This kid is amazing! A must watch!

Margaret: I'm not talking about proud. I'm pretty sure I'll be proud the day my first child learns to speak. I'll sure be proud if he would show an interest in music. I would have had no problems with any of this if it was just a video of a kid playing guitar, with the accompanying text reading 'hey, I just played a gig with my son, I feel so proud!'. That would be just a parent happy with his kid.

But this is mucho different if you ask me. If you read the comments you'll see his dad talk about trying to get atleast 10.000 people to see it, then a bunch of people start to talk becoming a superstar, being a blues supertalent and you name it. Then when you see the video at the part where he is playing in front of two customers, look at his face. I've seen many, many local bands and often the lead guitarist would step out. I've never seen an expression like that, he has the same look of overwhelming joy as I have when I'm tying my laces on monday morning.

'Judging' a performance is a very subjective thing. I often comment on music posten by people in the hear-here section. I always try to focus on the positive things and encourage people, if that kid would stand in front of me I would applaud him. But if people start throwing bizarre terms around I have no choice but to compare him with other 'suptertalents'. And compared with what those kids can (see my link) I simply can't call it fantastic or even great. You're always a positive person yourself and I can understand why you would call it great if you'd compare him with 'the average ten-year old kid'. In that way I agree with you, no doubt. It's just that perspective was totally lost in the original link's comments and that does noone good. Espescially not that kid.

If you read the comments you'll see his dad talk about trying to get atleast 10.000 people to see it, then a bunch of people start to talk becoming a superstar, being a blues supertalent and you name it.
You read the comments? :shock: I find it hard to think of a better example of just how juvenile and moronic society has become than YouTube commentry :wink:

Misanthrope wrote: You read the comments? I find it hard to think of a better example of just how juvenile and moronic society has become than YouTube commentry
My thoughts exactly.

Arjen, I only watched the video and didn't read any of the comments except those on this thread.

The nonchalance and statements that anybody, (and certainly any ten-year-old kid, since kids learn so much faster) could expect to play like that after two years are what I take issue with.

I don't believe that solely from this video clip, any of us can make overarching judgments about this kid's talent, ultimate potential, or lack thereof. He might've practiced nothing but this song for two years, or he might've heard it once, five minutes before the taping. We don't know that.

To say the pianist in the clip you posted is so much more of a prodigy than the guitarist, is a subjective judgment. Since I've played piano for years but am struggling to learn guitar, it's probably much more difficult to impress me with excellent piano playing than with excellent guitar playing. It has to do with personal perspective.

I agree that terms like "phenomenal" and "supertalent" get thrown around too much. Some of us (I'm one) tend more to the use of superlatives. Guess we are enthusiastic people. :lol:

Margaret

Misanthrope wrote: You read the comments? I find it hard to think of a better example of just how juvenile and moronic society has become than YouTube commentry
My thoughts exactly.

I agree that terms like "phenomenal" and "supertalent" get thrown around too much. Some of us (I'm one) tend more to the use of superlatives. Guess we are enthusiastic people. :lol:

Margaret

LOL, "I told you a million times not to exaggerate!"
:lol:

the kid is good, I hope he sticks with it

My take, for what it's worth.

The song is a good note-for-note cover. It's probably learned from a tab. I heard nothing that tells me he has a great ear for the blues or is himself a great improviser. I also heard nothing that said he didn't.

I saw a few bits of slop on the clip, but over all he had good technique, especially given his hand size relative to the guitar he's playing.

I tend to side with Arjen. If it were my kid, I'd be pleased as punch, but nothing here screams "prodigious talent."

I too am reluctant to jump on the bandwagon . . . I see lots of kids that don't understand my .sig below . .. this kid and his dad fall into that group, in my view. If in 5 years, the kid is still playing, enjoying it and working hard, then just like any one else who works hard at this stuff, he'll have a one-in-a-million shot of being in the right place at the right time.