Learning drum kit can be said to be like going on a journey, with exams providing the necessary stopping off points along the way. Taking exams is often a good route to learning drum kit and a lot of techniques necessary to be a good drummer are covered in the various stages or grades. Improvement is assured as the learner starts at grade 1 and works through the material step by step, finally arriving at grade 8. Although not everyone will want to learn in this way it does provide good foundations for building knowledge and technique. There are two main routes, the 'Trinity/Guildhall' and 'Rockschool'.

Rock School. These exams cover material in different styles of rock drumming, from traditional rock n roll right through the history of rock to contemporary styles. Candidates choose three pieces from the book to play in the exam. The pieces are played with backing tracks which are on a CD that comes with the book. Supporting test include improvisation, aural tests, rudiment playing, sight reading and musical knowledge related to the drum kit.