[Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory]
[Once In A LIVEtime] [Falling Into Infinity] [A Change of Seasons] [Awake]
[Images and Words] [When Dream and Day Unite] [Liquid Tension Experiment]
[Working Man: Rush Tribute] [Home]
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to Winamp.com. If you already have an mp3 player, why are you reading this?!.
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download the mp3 files, right-click on the mp3 link and choose to save the file to disk.
| This is a nice 3/4 riff with a cool double bass pattern. | |
| Doesn't this beat sound familiar? | |
| Check out this drum pattern. He's got the ride bell going and then adding some open hi-hat at the end. | |
| Mike changes it up a bit here. Listen for the tambourine and china-stack. They alternate every section. | |
| This is the section that leads into the heavy double bass part. | |
| Here is that double bass part. Sounds like this pattern is influenced by the one and only Raymond Herrera. | |
| Starting to get the double kick going here. Notice the ride bell on this clip. | |
| Here's the section leading in the "Shrink and Grow" solo section. Gotta love the snare pattern here. | |
| After the solos, Mike gets to have fun. The snare stays steady throughout but listen to the china-stack. Aha! | |
| Can't write a cd without including some of this. Slow down man!! | |
| This whole thing is in 5/4. Listen to the double bass along with all the embellishments. | |
| Same drum fill from Metro Pt1 but slowed down a tad. | |
| Here, the bass and snare stay steady but listen to the 5 pattern on top between the ride and china-stack. | |
| What's better, the triplet double bass fill or the 16th note fill. I like the faster one. | |
| Mike joins John with this crazy drum fill halfway through the guitar solo. | |
| Another fill picked from "Mike's Toolbox of Drum Patterns." | |
| 19/16, what a wonderful time signature! Go on, count it. Or just buy Mike's video, he explains it all. | |
| There are no words to describe this section of "The Dance of Eternity" NONE! | |
| 5/8,5/8,5/8,6/8-5/8,5/8,5/8,5/8-5/8,7/8,5/8,6/8-5/8,5/8,5/8,7/8 Get all that? :-) |
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| Mike yells, "Fasten your seatbelts Paris!" and then takes the crowd on a rollercoaster ride! | |
| The first part in Mike's drum solo. Don't kill yourself moshing to this. | |
| Part 2 to the solo. Can you put a little more space between those hits? I don't think so. | |
| On this part, Mike says hello to his gong bass drum and china cymbals. | |
| Part 4. Still going! | |
| Here Mike does a little jam on his timbales. | |
| Here's the ever famous 6:00 beat! | |
| Back to Ytsejam. He has to let the other guys play sometime, I guess. |
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| This clip is from New Millennium. Another example of how tight Dream Theater is. | |
| This is the section of Lines in the Sand leading up the first verse. (Nice) | |
| Here's the drum solo from Trial of Tears!! |
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| This is a nice little 7/8 beat in the beginning sections of this masterpiece. | |
| This little odd-time section is classic Dream Theater. | |
| Check this section out. An unexpected, but much loved, signature change on the drums. | |
| Here's the famous jam section in the middle! Gotta love the cymbal disk! | |
| This is a nice groove section with Mike switching from straight to triplet feel. | |
| This is a neat section for Mike. Listen to the mini china cymbal in this one. | |
| The most powerful ending to any song ever written. |
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| Here's Mike's famous 6:00 beat. Thank you, Mike, for making this beat! | |
| This is a nice time signature, 11/8 10/8. Go on count it! Another "what the?" beat. | |
| Here's where Mike gets to strut his stuff on Erotomania. Listen to John, too! | |
| Have you heard a better drummer? I don't think so. | |
| Double bass is one of Mike's many attributes. Here he shows it all off! | |
| This is one Mike's more complicated patterns. Where is that ride bell?! |
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| This is by far the best jam section Mike does. | |
| Here is Mike's trademark song. This is the middle instrumental section that is all in 13/8. | |
| Mike adds the double bass in this section, but still keeps the 13/8 that the band is playing. | |
| Here he gets to show off a little! | |
| Another example of the tightness of Dream Theater. Listen to the attacks on this part. | |
| Remember, don't try this at home. This is a trained professional. | |
| These next few are from Learning to Live. | |
| Mike is not all power and speed. This section shows just this. | |
| Here is one the best transition fills Mike does. It's the climax of Learning to Live. | |
| Mike gets to show his high level of technique in this clip. |
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| Here is the drum solo from Ytsejam. It's a little shorter than his live versions, though! | |
| This is a nice clip here. Odd time with double bass. |
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| This clip is the beginning section of Paradigm Shift. Watch out, it hits you pretty hard! | |
| Here, Mike leads the way to the end of Paradigm Shift. Once again, don't try this at home! | |
| The end of Universal Mind is sure to give you a smile. This also shows Mike's versatility. |
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| Here is Mike's drum solo on Working Man: Rush Tribute. | |
| Classic Mike Portnoy! | |
| Oooops! Watch those sticks! Don't get him wrong he'll still nail your butt to the wall. |
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© Ken Hunter January-February 1999.
