trinity guildhall drum books grades 5-8

[harryxing]

hi anyone got these books can sell? I went to Robert's piano to see.. and i know if i buy them, i will be BROKE.

Currently i am trying to get a grade.. have been drumming for 8 years.. and having a cert is a plus.. And i think Rock school grade 8 is relatively easier than Trinity grade 8. "Anyone agree?"

And i want to get grade 5-7 books for sight reading of the exam pieces.

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

I am sure many Drummers here does have some Text-Books on Drums. Check out the Buy-Sell Drums Section.

Bro harryxing and drummers here....this is a nice Topic really...

Talking about Grade. Is Grade really that important, how recognise is it?......This is a interesting Topic for discussion here. I once thought about it, years ago - let's share.

My opinion is - Drumming for 8 years is really a Plus.

On the other hand - Having a Cert from Rock School Grade ???, or Trinity Grade ???? or (like before Yamaha Music School Grade ????) - Is is really a Plus for us Drummers - I don't really think so.

To get a Certificate In Drumming (At Whichever Grade) from any Music Institution is POSSIBLE...because Examination are graded by In-House Personnel (The School) - Do you have to pay for Exam-Fees? ...I guess the answer is a YES, nevermind how much they charge - How Recognise is it?

Yamaha had abolished this System - Why? Does any of you know the reasons?. In Yamaha - they call it now Step 1 & Step 2...no longer Grade 9, 8, 7, 6,5 to1 anymore....What I knew is that- This is not a well-recognised Drumming Certificate...and I believe if Yamaha Drumming Certificate is not Recognised, what say the other schools?...think about it.

The only recognised certificate is - Maybe a Diploma in Music or a Degree In Music - this is true.

Does that answer the question ? you judge - open for discussion here....

It is also observed that Musicians People judge a Drummer by how he Performs, how he plays "When they said - Wow.wwww He or She is Awesome" not by their Certificate.

Like Taking a Formal Education - doing a Degree. Some Universities are just more recognised than others, some specialising in certain fields....Management Studies eg University Of Chicago (They have a Campus here - but fees are absorbitant), What about Harvard (I think - Politics? maybe), Economics? Yale Maybe...something like that.

The same with Music - you dont go to Juliet to do Jazz, you go to Berklee right ? - that's where they are good in it. Same thing Classical dont go Berklee.

Even so - within DrummerWorld many post - Should I go Berklee? - then you see so many people commenting "The Berklee Drummer which they coin" can be tell from the way they play their Drums (and they say there is no need for Audition - got $$$$$ can go study there)....so they say Drummers-Collective is better ...hahahaha.

AT the end of the day - My opinion is - Cert or No Cert is not so important (your playing does) - Dr. Drums Dennis Chamber doesn't graduate with a Degree does he? (but was conferred a title of a Doctorate by Berklee - it was his experience and great playing that got him that).

So to say - A Drumming Cert is not a Plus - but if we want to take Drumming as a Career or Music as a Career - It would be good to get a Degree In Music (This is a Plus cause it's Recognise worldwide).....if not Drumming Hard and Practicing Hard will be the main focus - play well. A Cert is just another piece of Paper only.

No offence to any School here: - - With Regards to Drumming Certificate - How well recognised is a Drumming Certificate? - I don't think any because Drumming by itself is not complete....in Music....thus a Degree is needed. There is No Recognised Drumming Certificate especially here in Singapore.....Not even Yamaha Japan has that - you can check that out.

 

[plslayer]

Yamaha still has drum exams. I'm taking grade 6 this year...

 

[blurred]

yah i agree with rudi, a cheaper way would be to learn from the people who went to do a music degree and also learn with a working drummer tht is a gd teacher.
tht way u get the step by step academic way which the uni drummers learnt and the real world exp of the working drummer. some thing u cannot learn in a sch

 

[DG]

interesting topic.
but was thinking if someone is good enough to be a drum teacher and wants to work in a music school.bt is certification important?

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

Bro plslayer: Thanks for the info - I didn't know they still have it.

If I am not wrong - last time Yamaha hold examinations like this - as an example: -

1st - They test you on some Stroke/Rudiments they want you to play (to see your proficiency level at the Grade you are taking - Grade 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 - - - - -

2nd - They ask you to play some Groove -

3rd- They then give you a Drum Score for One Complete Song (can be up to 4 Pages) which you do not know the song beforehand (you have a minute to look & run through the score) - Then they switch on the Music (without the drum Parts) - and you are supposed to be able to Read & Play it along - Note By Note ... as what is written.

and...There will be at least 3 Teachers sitting there Judging you and grading you.

Note: - The Exams failed many students at that time - It's not easy and they are Strict.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is this way it goes nowadays at whatever Grade Exam you are taking ?

As far as I know: - During the old days: - - - Grade 9,8,7,6,5,4 - is at Yamaha and If you are Grade 7 and below - You are already a very very Awesome Drummers. There are very few Grade 7 Drummers....and there is only one Grade 5 Drummers, Grade 4 & below - you have to go Overseas to Study Drums & take the Exam (I don't know what system is this) - No-body as I know will be able to reach a Grade 2 say about 1 - Cause you have to be Superb.bbbbbbbb...and if I am correct - Jimmy Lee did not reach his Grade 3 there even ...

PS: - I recall speaking to a Yamaha Drum Instructor 2 years ago (I know him very well of course) - I asked him -What is Term as a Beginner, or An Itermediate, or even An Advance Student in Yamaha School - where Drumming is Concern? - Because Yamaha only have Book 1 & Book 2 Text - so does it means Book 1 is Beginner, Book 1 halfway to Book 2 Halway is Intermediate and end of Book 2 is Advance nowadays?....... He says no - I won't dare to answer your this question.....We cannot say that - by the time the Drum student finishes all 2 books means - he is An Advance Drummer - Just that they finished Step 1 & Step 2 in Yamaha......................


IMPORTANT: - If Exams are Strict - they are good cause it Discipline a Drum Student to work very hard on all important areas eg Rudiments, Reading Groove etc..... But I must Stress that - Don't do it for the sake of Getting A Paper(It's worthless if we cannot play well) - cause having a Drumming Certificate is added pressure - you better be good at a certain level of Grade - It's just normal people especially Drummers expect a certain level of Drumming Proficiency from you - If we can't attain that - We will bring down Reputation Of That School - Agree - This is very very True.....That's how Drummers view and commence on - Which Music Drumming School is Better here in Singapore (in Local Context)

We must not take an exam just for the Drum-Paper-Sake - Do it out of A Passion For Self-Improvement (cause you wanna be good and you need that disclipine) ... If that is the case - Then you will Excel In Drumming...then Go and take the Exam for yourself - not the Paper (it's secondary).


Thanks

Eric

 

[RudimentalDrummer]

This is how I see it: -

As I've mentioned there are just too many Drum Text Book written.

For instance: -

Buy a Drum Text (in Music Cleff) written by Mr Jimmy Lee himself - you glance through it - and you say "Wah so easy" - you read it note by note - play it Note By Note - then you say to yourself after finishing that text "I've finished Jimmy Lee 1st Text Book" .... feeling Happy & Contented that you have achieve something.

Same thing - You buy Music Lab Text Book written by Alvin (My Current Drumming Instructor and I am now learning under him for 7 months) - Do the same as above...feeling good also at end of day.

You then buy Yamaha Book 1 & 2 - finished it also...

It is natural the Human mind works that way after this cause you will feel that you are actually a pretty awesome.eee drummer.

Then oneday you went to Drum Xchange Singapore - you see those Awesome.eeee Drummers drumming - then you shrunk away - you say to yourself "Gosh these Guys/Girls are killer man" - How come I can't play like them - afterall I've finished all the books above ......feeling upset and how useless and lousy a drummer you actually really am - Confidence Level drop to Zero right-away- almost died there telling yourself - you have so much to learn and catchup or is there something wrong with your learning methodology..

I am not saying this because - I made this up - It happens to me (and I would like to share this with all of you)........

So - Why does this happens:-

Because when you buy a Text - as mentioned you will play it the way it appear note by note. There is but just One-Way of doing it. But to the Drumming Instructors & Author of this Text - They won't write every Method of Playing it down and the Different Techniques that you can use - The Instructors are more creative & knowledgeable, because 1st they wrote it, 2nd they are very experience and are studied people in their field of expertise, 3rd they are very SMART PEOPLE (hahahaha) because why would never write every details down - If it works that way - Why go to a Drumming School, when everything & details are in the Text ? Right?...... see I have learn to become wiser now. Only when you attend the lesson - then they will explain to you HOw It's being done and how you can play the things they have written in different creative ways.....so you PAY and LEARN - very Fair Deal.

Yamaha Book 1 & Book 2 is not easy ...I mean it (though I have finished the entire 2 books through Tony Zee, my ex-instructor) - - He will teach me how to play & read this text (which the books belongs to me) in a different manner from Anthony Fong (whose Techniques are also different in some ways)who will also among the other Instructors at Yamaha - have a difference between their teaching/techniques in some ways very very true.

So here - I found out that - -

I need an Instructor (Books alone means nothing to me - If I do not 1st get an Instructor who will not only teach me how to looks at Drumming Text in a wider perspective and getting my Basic Right) - then I will be wasting my time stagnated at a certain stage and cant find myself improving - worst feeling worthless in Drumming.

Then there are many types of Drumming Instructors - within a certain music school - each different in the way and style they teach .....

But - Teaching is really "AN ART", the best Drummers doesn't really make the best Teachers, but good Teachers which are a Jewel (hard to find really) can groom a drummer to be a great drummer....and you will find that out yourself within a short time as you progress in your lesson

Text and A Drumming Teacher (or someone to guide you along) have to go together it's better that way when You're PRETTY NEW INTO DRUMMING....unless you have been taking lesson for quite some time here (I mean years) - then you can be on your own....but having said that even Professionals still take lessons once in a while - MasterClass they call it.

PS: - Bro harryxing - I'm not referring this to you or anyone here - Just so happens to take the opportunity to ride on this Nice-Topic here ...cheers!

 

[bryanlim]

just wana giv my 2cents input.

certs are definitely important! the underlying factor lies under which cert? which cert has most equipped syllybus ? which cert is the most recognised? not to diss yamaha, but we all know what yamaha can offer. =X

a cert is 1 of the fastest way for u to get into the scene! be it teaching or gigging around. y? cuz it people the assurance that u r well equipped with certain level of music knowledge and skills! of course u might say legends like dennis chambers don't take certs etc. but that takes time for him to build his reputation!

well at the end of the day, it is what u play that determines wat u r. it works for all industries. but i still strongly suggest a cert cuz it enables u to learn music as a whole. think of the knowledge and information u get to learn and nt the end piece of paper u get.

p.s: rd is basically right that anyone gt $$ can get in berklee. but nt any 1 gt $$ can get u first class honours there.

 

[blurred]

well i got to tell u, i have a cert and there's so much i'm bad at. qualifications dun mean much, seeing someone play with a band is where u see. nothing else matters the way i see it

 

[bryanlim]

well.. certs don't mean much. if u read my point, i was saying that it is the knowledge behind the cert that matters.

 

[blurred]

oh okie sori, i prob interpreted it wrong.

 

[mix]

I must say this is an extremely insightful post.

I do agree to a certain extend that certs are impt. (afterall, you got to groom yourself right?) but at the same time we should not rely on papers too much but rather on constant self-evaluation (without it you'll just be in a world of your own, when u wake up u will have a culture shock) and to discern whether that particular course indeed offers skills and knowledge that is essential to your career. berklee sure has state of the art equipments and facilities to boast itself as one of the world's top music colleges in their own field, not to mention their exellent alumnis.

At the end of the day, papers can only get you for that period of time. in the long run its still up to us to apply whatever ethics and knowledge that we have that gets us up there to where drummers like tama goh, jimmy lee and audrey tang belongs. we musn't be too extreme in our perspective on this matter either.