Behind The Sun: The Official RHCP Thread.

[Rangi Guy]

I can do what Chad does, and I am admittedly not a great drummer. I also wouldn’t want to because it would bore me to death

More like Chode - am I right?

[warehouse]

I agree that he does what the band needs him to do. It's nothing new or creative or interesting. Just playing the roll of enthusiastic anchor, with some ghost notes sprinkled in. Sorry but I don't see how that qualifies him as an all-time great.

In a world of Mars Volta and Katy Perry and Lady A, I'll take the drummer you just described any day of the week.

TMV is so much better than RHCP.

the time signature argument is so tired. if that's the standard for a great drummer than all the prog rock drummers are the best. i think drums more than most instruments are about feel, unless you are into counting beats and measures or whatever.

i'm not sure i'd put chad smith as one of my favorite drummers, but the connection between his and flea's playing is pretty obvious. the chill pepper's wouldn't be as good if matt cameron was their drummer, who i'm pretty sure is more technically sound than chad smith. no surprise, i think the best drummer in rock music is carter beauford.

[tree_]

just look at this little girl playing just as good as him, right as she learns it

[warehouse]

isn't that girl a prodigy who cover'd tom sawyer?

[wease]

I agree that he does what the band needs him to do. It's nothing new or creative or interesting. Just playing the roll of enthusiastic anchor, with some ghost notes sprinkled in. Sorry but I don't see how that qualifies him as an all-time great.

In a world of Mars Volta and Katy Perry and Lady A, I'll take the drummer you just described any day of the week.

TMV is so much better than RHCP.

the time signature argument is so tired. if that's the standard for a great drummer than all the prog rock drummers are the best. i think drums more than most instruments are about feel, unless you are into counting beats and measures or whatever.

i'm not sure i'd put chad smith as one of my favorite drummers, but the connection between his and flea's playing is pretty obvious. the chill pepper's wouldn't be as good if matt cameron was their drummer, who i'm pretty sure is more technically sound than chad smith. no surprise, i think the best drummer in rock music is carter beauford.

Steve Ferrone

[Birds in Hell]

just look at this little girl playing just as good as him, right as she learns it

You're missing the point hard, tree_.

I'd wager many drummers can play a simple 4/4 beat in time and add some embellishments.

That doesn't mean they can play it like Chad Smith plays it, or sound equally as good pushing a rhythm section and driving a song.

The important part isn't the notes being played, it's the way they're played - the groove, the feeling. It's what separates a great drummer from someone playing drums.

[tree_]

I hear your point and you're right that maybe I don't understand this concept very well. I'll let it sit with me for a while.

I guess I'm stuck with the idea that it wouldn't be that hard to emulate exactly what he's doing, including the "feel". And in that case, it's not that special. Maybe I just don't hear the "feel" you're referring to, or it's something entirely different from what I believe it to be.

[Ms Harmless]

I don't think Chad playing an RHCP song is a great example to hold up of his rudimentary technique and skill; similarly, I think Matt Cameron is far more capable a player than he demonstrates in Pearl Jam; that's what frustrates me so much about him, he's better than what he's doing half the time

if you think "I could play that easily" listening to an RHCP song, blame the lacklustre expectations of the songwriting

neither do I think that girl is just any old little girl; she's an excellent drummer for her age and RHCP presents her no challenge

[Ms Harmless]

there's some much more interesting and subtle technique going on here:

[Birds in Hell]

I hear your point and you're right that maybe I don't understand this concept very well. I'll let it sit with me for a while.

I guess I'm stuck with the idea that it wouldn't be that hard to emulate exactly what he's doing, including the "feel". And in that case, it's not that special. Maybe I just don't hear the "feel" you're referring to, or it's something entirely different from what I believe it to be.

I can do what Chad does, and I am admittedly not a great drummer.

I guarantee that if you - or that kid - had to sit behind the kit and play along with Flea and John Frusciante, it would become immediately apparent what sets Chad Smith apart.

[tragabigzanda]

[Birds in Hell]

To illustrate:



That's not to denigrate Nadi, she's a much better drummer than I am - but she isn't playing with anywhere near the power or precision of Taylor Hawkins here.

[wease]

To illustrate:



That's not to denigrate Nadi, she's a much better drummer than I am - but she isn't playing with anywhere near the power or precision of Taylor Hawkins here.

Or Dave Grohl

[wease]

there's some much more interesting and subtle technique going on here:

That little snare/hi hat lick at :42 is fucking fantastic. Hell the whole thing is amazing. tree__ must be some kind of fucking awesome drummer since he’s as good as Smith is.

[warehouse]

there's some much more interesting and subtle technique going on here:

how many different time signatures does he use, though?

seriously, that was awesome. chad smith is a beast

[tree_]

Obviously that’s much better than the usual RHCP stuff I was referring to

[smallest_oceans]

Same era.

Even just the first two mins of this show his groove, and how he pushes the beat.

[oasisfan35]

Same era.

Even just the first two mins of this show his groove, and how he pushes the beat.

Take the stick, I cannot not use it.

[Ms Harmless]

that shuffle was great

[wease]

Same era.

Even just the first two mins of this show his groove, and how he pushes the beat.

Thanks for sharing that. It’s something I’ve been working on with my own playing over the past 3-4 years. I never learned about playing with ghost notes when I started playing and using them and incorporating them into my style has been a challenge.