Virgil Donati

sure virgil may not be as easy to listen to as buddy or most drummers, but you cannot deny his ability. just because he doesnt play the style you like, does not mean he is a bad drummer. he could easily play all these styles/genres you guys are talking about. he has pushed the limit on virtually everything there is to be pushed, and i think we should all all give him credit for being the most technically capable drummer of our time.
 
Yah i like to think there are 2 types of drummers. theres the type that sound good with whatever they play. Even the ost basic of beats. and then there is th drummers who are Extremely technical. They may not sound as nice, but they can play the most techincal beats and polyrythms! Virgil is one of these! Dont get me wrong, I love both styles!
 
Virgil Rocks:D:D
He was here in Oslo a couple of weeks ago and he held a clinic.
I was blown away. By everything. And he had some awsome ideas about taking simple rudiments and mix with them. Like playing paradiddels in tripplets and so on. And he played Dog Boots:D Love that song.
 
DrumMasterDave said:
Yah i like to think there are 2 types of drummers. theres the type that sound good with whatever they play. Even the ost basic of beats. and then there is th drummers who are Extremely technical. They may not sound as nice, but they can play the most techincal beats and polyrythms! Virgil is one of these! Dont get me wrong, I love both styles!

I certainly don't share your oversimplified and polar opinion there. Is there no gray area? Can there not be "good feel" drummers who CAN play extremely technically? Can there not be technical drummers who can 'bring da funk'? Are there not punk and rock drummers who are unable to do either?
 
Mediocrefunkybeat said:
It got deleted because of your rather shall we say, unnegotiable nature dib da.


dib da? Hey Mediocrefuncky? I think you got me confused with another poster. I have seen some of his posts, but that ain't me. Cya...Play On!!

Oh...Ya got anything on Virgil?
 
Ian Ballard said:
I certainly don't share your oversimplified and polar opinion there. Is there no gray area? Can there not be "good feel" drummers who CAN play extremely technically? Can there not be technical drummers who can 'bring da funk'? Are there not punk and rock drummers who are unable to do either?


Great point, Ian! You read my mind. Yes, there are technical drummers who can "bring da funk". Ones' name is Virgil Donati. Thanks and Play On!
 
Virgil definitely has musicality, I think its just he's so out there and advanced, many people cant comprehend whats going on, or have the inclinitaion to want to know. so then it gets back to what you consider musical and bla bla

but yeah virgil has the chops and the music in my opinion.
 
his materclasses rule, I´ve learned a lot from through his videos
He´s my favourite drummer because he´s the drummer that has EVERYTHING!
He´s like the new Buddy Rich
Go Virgil! :)
 
Re: Virgil Donati w/ Tina Arena

This might help also. The quality isn't too good, but you'll get the idea for sure! Those who are settled on hating him will do that no matter what you show to them. For the rest of you, enjoy!

There's this irritating, persistent assumption that anyone who dislikes Virgil's playing does so for a reason other than that they have heard lots of his playing and think it's crap: "it must be because you don't understand what he's doing; you think it's cool to hate famous drummers; you're jealous"...the list goes on. People who hold this assumption apparently never stop to ask themselves why these same 'Virgil hataz" love Tony, Elvin, Vinnie. These three guys were or are also famous, also pushed the drumming envelope, also played complex material. Nor do they seem seem to ask themselves why a number of intelligent and experienced musicians can articulate just why Virgil is so grossly overrated.

What you've posted here is actually one of the better clips of Virgil I've seen. It's better because it's a pop gig where his passion for pointlessly complex patters which sound like excrement and make no musical sense is reigned in by an MD who knows what the job calls for, but what he demonstrates here is nothing to make him stand out from the huge number of other professional drummers who make their living playing similar gigs.

If you think this Australian Idol-esque gig is a demonstration of a drummer with soul, my advice is: don't finish that whole tub of Haagen-Daaz. I know he dumped you and I know it hurts, but it'll only go straight on your hips, and how are you going to attract a new guy looking like that?
 
OK, what you call pointless complex patterns, I would probably call something different, but in any case, you pretty much proved my point:
Those who are settled on hating him will do that no matter what you show to them.

It all comes down to a matter of taste, and luckily, that can never be debated.
You don't like him, fine. Lots do. This clip was for them...
 
Re: Virgil Donati w/ Tina Arena

Womble,


I'm one of those who admire Virgil and think he is a great drummer. However, I do share your opinion about the "You're just a jealous hater unable to understand his playing" quote. In some cases it is a true statement, but most of the time it's an ready-made answer that's very annoying to read or hear.

I'd also like to say that I happily accept the fact that others may not like his playing. That's perfectly fine with me and I'd be the first to tell another "Virgil fan" to let people live their own tastes. All that is being asked in return is respect for Virgil as a drummer and a person, just as due to Vinnie or any other great out there no matter one's tastes.


Peace out,
Christopher.
 
some good responses. for my part i think virgil is interesting but i would not buy the CDs, fascinating but i would not go to all the clinics, amazing but i would not want lessons from him (actually i would but only a few simple things - complex to me but he would be very bored).

it is incredible what he can do both in speed and convoluted time but it does sound like drums falling off a cliff and down a scree slope... if that is music to you - fine. blast beats can sound like lawn mowers. these things exsist and some people get off on them. not me and i would guess not the vast majority of folks in the world. but who wants to always go with the flow? i feel a little pity for anyone who feels that this is the pinnacle of drumming achievement but that's their bag.

i like when virgil tells you what he's about to do and then does it super fast and neat. but that can only hold my attention for a while. i can listen to billy ward drumming all day or run the same steely dan track for weeks on end in my car or wash dishes to buddy rich 'mercy mercy' every night of the week. for virgil i have time for maybe one little clinic every year or two (and even then i switched off in the second half) ... but, that's just me. and probably a few others.
 
I agree with you Nutha Jason, he is great technically, but isn't that good a musician and not great at accompanying other musicians. A high "robot-factor" and it seems a little narcisisstic to override the musicians with the patterns he does.

and probably a few others.
Haha, definantly.

Nutha Jason, I see you're an admin here. All of the threads are backwards... First post on the last page and vice versa... any clues?
 
Why, Wy? I was looking forward to that argument. Anyway, you're too late I saw what you wrote. I'll drag you back in here, don't you worry :)
 
Back
Top