Kid Nails Tom Sawyer on Drums

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by frankotank

may sound corny.....but I think it's cool the way he randomly gets this sideways smile on his face while he's playing. kinda like......"yeah this is good".

Agreed. And I don't know much about child prodigies, because neither of my kids are anywhere close to being that in any area... but in comparing him to my kids who are both learning instruments currently... this kid is a freaking prodigy.

The kid's story is pretty interesting if you go to his website. Self taught, basically, with parents who aren't musicians. He now has an instructor, but he taught himself from 2-4 years old or something.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by NewChief

this kid is a freaking prodigy.

He's not even close to being a prodigy.

No offense to you personally or to anyone else in this thread but good grief, you people are very easily impressed.

The kid might be a "prodigy" if he was playing in perfect time to Buddy Rich or Billy Cobham, if he understood dynamics (which he clearly doesn't) and if he was actually composing as opposed to just trying to copy songs, which, IMO, he fails considerably.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

He's not even close to being a prodigy.

No offense to you personally or to anyone else in this thread but good grief, you people are very easily impressed.

The kid might be a "prodigy" if he was playing in perfect time to Buddy Rich or Billy Cobham, if he understood dynamics (which he clearly doesn't) and if he was actually composing as opposed to just trying to copy songs, which, IMO, he fails considerably.

He's 6 years old (sorry 7 in that video, but other videos when he was 6). Most 6 year olds can't tie their shoes.

I also said "in comparison to my kids he's a freaking prodigy." I realize that you're probably exposed to much more talented people in your line of work... but I find the kids' drumming to be amazing.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by NewChief

He's 6 years old (sorry 7 in that video, but other videos when he was 6). Most 6 year olds can't tie their shoes.

I also said "in comparison to my kids he's a freaking prodigy." I realize that you're probably exposed to much more talented people in your line of work... but I find the kids' drumming to be amazing.

It's all good, Dude. It's hard for me to comment on this subject without sounding like an arse.

There's a real difference between being "taught" how to play an instrument as opposed to it being natural. While this kid can copy fairly well, I just don't hear a "natural" ability. It's also my opinion that anyone can learn how to play an instrument, especially drums, with piano being the most important of them all.

There are millions upon millions of kids and adults that can play anything with sheet music in front of them, which helps to make them a "well rounded" person, but it doesn't make them "special" in terms of a musical gift unless they go way beyond the wrote memorization and actually create, improvise or compose.

And while I agree that he's further along than most 6 or 7 or 8 year olds, if you remove the age, there's just not much there.