The Mike Mangini Thread (Thanks & Farewell)

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I think MMs position in DT might be in jeopardy, a new era of drumming has emerged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgIG7a1XVCU

[Madman Shepherd]

I think MMs position in DT might be in jeopardy, a new era of drumming has emerged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgIG7a1XVCU

For the first 2 or 3 seconds I thought that may actually be Mangini, ya know, long jet black hair and all. I didn't bother to look at the actual description. 

Then I did look at the description and I really have no more answers than I had before other than it is actually not Mike Mangini but I figured that out on my own at about the :03 mark. 

And now I am posting.

Post.

[Darkstarshades]

I insist, instead of Mike Mangini they should have totally picked Dave Grohl, he was objectively the right choice

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I think MMs position in DT might be in jeopardy, a new era of drumming has emerged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgIG7a1XVCU

For the first 2 or 3 seconds I thought that may actually be Mangini, ya know, long jet black hair and all. I didn't bother to look at the actual description. 

Then I did look at the description and I really have no more answers than I had before other than it is actually not Mike Mangini but I figured that out on my own at about the :03 mark. 

And now I am posting.

Post.

Yea it's something to behold, whatever it is. 

[bill1971]

Very happy they have Mangini. He has more than filled in and added an improved dimension in my opinion.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Mike Mangini (Dream Theater) - drumtalk [episode 52]

[Max Kuehnau]

Mike Mangini (Dream Theater) - drumtalk [episode 52]

That  is actually his second time he is on that channel. There was one section of his first appearance that actually taught me something beyond playing the instrument, the humanity aspect. (I'll post it here when I find it again. Edit: found it. Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afu57XX0iDc 8:21 and onwards) I'm grateful for that as well. Thanks Mike.

[Trav]

The interview is great, but man, those behind the kit shots during Untethered Angel!! I think I like that song even more now!

[gzarruk]

The interview is great, but man, those behind the kit shots during Untethered Angel!! I think I like that song even more now!

Yeah! I wish they released the whole video of that.

[Kotowboy]

I think MMs position in DT might be in jeopardy, a new era of drumming has emerged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgIG7a1XVCU

" I am convinced he is blind and is just tryna make his breakfast "

[Kotowboy]

I wonder if the two smaller basses are for show since he no longer has the giant 26" bass drum.

And since he explained that it was for powerful intros and accents - why would you need 4 bass drums of similar size ?

I think take those out and the kit will actually look a lot less oversized.

And cut to present day and he only uses one bass drum.

[gzarruk]

I wonder if the two smaller basses are for show since he no longer has the giant 26" bass drum.

And since he explained that it was for powerful intros and accents - why would you need 4 bass drums of similar size ?

I think take those out and the kit will actually look a lot less oversized.

And cut to present day and he only uses one bass drum.

IIRC he said he would've gone with two bass drums but he wanted to use 24''s and he couldn't set the toms the way he wanted with two of them, so he went with one instead. His home kit is basically the same as his tour kit, but with two 22''s instead of one 24''.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I think MMs position in DT might be in jeopardy, a new era of drumming has emerged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgIG7a1XVCU

" I am convinced he is blind and is just tryna make his breakfast "

Found his band: https://youtu.be/t3D9GcetJxk

JMXs hipster brother on bass!

[Kotowboy]

IIRC he said he would've gone with two bass drums but he wanted to use 24''s and he couldn't set the toms the way he wanted with two of them, so he went with one instead. His home kit is basically the same as his tour kit, but with two 22''s instead of one 24''.

And his home kit has the hi-hats up in the air too - which completely blows a hole in his "seperation for the microphones" excuse.

I love Mangini as a person and he's perfect for DT - but it does seem that he only does things because people told him he shouldn't.

As a drummer I get tired watching him with his arms up all the time.

[Max Kuehnau]

IIRC he said he would've gone with two bass drums but he wanted to use 24''s and he couldn't set the toms the way he wanted with two of them, so he went with one instead. His home kit is basically the same as his tour kit, but with two 22''s instead of one 24''.

And his home kit has the hi-hats up in the air too - which completely blows a hole in his "seperation for the microphones" excuse.

I love Mangini as a person and he's perfect for DT - but it does seem that he only does things because people told him he shouldn't.

As a drummer I get tired watching him with his arms up all the time.

yes, but his notes are clean, so I don't care about that too much and he is very musical about whatever he plays, that's enough.

[Kotowboy]

He can play his own drums however he wants - but for the ADTOE tour - he "absolutely needed" 4 bass drums. Now he has 1.

Then people joked about his cymbals being so high up - so now his hi hats are up there too.

Next tour is he going to be playing the entire kit suspended upside down from the ceiling - because " his arms just hang down and its easier when gravity does half the work..." ?

[erwinrafael]

And his home kit has the hi-hats up in the air too - which completely blows a hole in his "seperation for the microphones" excuse.

He now set up his home kit for recording purposes. Implied in this Facebook post, him now engineering his own sound:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3047097275339010&id=111860865529347&fs=0&focus_composer=0

[Kotowboy]

The next album will be interesting. DT have their own HQ/Studio now and if Mangini records his own drums at home and gets the sound HE wants it could sound even better than

Distance Over Time - which already sounded great.

[darkshade]

How about Mangini have his entire drum set suspended in air while he plays standing the whole time, because you're supposed to have the drums resting on the floor?

[Kotowboy]

How about Mangini have his entire drum set suspended in air while he plays standing the whole time, because you're supposed to have the drums resting on the floor?

Oh god now he's going to read this 😩

Next he'll stop hitting the drums with actual sticks and use his hands " to transfer my souuuuuuuuul " into the kit.

[darkshade]

How about Mangini have his entire drum set suspended in air while he plays standing the whole time, because you're supposed to have the drums resting on the floor?

Oh god now he's going to read this 😩

Next he'll stop hitting the drums with actual sticks and use his hands " to transfer my souuuuuuuuul " into the kit.

Next logical step is using his mind to play the drums.

[gzarruk]

Because people seem to be hating on Mike for doing this, here's a nice explanation by Gavin Harrison on why his crash cymbals are so high https://youtu.be/MCJ4hrFOIhc?t=1269

[Kotowboy]

Not hating - just that no other drummer has ever done / said the same thing.

[Trav]

I recommend this video for the whole "cymbal" thing. Much ado about nothing.
https://youtu.be/H7UlBm-iuP8

[Lax]

I'm fine with MM as DT's drummer, my only gripe is the typewriter sound of the drumkit...
Okay, it probably works the best with playing fast, but I always feel like hearing fear factory's drumkit, PLEASE, more organic sounding everything and more cymbals to the mix

[erwinrafael]

I'm fine with MM as DT's drummer, my only gripe is the typewriter sound of the drumkit...
Okay, it probably works the best with playing fast, but I always feel like hearing fear factory's drumkit, PLEASE, more organic sounding everything and more cymbals to the mix

Something like this, the best sounding Mangini to my ears:

Stones

Snowy Day

Hell yeah.

[Kotowboy]

His kit sounds phat in his home studio videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9l1CN2oO0

Who knows ? Maybe it sounds like that soloed on Distance Over Time - but with everything else it gets a bit buried.

[Max Kuehnau]

His kit sounds phat in his home studio videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9l1CN2oO0

Who knows ? Maybe it sounds like that soloed on Distance Over Time - but with everything else it gets a bit buried.

it does actually, but only on the 24 bit version on the Bluray of the album (this may give you an idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYEwb6cJYf0), the Bluray is where it's at, seriously

[Kotowboy]

I recommend this video for the whole "cymbal" thing. Much ado about nothing.
https://youtu.be/H7UlBm-iuP8

They may be closer *inwards*  - but at 3:05 in the Pale Blue Dot explanation video - he clearly *IS* at full stretch to stop the chinas ringing out.

It will be interesting to see if the Hi Hats etc are so far away on the next tour.



----

EDIT : I actually think that his drums sound better with each successive DT album he's on.

DT12 just needed a sharper snare sound. I had no problem with the Astonishing drum sound and D/T was great.

[ReaperKK]

His kit sounds phat in his home studio videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9l1CN2oO0

Damn that does sound good, never seen that video before.

I recommend this video for the whole "cymbal" thing. Much ado about nothing.
https://youtu.be/H7UlBm-iuP8

EDIT : I actually think that his drums sound better with each successive DT album he's on.

agreed

[hunnus2000]

His kit sounds phat in his home studio videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9l1CN2oO0

Damn that does sound good, never seen that video before.

I recommend this video for the whole "cymbal" thing. Much ado about nothing.
https://youtu.be/H7UlBm-iuP8

EDIT : I actually think that his drums sound better with each successive DT album he's on.

agreed

I love the way he demonstrates PBT in the very beginning and counts off 19, demonstrates it, plays it in real time then shrugs and goes 'that's that' at around the 40 second mark. It cracks me up because he's basically going, what's the big deal? I mean, it sounds easy to me but I know better.

And yes, they have done a better job capturing his tone with each album.

[Trav]

His kit sounds phat in his home studio videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9l1CN2oO0

I forgot to comment on this. I realize it's just the drums, and they aren't fighting a wall of guitars in the mix, and that's why it's so good. One of the best drum sounds I've heard. And as much I'm looking forward to JP's new album, I'm very interested in hearing Mike's solo albums that he said he's working on.

[Kotowboy]

I love the way he demonstrates PBT in the very beginning and counts off 19, demonstrates it, plays it in real time then shrugs and goes 'that's that' at around the 40 second mark. It cracks me up because he's basically going, what's the big deal? I mean, it sounds easy to me but I know better.

And yes, they have done a better job capturing his tone with each album.

To me - as a drummer who is a little more obsessed with the feel and playing for the song...I find it a bit weird that he demonstrates a section of a song then talks you through

what he was thinking mathematically rather than complimenting the music or just playing along with the feel of the section etc. It's always

" this section is in 19 - so I played 3 16th notes in 7 and then 7 32nd notes in 5 " yadda yadda.

[nikatapi]

I love the way he demonstrates PBT in the very beginning and counts off 19, demonstrates it, plays it in real time then shrugs and goes 'that's that' at around the 40 second mark. It cracks me up because he's basically going, what's the big deal? I mean, it sounds easy to me but I know better.

And yes, they have done a better job capturing his tone with each album.

To me - as a drummer who is a little more obsessed with the feel and playing for the song...I find it a bit weird that he demonstrates a section of a song then talks you through

what he was thinking mathematically rather than complimenting the music or just playing along with the feel of the section etc. It's always

" this section is in 19 - so I played 3 16th notes in 7 and then 7 32nd notes in 5 " yadda yadda.

Well i think this is how his brain works. Having watched quite a lot of his videos, and the way he approaches improvisation and composition, he's just a very unique person. It's his way of complimenting the music, but he thinks in a very systematic way and is very quick to break down any kind of rhythm in a "binary" way, so to speak.

I think if you notice the way he plays the cymbals you can understand the difference in how he feels the beat, compared to MP for example. It feels like he's putting the notes in a grid. In some songs it works really well, in some others it might feel a bit weird, but that's also because of the non-dynamic production he's had on the DT albums.

[gzarruk]

I love the way he demonstrates PBT in the very beginning and counts off 19, demonstrates it, plays it in real time then shrugs and goes 'that's that' at around the 40 second mark. It cracks me up because he's basically going, what's the big deal? I mean, it sounds easy to me but I know better.

And yes, they have done a better job capturing his tone with each album.

To me - as a drummer who is a little more obsessed with the feel and playing for the song...I find it a bit weird that he demonstrates a section of a song then talks you through

what he was thinking mathematically rather than complimenting the music or just playing along with the feel of the section etc. It's always

" this section is in 19 - so I played 3 16th notes in 7 and then 7 32nd notes in 5 " yadda yadda.

Well i think this is how his brain works. Having watched quite a lot of his videos, and the way he approaches improvisation and composition, he's just a very unique person. It's his way of complimenting the music, but he thinks in a very systematic way and is very quick to break down any kind of rhythm in a "binary" way, so to speak.

I think if you notice the way he plays the cymbals you can understand the difference in how he feels the beat, compared to MP for example. It feels like he's putting the notes in a grid. In some songs it works really well, in some others it might feel a bit weird, but that's also because of the non-dynamic production he's had on the DT albums.

Yeah, he's definitely feeling the music and playing what feels most musical to him, it's just that he's wired in a much more mathematical way than most of us. To me, it's fascinating.