (then not being solid on those skills when attempting the higher levels and getting stuck or "struggling"). Also on the same note, I wouldn't recommend just working on them on your own without feedback from a teacher. Thanks for watching!

[@davegill7614]

Do you have to do grade 5 theory like piano to move onto grades 6 7 and 8 mike

[@egg8253]

I dont think so… it wouldn’t make sense at least

[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Hi Dave, no - not any more. You used to have to, when I did my Grade 8 first time around (1998) I had to take Grade 5 theory. I’d still say it’s a really good idea to do that (and or learn a keyboard instrument along with drums). Cheers!

[@hydraV1-c7d]

hahaha good luck trying to learn spirit of radio without grades /skills or some musical knowledge :D

[@danwentcycling7952]

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[@MikeBarnesDrums]

Hi Dan, you've commented on the wrong video I think! Mike

[@danwentcycling7952]

haha, oops sorry. love your vids! @@MikeBarnesDrums