Great post dude. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Many of you guys on HOD are great players, accomplished and have given advice to many young drummers.
Lately some of the less experienced drummers have the tendency of trying to emulate some of the more gifted drummers such as the Vinnies, Weckls, Donatis, etc. and go on thinking that they have to be like these idols.
Most of us, will never play at the level of the greats, but many of us are good players and should concentrate on the groove, the swing and, in order to get the gig, play for the singer/song.
Most HOD members are talented and, in their posts, give good advice to the new generation of drummers who log in to read their posts.
Lately a 12 year old drummer came to me 4 months after seeing Dave Weckl play "live" and played a couple of Dave's tunes with perfection ! This same young drummer started to take lessons from a local teacher who was surprised to see how bad the youngster was when he asked him to play a simple groove. He could not hold a decent beat. But, happily, the teacher made sure that the 12 year-old came back to learn the basics, and especially learn to play a simple groove, learn to swing, and taught him to listen to the song, or singer in order to play , not for himself, but for the song.
This story happens often. Another youngster asked me, just the other day, "How can I play like Virgil ?" I told the kid, listen... you do not become a drummer thinking you will be another Virgil ! Start by learning all of the basics first... learn your rudiments, learn to swing, learn to groove and keep your ears open !
Then, if you are that one in a thousand kids that has what it takes to be as good as Virgil, Weckl, Minneman, etc, you will know it. It will be very evident.
But if that time never comes... just concentrate on being a good all-around musician, and you will be happy to see great things happening in your career as a pro-drummer .
Nothing stopping you from learning things from the drum greats, but keep it simple and just be part of our great drumming community.
Great post dude. [img]smile.gif[/img]
That was very well stated and true. Great post! PT.
Probably the 12 yr old that you mentioned just reacted to what he was seeing & hearing and just did it. Amazing how kids pick things up - they just absorb and duplicate stuff.
Great to see though and I can imagine how you'd be astounded at seeing that.
No one can get anywhere without cheating though! -learn those damn rudiments!
It's best to let the kid know the way to those skills is through rudiments, good grip, solid time, reading and counting.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Try, 1 in 100,000!Then, if you are that one in a thousand kids
I understand what you are saying, but the kid is 12 years old and that's what kids do...idolize. That's part of the maturation process and very normal. Everyone does it. Look at ANY teenager?s room and look what's on the walls. POSTERS. Want to know a kid? Look at their room.
Now, it's one thing to "want to be" and another "to be" I am always impressed with results, whether it's double pedal beats at 240 or blazing singles around the kit. That all takes effort and dedication.
It is up to each individual to hone their craft into a workable situation. Vinnie was known as having "mega stuff" but producers were worried about him in the studio. He learned to "play to the song" as well as blow when allowed (Chick Corea Live at Blue Note). Those Joan Rivers clips are of Vinnie during transition. You could still see the wild abandon from Zappa and the refinement of Sting starting to happen.
Jeff was known as a "groover" even back in high school. Fuse said it best recently when he said the factor that makes DC, Vin, DW, JP, JR, etc so great is their musical sense, not their chops, but how they play and interpret music. It's the application thing, the peak of observation and interpretation...it's the wisdom or application and their consistency over time.
This is why I LOVE music. There's no faking it like in buisness or government. Either you can play or you can't. There is no huge net of safety waiting. It take a tremndous amount of self-confidence to be a working musician because everyone thinks they are great and only a few really are.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Interesting point. Especially the first part - although I might have thought that, I've never seen it written down in front of me. Makes A LOT of sense.Originally posted by PocketPlayer:
This is why I LOVE music. There's no faking it like in buisness or government. Either you can play or you can't. There is no huge net of safety waiting. It take a tremndous amount of self-confidence to be a working musician because everyone thinks they are great and only a few really are.
I agree with the above.
First of all, being a drummer is already a great thing. Knowing what your capacities are, is another.
Bottom line, is getting out there and playing what you like, what you know, without having to be a "clone" of so many drum greats.
You can take bits & pieces from the greats, but, be yourselves...
A great groove drummers is much more rewarding than one who has to learn every chop in the book. And not being able to play them right !!!
It's good to reach for the greats and try to emulate your heroes, but even they have to just lie back and groove and play for the song; most of the heavy chops/out there stuff isn't the stuff that allows them to play drums professionally anyway.
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