Just throw in the towel

I've wanted to quit several times watching the YouTube kids nail stuff. Helps to have supportive parents and lessons and most importantly, a place where you can play without fear of eviction. At this point in my life and playing, I'm just glad I can still play and even play some of the faster/more complex stuff I want. Well before my wrist surgery, Everlong become a target to achieve again. My left wrist still can't keep up with that song.

Nandi's a great player. Hope she doesn't loose her way gaining fame early in life.
 
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AzHeat said:
Everlong has become a target to achieve again.
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Everlong is a worthy target no matter what.

AzHeat said:
Nandi's a great player. Hope she doesn't loose her way gaining fame early in life.
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In her own videos she mentions how supportive her parents are, and it’s way beyond saying, “Sure, play the drums.” Her dad knows she’s talented and is supporting her like a road manager.
 
Every time I watch a talented kid perform, I want to sell my kit and climb a tree with a 12 pack.
There are a lot of talented kids out there, from a variety of countries, that have one hell of a future, if they stick with it.
I watched a kid the other night named Caleb H that played Rush's Subdivisions. I think he was 8.
Nandi is great. You have to love her positive energy and enthusiasm.
 
Ever since I got interested in drumming, there has always been a wunderkind with incredible chops/skill that made the rounds.

Well before social media, there were stories, clinic appearances and TV clips featuring children with exceptional skills at drums.

Does anyone remember Jacob Armen? He was all over TV, hanging with Louis Bellson, doing NAMM appearances, etc, at a very young age. There was another kid right before him. And dozens upon dozens more after. And with youtube, it seems every few months there is one more kid who's doing something incredible.

Most fade into obscurity. Some actually continue to make a name as adults (Tony Royster Jr, Brooks Wackerman, Thomas Pridgeon), but far more fade away once the novelty wears off.

Sure, there is a brief moment of "I can't believe this person is better than me" but it doesn't affect what you do. If you're in a band, have played big shows, or recorded an album you're proud of, these kids don't take that away from you. No one forgets "insert drummer who played on a song you like" because someone else has more chops/skill at age 10 than that drummer did at age 30.

They are fun videos to look at for the moment, but it's not really throw in the towel worthy.
 
To me, kids like Nandi are a cause for celebration. It's not their chops or age defying ability, it's the joy & exhilaration on display, & remembering just a tiny dose of that at key moments in my early life.

As for throwing in the towel, why on earth would anyone do so on the basis of experiencing a player with more facility than yourself? It's not as if such a discovery is a surprise. If you view playing an instrument as a "must win", you've created a joy sink, & already lost the plot IMHO.
 
Andy said:
As for throwing in the towel, why on earth would anyone do so on the basis of experiencing a player with more facility than yourself? It's not as if such a discovery is a surprise. If you view playing an instrument as a "must win", you've created a joy sink, & already lost the plot IMHO.
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The throwing in the towel thing was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but it's always demoralizing to have someone do things you can't do with relatively little time or effort. By comparison, when I watch someone like Sucherman do amazing things, I feel inspired because I know he put in the hours. That makes me feel like I could get there too if I put in the time. Prodigies make you feel like it's all up to the genetic lottery.
 
Mastiff said:
The throwing in the towel thing was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but it's always demoralizing to have someone do things you can't do with relatively little time or effort. By comparison, when I watch someone like Sucherman do amazing things, I feel inspired because I know he put in the hours. That makes me feel like I could get there too if I put in the time. Prodigies make you feel like it's all up to the genetic lottery.
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Prodigies still have to work on it.
 
Mastiff said:
Maybe someone already posted this?

Been working "toward" this song for a few years. Still a long way to go. My only solace is that she glossed over the double bass fill sections a bit, but still blows away what I can do in terms of pulling off the entire song. Damn kids. ;)

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Damn she's good!
 
boomstick said:
I think the hardest trick is creating a drum part that other people want to copy.
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This is why drummers like Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, Gavin Harrison, and Billy Cobham have made such an influential impact on others. Reach for the stars.
 
Haha that was great! Love the Foofighters.. and Dave Grohl .. really solid drumming by Nandi.
That song.. reminds me of one summer in the 80s, when I had their first album (cassette) and played it over and over and over... I thought they would go far!
 
moxman said:
Haha that was great! Love the Foofighters.. and Dave Grohl .. really solid drumming by Nandi.
That song.. reminds me of one summer in the 80s, when I had their first album (cassette) and played it over and over and over... I thought they would go far!
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That and Hemispheres were my favorite Rush albums by far.
 
I was thinking about this topic a little bit last night, literally while I was playing on stage. About how I can't play remotely close to what these kids are playing these days. And that I'm still having fun playing it, and the people at the club were having fun listening to us.

I carried on, playing my variations of the money beat, smiling all the way...

And I LOVE watching Nandi play. She's infectious...and a badass
 
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