# 8 Year Old Japanese Girl Plays Drums On "Good Times, Bad Times" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113 "2018-06-14T20:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/21 "2018-06-15T09:50:34Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’ve never been impressed by people who can play a piece of music somebody else wrote, I’m impressed by the people who dreamed it up and wrote it, maybe that’s just me. It’s just you. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/22 "2018-06-15T10:55:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Damn. She could barely even _reach_ the kick pedal and she nails those triplet stutters like a pro. Girl’s got talent. And the right attitude. Wow. This. Her drumming in general is very good but her pedalwork is phenomenal even for an older drummer. I looked up other videos of her and she’s done a couple where (to the best I can tell, given that they are entirely in Japanese) she is happily yammering away about various rhythmic patterns and techniques including those stutters. She clearly loves drumming in a way only an eight-year-old girl can express. There’s also a video of her playing along to The Immigrant Song when she was 7; she nails it precisely but it’s basically drum karaoke - she’s not doing anything particularly new or stylish. Still impressive though. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/23 "2018-06-15T11:38:17Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Ignore all the poopers. It’s a great video. I know. I’d be just as happy seeing a little kid who loved painting, or scratching on turntables, [or this girl beat-boxing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg1qLJ_6-LE) Some stuff you just see somebody doing well and loving what they do, and it puts a smile on your face. There’s just that little bit more joy in the world. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/24 "2018-06-15T11:49:56Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > On the other hand, you have the eight year old girl in the Starving Artist post that completely blows me away; I have never seen any videos of someone that young even attempting anything with that level of technical difficulty. The end part where she kind of turns into an octopus is extremely difficult and for most people requires a tremendous amount of practice and she plays it perfectly. Definitely different strokes (pun only accidentally intended.) I’m much more impressed by the child in the OP. But it is silly to bear down and critique 8-year-olds on the drums. 🙂 It’s rather amazing what young musicians are capable of doing, and do it with such love and joy! Thanks for sharing both vids, guys! ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/25 "2018-06-15T12:44:24Z")
its the giggle at the end - I can’t speak to anything else better than anyone else already has - but that giggle - the joy - the absolute FUN she was having. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/26 "2018-06-15T18:17:02Z")
> [@simster](#): > > its the giggle at the end - I can’t speak to anything else better than anyone else already has - but that giggle - the joy - the absolute FUN she was having. This- Seeing the unbridled joy of a kid doing something they love to do. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/27 "2018-06-15T19:20:21Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’ve never been impressed by people who can play a piece of music somebody else wrote, I’m impressed by the people who dreamed it up and wrote it, maybe that’s just me. I once had this discussion with my college roommate. I had him listen to two CDs of the same piece of classical music, by different performers. He immediately changed his mind - the difference was night and day. (I think it was Bach’s Cello Suites, and one was Yo-yo Ma.) ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/28 "2018-06-15T20:23:39Z")
I’m not knocking the girl at all, that’s how young musicians learn to play their instrument, I play music and of course I started by learning other people’s songs and that’s great. Then you reach a point where you are talented enough to write your own music, I’m just saying that is what personally interests me, when people start writing their own music. When I burn away time on YouTube I look for amateur musicians playing the stuff they wrote. A kid playing someone else’s music is just a novelty, props to the kid I hope she keeps playing, I just hate some people on YouTube will post mountains of covers and nothing else, that’s the kind of thing I hate, I’d be interested to hear some original stuff when she gets a little older ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/29 "2018-06-15T20:41:24Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’m not knocking the girl at all, that’s how young musicians learn to play their instrument, I play music and of course I started by learning other people’s songs and that’s great. Then you reach a point where you are talented enough to write your own music, I’m just saying that is what personally interests me, when people start writing their own music. This is absolutely false. It isn’t a simple, automatic progression from playing to writing. Many people who play instruments never write music and many, if not most players have no interest in doing so. The two skill sets are related but separate. I understand your preference (I share it) but both your notion of a skilled progression from playing to writing and your criticism of the girl in the OP are, IMO, somewhat out of touch. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/30 "2018-06-15T21:01:49Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’m not knocking the girl at all, that’s how young musicians learn to play their instrument, I play music and of course I started by learning other people’s songs and that’s great. Then you reach a point where you are talented enough to write your own music, I’m just saying that is what personally interests me, when people start writing their own music. So I guess people like Itzhak Pearlman, Luciano Pavarotti, Yo-yo Ma and Herbert von Karajan never became talented enough to interest you. OK… ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/31 "2018-06-15T22:41:54Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’m not knocking the girl at all, that’s how young musicians learn to play their instrument, I play music and of course I started by learning other people’s songs and that’s great. Then you reach a point where you are talented enough to write your own music, I’m just saying that is what personally interests me, when people start writing their own music. > > When I burn away time on YouTube I look for amateur musicians playing the stuff they wrote. A kid playing someone else’s music is just a novelty, props to the kid I hope she keeps playing, I just hate some people on YouTube will post mountains of covers and nothing else, that’s the kind of thing I hate, I’d be interested to hear some original stuff when she gets a little older You might want to check out The Warning then. They are the band of sisters that includes the formerly little girl drummer I linked to upthread. Also the German drummer girl Sina, who’s posted tons of covers but has posted some pretty cool music of her own. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/32 "2018-06-16T00:13:41Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I play music and of course I started by learning other people’s songs and that’s great. Then you reach a point where you are talented enough to write your own music, I’m just saying that is what personally interests me, when people start writing their own music. Keen to see/hear your stuff, **pool**. Links? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/33 "2018-06-16T00:22:55Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I once had this discussion with my college roommate. I had him listen to two CDs of the same piece of classical music, by different performers. He immediately changed his mind - the difference was night and day. > > (I think it was Bach’s Cello Suites, and one was Yo-yo Ma.) The Cello Suites are open to wide interpretation, as anyone with functioning ears can attest. See also Glenn Gould’s takes on the Goldberg Variations at different stages in his life. pool’s stance here is risible. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/34 "2018-06-16T01:08:19Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The Cello Suites are open to wide interpretation, as anyone with functioning ears can attest. See also Glenn Gould’s takes on the Goldberg Variations at different stages in his life. pool’s stance here is risible. Risible, good word. It sent me to the dictionary. Risible “of or pertaining to political butthurt”🆒 ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/35 "2018-06-16T01:49:39Z")
Well, shit. I needed that. a little ray of sunshine. And who doesn’t believe in reincarnation after that? RIP John Bonham, viva little Japanese girl! ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/36 "2018-06-16T02:16:45Z")
Reminds me of this [katana girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se6gHF5zh-g) celebrating, the perfect contrast between seriousness and glee. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/37 "2018-06-16T02:44:53Z")
Young kids skilfully making a huge din, what’s not to like about it. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/38 "2018-06-16T07:25:20Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Keen to see/hear your stuff, **pool**. Links? Actually I do have a lot of stuff most of the videos I’ve done are saved on an old Mac I haven’t even turned on in like two years. I used to post stuff for friends on Facebook but deleted my account. I do think one day I will post some stuff on here, when I do I welcome you to watch it, I think it’s pretty good myself. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/39 "2018-06-16T07:59:06Z")
Off topic but quite a few other discussions going on are also, and I thought you more techy guys might enjoy this superb video explicating some of what made John Bonham such a great drummer. IMO really starts getting good and educational at about the one minute mark. [What Makes John Bonham Such A Good Drummer?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvOm2oZRQIk) ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113/40 "2018-06-16T15:35:02Z")
pool: I get that songwriting is what interests you personally, but no it isn’t a natural progression from playing to writing. Think of the great drummers who are known mostly as great drummers, and who are not mainly known for their songwriting. Answer: Most of them. And the other way - how about Lennon and McCartney, guitar gods - no way. Greatest singers? No, definitely good but that’s it. They were two of the greatest songwriters though. Writing and performing are different skills. Some people have both, but not necessarily. (And thinking of singers: I don’t remember Whitney Houston getting criticized for not being a major songwriter. She did what she did, and did it well - isn’t that enough?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-year-old-japanese-girl-plays-drums-on-good-times-bad-times/816113.md?page=3)