Anika Nilles

Well, I have to disagree with Bermuda's dig at Anika. She's a pretty accomplished drummer, one of Jost Nickel's former students. Sure, she's done a lot of YouTube video work, but she at least shows a lot of promise and plays very well.

Certainly not meant as a dig to her, or to anyone who has exposure online. I might do the same if starting out today. I only commented because I still wonder at what point a YT drummer gains the kind of credibility required to work in the real-world of gigs, sessions, and touring. Or, is being a YT drummer a suitable achievement? Assuming they monetize their views, there's some money to be made, but is that a career? And if that drummer becomes pigeonholed, how do they break away from it without simply starting from scratch like everyone else?

Bermuda
 
Certainly not meant as a dig to her, or to anyone who has exposure online. I might do the same if starting out today. I only commented because I still wonder at what point a YT drummer gains the kind of credibility required to work in the real-world of gigs, sessions, and touring. Or, is being a YT drummer a suitable achievement? Assuming they monetize their views, there's some money to be made, but is that a career? And if that drummer becomes pigeonholed, how do they break away from it without simply starting from scratch like everyone else?

Bermuda

I don't like the idea of the 'YouTube drummer' much if I'm honest but the most popular ones make quite substantial amounts of money. Certainly more than most professional musicians make from teaching.

It's no less 'real-World' than all of those things that you've listed above. I agree that it doesn't seem to quite ring true but money doesn't differentiate itself and how you make it as a musician is irrelevant. If you can make money as a musician then more power to you.

With that said, some of the 'YouTube drummers' out there are patently awful and couldn't hold a candle to many other professional players. I'm thinking specifically of Cooper - who in musical terms is a very limited player yet makes a lot of money thanks to slick presentation, effective market targeting and popular appeal. Whether or not I think that's 'right' doesn't matter. He makes money.

Would I prefer it if musicians were based on their merits and ability? Absolutely. Have that ever been the case? No. Nothing has changed, it's just the means of distribution and financial model that has.
 
Certainly not meant as a dig to her, or to anyone who has exposure online. I might do the same if starting out today. I only commented because I still wonder at what point a YT drummer gains the kind of credibility required to work in the real-world of gigs, sessions, and touring. Or, is being a YT drummer a suitable achievement? Assuming they monetize their views, there's some money to be made, but is that a career? And if that drummer becomes pigeonholed, how do they break away from it without simply starting from scratch like everyone else?

Bermuda

Totally see your points here, and agree. In the case of Annika, I think there is a lot of potential there and she seems already to be developing some professional clout, but hopefully she can use the platform she's created via YT and continue to develop.
 
With that said, some of the 'YouTube drummers' out there are patently awful and couldn't hold a candle to many other professional players. I'm thinking specifically of Cooper - who in musical terms is a very limited player yet makes a lot of money thanks to slick presentation, effective market targeting and popular appeal. Whether or not I think that's 'right' doesn't matter. He makes money.

Would I prefer it if musicians were based on their merits and ability? Absolutely. Have that ever been the case? No. Nothing has changed, it's just the means of distribution and financial model that has.

Good assessment--very much agree.
 
I just want to be the next Justin Bieber. No talent? No credibility? No problem!

;)
 
It isn't just the Youtube phenomena it just seems a biological phenomena that many of the great musicians, artists, and authors die in poverty-yet now are considered the "masters" (something like it's a biological fact that poverty increases the closer to the equator). Many of their contemporaries making the big bucks died rich and no one gives a crap now. So maybe it's some universal balance or it's just "dems da brakes".
 
Tony did move to DW before he passed away. If you actually buy the CD, "Young at Heart", there's a picture of his DW kit on that one, and that's what he used for the recording. It was nice to hear him in a trio setting. Too bad it was his final album.

There must be two versions of the album cover. I just see his face and one rather hefty drumstick with a yellow backdrop.
 
There must be two versions of the album cover. I just see his face and one rather hefty drumstick with a yellow backdrop.

No, I think it's just the one. The drum kit is showed on the back.
 
Two things. Would I rather live in poverty but be held up as a visionary years after my death, or would I rather live comfortably, enjoy myself and ultimately be forgotten. My opinion is that I'd prefer the latter.

Second thing, bringing it back to Anika. I made a point of looking up a couple of her videos last night. I urge those of you who haven't yet but might hold YouTube drummers in a dim light to have a look at some of her performances. If you're left thinking anything other than that she's an exceptional musician then I'll have to shake my head.
 
I think if she works really hard on her mugging for the camera she could be the next Meytal Cohen.
 

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Isn't it important to just have a general rule that you not only have to be fundamentally talented but you have to have done something worthwhile?

I mean otherwise we'd have to say Daniel Adair is a good drummer :p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQENo8FwPM

He's at least as mechanically gifted as all these YT people, right? But he plays for Nickelback. Ewwwww.

I don't think you need to live fast and die young ... but you need to be more than a person with the money to go to drum school and buy cameras. I'll care about Anika or Meytal or COOOOOOOOOP33333R when they're important parts of some memorable band, not flashy kids copying famous drum parts on YT.
 
Isn't it important to just have a general rule that you not only have to be fundamentally talented but you have to have done something worthwhile?

Which judge determines what is "worthwhile"? You? Me?

Nay. If an honest attempt has been made at anything, it shall be worthwhile.

http://www.gocomics.com/sarahs-scribbles/2016/09/10

I mean otherwise we'd have to say Daniel Adair is a good drummer :p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQENo8FwPM

He's at least as mechanically gifted as all these YT people, right? But he plays for Nickelback. Ewwwww.

Nope. Sorry. The band is composed of hard working musicians. So good they've lasted over a decade and are still going strong.

https://youtu.be/rtVU--O29oY
 
I think if she works really hard on her mugging for the camera she could be the next Meytal Cohen.
Quite bad comparison.
AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken said:
I mean otherwise we'd have to say Daniel Adair is a good drummer :p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQENo8FwPM

He's at least as mechanically gifted as all these YT people, right? But he plays for Nickelback. Ewwwww.
What's wrong with some of you!? I'm not AT ALL a Nickelback fan - but of course
Daniel Adair is a good drummer!! And: "mechanically gifted"?? Ever heard of
practice?!
 
Isn't it important to just have a general rule that you not only have to be fundamentally talented but you have to have done something worthwhile?

I mean otherwise we'd have to say Daniel Adair is a good drummer :p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQENo8FwPM

He's at least as mechanically gifted as all these YT people, right? But he plays for Nickelback. Ewwwww.

I don't think you need to live fast and die young ... but you need to be more than a person with the money to go to drum school and buy cameras. I'll care about Anika or Meytal or COOOOOOOOOP33333R when they're important parts of some memorable band, not flashy kids copying famous drum parts on YT.

This is an awful take in every way. Perhaps you are trying to be amusing.

1. Who is to judge that.
2. Adair has played for a ton of people on some big big stages, sold a ton of records, and is in an incredibly popular band. The Nickleback memes are as annoying as the Lars memes. like the music or not, I wouldn't say that his drumming isn't serving the song, which is really the highest compliment a drummer can get.
3. Anika is in no way in the same category as those other two. If you'd ever seen any of her music videos, you would know this.
 
This is an awful take in every way. Perhaps you are trying to be amusing.

1. Who is to judge that.
2. Adair has played for a ton of people on some big big stages, sold a ton of records, and is in an incredibly popular band. The Nickleback memes are as annoying as the Lars memes. like the music or not, I wouldn't say that his drumming isn't serving the song, which is really the highest compliment a drummer can get.
3. Anika is in no way in the same category as those other two. If you'd ever seen any of her music videos, you would know this.

You beat me to it.
Even I know how fashionable it is to insult Nickelback and their paltry contribution to music. Sorry I mean millionaire, platinum selling, arena filling, hit writing, band Nickelback. One word, jealousy
And again, let's bring it back to Anika. Am I so wrong on this that I'm seeing a hugely skilled musician at work while actually she's not all that? Or are people talking about her without doing what I did first and checking out what she does?
Finally, times change and things move on. For everyone criticising YouTube drumming as "a thing" think on the pelters Bob Dylan took when he SHOCK HORROR went electric. It didn't turn out so bad for him.
 
Quite bad comparison.

Just a bad joke but the difference in talent between Anika and Meytal is obvious. While they are both youtube phenomes Anika is good enough to tour with almost anyone she chooses. I don't think that's true for Meytal.
 
I just alerted the NY Times that Anika Nilles has switched from Mapex to Tama. So they'll take it from here.

Sorry....just couldn't resist the mild sarcasm.
 
You beat me to it.
Even I know how fashionable it is to insult Nickelback and their paltry contribution to music. Sorry I mean millionaire, platinum selling, arena filling, hit writing, band Nickelback. One word, jealousy
And again, let's bring it back to Anika. Am I so wrong on this that I'm seeing a hugely skilled musician at work while actually she's not all that? Or are people talking about her without doing what I did first and checking out what she does?
Finally, times change and things move on. For everyone criticising YouTube drumming as "a thing" think on the pelters Bob Dylan took when he SHOCK HORROR went electric. It didn't turn out so bad for him.

Backstreet Boys: 130 million albums sold.
Ace of Base: 30 million albums sold.
Vanilla Ice: 11 million albums sold.

I don't put much faith in the "they have made money so we have to respect them" camp. But, horses for courses. I'm not trying to convince you to dislike Nickelback. I just think they're terrible, which is why I used them as a reference. I could just as easily have mentioned Deen Castronovo in Styx (although I have to admit with some embarrassment that I like some Styx songs).

And if you see something great in Anika, awesome. But I see this whole YT thing in the same light as the TV singin' contests. I'm never going to stand in the rain for Clay Aiken tickets. You can tell me all day how great his pipes are, to me there's just no "there" there.

If opinions made objective sense they'd be called facts.
 
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