How Do You Get To This Level - Benny Greb

yesdog said:
. I can tell you one thing Me, and you will never be Benny Greb. Don,t be discouraged be encouraged.
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What a load of rubbish. How can you say that to someone and then tell them not to be discouraged? Enough hard work and time committed and everyone on this forum could be that good. Don't ever say otherwise.
 
I must admit I thought that was a strange thing to say. Why not, is Benny Greb anything other than another human being? Would he have become what he is if he'd listened to people saying 'you and I will never be as good as ..........'?
 
PQleyR said:
I must admit I thought that was a strange thing to say. Why not, is Benny Greb anything other than another human being? Would he have become what he is if he'd listened to people saying 'you and I will never be as good as ..........'?
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Exactly. Well said PQleyR.
 
But Yesdog was talking about not being Benny Greb - he didn't mention not being as good as him (which would be impossible to measure anyway). I think that you have to agree with him, unless your name is Benny Greb...

As for the original topic, Benny Greb is an incredible drummer. I actually believe that he's got something that very few drummers - no matter how good or techically proficient - can achieve. Everything he plays just sounds so good. Amazing time feel and touch.
 
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Yes, he's amazing, no denying that. I take issue with the attitude that the pros are inhuman magicians that us mere mortals, even those of us who put in hours and hours every day into our craft, can never get close to.
 
I agree with Yesdog. Practising like crazy with an inspiring and knowledgable mentor can make you a much better you.

I have no doubt he's lived and breathed drums for a long time, as have all the top pros, but there will only be one Benny Greb. People have different aptitudes and that boy's one right out of the box.

Witt, not sure why you asked the question, though, because I'm sure you already knew the answer. Or are you wondering what qualities Benny has that makes him stand out from the crowd? Seems to me that it's timing, dynamic control and an ear for cool-sounding grooves. Others no doubt can add to that simple appraisal ...
 
Mighty_Joker said:
Yes, he's amazing, no denying that. I take issue with the attitude that the pros are inhuman magicians that us mere mortals, even those of us who put in hours and hours every day into our craft, can never get close to.
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Of course you take issue with that attitude, because it is bollocks. I'm absolutely sure that anyone with the will and determination can reach the magical "pro-level". I'm just saying that some drummers do it in a unique and personal way that makes them stand out from the rest, and I think Benny's one of those drummers.
 
This is all true, and I'm surprised I didn't think of that the first time round. Words are but signposts, after all, and sometimes they lead us in the wrong direction.
 
Pollyanna said:
Witt, not sure why you asked the question, though, because I'm sure you already knew the answer. Or are you wondering what qualities Benny has that makes him stand out from the crowd? Seems to me that it's timing, dynamic control and an ear for cool-sounding grooves. Others no doubt can add to that simple appraisal ...
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The title was really more just to give it title if you see what I mean and jaw dropping wonderment as much as anything else !!
Personally I love watching / listen to someone take their art to that level and the purpose of the thread was more to share it with my fellow drummers that I'm sure if I enjoy watching it then they will as well.
I'd love to be able to play to that sort of standard and it makes me wonder if I'm practising the wrong things sometimes or if I've got the book upside down :) but the reality is I do it for a hobby and think I've achieved a reasonable standard with the amount of time I'm able to put into practice.
That said I do think some drummers have that extra something and whilst his technique is undisputed he does more than just taking a paticular pattern that's he's learnt and repeat it in time to music it's "The Feel" that he gives it that makes it so special for me.
 
Witterings said:
The title was really more just to give it title if you see what I mean and jaw dropping wonderment as much as anything else !!
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I know what you mean - he amazes me. Other drummers who have floored me in that way are Papa Jo, Gene, Buddy, Art Blakey, Elvin, Pretty Purdie, Bill Bruford, Jojo Mayer, Steve Smith, Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan (anyone named Steve, really), Terri-Lynne Carrington, Jack Dejonette, Brian Blade, Leon Parker, Will Calhoun, Don Moye, Barriemore Barlow, Billy Cobham ...
 
aside from his incredible technical ability, the thing the impresses me about benny greb is his creativity and musical sense. he comes up with the most amazing beats and riffs that i never would've thought of in a million years, even if i had his ability.
 
I have his dvd The Language of Drumming, and can see a lot of what he does through the way he operates within his system. I definitely recommend the disc, I've gotten a lot from it, and continue to.

I think a big part of his groove in general is playing eighth note hat closes instead of quarters. A lot of people, especially rock drummers, don't play anything on the hat, and lots of us play the ons or the offs. But the steady eighth pulse seems to open up some freedom in his hands and lets him expand into more musical playing within the groove. I toy with this now and again, the biggest challenge I find is getting that millisecond of rest when the foot hits the ground. Without it, I won't last long before the pain starts.
 
It seems to be the nature vs. nurture thing coming round again. Actually, I iniated a post along these lines a while ago. My key question was - how important is talent?

The overall consensus after much debate was that you can get most of the way there with sheer hard work.

I have Benny's DVD. So instructive, such incredible playing and such fun to watch. It's worth the money just to see the Austrian? trio flams, flams, flams!!!

Watching it actually makes me more convinced that Benny has a gift of nature, nurtured through years of practise (he started when he was a small kid). But for me at least, the gift is unquestionable. I have absolutely no doubt that were I to have lived his life, played his drums, done his drills, I would have nowhere near his technical ability or his feel. I would be a pretty decent drummer for sure, but would lack that special specialness that makes Benny so unique (although there are many others with similar unique drumming talent, many of which have been mentioned in this post).

I think it's actually liberating to accept this, as it can be easy to become a slave to the notion that if I just practise and gig for all the hours in the day and all the days in the week, I will reach his level.

Just accept that some people are geniuses, whilst at the same time realizing that you too can become a great drummer and have a blast of a good time, if you only give a bit of dedication to the art.
 
Mighty_Joker said:
What a load of rubbish. How can you say that to someone and then tell them not to be discouraged? Enough hard work and time committed and everyone on this forum could be that good. Don't ever say otherwise.
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M.J,What do you think keeps all of us drummers going, INSPIRATION. What did you not understand what I posted. When I here someone like Benny or Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, and so on and so on. That makes me want to work that much harder at playing drums. I got bad news for you. Not everyone has talent levels to be that good no matter how hard they practice, thats life. I know I will never get there. I practice 3 to 4 hrs a day on average. I play in 3 bands. I am 42 and have been drumming since I was 8. Another example I will never be as good as Meg White, why because I am not Meg White. I'm Scott. When people get discouraged they quit and that sucks.
 
I see it this way.
By day, I deal in violins. The subject of Stradivari's secret (which he took to his grave almost three hundred years ago) comes up often, some claim it's in the varnish, others claim all kinds of outlandish BS. It's the source of much humor. But a violin maker who is an authority on the subject put it best. He said the secret is to spend your life making violins.

So I think it's the same with the drumset. Wanna be amazing? Spend your life playing the drumset. In ball sports, they call it ball touches: every time you touch the ball (basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, etc.), you improve. On the set, every stroke makes you better in fifteen different ways. Above all things, your level of dedication (or number of stick touches) will be the most important factor. The person with the best genetic package for drumming is probably working in a library somewhere without a clue of her potential.
 
yesdog said:
M.J,What do you think keeps all of us drummers going, INSPIRATION. What did you not understand what I posted. When I here someone like Benny or Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, and so on and so on. That makes me want to work that much harder at playing drums. I got bad news for you. Not everyone has talent levels to be that good no matter how hard they practice, thats life. I know I will never get there. I practice 3 to 4 hrs a day on average. I play in 3 bands. I am 42 and have been drumming since I was 8. Another example I will never be as good as Meg White, why because I am not Meg White. I'm Scott. When people get discouraged they quit and that sucks.
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I honestly don't know what to say to this. I understand your point about not being able to "be" another drummer; on this reading, yes, none of us will ever "be" Benny Greb.

I disagree about talent though. Personally I think there's no such thing as natural talent or "gift". I've been playing for 13 years, I'm only 23, and I too play 3-4 hours every day, and I know I will get there. I know I will be, based how good I am now. Tha'ts not the point though.

The point is, I took issue with your comment to the original poster. I read it as an implication that he will never be as good as Benny Greb, no matter what. I understand now that you meant it in a different way, such as "you will never truly emulate the feel of another drummer, so make your own", but if I read it my way, it's possible that others will too.

My question to you, is if you've played that long, and worked that hard, are you sure you're not that good? Maybe it's a confidence thing, and when you actually look at yourself, you're damn good.

I don't believe that you can play the drums for 34 years and not be as good as Meg White.
 
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