The Complete Berklee Drum Set Audition Course

This course covers each area of the audition process for Berklee College of Music. Rudiments, snare drum and chart reading, and technique are all important aspects you will be asked to demonstrate your level of mastery over.

Instructed by John Ramsay, “The Complete Berklee Drum Set Audition Course” is a comprehensive 13-lesson program designed to prepare drummers for the Berklee College of Music audition. It covers essential rudiments, snare drum reading, four-way coordination, and jazz/Latin-American styles. The course includes over five hours of video instruction, covering repertoire development and the “Rudimental Ritual”.

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The course directly prepares students for the four main parts of the Berklee Audition:

  1. Prepared Piece: A 3–5 minute performance on the drum set.
  2. Improvisation: Playing over a short instrumental progression or drum beat.
  3. Sight-Reading: Reading standard drum notation and charts.
  4. Ear Training: Call-and-response exercises, including rhythm and melody playback.

This digital course is hosted at Drum Channel (TDSC) online school. Course Fee: $49

Course Content

  1. Song Form – 32 and 12 Bar Form
  2. The 13 Essential Rudiments
  3. The Drum Set Audition
  4. The Prepared Piece
  5. Snare Drum Reading
  6. Chart Interpretation/Practice Procedure
  7. Jazz Ride Cymbal
  8. Four-Way Coordination/Syncopation – The 1st Three Ways
  9. Advanced Four-Way Coordination/Syncopation – The 8 Triplet Ways
  10. The Jazz Waltz and Caribbean/Latin-American Rhythms
  11. Building The Rudimental Ritual/Practicing The Rudiments
  12. The Complete Rudimental Ritual Using Brushes
  13. Developing/Orchestrating The Rudimental Ritual/The Ritual With Left Foot Clave
  14. Interview – Pt. 1
  15. Interview – Pt. 2

Course Overview

Developed by long-time Berklee faculty such as John Ramsay, the course addresses common pitfalls seen in thousands of auditions, such as a lack of a prepared piece or poor chart reading skills. It typically includes over five hours of instruction across 60+ video lessons.

Core Topics Covered

The curriculum is built around the specific requirements of the Berklee Drum Set Audition:

  • Technical Foundations: Covers the 26 American Drum Rudiments, basic hand technique, and the “Rudimental Ritual” using both sticks and brushes.
  • Reading & Interpretation: Instruction on snare drum reading (orchestral and rudimental), chart interpretation, and understanding 32 and 12-bar song forms.
  • Stylistic Mastery: Training in diverse genres required for the audition, including:
    • Jazz: Swing, waltz, and ride cymbal technique.
    • Latin/Afro-Cuban: Mambo, Songo, Bossa Nova, and Samba.
    • Contemporary: Rock, Funk, Blues shuffle, and Reggae.
  • Audition Strategy: Guidance on selecting a prepared piece that showcases personal strengths and how to handle the interview portion
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