The Impact of the Internet on Drumming

[YamahaPlayer]

I believe the Internet is consolidating a lot of proprietary knowledge. Stuff we've considered privileged information is becoming institutionalized. In the near future I think we'll begin to see young drummers who seamlessly move between diverse genres, like say rock and drum-n-bass, whereas in the past each genre was left to the exclusion of specialists ... it's the age of the generalist.

That's probably the best way of putting it.

Though I think the Gospel Chops are more an extension of the instrument itself evolving, and I think in so much as that "GC" thing has already reached it's peak and is on the decline.

[whitehousec]

The fact that it's being discussed online should give you an indication of the kind of impact it's had. The community is MASSIVE now because of the internet. I can't really remember a drumming community pre internet. The fact that I can share info, tips, advice, ask for help, share my ideas on drumming from Scotland to you guys all over the world is amazing.

In short, for me certainly, it's helped my outlook and actual playing tremendously and at times reignited the spark. If I ever feel like I'm having a bad drum day, this forum can change that in a matter of minutes - clips shared, the media section and just the general banter and enthusiasm for our art!

[Old Pit Guy]

And some would argue that the curve is skewing so that mediocrity is the new good.

[YamahaPlayer]

Definitely, in the age of the generalist ( I like that !), it'll be the specialist that rises above - and thus the circle will come back around.


But all said and done. I don't see anyone emerging on the scene like the "greats", at least any more or less so then at any other point in time. There's a LOT of drumming but that is to say, you don't see a significantly larger amount of great drumming, or even innovative drumming. Buddy didn't need the internet to be Buddy.
And as much as you can know learn all the stuff Chaffee or Dawson taught - it doesn't seem like people are really latching onto that reality.

I still have my students work through Stick Control.... because despite the wonders of the information age, it's the pretty rare student who's even worked through the 40.

[Gaddabout]

Isn't anyone concerned about the 'Idiocracy' effect of the Internet on drumming?

For those not familiar, Idiocracy is a great and funny movie in which the future is depicted as a world run by a bunch of idiots (literally). idiots take over the world because the intelligent were phased out of existence because, simply put: stupid people had more sex and more kids. NOT what this thread is about.

This theory holds that the collective knowledge of the group becomes the 'bar' or standard. This begs the question: with the Internet, is the bar being raised by the mass distribution of pro material (audio, video ,etc) OR is the flux of amatuer and stupid 'experts' actually dumbing down the standard of excellence.

I think the idiocracy effect has always been the human condition, we're just more aware of it now. I don't think you can fight it. People still trust their friends on technical issues like science and philosophy than they trust academics. And anyone who's played the game of grapevine knows knowledge passed from person to person gets mutated from factual to subjectional information.

The fact remains there's still quality information on the Internet for the discerning consumer they probably didn't have access to before. That alone makes all the other problems minor, IMO.

[deseipel]

The other effects of the Internet include Information overload. Pre-Internet, I had my head buried in Chafee's Time Functioning patterns. And in retrospect, it seems like the most productive time in my drumming career. But then again, I was young. There are many times where, during practice, I simply don't know what to study: Chafee, Chapin or Stick control. I usually mix it up. I think the short answer is: depends on your drumming goals.

Personally, sometimes I feel like it's a burden to have all these resources (the Internet) readily available. And I only think that because the Internet shows us how many great players there are out there. Theres's a sense of 'obligation' to the craft that you feel you have to keep up with. But that's pretty silly. All these videos that are posted should be inspiration, not obligation. And thats what it is, inspiration.

I should've been a carpenter instead of getting into Technology I think.

[YamahaPlayer]

What's that line from Good Will Hunting?

"You spent $150,000 on an education you coulda got for a buck fifty in late charges at the local library."

Still holds true today. Despite so much information being (instead of a short walk or drive), only a few clicks, people are still people, and they need the structure of education, need to pay for results and need to have someone tell them what to do.