ADMISSION/SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION Ratings Guidelines for Drum Set The following descriptions serve as guidelines and technical benchmarks for determining ratings for admission and scholarship support of potential Berklee drum set principals. The Rating of 3 is a student acceptable to Berklee, while ratings of 4 and above warrants scholarship consideration. As a policy, the performance division has recommended that the second number of the current ensemble ratings system be utilized as the measurement of accessing musical aptitude. These listed criteria are in addition to the assessment of the student’s prepared piece. Explanation of Ratings System: First number = Reading Second Number = Technique (Instrumental Skills) Third Number = Improvisation Improvisati on Fourth Number = Time Feel/Groove Sense Fifth Number = Accumulative Average of the Above #’s EX: 2323 2.5 Ratings of 1: ● Student Student has has not not memorized memorized “First “First Thirteen” Thirteen” Stand Standard ard Americ American an Rudimen Rudiments. ts. These These aresingle & double paradiddles, long roll, 5, 7, 9 and single stroke rolls, ruffs, single, double and triple ratamacues, lesson 25 and flams ● Cannot Cannot accur accuratel ately y perfor perform m these these at at MM (qua (quarter rter = 60) 60) ● Trou Troubl ble e matc matchi hing ng pitc pitch h ● Trouble Trouble reading reading basic basic note note and rest rest values, values, from from the given given snare snare drum drum examples examples in audition packet Ratings of 2: ● Student Student has has memorized memorized most most of the “First “First Thirteen Thirteen”” Standard Standard American American Rudime Rudiments, nts, but but struggles to perform these accurately at MM (quarter = 60) ● Can Can matc match h pitch itch ● Can read read snare drum drum example examples s without without rolls with minor minor mistake mistakes. s. Lacks Lacks experienc experience e with drum set chart reading Ratings of 3 (See Attached Criteria/Procedure): ● Has memoriz memorized ed “First “First Thirtee Thirteen”, n”, and and can accur accuratel ately y perform perform them them at MM (quarter = 60), with solid grip, good sound production and phrasing ● Can sing sing back back “Basic “Basic Melody Melody Skills Skills”, ”, with good good time time sense sense (see (see attache attached) d) ● Can accurat accurately ely read read snare drum drum examples examples withou withoutt rolls, with with interpret interpretatio ation n of dynamics dynamics ● Can perform perform the the drumset drumset chart chart examples examples from the the audition audition packet packet with with a satisfacto satisfactory ry level of technical execution Ratings of 4: ● Has memoriz memorized ed all 26 of the Stand Standard ard American American Rudime Rudiments nts and can can accurate accurately ly perform perform them at MM (quarter = 60), with solid grip, good sound production and phrasing. ● Can sing sing back 4 – 6 note note major major and minor minor pentato pentatonic nic melodic melodic patte patterns rns with with a good time time sense. These are to be given by audition team.
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Can accurately play snare drum examples as well as drumset chart examples from the audition packet with an excellent degree of technical and musical execution. Rating of 5: ● Can perform rudiments in the context of written snare drum examples, that are at a level comparable to the Charles Wilcoxon “All American Drummer” in both simple and compound meters (included in audition packet) ● Can accurately demonstrate difference between Long Roll (rudimental) and Buzz Roll (orchestral) ● Can sing back 4 – 6 note chromatic melodic patterns with a good time sense. These are to be given by audition team Ratings of 6: ● Can accurately read an orchestral styled example, comparable to the Fred Albright, “Contemporary Snare Studies” (included in audition packet), with detail to rhythmic, technical, and musical execution ● Can identify the qualities of major, minor, diminished and augmented triads, in any inversion Ratings of 7: ● Has memorized and can perform the Alan Dawson “Rudimental Ritual” with samba feel pattern at MM (quarter = 60) through the flam section ● Can accurately read an orchestral styled example, with some simple time signature shifts. Again detail to rhythmic, technical, and musical execution is a must. ● Can identify the qualities of root position 7th chords (major, minor, dominant, diminished, minor b5, dominant #5) Ratings of 8: ● Has memorized and can perform the Dawson “Rudimental Ritual” with samba feel pattern at MM (quarter = 60), through all the Standard American Rudiments (no Swiss necessary) ● Can accurately read an orchestral styled example, with time signature shifts between duple and compound meter. Again detail to rhythmic, technical, and musical execution is a must. Also student should give some attention to tempos as indicated ● Can identify the qualities of root position 7 chords with basic tensions (#9, b9, b5, #5) Submitted by Yoron Israel
