This series of graded books is used for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) music exams. The material focuses on drumset performance within a range of styles, including rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, funk, reggae, Afrobeat, fusion, heavy metal, progressive rock, and drum’n’bass. The books feature a mix of original tunes and covers of hit songs.

There are nine books in the series. The first book is unnumbered. In place of a number, there is the abbreviation “In” for “initial.” This book includes songs and solos that mainly utilize quarter and eighth notes. While the material is basic, the book features popular songs such as Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out.”

The main books are numbered from grade one through eight. Grade One features songs such as “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” by Chicago and “Ball and Biscuit” by The White Stripes. While this book also uses quarter and eighth notes, sixteenth notes are sometimes incorporated into fills. Grade Two includes “Baba O’Reilly” by The Who and “Cold Heart” (remix) by Elton John with Dua Lipa. This book includes flams, cross-stick hits, open-hi-hat notes, and improvised drum fills.

In Grade 3, the drummer will start to see sixteenth notes on the hi-hat as well as shuffles (notated as swung eighth notes). Dotted eighth/sixteenth-note combinations are also featured throughout the book. Songs include “Come As You Are” by Nirvana and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day. Grade 4 challenges the drummer with a Bo Diddley-style feel and a jazz waltz (with brushes). The book features longer drum solos and solos played over simple band hits. A highlight of this book is a version of “Give It Away Now” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Grade 5 features sixteenth- and eighth-note interplay between the snare and bass drum. There are a few thirty-second notes interspersed throughout the songs. This book includes such styles as bossa nova, jazz (in 4/4 with brushes), and soca/dancehall. James Brown’s “Cold Sweat” is a nice addition to the song list. Grade 6 includes four-stroke ruffs, sixteenth-note triplets, and drum rolls. Swung sixteenth notes and time-signature changes are also found in this book. “Cissy Strut” by The Meters is a high point of this book. 

Grade 7 has a variety of time signatures including 3/2, 4/4, 6/4, 7/4, 5/8, 7/8, and 12/16. Many songs include time signature changes. Slipknot’s “Before I Forget” is included in this book. Grade 8 also features oddtime signatures and shifting time signatures. A highlight of this book is an arrangement of “The Sound of Muzak” by Porcupine Tree.

Each book has nine pieces: six play-along songs and three solo compositions. The demo and play-along mp3s can be downloaded through the ABRSM website. The tracks range from approximately one minute (for the first few books in the series) to over three minutes. This series should prove to be enjoyable for many drummers, not just those preparing for the ABRSM exams.