Extreme Drummer's Thread

I would like to know if there are any death metal/extreme metal drummers on this forum. I always loved the speed element of drumming paired with the intensity of lifting and the science behind gaining speed. I’m not trying to alienate the other types of drummers and I’m not sure what style C.W. is into (I recently heard he is a drummer) but this is the genre I’ve been playing and studying for the longest time and I’m looking for other extreme drummers to share lifting tips/nutrition/etc with. Thanks again

I’ve dabbled into speed metal a bit but I’m mostly a prog nerd(see user name). I’m a lot more interested in technique and finesse now, guys like Carter Beauford, Gavin Harrison, and Neil Peart. None the less, the endurance of speed metal drummers is crazy. Hauling ass playing 200bpm double bass for 5 mins is a workout all in itself!

I dont plays drums personally, but this type of music is basically all I listen to. Check out the band “The Classic Struggle” One of my recent favorites and one of the best drummers I have heard in a while.

Ben

I would be interested in any tips you can offer in double-pedal work. I’ve been following Mike Portnoy’s advice on his DVD - which was basically to start slowly and work up speed.

I can do plenty of fast fills and such with it, but consisitency is what lets me down at the moment.

Does it make much difference what height you set your stool at, or how much tension you set in the pedals?

(Sorry to ask so many questions, just trying to build up to playing my Slayer favourites).

I’m not a drummer…how I wish I was though. The drums are my favorite element of extreme music as well. Someday I’m gonna get a kit and try to learn so I can thow down some blast beats. Do you have Flo Mournier from Cryptopsy’s DVD…it’s called “Extreme Metal drumming 101.” I’ve considered buying it just to watch him play, but I think its like $40. Other favorite drummers of mine include Kevin Talley (ex Dying Fetus, ex Misery Index) and John Longstreth of Origin and Skinless fame. I have no idea what bands these guys play for now though.

Been playing for 21 years now…Well actually that’s not true. I quit playing when my latest band broke up two years ago. That band was most compared to TOOL…so no death metal there. But I’ve dabbled in the past with death metal bands. I love playing it and it’s funny how closely it is to playing punk.

As for tips on playing the double bass faster…your legs should be bent 90 degrees at the knee…play with the ball of your foot, heel up…then just practice.

The best drummers I’ve come across yet are Frost (Satyricon/Gorgoroth/1349/Keep of Kalessin), Inferno (Behemoth), Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), Proscriptor McGovern (Absu, Melechesh, Proscriptor), Hellhammer (Mayhem/Arcturus/Winds/Thorns/Kovenant etc.), Derek Roddy {Hate Eternal/Nile etc.). The guys that drum for Misery Index, Necrophagist, and Akercocke are also pretty nuts although I have no idea who they are.

This has been out for a while, but here is a video of Derek Roddy playing “Behold Judas.” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2027287488920990878&q=Derek+Roddy&pl=true

[quote]Old Bailey wrote:
I would be interested in any tips you can offer in double-pedal work. I’ve been following Mike Portnoy’s advice on his DVD - which was basically to start slowly and work up speed.

I can do plenty of fast fills and such with it, but consisitency is what lets me down at the moment.

Does it make much difference what height you set your stool at, or how much tension you set in the pedals?[/quote]

Hey I am so glad to see some people responded to my thread…I hope to meet more of ya.

To answer your question, seat height definitely makes a difference. It depends on how tall you are as well. I like to sit at a height where I am not towering over the pedals but where I am not leaning back Basically, a perpendicular position where your feet are at a 90 degree angle. Everyone is different so I don’t like to generalize but definitely be aware of what feels right to you.

Eventually, I think you will also find that the faster you play, the less leg you will use and the more your ankle and hip flexors will come into play. I think someone posted a Derek Roddy clip at the bottom - as you are watching him play, you will see that his legs barely move and the motion is more in the hips and ankles.

As far as pedal tension, I like mine cranked way up in order to get a faster beater response. This is also an individual thing as well so see what feels good. I think a tension that is too loose though won’t benefit faster playing. It takes patience to devlop speed so work at it and maintain a consistent routine. Definitely use a metronome!! Best of luck.

Thanks again everyone for your response. I am curious as to what you guys do for nutrition during days you workout and rehearse or practice. For all those crazy days, I am interested to hear some of your routines and meal startegies. SOmetimes I go nuts trying to find the right balance. I like to follow the temporal nutrition scheme so it’s obviously a challenge on practice and workout days. If the music wasn’t so sweat inducing, I wouldn’t worry as much lol Looking forward to hearing from ya.

Are you into fear factory? Crazy drumming.

Just had to post to pay respect to anyone learning extreme drumming.

As a metal guitarist I appreciate what you do so keep it up!!!

Hey thanks Comedy,
By the way, anyone want to post their PR or routines for practicing to a metronome? I do a lot of minute speed drills for feet and hands in order to stay sharp. The only thing is I also get a lot of heat from other drummers whining about speed not being important but the music I play requires a high tolerance for speed - it is vital!!lol I guess you can make the analogy to classically trained pianists ya know? They have to have some chops to play some of the pieces they do.

However, for us drummers, it is more physical (which I love). So rather than turn this into a debate about whether or not speed is important in music, let’s keep it limited to speed routines, PRs, nutrition on heavy lifting/practicing days etc. in order to avoid a potential speed debate lol thanks crew.

Now this is my kind of thread!

Over the last 17 years, I’ve played virutally every type of music from Jazz to Speed Metal. I’ll tell ya, I’ve got tremendous respect for the speed metal guys because 90 minutes worth of playing at >180bpm is tough.

Dave Lombardo absolutely blows me away.

Even though Corrosion of Conformity isn’t apeed metal, I’ve gotta take this opportunity to mention their drummer, Stanton Moore. He’s one of my favorites because he’s very original without being overly technical (drumming that’s too technical can sometimes lose the natural groove of the song).

Anyway, if you want to hear what great drumming can do for a song, check out COC’s “Dirty Hands, Empty Pockets” on their “In the Arms of God” CD. I think it’s so cool how Stanton rips your trachea out and pisses down your throat in the last minute of that song.

[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
Now this is my kind of thread!

Over the last 17 years, I’ve played virutally every type of music from Jazz to Speed Metal. I’ll tell ya, I’ve got tremendous respect for the speed metal guys because 90 minutes worth of playing at >180bpm is tough.

Dave Lombardo absolutely blows me away.

Even though Corrosion of Conformity isn’t apeed metal, I’ve gotta take this opportunity to mention their drummer, Stanton Moore. He’s one of my favorites because he’s very original without being overly technical (drumming that’s too technical can sometimes lose the natural groove of the song).

Anyway, if you want to hear what great drumming can do for a song, check out COC’s “Dirty Hands, Empty Pockets” on their “In the Arms of God” CD. I think it’s so cool how Stanton rips your trachea out and pisses down your throat in the last minute of that song. [/quote]

Yeah Lombardo is the man, looking forward to the new album.

The coolest gig I have ever been to in my life was Download 2004 when Lars Ulrich was sick and couldnt play. Dave Lombardo onstage playing Battery and Four Horsemen with Metallica…

Metal History!!

Joey Jordison who is another fantastic drummer played a load of songs with them too.

[quote]Footsolider88 wrote:
Hey thanks Comedy,
By the way, anyone want to post their PR or routines for practicing to a metronome? I do a lot of minute speed drills for feet and hands in order to stay sharp. The only thing is I also get a lot of heat from other drummers whining about speed not being important but the music I play requires a high tolerance for speed - it is vital!!lol I guess you can make the analogy to classically trained pianists ya know? They have to have some chops to play some of the pieces they do.

However, for us drummers, it is more physical (which I love). So rather than turn this into a debate about whether or not speed is important in music, let’s keep it limited to speed routines, PRs, nutrition on heavy lifting/practicing days etc. in order to avoid a potential speed debate lol thanks crew.[/quote]

Well dunno if this will cross over to drumming but a good way to build your chops in guitar is to start with a metronome at a moderate speed, play a particular piece that you’re learning, bump the 'nome up 2 clicks for a while then down 1 click for a while the nup 2 etc. 2 steps forward, 1 back if you will. Sounds odd but it works.

The other thing I do to get a hard piece down is to start with the first few notes (drum hits in your case), build up speed just cycling these few notes, then add 1 more note/hit to the end of the segment and work it for a while. Its sometimes called burst training.

My experience on the drums is minimal but I dont see why these techniques couldnt be applied.

I’ll leave nutrition etc to Chad!! Ok I’ll hazzard a guess - get the carbs in!

(I heard that with all his onstage antics Angus Young drinks a few pints of glucose during a show…)

Funnily enough, I think the fastest drummer I’ve ever heard was Marco Minneman, went to a clinic of his once and wanted to give up immediately; he was just too good.

[quote]Shaka Zulu wrote:
. Do you have Flo Mournier from Cryptopsy’s DVD…it’s called “Extreme Metal drumming 101.” I’ve considered buying it just to watch him play, but I think its like $40. [/quote]

i was just about to reccomend that DVD. cryptopsy are amazing, but its Mournier tha keeps me coming back to them.

this may sound a bit strange, but i think jazz drumming has some of the best crossover with complex metal of all styles and, once youve done jazz drumming, everything else seems easy!

for a good example of jazz cross over with metal check ephel duath ‘the painter’s palette’. the drummer, davide piovesan, was a strict jazz drummer before meeting up with the band. he put on a drumming performance that would put even some of the greatest metal drummers to shame in that album.

[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
Now this is my kind of thread!

Over the last 17 years, I’ve played virutally every type of music from Jazz to Speed Metal. I’ll tell ya, I’ve got tremendous respect for the speed metal guys because 90 minutes worth of playing at >180bpm is tough.

Dave Lombardo absolutely blows me away.

Even though Corrosion of Conformity isn’t apeed metal, I’ve gotta take this opportunity to mention their drummer, Stanton Moore. He’s one of my favorites because he’s very original without being overly technical (drumming that’s too technical can sometimes lose the natural groove of the song).

Anyway, if you want to hear what great drumming can do for a song, check out COC’s “Dirty Hands, Empty Pockets” on their “In the Arms of God” CD. I think it’s so cool how Stanton rips your trachea out and pisses down your throat in the last minute of that song. [/quote]

Hey Chad, I knew I read somewhere on this forum that you were a drummer. So cool! Good drummer references by the way. The toughest thing I find is preparing for a show because the late hours can kill energy levels. I don’t know how those HBO boxers can do it, fighting late into the night ya know? I guess the good thing is that drummers don’t have to worry about making weight before a show lol.

However, I do like to maintain a healthy weight and fat level for optimum playing. Getting a good warmup before a show can be tricky when there so many people are backstage - I try not come on stage “dry”; stole that tip from a lot of boxers lol. W

hat do you guys do? It makes me wonder about my training because shows can be spread out through the year so there is no periodization when it comes to a show schedule or training/practicing for a show. I try to maintain my speed just by practicing and following a consistent training routine. I don’t have any bulking phases or things but I do train for strength and speed because I know that is important for improving speed. I just want to make sure my training helps my playing and maintains my health.

P.S. 180 bpm is child’s play lololol sorry i couldn’t resist