Fred Armisen Recreates Drumming Styles of Different Age Groups | The Tonight Show

Fred Armisen shows off his musical impersonations of drumming styles of different age groups.


Watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Weeknights 11:35/10:35c


JIMMY FALLON ON SOCIAL

THE TONIGHT SHOW ON SOCIAL

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon features hilarious highlights from the show, including comedy sketches, music parodies, celebrity interviews, ridiculous games, and, of course, Jimmy's Thank You Notes and hashtags! You'll also find behind the scenes videos and other great web exclusives.

GET MORE NBC

Fred Armisen Recreates Drumming Styles of Different Age Groups | The Tonight Show

#FallonTonight
#FredArmisen
#JimmyFallon

[DougKaplan]

I love how this is clearly not a bit for the masses but Fred never cares, he is all in on it even if it's an audience of 1

[wrestleranger]

Quest cracking up because he totally gets it lol

[whiskeylung]

I love that he did this because it’s more smart than funny but also niche and entertaining to drummers. Thanks Fred!

[mandascruggs]

I love how Quest is loving every minute of this. This is for him. Love for all drummers of all ages!

[jonathanwingmusic]

I've been a drummer all my life... can confirm that the older you get, the less showy and "filly" and cymbal-crazy you become. All about solid grooves haha

[danielledavis]

I don't want Fred Armisen to get old. I want to keep him forever

[rebeccaclement]

I love that Fred picks up on the tiny little things. Accents, drums, he’s just having fun

[musick]

This is basically not a joke, just entertaining storytelling.

[larkstonguesinaspic]

As a drummer in his 20s I find this so accurate lol. Trying to play fast complex prog rock stuff with so many changes. Playing most of it out of time without any percision. Very accurate

[ComradeStiv]

Deliberately doing bits that only some get is awkwardly hilarious . . . _in the right hands_ . Fred's hair may expire but his comedy chops will not

[JonSudano]

He's right. The older I get the less craziness I end up doing. It makes me a better drummer tbh.

[kpatt]

Fred did this bit with a guitar a while back, and now the drums. He's a talented guy. Quest Love definitely enjoyed this one lol.

[thefuturist]

Like any other instrument - in fact, like any other skill - there’s always a difference between what impresses people and what is genuinely hard to do. The two can overlap, but when we’re younger we’re more caught up in what impresses us and how we can use it to impress others. As we get older, assuming we continue to learn, we start to realise that certain skills which appear unimpressive to others are, in fact, horrendously difficult to get right.

For example: when I was younger I was always impressed by ‘melisma’ (the musical, usually vocal, technique of playing as many notes in one phrase as possible (think Whitney or Mariah going up and down the scales). Now I’ve been training as a singer for 20 years and I’ve realised the hardest thing a vocalist can do is to hold a note. Not sing the same note for a long time, but *hold* it at the same precise pitch and intensity.

I imagine Fred Armisen began to see this too, and alongside this he learned more styles and worked out which ones he liked rather that which ones would impress others.

[rafagames]

Love how he thanks the crowd every time

[dairyairman]

I'm a drummer in my 60's and I laughed my ass off at this! I do actually hit the drums, but I'm definitely more about the groove and playing for the song than I used to be.

[HiGlowie]

I will always love Fred Armisen.

Also, his 40s drumming is my favorite.

[YogijiClamzananda]

It takes a drummer to truly appreciate this humor... I remember once he did a bit about how drummers always lose the wing lug when they spin it off and it falls under the drums and you have to get of the chair to retrieve it... ha ha, I almost fell out of my chair... so true... then they pan to the audience and everyone looks totally confused, like, "was that supposed to be funny"? Loves me some Fred!

[cogito]

I love how he’s so over the applause by he gets to 40’s. Love it.

[matthewkrause]

Questlove laughing his ass off at 2:44. Love it.

[mitchellmolina]

I think showcasing a celebrity’s talent makes them seem more human to the masses. It just seems more relatable and sometimes we forget we are all equals. Great bit!