Trinity's Drum Kit Syllabus 2020 – 2023: Grade 7 - Exercise 1

DUNCAN LEE PLAYS THROUGH EXERCISE 1 FOR THE GRADE 7 DRUM KIT EXAM

Exercise 1:
This piece lends itself to the style of Steve Gadd with the mix of Latin texture accompanied by linear groove and decorative use of paradiddles. The opening bar displays the use of the Baião rhythm, which needs to be approached in a tribal fashion. Observe the paradiddle variations while executing dynamic versatility to make these sections groove appropriately. Be sure to feel the syncopation created by the adapted paradiddle groove in bar 5. This sets a motif for future phrasing.

Duncan Lee
Having been behind the drum kit for nearly 20 years, Duncan has moved quickly to fulfil a career in the music industry. He studied with various tutors before attending Drum Tech in 2007 and then progressing to study for a BA in Music at Oxford Brookes University. Alongside his degree in 2011 he set up his first sole trader drum tuition business. By 2014 he merged his clientele with his brother and now business partner to form XYZ Music Academy LTD. Now with his own music tuition business XYZ Music Academy, he runs a team of tutors that teach across Buckinghamshire. Alongside running his business, Duncan plays with various function bands and has succeeded in developing a sought after Youtube channel with over 10,000 subscribers which has contributed to further opportunities in his career. More recently, Duncan has been drafted in as a consultant for Trinity College London which has been a considerable milestone in his carer as an educator so far.

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