Favorite Percussionist

by **S2M** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:32 am

I'll try to include everyone this time....

by **Behshad** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:37 am

StocktontoMalone wrote:I'll try to include everyone this time....

Um you forgot,,, :lol:

by **S2M** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:38 am

Behshad wrote:
StocktontoMalone wrote:I'll try to include everyone this time....

Um you forgot,,,

I had 11 more, but thread said I had too many....

I had Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, Nicko McBrain, Ainsley, Prairie, Chester Thompson...etc....

by **Suzanne** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:39 am

Geez- that was a hard decision. I voted for Smitty but Alex VH is awesome too.

by **Tito** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:39 am

If Steve Smith aka Smitty doesn't win this and win this going away, you people don't know what you are talking about.

by **bluejeangirl76** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:43 am

Tito wrote:If Steve Smith aka Smitty doesn't win this and win this going away, you people don't know what you are talking about.

If I have to pick best or favorite living drummer, then yes... Smith all the way.
But sorry. Moonie takes it. You don't get better than Moonie. You just don't.

by **madsplash** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:46 am

I love Smitty, but Vinne C. is the best drummer of all time, followed by Smitty and Weckl.

by **Carla777** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:47 am

StocktontoMalone wrote:I'll try to include everyone this time....

and yes you did!!! really difficult this time, all this drummer are great, but personally i was between Bonham, Paice or Powell...i go with Cozy Powell (R.I.P.), my all time fav :wink:

by **RossValoryRocks** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:56 am

Is this professionally or as a person???

Smitty is one of the best, Peart is the best, hand's down as far as techical drumming.

Personally though I like Deen.

by **Voyager** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:17 am

Best Percussionist of All Time:

Neil Peart

Being a drummer myself there is no contest in my book. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater comes in at a close second. They are both very technical drummers. Smitty is good be he's no Neil Peart and I'm sure he would be humble enough to admit it. People may think other drummers are good, but when you study the technical aspect of drumming it no longer becomes a popularity contest.

by **Liquid_Drummer** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:17 am

Number one for me isnt on the list.. It goes like this for me..

Buddy Rich then Dave Weckl, Smitty and Peart in that order.

Peart is an awesome rock drummer however on a technical level (I have been playing for 27 years myself so I know what I am talking about) Peart isnt anywhere near Smitty and he says so himself on the burning for Buddy tribute that he put together. He was quoted as saying something like.. "I have seen Steve play many times but this time there was an obvious growth in his playing. It was amazing to see how easy he made it look and when I asked him his secret his answer was Freddie.

He is talking about Freddie Gruber. Steve Smith, Dave Weckl and Peart have all taken lessons from this guy and reinvented their playing. The before and after was amazing. Peart didnt gain so much because he stuck with rock while the formers were more jazz oriented. Rock can be restrictive to a drummer as jazz can be almost all improv so you have many chances to spread your wings. Rock is more confining.

by **Ehwmatt** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:24 am

Portnoy and Peart for me.

Honorable mentions to Steve Smith, Jeff Porcaro, and Phil Collins

There really are so many great drummers out there though. Drumming doesn't get the respect it deserves - incredibly difficult, musically and physically.

by **Ehwmatt** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:25 am

Voyager wrote:Best Percussionist of All Time:

Neil Peart

Being a drummer myself there is no contest in my book. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater comes in at a close second. They are both very technical drummers. Smitty is good be he's no Neil Peart and I'm sure he would be humble enough to admit it. People may think other drummers are good, but when you study the technical aspect of drumming it no longer becomes a popularity contest.

I just have to laugh when drum nerds critique Portnoy's grip or any other drummer's technical nuances or supposed deficiencies. It's like all right dickhead, can you play the parts (better yet, write parts like that) with your holy and perfect technique?

Oh and I'm not critiquing your point. Kinda reads like that now that I read it over. Musicality/innovation trump technique for me always. It's tougher for me to apply that with guitarists, being one myself, but I try and hold myself to it. Great technique on any instrument doesn't mean shit unless you can apply it and Peart and Portnoy obviously do!

by **S2M** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:38 am

Ehwmatt wrote:
Voyager wrote:Best Percussionist of All Time:

Neil Peart

Being a drummer myself there is no contest in my book. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater comes in at a close second. They are both very technical drummers. Smitty is good be he's no Neil Peart and I'm sure he would be humble enough to admit it. People may think other drummers are good, but when you study the technical aspect of drumming it no longer becomes a popularity contest.

I just have to laugh when drum nerds critique Portnoy's grip or any other drummer's technical nuances or supposed deficiencies. It's like all right dickhead, can you play the parts (better yet, write parts like that) with your holy and perfect technique?

Oh and I'm not critiquing your point. Kinda reads like that now that I read it over. Musicality/innovation trump technique for me always. It's tougher for me to apply that with guitarists, being one myself, but I try and hold myself to it. Great technique on any instrument doesn't mean shit unless you can apply it and Peart and Portnoy obviously do!

+1

I've always liked Peart. Since '78 I've studied this guy. I cannot drum one lick, but I've got every Rush Cd, every Rush DVD, and every Peart instructional DVD. I literally worship the guy. That being said, I agree with Liquid - he really hasn't grown in over 20 years. In fact, I think he has regressed since he studied with Gruber(just prior to 1996s T4E), I guess Freddie made him use a different grip(orthodox, traditional?), told him to raise his drums, and taught him about 'circles', but does that make him better? His drum solo has stayed the same since 'A Show of Hands' (The Rhythm Method). Der Trommler, and O' Baterista are basically the same as Rhythm Method. I enjoy his pre-Test for Echo playing. And his pre-Signals style - both playing and writing drum parts are levels above anything he has played since. He is my favorite, but he has regressed, IMHO.

by **Deb** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:39 am

RossValoryRocks wrote:Is this professionally or as a person???

Smitty is one of the best, Peart is the best, hand's down as far as techical drumming.

Personally though I like Deen.

That's what I was wondering too. Technically best vs. favorite? I usually favor 'feel' over 'technically best'. Smitty is technically better, but thread asks 'favorite' so mine is Deen too. Fun to watch him play. Mind you, Tommy Lee is fun to watch too when he gets going. :lol:

by **SusieP** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:42 am

Erm...............you forgot......................http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SSAd9tM ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTDI-jgM ... re=related

However I vote Ian Paice. Best technician IMO.
Neil Peart just has the most drums.

But you can't play 'em all at once. Bloody show off. :twisted:

by **Ehwmatt** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:48 am

StocktontoMalone wrote:
Ehwmatt wrote:
Voyager wrote:Best Percussionist of All Time:

Neil Peart

Being a drummer myself there is no contest in my book. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater comes in at a close second. They are both very technical drummers. Smitty is good be he's no Neil Peart and I'm sure he would be humble enough to admit it. People may think other drummers are good, but when you study the technical aspect of drumming it no longer becomes a popularity contest.

I just have to laugh when drum nerds critique Portnoy's grip or any other drummer's technical nuances or supposed deficiencies. It's like all right dickhead, can you play the parts (better yet, write parts like that) with your holy and perfect technique?

Oh and I'm not critiquing your point. Kinda reads like that now that I read it over. Musicality/innovation trump technique for me always. It's tougher for me to apply that with guitarists, being one myself, but I try and hold myself to it. Great technique on any instrument doesn't mean shit unless you can apply it and Peart and Portnoy obviously do!

+1

I've always liked Peart. Since '78 I've studied this guy. I cannot drum one lick, but I've got every Rush Cd, every Rush DVD, and every Peart instructional DVD. I literally worship the guy. That being said, I agree with Liquid - he really hasn't grown in over 20 years. In fact, I think he has regressed since he studied with Gruber(just prior to 1996s T4E), I guess Freddie made him use a different grip(orthodox, traditional?), told him to raise his drums, and taught him about 'circles', but does that make him better? His drum solo has stayed the same since 'A Show of Hands' (The Rhythm Method). Der Trommler, and O' Baterista are basically the same as Rhythm Method. I enjoy his pre-Test for Echo playing. And his pre-Signals style - both playing and writing drum parts are levels above anything he has played since. He is my favorite, but he has regressed, IMHO.

Whether he regressed is definitely a matter of opinion and taste, one man's regression might be another man's "playing to fit the song." I honestly don't have a solid opinion on Peart's maturation or lack thereof. But I know many drummers feel the way you and LD do. I admittedly don't know drumming as well as I know guitar/bass/keys. But, whatever the case really is, it doesn't diminish what he did earlier in his career for me. In fairness, he really had a lot more room to spread his wings on the earlier Rush material. Their last several albums have kinda been by the book rock...

by **Voyager** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:59 am

I cannot imagine how Neil Peart has kept it up over the years. I have seen Rush eight times, and I sat in the first row the last time I saw them. Neil doesn't seem quite as limber as he was 25 years ago, but he can still play the Rush catalog just like the albums. If I sit on my drums and try to play four or five Rush songs, my arms start hurting because Neil plays about five times as many beats as other drummers during the same time span. I would guess that in one Rush song Neil might hit his drumheads as many times as other drummers do in five songs. Same with Mike Portnoy.

I guess I shouldn't say these two are the "best" drummers in the world... I just like them the best. Overall, what they add to their band is more than any other drummer adds to his/her band that I have ever heard. To me it's the big picture. They might be the best drummer in the world, but their band sucks or they don't even have a band. I weigh my opinion on the complete package. Since Rush is my favorite band of all time (next to Journey), Neil is my fav drummer.

by **Voyager** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:01 am

Liquid_Drummer wrote:Number one for me isnt on the list.. It goes like this for me..

Buddy Rich then Dave Weckl, Smitty and Peart in that order.

You're my favorite drummer on this forum next to me.

:lol:

by **Arkansas** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:25 am

What's the difference between a percussionist and a drummer?
Who on this list fits what category?
Where's Phil Ehart of Kansas?
And what about all the latin-type players, that aren't kit drummers? Aren't they percussionists too?

later~

by **NealIsGod** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:41 am

Arkansas wrote:What's the difference between a percussionist and a drummer?

At least $50K a year.

by **epresley** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:53 am

Neil Peart, RUSH

by **Lula** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:32 am

i read "percussionist" and immediately thought of shiela e. that list is a list of drummers! :lol:

by **SusieP** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:26 am

Lula wrote:i read "percussionist" and immediately thought of shiela e. that list is a list of drummers!

Exactly.
See my post earlier.The youtube clip.
Great minds think alike.

by **MCM** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:28 am

Liquid_Drummer wrote:Number one for me isnt on the list.. It goes like this for me..

Buddy Rich then Dave Weckl, Smitty and Peart in that order.

Peart is an awesome rock drummer however on a technical level (I have been playing for 27 years myself so I know what I am talking about) Peart isnt anywhere near Smitty and he says so himself on the burning for Buddy tribute that he put together. He was quoted as saying something like.. "I have seen Steve play many times but this time there was an obvious growth in his playing. It was amazing to see how easy he made it look and when I asked him his secret his answer was Freddie.

He is talking about Freddie Gruber. Steve Smith, Dave Weckl and Peart have all taken lessons from this guy and reinvented their playing. The before and after was amazing. Peart didnt gain so much because he stuck with rock while the formers were more jazz oriented. Rock can be restrictive to a drummer as jazz can be almost all improv so you have many chances to spread your wings. Rock is more confining.

Nice to see all the love for Neil - I think the story goes that up until his time/lessons with Freddie Gruber, Neil played with his sticks backwards with the fat end hitting the drums. Freddie made him turn them around and play with the proper end.

by **Voyager** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:51 am

Liquid_Drummer wrote:Peart is an awesome rock drummer however on a technical level (I have been playing for 27 years myself so I know what I am talking about) Peart isnt anywhere near Smitty and he says so himself on the burning for Buddy tribute that he put together. He was quoted as saying something like.. "I have seen Steve play many times but this time there was an obvious growth in his playing. It was amazing to see how easy he made it look and when I asked him his secret his answer was Freddie.

Like I said earlier, for me it's the big package. You can get down into technical details and say "this one is better than that one because of such and such..." but in the end it all boils down to which drummer fascinates you the most. For me it has always been Neil Peart. Nothing that I have heard from Smitty on any of the Journey albums made me like his drumming better than the drumming on the Rush albums. As a drummer myself, I can play just about anything Smitty ever did in Journey. I cannot say that about what Neil did on all the Rush albums. Some of that stuff is extremely complex with intricate timing changes and is very hard to reproduce, whereas the Journey stuff was usually straight 4/4 timing for the most part. I have played most of Journey's popular tunes in cover bands that I have been in over the years. You don't see too many great Rush cover bands, mainly because of Neil's complex drumming. Watch the Rush In Rio video... half the guys in the audience are imitating Neil's drum licks... that doesn't happen at a Journey concert.

Now if you are referring to what Smitty has done outside of Journey, that may be another story altogether. He may in fact be the most badass drummer on the planet. But I wouldn't know because I haven't followed him outside of Journey. I'm just comparing the drumming on Journey albums to the drumming on Rush albums and nothing more, which is probably what 99% of everyone else does. I would bet that less than 1% of the population have followed the solo careers of Neil Peart and Steve Smith (or any other drummer for that matter). I'm guessing that you have followed Smitty's solo career and have seen him do things that I haven't seen. I read the thing that Neil wrote about Smitty but I never gave it anything more than Neil respects him. I doubt that either one of them would say "I am better than him." They are both very humble and talented individuals.

by **larryfromnextdoor** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:34 am

NealIsGod wrote:
Arkansas wrote:What's the difference between a percussionist and a drummer?

At least $50K a year.

...and say.. doesnt any one have a drummer joke?

what does Ginger Baker and 7-11 coffee have in common?

they both suck without cream.. ok .. its an old one..

pete rocked it out in the 70's !! dont ask him to write you a song now days though! :wink:

pete with anton

by **Don** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:39 am

No Graeme Edge?

This list sucks. Lock this thread please.

by **Jubilee** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:43 am

No Danny Saraphine? Blasphemy!!!

by **larryfromnextdoor** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:45 am

Gunbot wrote:No Graeme Edge?

This list sucks. Lock this thread please.

had to google him.. love the moody blues.. dont know any members.. Edge is amazing!

MR