5 Reasons You’re Still an Intermediate Drummer

[@egrojz6221]

The language analogy is fantastic because it can be extended even beyond what you covered in the video (great content btw). There's the pragmatic level, where you are able to control the tone and intention of what you are saying. This is where you are also able to "read the room" and adjust your ideas to the context, or manipulate the language units with a purpose (pauses, word plays, intonation, comedic timing, etc.) These are also areas the drummers we admire excel at consistently, especially when playing with other musicians.

[@DPZ53]

Really insightful topic, thanks Nate. The Garibaldi clips were a great insert; reminded me of a clinic I attended where DG really drilled down on the importance of "mixing" the volume and voicing of each element of the kit. Appreciate the content always!

[@carlupthegrove262]

This is great stuff. I believe most of us have asked ourselves many times "what makes the pros sound so good". And why don't I sound like that. This is a wonderful short but incisive explanation. Thanks.

[@thetornado]

OMG!!! I have been using those videos that simulate how English sounds to foreigners as a means of describing what cats that don't quite "have it" sound like for YEARS!!! Finally, someone else gets it

[@joetrollson]

Yeee. I needed something like this. Thank you so much.

[@DrLetMeBFrank]

This is really informative. I'm still at the beginner stage, but I'm hoping to have these problems in the next months/years.

[@Acemechanicalservices]

Since you featured Garinaldi, I think Future Sounds is a great platform to work on all of this stuff. For a long time, that book along with an independence book, Wilcoxin, stick control and Dawson’s Ritual played over various ostinatos was the core of my study.

[@michaelvarney4723]

That disclaimer segment is some of the best educational content on youtube ❤

[@bbj7383]

Thanks Nate... Youre the only one doing this kind of stuff and it's soooo important for us intermediate drummers. Love these type of videos Thanks

[@harrycrab8725]

I love Nate’s approach and I still struggle with micro time and basics. But I also think that the number one thing you should do is play music with other people every day if you can, and record everything and listen back to all of it. The locals I know who are great players play 300-plus gigs a year. Otherwise you run the risk of becoming a technician, a professional practicer, but with little to offer in the ‘real world’ on the bandstand.

[@jazzride]

Great Topic....helps to unlock some of the advanced but hidden skills many of our heroes have established within their approach.

[@divamoltheromanticnihilist4215]

Loved the disclaimer - nothing will mess with your playing more than trying to play and having a convo with yourself at the same time - that you are not good enough and being judged.

[@sebastiannanook531]

man, I really love this chanel. Been playing for 7 years and I've had this sensation of me mimicking the playing I wanted, I know I'm close but I know I'm not "there" yet. Thanks so much for the advice, never took a moment to realize this little details.

[@jonashellborg8320]

I agree with that statement of “echoes” of a cool thing a pro did. When we know less, and we hear less details, totally agree that we can listen to a great drummer play and absorb a small portion of that, and then not sound the same despite weeks of practise. I find it fun to go back and listen to the same album after I think I made some progress, and see what nuances and details I can pick out this time.

[@DaGretschguy]

Great video Nate! Thank you!

[@excessivesalamander3542]

Yoo does anyone know where I can find the video of Garinaldi at 7:17 Groovy as hell

[@krupboom]

Very interesting Nate. At rehearsal last night, I just focussed on sub-divisions as a way of seeing how this translated. It had quite an effect on how I heard myself and the solidity it gave to the band. It was particularly stark as the lead guitarist wasn't there and we were down to three members - nowhere to hide in a trio!!

[@morganneher8643]

Attention to stick height has been the biggest thing lately that has made a great difference 👍👍👍

[@ALLforROME]

Right on! Good job sir 🎉

[@vincealbertmusic]

Feel is such an abstract concept. I think it’s more on what you want out of the drum set. Getting to the core of the groove is a lifelong process. We’re all intermediate drummers depending on who we compare ourselves against.

[@8020drummer]

Maybe, but also meh… Like, is speaking English a matter of what we want to get out of the pronunciation of the words? Sure, but only past a certain level.

[@MircoWessels]

good Video. Let me add the Benny Greb/Udo Dahmen 3 steps: 1. What do you play? 2. How do you play it? 3. Why do you play it?

[@ermesborgnino4704]

This was very good Nate. i learned quite a bit from this venture into the rationale for intermediateness. i'm starting to like your videos more and more the more time i put into drumming.

[@TheNExperience]

Amazing video! I've been stuck at intermediate for a long time, not really sure how to get better...this video is gold because it helped me try to assess what sorts of things differentiate my serviceable drumming from a "really good" drummer. Like I think I need less work on macrotime, but stick height, zones and subdivisions all could be seriously improved. Will defo incorporate these drills to help improve my playing :)

[@drummendous]

Great video! I wonder if your neighbors think lost it with some of those drummer A vs. B ideas..?

[@simonhoy7775]

Language is a good analogy because the way we phrase our speech is unique to our individual self expression.

[@steverichdrummr]

Thanks Nate. Another great video.

[@TheJennivision1]

Crazy helpful thanks

[@gjcart26]

Brother this is good.. thank you

[@AlexanderVanMeerten]

Not flamming is very important. And counting out loud is also very useful.

[@Drumcity2011]

Love this. You are still inspiring me !

[@Doublebasist]

A great lesson thanks Nate. I agree with you of course and i think there is an extra element of confidence too which wil, be an individual element. In private i have a confidence to be free to express myself on the drums but in public i turn into a quivering mess and become severely impaired. Even when 1 person might be listening. A pro may play with that confidence and freedom from the gate. Just a thought. D

[@8020drummer]

It just takes reps

[@ruffryder13]

For me, it's also why I'm a beginner drummer! ...dynamics are especially hard for me right now.

[@El_Bicho_Feo]

One thing I can’t seem to control on the drums is volume… especially when playing at faster tempos. I know that’s a huge stumbling block because I can do so much more at low to moderate volume, but when performing, I seem to lose control a lot more quickly & frequently. Playing loud slows the tempo, which cascades into a whole lot of other bad-sounding drumming as I try to correct. Any advice for controlling volume would be most welcome…

[@8020drummer]

It’s probably going to be situation specific.

[@wilkinsnl]

I always feel like I’ll be intermediate. I don’t ever presume to ever attain expert or master level. There’s just so much to learn and physically master to be able to break out.

[@DirtySk8RatStaney]

This is for me….. I’ve been stuck here for decades…

[@upsetkidpanda1869]

when you speak about macrotime isnt that achievable with a metronome?

[@sixstarhorizon295]

I prefer rimshots slightly out from the centre. Seems to project and 'crack' a bit more

[@8020drummer]

As long as it’s consistent and you can control it

[@bahgo]

These are all great tips but they seem to be focused on being "in the pocket". My two favorite drummers, Mitch Mitchell and Bill Ward, are just balls out psycho and way out of the pocket.

[@dannyv5385]

My favs too!

[@sravansuresh589]

wow!!

[@freakeyzekey07]

Thought it ironic that both drummers you use as examples, Cory Fonville and Nate Smith, are from the same hometown

[@moneybot646]

Man how you get a rating from Nate I’m interested if it’s not too expensive

[@8020drummer]

Welp, mailing list ;)

[@moneybot646]

I’ve seen your videos for few years now but somehow I’m completely unaware of it I will investigate . Thank you for replying

[@endlessmike1611]

3:27 lol I love her

[@alexmanojmathews]

Very apt time u dropped this video Nate. Guy asks me how my drumming is coming along - 4 days after he tells me to learn Moby Dick . Im shitting in my pants !!!

[@Darrylizer1]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua!

[@Vladriguez]

Fuck comparing yourself to someone. just live this life.

[@christopherjobe2260]

@7:00 I like “drummer A” better 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jktunney]

think this is accurate from a technical standpoint, but i think it leaves out the critical aspect of musicality.

[@8020drummer]

Of course you’re right, but there’s a bit of order of operations. It’s a bit like saying “learning basic words and phrases in a new language is important, but it leaves out what Story you want to tell.” Ok, maybe, but not super useful for the person who’s just trying to clear the bottlenecks to self-expression. What’s more, as JP says, learning this stuff will Also give people better ideas to play. It’s not like everybody’s got super well-formed musical thoughts in their heads and learning a little technique is going to pull them in the wrong direction. They have vague ideas of cool drumming they’ve heard.

[@bishopoftroy]

Nowdays great drumming is linear chops played fast.

[@8020drummer]

i hope this is a troll ;)

[@steverichdrummr]

@@8020drummer Yes, nowadays great drumming to me is "less is more" drummers, who drive the band with solid time and feel. PERIOD!

[@8020drummer]

@@steverichdrummr ok, but what are component parts to that? Why does Steve smith sound better than your average bear? 😉

[@steverichdrummr]

@@8020drummer Nate, thanks but I hope you know that I am NOT the one who wrote this post, just responding to it ( and you). Respectfully Nate, I can't answer your question, because I actually watch your videos to learn from. I don't think I have much knowledge to offer.

[@steverichdrummr]

Hi Nate. It's funny, you know, I just re-read my post from earlier and even I don't like the way it read. It sucks, because when you are not actually talking on the phone or in person, you typed words can easily come out not the way you meant them. When I read MY word : PERIOD, it makes me sound like I was not in sinc with the ideas in your video, which is so not the case. I was simply adding to you thoughts and viewpoint, totally not discrediting anything on your video. Damn, I hate this social media sometimes. I wish I could just talk to you, and we would then understand each other, with no conflict!

[@blonep]

Damn why you talking about me like that lol

[@bigword3744]

Being neurodivergent helps.

[@jemmace2586]

Yep all true in a lot of cases, but then you have these pros playing along to really, really bad backing tracks, oh so perfectly but... Totally uninspiring in every way. Drums without real music is meaningless. An oxymoron in fact. In conclusion modern society and the direction we're ALL headed is not a very good place at all. Music in the main is dead, hence, so is drum's and drumming. Get good, for what FPS.

[@mellowtron214]

*So you consider yourself above intermediate? The language analogy is one I’ve used often, strokes are letters, patterns are words, beats are sentences, sections are paragraphs, genres are FOREIGN LANGUAGES. One thing I’ve found is that many beginner and intermediate drummers miss the dynamics of PUNCTUATION! The build ups, the chokes, the barks, buzz rolls, cymbal swells, going from one energy level to another, the intros and outros. The sonic escalation from closed hat, to slightly open hat, to wide open hat, to blend with a crash, to full crash, to crash blended with a China, to full China to crashing on a ride and climaxing with a gong. Ghost notes and bell accents. Left foot hat accents and stomping it open to get a nice splash. There is a thing pro drummers do that gets over looked, and in the analogy of spoken/written language, the best I can come up with is punctuation.*

[@8020drummer]

Imho that’s a second order problem l, much like worrying about commas va semicolons when you can’t put a basic subject + verb together with correct pronunciation and grammar.

[@8020drummer]

I’ve also just seen your other comments and you said “you quite dislike the way I drum”. I have to wonder whether there’s some mild autism behind the way you put that comment, but it does shade your credibility on anything else you say, imho.

[@Coopdawg722]

Great video 80/20 there is always 1 jackass in the crowd, liked subscribed