Groove Freedom App

[drum6282]

I'm not sure if any of you guys have seen the Mike Johnston posts on fb regarding his "new" teaching method called, Groove Freedom. He and a developer created an app to help with playing different groove patterns from his Groove Freedom book. Several "name" educators are pissed about this and even calling him out as a thief on fb, accusing him of stealing Gary Chaffee's Time Functioning Patterns.

To me, it's a great way to see it presented, but it is exactly Gary's method. He acknowledges the patterns are nothing new, but doesn't give Gary Chaffee credit either, which is what everyone's pissed about. He says in one of the videos, "What's new is that I've written them all out"...that's a weak argument. I would've gone the route of "it's a new way to present Gary Chaffee's Time Functioning Patterns". Lots of guys are heated because he's making money off this. What's your take?

Mike Johnston's "new" way




Gary Chaffee's way

[Julián Fernández]

To me, everything that comes from MJ feels false and imposed. He´s gonna sell a ton. Good for him. At the end of the day, to me, it´s about playing the drums and not being a pro salesman.

[percusski]

Repackaging, rebranding....Did Gary Chester's book come before Chaffee's? same stuff in there.... It's all based on a methodical system of working through all the possible variations, Bozzio has talked about it for years.
I don't know about you guys but I'm just bored of hearing about people like Johnston and Cobus... These people rewarded for mediocrity

[langmick]

I'm personally literally waiting anxiously for the Indyke Concepts App.

[Lucas Ives]

Kenny Washington once told me that a lot of drummers in Chapin's era were quite pissed he put out Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer ... similar reasons.

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

Funny thing is Jim didn't put it out himself, his mom did.

[Old Pit Guy]

I'm not sure if any of you guys have seen the Mike Johnston posts on fb regarding his "new" teaching method called, Groove Freedom. Several "name" educators are pissed about this and even calling him out as a thief on fb, accusing him of stealing Gary Chaffee's Time Functioning Patterns.

He acknowledges the patterns are nothing new, but doesn't give Gary Chaffee credit either, which is what everyone's pissed about. What's your take?

There's something inherently inauthentic with his entire persona and approach, so it doesn't surprise me at all that he'd take the patterns verbatim and use them to make money.
I don't say this to bash him over this app. I've felt this way since Blushda-gate and will always feel this way because it's just there, on camera.

[Cymbalfeltfetishist]

I don't know, it just sounds like you guys are above it...it comes off that way at least. I mean, who really cares. Is it the end of the world because there is some guy trying to make a living? There are a million youtubers out there teaching the same ol shit over and over and over again. A few guys are making money at it. There is nothing super new out there at all. Its rehash material. I check out the youtubers to get another perspective on "whatever" the topic is that I'm trying to figure out. I have the old books - Stick Control, Chapin's book etc etc etc and of course they are classic and helpful. I also go on youtube and check people out. That is one of the ways I learned how to play a long time ago - there were books of course, but then there were drum video's - all kinds - from performance vid's to teaching vid's. It was a great tool. Now BAM - its all over the place. A lot of it is shit - but you have to take the good and throw away the rest. I don't know, I haven't bought Mike Johnson's app or web lessons or drum camps or Jered whats his name web lessons, have you guys? Is Mike J a bad drummer? He seems ok to me. Executes very well. I don't get all the bashing I guess. I am really surprised about it. Nobody is making you buy his crap are they? You don't like his demeaner? Ok, that is valid I suppose. That can be a turn off.. but You aren't going to please everybody especially if you put yourself out there. I could care less about Mike J....I forgot what the beef was about his blushda post and/or vid...he doesnt own the blushda. Steve Holmes doesn't own the blushda. Steve Smith doesn't own the blushda. Tony Williams owns the blushda. His family should start sueing everybody that teaches it I guess.... Relax good people. Learn what you want to learn and who you want to learn from. Mikey J isn't the only guy out there.

The drummers that really turn me on are the ones that have their own voice on the instrument - ones that REALLY made a difference with their MUSIC and their drumming...Gadd Copeland Bonham Vinnie Weckl Buddy Cobham Donati. Definitely not Mike J Jared Tobias...but they are not there because they have there own style. They are so insignificant to me....but they don't hurt me either.

[Julián Fernández]

Blushda-gate

[Old Pit Guy]

duplicate post. Sort of.