First things first... I don't know if this is a rarity, but I actually find enjoyment in keeping it simple on the drums, I actually enjoy playing less as opposed to more, from being inspired by drummers like Bernard Purdie, Steve Jordan and David Garibaldi.
Going a bit off topic, awhile ago I was prepping for a live audition for jazz studies in university. During that time period, I watched other drummers on Youtube perform for their audition tapes. When it was time for my audition day, I was exposed to those whose playing level far exceeded mine. I was frightened as Hell because, well first of all I wasn't used to seeing people my age play at my level (in real life) and both the drummers I watched online and the drummers I saw on my audition day used crazy fast licks and had mad chops, while my playing style was much more conservative.
Also, lately, my friends have been showing me drum cover videos in which the drummer, again, has fast licks, mad chops, and does a crazy fill every ten seconds. It's starting to become very demoralizing being compared to others.
In the past, I used to not work on chops at all 'cause I considered groove far more important. I figured that with working on groove exercises, chops would come naturally, but clearly I was wrong. Now, I consider chops to be of equal importance of groove, and I'm working on chops as much as my groove, but I feel the constant pressure for being exposed to so many people who are using mad chops to impress others. Like I said before, it's kinda discouraging because maybe my personal style is too simplistic for others.
Sorry if this seems like some tedious, dumb self-pity rant. I just need to know if I should stick to my original mindset and not worry about those other drummers or if I should just suck it up and take this as a message to work on my chops more than ever.
Going a bit off topic, awhile ago I was prepping for a live audition for jazz studies in university. During that time period, I watched other drummers on Youtube perform for their audition tapes. When it was time for my audition day, I was exposed to those whose playing level far exceeded mine. I was frightened as Hell because, well first of all I wasn't used to seeing people my age play at my level (in real life) and both the drummers I watched online and the drummers I saw on my audition day used crazy fast licks and had mad chops, while my playing style was much more conservative.
Also, lately, my friends have been showing me drum cover videos in which the drummer, again, has fast licks, mad chops, and does a crazy fill every ten seconds. It's starting to become very demoralizing being compared to others.
In the past, I used to not work on chops at all 'cause I considered groove far more important. I figured that with working on groove exercises, chops would come naturally, but clearly I was wrong. Now, I consider chops to be of equal importance of groove, and I'm working on chops as much as my groove, but I feel the constant pressure for being exposed to so many people who are using mad chops to impress others. Like I said before, it's kinda discouraging because maybe my personal style is too simplistic for others.
Sorry if this seems like some tedious, dumb self-pity rant. I just need to know if I should stick to my original mindset and not worry about those other drummers or if I should just suck it up and take this as a message to work on my chops more than ever.
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