Discouragement for Chops I Don't Have

Whoa.

I never knew this was such a volatile subject.

I was just expressing a bit of discomfort, never meant to start a war.

And yes, I know that jazz requires more technique, which is why I'm focusing on it a lot more than before.

Excuse me if I sounded ignorant. I guess that's what I get, being young (haven't even graduated high-school yet)



I meant those were the kind of things flashy drummers do in drum cover videos on YouTube. Sorry if that was unclear.

Apologies if I used inappropriate diction, thereby causing rising tensions because of my ignorance. I'm just an ambitious kid who is still learning. I got all the info I needed in this subject though, so thank you guys.

Oh, and I'm new to this forum... I guess I should've stated that earlier.

You didn't start this war. You just reminded us about it lol. Really, it's all good. Nothing personal. It's a hot button and that's just the way it is. Who knew?
 
Whoa.

I never knew this was such a volatile subject.

I was just expressing a bit of discomfort, never meant to start a war.

Hahahaa, you'd be surprised!


Oh, and I'm new to this forum... I guess I should've stated that earlier.

You've had a baptism of fire, and survived - so stick around and don't be afraid to chip in. Everybody has unique insights: even the people who have done it all don't necessarily know it all.
 
In my mind, technique is how you execute, not what you choose to play. Chops is what you choose to play, and the word implies more intricate, "dense" playing, at least to me anyway.. The concept needs to be clearly defined before we can weigh in on it.

THANK YOU! Also MileHighDrummer.

"Chops" is a much abused term around here.

However, we don't have to guess or make something up; Merriam-Webster defines chops as "skill or excellence in a particular field or activity (such as acting or playing music)"

How that skill is applied seems to be what is under debate.

I think what people often mean in the endless threads on "Chops vs. Groove" is FLASH vs. Groove.

Merriam-Webster: Flash (n) "a fancy or exciting quality or appearance that is meant to attract attention to something that is usually not very good or interesting"

Not "always" but "usually."

So the next time I see a thread about "chops," I'm going to ask the OP just what they mean by "chops." I think it could prevent a lot of consternation and keyboard hammering.

To me, "chops" means "the ability to execute the ideas that pop into my head." It doesn't mean "building up a collection of hard-to-play licks that I can trot out in absence of inspiration." When inspiration lags (and it inevitably does at some point), I have my fallbacks, but they involve playing more simply, which sometimes magically restarts the inspiration.

I do have my collection of beats and licks, but they are not chosen for difficulty or for their ability to impress other musicians.

And about those videos of some drummer wailing away by themselves in a room (often on a pristine kit that looks like it's never spent a day outside the house)? I suspect there's a reason there's nobody else there. It's like the 15-string bass videos.
 
Indeed. I'm guessing most non-muso, non-drummers, think chops are what you show off during a solo. A drummer can have a ton of chops but play them so subtlely that you just can't hear them stand out.

+1 Eddie Money - Baby Hold On: drums - Gary Mallaber
 
Whoa.

I never knew this was such a volatile subject.

I was just expressing a bit of discomfort, never meant to start a war.

And yes, I know that jazz requires more technique, which is why I'm focusing on it a lot more than before.

Excuse me if I sounded ignorant. I guess that's what I get, being young (haven't even graduated high-school yet)

I meant those were the kind of things flashy drummers do in drum cover videos on YouTube. Sorry if that was unclear.

Apologies if I used inappropriate diction, thereby causing rising tensions because of my ignorance. I'm just an ambitious kid who is still learning. I got all the info I needed in this subject though, so thank you guys.

Oh, and I'm new to this forum... I guess I should've stated that earlier.

Don't worry, it's us, not you :)

Punishment for any attempt to compare or weigh up the relative merits of "chops" and "groove" is an intense bout of re-education. There will be reminders of concepts like headroom and of the skills needed to plays grooves well. You can usually expect mentions of Thomas Lang and Steve Jordan, maybe Jo Jo Mayer.

Funny how forums build their little subcultures. This is a much mellower forum than most I've been to. Just don't mention the "c" word hehe

As for your topic - it is easy to be intimidated by hotshots. It makes you wonder if you have anything worthwhile to offer.

But ... if you actually listen to what's happening, does it actually sound good? Nice? Pleasurable? Tasty? Groovy? Classy? Interesting? Imaginative? Or does it sound like a whole lot of unrelenting dense notes that quickly gives a listener ear fatigue?

Apart from heavy music, when the drummer goes berserk, other instruments get swamped, and the other players are forced to hold it down or drop out to avoid clashing.

I've often heard tunes where I wished the drummer would play cleaner and lay back a bit more, and let the music breathe. Other musicians appreciate being given room to move by a listening drummer who leaves space, especially if they can also fire up when needed.

It's unlikely that drum shop heroes and drum cover stars would be able to play anything like what they play if they were in a band setting.

My cent
 
I try to learn new things all the time, and try to incorporate that into my playing, but, when I play with my band, I concentrate on knowing my limitations, and try to play what I know extremely well.
 
Where did my dead horse stick go...
 
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