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why can so many drummers not play like this kid can?

#121
Believe me, I've attended recitals that made me wonder why I even bother. I think the way to survive it, emotionally, is to treat it as an inspiration rather than as a threat.

When I was in high school, I played cello in the community orchestra. (There was no school orchestra). I shared a stand with a kid my age, who was much better than me -- more disciplined, dedicated, talented, better teacher, you name it. He was planning on studying music in college. I realized there was no point to me trying to be anything more than a dedicated amateur after that. On the other hand, I had interests such as math and physics, where I stood a much better chance.

I have no regrets.

Part of becoming a bassist was that you could be a dedicated amateur and still get to play. Bass, like all instruments, is probably more competitive today as there are fewer gigs.

In my day job, and I suspect on bass, it's true that raw ability is important. But there are other things as well, such as practical knowledge acquired over the span of decades, breadth of knowledge, being easy to deal with, being a good mentor, and just plain old sticking around. You could hire a virtuoso drummer, but everybody else wants to hire that drummer too.
 
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#123
pcake said:


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Having watched all of her videos(not just the 'song' clips), I have been impressed and heartened by the loving support from her family, and their family band(they're all talented). I'm sure that has been very important in her development. Their video diary of everyone going to NAMM, hanging with Carmine Appice, and then stumbling around Santa Monica was especially sweet. Contrast that with the situation of parental disapproval that I'm sure many of us had when we were younger, the "do you have to do that, it's just a stupid phase you're going through" thing. Also, look out, it looks like she's taken up bass...
 
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#125
kevindahl said:
This is youtubes greatest gift. Showing the world all the greatest amateurs. Without it they probably would never be seen.

I have practiced many hours and played a ton of music but some of these children blow my ability away with their technical ability.
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Oh, do I hear you on that one! While I know I have a talent for music, I'm one of those who's had to work pretty hard to understand it all. I'm a decent player and have been told I have a great feel, but at the same time I know there is nothing unique or different that would make me stand out from the crowd. But that's okay. Lately I've been getting back into writing my own songs (I also play guitar) and I'm only doing it for me. No illusions, just doing it.

It truly warms my heart when I see video's of these youngsters nailing things that I can't touch.
 
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#127
It's going to sound like I'm being sarcastic but I swear I'm not. The answer is simple, 'there are various skill and enthusiasm levels that have very little to do with age once people have gotten past the beginner stage of their instrument.'

Honestly though, it's really cool with that kid is doing. I love their enthusiasm, and they play really tight, but I'm not really seeing anything amazing. Other than some guys who clearly just do it as a hobby that they've kind of held onto from high school, I think every drummer I play with could play just like that. No doubt if the kid keeps that enthusiasm they'll surpass those drummers in a few years, but I'm not exactly hearing some crazy precise over the top technician style playing.
 
#131
Mike JV said:
Boy, but that brings back a bad memory. There was a drummer at a particular church where I use to play. Truly a nice guy to be around and there was nothing this guy couldn't play. Problem was, he pretty much had to show you in every song. Here we were playing Christmas day in church playing Joy To The World which had a very upbeat tempo to it. Great groove to the song and he just destroyed it. Overplayed that song to death. Here I was trying to play along with him (again, in church) and I'm thinking "what the **** are you doing?"
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That brings up a thought. 'Talent' is actually a collection of many individual 'talents'. One of the talents that the worship drummer lacks is self awareness of his part in relation to the other parts in the ensemble, and how that affects the songs presentation in performance. That is actually a huge deal, one of the most vital talents a musician needs to have is self awareness in the performance and how he needs to fit and blend. In other words, he in fact is a bad musician in that regard, which over rides his other 'talents'. But the good news is that it is a skill that can be developed, so he should work on it, and should be gently confronted about it. In my mind another one of the make it or break it talents- focus/concentration. The musician who has the ability to stay locked in to the song, and think ahead, to anticipate- won't get lost or blow an important part. If you frequently screw up in songs that you should know, or mess up in easy to read parts, you lack talent in focus, you are not concentrated on the song enough- again, that can be worked on.
 
#132
Mike JV said:
Boy, but that brings back a bad memory. There was a drummer at a particular church where I use to play. Truly a nice guy to be around and there was nothing this guy couldn't play. Problem was, he pretty much had to show you in every song. Here we were playing Christmas day in church playing Joy To The World which had a very upbeat tempo to it. Great groove to the song and he just destroyed it. Overplayed that song to death. Here I was trying to play along with him (again, in church) and I'm thinking "what the **** are you doing?"
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Apparently there was one thing he couldn't play - tastefully.

I don't understand why people think that these guys that can and do play 1,000,000 notes a minute are good. Having brutish technique is only good if you know how to apply it. I used to play with a guy that played every note on the guitar, and some that weren't, on every solo, as fast as he could. It was exhausting. I stuck with him because he kept the band busy, but eventually that wasn't enough, I needed to breathe!
 
#134
No offense but playing someone else's parts is just a sign of technical proficiency, nothing more, nothing less.
True originators like Bonham, Jaco and Flea will never be touched.
I could throw a stick and hit a dozen drummers who can cover his parts adequately. And I am not on some high horse myself, I am competent enough on bass to approximate great players lines, and add a small bit of my own feel to them, but I do not have the raw talent to ORIGINATE lines like that.
 
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#136
obimark said:
No offense but playing someone else's parts is just a sign of technical proficiency, nothing more, nothing less.
True originators like Bonham, Jaco and Flea will never be touched.
I could throw a stick and hit a dozen drummers who can cover his parts adequately. And I am not on some high horse myself, I am competent enough on bass to approximate great players lines, and add a small bit of my own feel to them, but I do not have the raw talent to ORIGINATE lines like that.
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+1,000

Let these kids have time to develop. They are going to wind up like those college quarterbacks thrown into the NFL and expected to produce on day 1. Yea, some do, but most wash out.
 
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