Cobus Potgieter

Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Because I say something nice about other drummers, I'm a troll? I don't think so, mate.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Really? I'm curious. I go to his site occasionally but don't know his 'standing' in the drum world. So, what's up? : )
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

I shouldn't say that, some people just do not appreciate his past actions.

This.

People are wary of him and his supporters......rightly or wrongly. I like him just fine, happy to watch his vids and I think he has much to offer drummers of all levels. But yes, the "great forum wars" of a couple of years ago certainly didn't do much for his rep here at DW.


Cobus? He is what he is. If you get something out of him, great. If you don't...keep searchin' the tube for someone who does.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Ah, bad juju. Not good.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

His "standing" depends on whom you're asking.

I'm a member to his Online Drumming System and I'm liking this stuff. I have no problems with Jared but have learned a few details of his past actions via this forum which aren't amusing. But that was in the past. Since I joined there wasn't anything about him I didn't like. Many think his stuff is way overpriced - everybody is invited to judge for him/herself - and he does advertise his stuff in an "active" way but still not pushing anybody into anything. I can live with that. He's doing live lessons once a week (1 hour - mostly on a specific topic, sometimes as Q&A) and many of those lessons were very helpful to me. Most likely I would have learned this stuff elsewhere or on the net, but both his drumming and teaching skills are more than enough to coach beginners to medium advanced drummers. (I'm 16 months into drums.) He can demonstrate and explain stuff in a clear way, I'm not missing a real teacher (in person). I'm used to learn an instrument by tutorials anyway (coming from the guitar).

Sometimes there are other drummers appearing on his live lessons. One time he had Tim Waterson, Cobus was on several times. (Before his Method came out.) Mike Michalkow does every 3rd-4th lesson - great teacher also. I admit by now I'm more of his "advanced in terms of speed" students, I'm noticing he's demonstrating stuff in the online lessons and many ask him (via chat box) to slow down as it's too fast for them. I'm just saying that if you're practicing with some discipline and patience then within some months you'll have down most of the "technical" material so it gets repetitive (if not boring) with time. It's good to have some refreshments here and there though. There's always something I can learn from those lessons even if it's material which has already been covered. Those lessons are archived (except a few "extra" sessions with Cobus which were several hours live streaming). Don't forget there's a huge "encyclopedic" library to various techniques & genres. ------- Just wanted to point out the "positive" aspects here to make Jared not exclusively appear as a persona non grata as alluded to by some guys in this thread.

I don't see much sense for the Jared haters to keep repeating themselves. If you don't like him simply stay away from him. No need to "warn" people of him or do the neverending grumbling. Unless you're into the Waldorf & Statler vein and this is simply your nature.
 
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Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Overrated? I think yes. But so are other drummers, too. But what's "overrated" but an individual opinion? So just pick the drummers you're interested in and ignore the rest. One benefit of Cobus is he's inspiring lots of (mostly younger) drummers to progress - or to inspire people to get into drumming in the first place. And in this regard he might be doing better than many pros - making people start learning an instrument.

Cobus must be drumming's J.K. Rowling - where she got an entire generation of kids to put down their video games and actually read her books. Or read, period. Cobus is getting kids to take up drumming away from Guitar Hero....and that's cool. I'd rather have kids doing something musical rather than learning how to hot-wire cars or pushing drugs (just to name a couple of delinquent activities).
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Yes. Overrated. But what are ya gonna do? Hes got some good marketing going on....and evidently dad isn't broke either.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

I'd much rather watch other Youtube drummers... Like Jimmy K, who I'd rather listen to than 95% of drummers nowadays anyways...

I blew my chance to see him touring with Hoodie Allen this past summer, I regret it.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

I don't get it myself. His claim to fame is he's never taken a lesson, never played a gig, never recorded with a band, but he's going to teach you how to play drums by showing you how to be self taught, which is an oxymoron into itself.

But despite that the fact I don't get it, or see the point, and I can't figure out why anyone would want to follow him or buy his stuff, I have to agree with Arky in that he is inspiring people to get into drumming, and that is not a bad thing.

I totally agree the first part. Whenever I see young "famous" drummers on youtube you will find the sentence "I never took lessons" in the description. (btw i don't think that's true at all :D - I'm sure they had at least a workshop or sth)
I mean, where's the sence? Is there any sence? Any benefits? No - you mostly can detect a sloppy technique and some "mistakes" you only do when you never took lessons.

I think it's not a problem that those guys are overrated - for me it's a problem that those guys only get "famous" because they cover a lot of songs. There are so many guys out there who should have the same success in their drummer career, like for example dave langguth (nelly furtados drummer) - who knows them? Most guys I know who know cobus will answer "who?" to the question "hey, what do you think of dave langguth? or dennis chambers?". they don't know them which is pretty sad in my opinion...

And I don't think it's a good idea those guys teach drums, is it?
Cobus has his "learn drums by ear method" - of course most young drummers think "wow - I can do what he can do, and I don't even need to understand music and the theory of playing drums" which is think is total crap.
They can do what they do, but please do NOT teach drums... my opinion..


But I have to agree with the point that other guys mentioned here:
They bring people from their PC to drums, which is cool!
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

As far as learning from unlikely sources there's a story about Keith Richards working for a long time to master a lick and never could get it.

Somehow fate had him talking to Bobby Goldsboro, the sappiest musician on the planet. Keith told him about this blues lick he couldn't figure out. Goldsboro said, hey I toured with them(him..whomever), let me show you. So, you never know.

(I probably butchered that story but I heard it second hand. I haven't read Life yet.)
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Cobus gets millions of views ... a big audience and no doubt a young one. Cute guy, cool moves, Top 40 music.

Of course he's going to be over-rated. Anyone who appeals to teenies will be over-rated - either that or they actually are the bestest in the entire world!

Good on him. Making a killing having fun.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

As a drummer, I wouldn't say he's overrated. He has developed some skills to play what he thinks is fun to play, and he looks good while doing it.

As a teacher, however... Well, I don't know. I won't be rushing out to buy "The Cobus Method" any time soon. The idea of teaching someone how to be self taught doesn't make much sense to me, and in addition to that it seems to me that he's trying to be a more in depth teacher than he really has the skills to be. He uses a lot terminology wrong, and overcomplicates many really simple ideas; probably because that's how he learned them himself.

So yeah... I have a lot of respect for his accomplishments, especially considering that he basically did everything completely on his own, both his self promotion and his drumming. He obviously has a deep passion for drums and drumming, and I say good for him. However, I feel he should leave teaching to guys who know a bit more about what they're trying to teach.
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Also, does his phrase, "Beast Shizzle System" make you ROTFLOL?

It is just so silly! I can not take it seriously at all!
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

If anyone's wondering, the Falk 'issue' happened years ago and only a few will remember what happened. Essentially, Falk has been accused (rightly, in my view) of replicating verbatim a Johnny Rabb video that was released a few years ago and selling it as 'single-handed roll' solution. This has never been to court (and I assume that is for financial reasons) but having seen examples of both videos I can say the material similarity was uncanny.

Falk came on here to defend his position and made a complete arse out of himself and his business. That's the bad Juju. It's also why I have a very negative view of Falk and - rightly or wrongly - anything associated with his name.

EDIT: This was about five years ago. I still haven't forgotten.

FURTHER EDIT: Just digging... http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37353

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29475
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

And I don't think it's a good idea those guys teach drums, is it?
Cobus has his "learn drums by ear method" - of course most young drummers think "wow - I can do what he can do, and I don't even need to understand music and the theory of playing drums" which is think is total crap.
They can do what they do, but please do NOT teach drums... my opinion..

Remember music started through the passing on by ear... not by sheet music... saying you should not learn drums by ear is like saying you should never practice religion since there is no scientific proof any religious figure exists... music is a passion, not a science. Maybe this sounds hippy-ish but I have never seen a piece of sheet music and thought "Wow I'm really feelin' this groove" and then started dancing to it or felt emotion from it. Your concept of not understanding technical and music theory therefore you know nothing about music is an ad ignorantium fallacy.

I think Cobus is one drummer that knows how to groove, He is in touch with the music, he does what he likes, and does not expect anything from anyone, nor will he ever buy into something he does not believe in. I think the reason so many people don't like them is because they are either jealous of his over night success when they spent years working on technique and because he could really give a crap what people think of him and thus does his own thing. He is a personality like no other and one that I think, in this crap world alot of young people can and should look up to (As opposed to such trainwrecks as found in most of the hollywood and music industry population.)
 
Re: Cobus. Overrated?

Remember music started through the passing on by ear... not by sheet music... saying you should not learn drums by ear is like saying you should never practice religion since there is no scientific proof any religious figure exists... music is a passion, not a science. Maybe this sounds hippy-ish but I have never seen a piece of sheet music and thought "Wow I'm really feelin' this groove" and then started dancing to it or felt emotion from it. Your concept of not understanding technical and music theory therefore you know nothing about music is an ad ignorantium fallacy.

I think Cobus is one drummer that knows how to groove, He is in touch with the music, he does what he likes, and does not expect anything from anyone, nor will he ever buy into something he does not believe in. I think the reason so many people don't like them is because they are either jealous of his over night success when they spent years working on technique and because he could really give a crap what people think of him and thus does his own thing. He is a personality like no other and one that I think, in this crap world alot of young people can and should look up to (As opposed to such trainwrecks as found in most of the hollywood and music industry population.)


I agree most that say he is overrated or not that good are just pissed they have been doing this for 10-15 years and still cant come close to him. as far as his technique and what not...really who cares we could spend all day picking at that and lets face it, it does NOT matter at the end of the day. What im getting at is he is very good who cares if he has never played in a band or this and that at the end of the day is he a good drummer or not? Yes.
 
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