MM vs MP?

[ResultsMayVary]

Mike Portnoy will always be the best drummer for Dream Theater.

The band wants a word with you.

[ResultsMayVary]

Not at all. lol.

JP and MM both have so many interviews where they said that JP wrote a basic guideline and MM threw his spin on the parts. JP can't stop talking about how blown away he was by MM and he said he wouldn't have even thought of the parts that MM ended up coming up with in the end.

Fair enough 

I guess I just wasn't really blown away by the drumming on ADTOE so I assumed it was a result of MM holding back or being confined to a form that was outside of his own creative abilities. TBH I'm not familiar with his work with Steve Vai or anything so maybe this IS the kind of musical input he provides. But based solely on how incredibly creative his solos are, I figured he would have approached some of the drum lines differently.

There are some parts of the album where he really shines, but other parts (intro fills of OTBOA, I'm looking at you) that feel a bit under-inspired.

Listen to the album while only listening for the drums. My mind hasn't been blown (drumming-wise) like this since I heard SFAM and TDOE, and that isn't nearly as crazy as some of the shit MM plays on this album.

[Dublagent66]

I dunno.  I'm compelled to vote MP because I'm more used to his drumming style and he's put in all the time with the band.  However, is one really better than the other?  It all comes down to personal preference.  They are both high proficient drummers with their own unique bags O' tricks.  I'll leave it at that.

[reneranucci]

Marco Minneman. 

And this is right to  (I have to listen to the Aristocrats now!)

[skydivingninja]

MM is probably more technically skilled, but until we get an album where he writes his own parts and we see more of him in the music, I gotta give the vote to all the awesome drum parts we got with MP.

[John94]

Musicality and technical ability then it is Mangini, but Portnoy has a better stage presence and much more of an aura on a drum throne.

[Millais]

where is the "both" option?

[senecadawg2]

   That's all.

[Ħ]

Hard to say with MM.  Technically he's a beast but I don't think he's been able to shine creatively.

[Hal Incandenza]

Portnoy, for stylistic reasons.  This is not a knock on Mangini; I enjoy his playing, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from him, and he's obviously technically brilliant.  But still, Portnoy.

[MasterLomaxus]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

[Lowdz]

Voted MP for the back catalogue of awesome, musical drumming (sounds like an oxymoron). That's not to say that MM's performance on ADTOE isn't fantastic.

[johncal]

Maybe because I'm a drummer..... but I absolutely love everything Mangini did on ADTOE.

1. more technical
2. much more difficult
3. tastier
4. less filling (so to speak)

[YtseJam]

I voted MP and to be honest I haven't seen MM play anything HE wrote in DT yet. I hate when bands write an album and then someone just plays on them. There's no creative input. I guess we'll have to wait and see 

[wolven74]

This is tough. I'd have to say that Mangini pulls ahead for a few reasons.

Number one, his kit. He's got 4 bass drums, which he plays with only two feet. His set up is such that he doesn't have to move his whole body around the kit. When designing it he was thinking about ease of use, rather than how big can I make this beast? That to me says a lot about musicianship.

Number two. He's a symmetrical/openhanded player. He does stuff with his left hand alone that I don't believe MP even thought of. The fact that he can do the same groove with both hands and switch them up whenever he wants and not miss a beat or throw the rest of the band off is amazing.

Number three: The instrumental section of Outcry. I don't think MP can play that. For one thing, his kit wasn't set up for it, for two his hands weren't that fast.

Don't get me wrong. I loved MP in DT. I think he's an excellent drummer in his own right, and he did great things when he was with the band. There are just things MM can do that I don't think MP can.

To sum up this is my opinion: MP  MM   

[JimmyJava]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

[jsem]

Techincally, MM for sure.

[FsF]

Didn't MP pretty much admit himself year or so back that there are many drummers more skilled than him, including Thomas Lang and Mangini? Technically it's no contest in my opinion. Portnoy would get a few points back for musicality and stuff like that, but i've not exactly listened to as much Mangini as I have Portnoy.

EDIT

Found the article, a 2010 Q&A from MusicRadar:

"Anybody I can't replicate? I don't know. Maybe some of the super, super-technical guys like Thomas Lang and Virgil Donati and Mike Mangini - they do things that I physically can't do."

https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/dream-theaters-mike-portnoy-answers-your-questions-256514/6

[Knguro]

This is tough. I'd have to say that Mangini pulls ahead for a few reasons.

Number one, his kit. He's got 4 bass drums, which he plays with only two feet. His set up is such that he doesn't have to move his whole body around the kit. When designing it he was thinking about ease of use, rather than how big can I make this beast? That to me says a lot about musicianship.

Number two. He's a symmetrical/openhanded player. He does stuff with his left hand alone that I don't believe MP even thought of. The fact that he can do the same groove with both hands and switch them up whenever he wants and not miss a beat or throw the rest of the band off is amazing.

Number three: The instrumental section of Outcry. I don't think MP can play that. For one thing, his kit wasn't set up for it, for two his hands weren't that fast.

Don't get me wrong. I loved MP in DT. I think he's an excellent drummer in his own right, and he did great things when he was with the band. There are just things MM can do that I don't think MP can.

To sum up this is my opinion: MP  MM   

Great great post my friend! You read my mind about this!

[bosk1]

I haven't seen MM play anything HE wrote in DT yet.

Go to one of their shows and you'll seem him play 5 songs where he wrote the drum parts.

[tofee35]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

This poll part of this thread is a bit silly to me. I voted MP because he's slightly taller.

How can someone be musically better than someone else? Technicality can't really be measured either. I'd say that methodically MM is more calculated and exact whereas MP shoots from the hip. The output from both angles is fantastic.

[Aythesryche]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

This poll part of this thread is a bit silly to me. I voted MP because he's slightly taller.

Just because you have a bull in the corner, doesn't mean you have the bull cornered. When in Rome, man... When in Rome.

[Knguro]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

This poll part of this thread is a bit silly to me. I voted MP because he's slightly taller.

How can someone be musically better than someone else? Technicality can't really be measured either. I'd say that methodically MM is more calculated and exact whereas MP shoots from the hip. The output from both angles is fantastic.

Yes, MM has 2 world records because he was measured with his technique. Just saying.

[tofee35]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

This poll part of this thread is a bit silly to me. I voted MP because he's slightly taller.

How can someone be musically better than someone else? Technicality can't really be measured either. I'd say that methodically MM is more calculated and exact whereas MP shoots from the hip. The output from both angles is fantastic.

Yes, MM has 2 world records because he was measured with his technique. Just saying.

touche

[Knguro]

Mangini 100%.  No doubt about it.

This. Ya'll can say what you want but technically and musically, MM beats the living crap out of MP. That's just the way it is. If MP is a better fit for DT, that's another question but I'd still say MM.

This poll part of this thread is a bit silly to me. I voted MP because he's slightly taller.

How can someone be musically better than someone else? Technicality can't really be measured either. I'd say that methodically MM is more calculated and exact whereas MP shoots from the hip. The output from both angles is fantastic.

Yes, MM has 2 world records because he was measured with his technique. Just saying.

touche

[ResultsMayVary]

I haven't seen MM play anything HE wrote in DT yet.

Go to one of their shows and you'll seem him play 5 songs where he wrote the drum parts.

This.

[InfraredDream]

Other people already wrote my answers, so..

To sum up this is my opinion: MP  MM   

And, of course,

I haven't seen MM play anything HE wrote in DT yet.

Go to one of their shows and you'll seem him play 5 songs where he wrote the drum parts.

That's all 

[das961]

As a drummer, I appreciate the amazing level of MM's technique.  There are very few drummers in his class.  His ability to play left handed or right handed at will is exceptional.  Prior to Dream Theater, he hasn't always had the chance to use his full capabilities.  I enjoyed his playing on ADTOE.  He had some very interesting complex patterns scattered throughout the album.

On the other hand while MP's technique may not be as stratospheric as MM's, his ability to write non repetitive interesting parts is unique.  Even when playing with other bands his parts are identifiable.  I am very happy that Dream Theater chose MM as MP's replacement.  I think he was the best choice.  Over time as MM has the chance to spread his wings some with Dream Theater, we may see some interesting drumming.  The potential is there.  If I had to choose one, I'd pick MP.  Too much creativity.

[bucksanchez51]

Mike.

haha that cracked me right up

[TheSilentHam]

This is like Picasso vs Rembrandt.  You know, I'd rather spend my time enjoying the art than deciding which is better. 

[Tis BOOLsheet]

1. let's be clear about the fact that mike mangini is FAR more technically skilled than mike portnoy. he's not just a little bit more technical, he's a LOT more technical. every one of the guys they brought into the auditions is FAR more technical than portnoy. im not saying theyre better drummers (the complete package), im just saying theyre more technical. His footwork is much more advanced. you can hear this on the new record. his hand work is FAR FAR FAR more advanced than portnoys. his single stroke is actually pretty insane. so the bottom line is that technically, mangini is way beyond portnoy. it'd be rather like comparing petrucci to slash. once again, not saying who is a better musician, but who is better technically. that needs to be cleared up.

2. mangini has a better feel than portnoy. mangini has an underrated feel because hes primarily a rock and metal drummer but he actually does have a very good feel. you'll recall jordan saying mm plays slightly behind the beat and has a great feel. its also pretty evident on the new record. for guys with a GREAT feel see marco minnemann (especially) and thomas lang.

3. portnoy is a very musical drummer. i love his work on images, and on various other tracks. that is his primary strength, he plays parts that complement the music extremely well. there are numerous numerous examples and it would take too long to list them all.

it's a matter of taste really. do some guys like slash more than petrucci? sure. what it comes down to is the music they play and if you like it. but one thing that needs to be established for sure, that is factual, is that mm is far more technically advanced than mp in terms of drumming.

[Nic35]

MP. How can you vote for the guy that has been in the band for one year ?

MP is the main reason why I love DT, it's a no brainer.

[BlobVanDam]

Who do I think is the more technically skilled drummer? I'd say MM.
Whose drumming do I prefer so far? MP.

Keep in mind that I haven't heard much else from MM aside from EoP, so I'm only basing this on ADTOE, in which his drumming is in the background, and not as much indicative of MM's drumming abilities as it would have been if he'd been in for the entire writing process. After 10 DT albums, I'm used to MP's drumming style being the style for DT.

But I'm 100% behind MM being in DT, and I can't wait to hear him let loose more on the next album.

[TheGreatPretender]

After seeing that Drum Solo tonight... Damn... I can't not pick MM.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Who do I think is the more technically skilled drummer? I'd say MM.
Whose drumming do I prefer so far? MP.

Keep in mind that I haven't heard much else from MM aside from EoP, so I'm only basing this on ADTOE, in which his drumming is in the background, and not as much indicative of MM's drumming abilities as it would have been if he'd been in for the entire writing process. After 10 DT albums, I'm used to MP's drumming style being the style for DT.

But I'm 100% behind MM being in DT, and I can't wait to hear him let loose more on the next album.

i do have the feeling that DT will constrain him a bit though.