by Gus Rios
Extreme metal 101: Part 1 in a series
December 3, 2009 3:05 pm in Drumset by Gus Rios
Tour kit
This is a subject that has become somewhat of a new “hot topic”, pun intended. There are many different genres and sub-genres that fall under the “extreme” category. The bottom line is that drummers need to have some proper technique to execute what is necessary. In a world where tempos generally live above 200bpm, you must have swift feet and hands! Let’s get started with the basis, the “extreme” drummer’s drum kit.
The drum kit-
This is home base, our drum kits. My general feeling is that 2 kicks are better than 1. The reason being is that when a note is struck, the kick drum head gives way at impact and if you immediately play another note while that head is still in recoil it can affect the performance, and present problems with triggering. This is obviously only a issue with the higher tempos. I also like the symmetry of the dbl. kick set up. Smaller rack toms have become more popular over the old standard “square” tom sizes such 12×12, 13×13, etc. More commonly we see 8, 10, and 12″ toms being used for rack toms. The smaller sizes cut through all of the low end coming from constant kicks and also fast 16th note fills are much more legible and audible with the higher and tighter tones. Birch shells are great for extreme metal. Their tight punchy sound really goes hand in hand with the extreme notation. That’s not to say that maple or bubinga won’t work. It’s ultimately up to the drummers tastes and opinion. This is just what has worked for me. I recently, after over 10yrs of playing a maple kit, used a birch kit on tour and ended up getting one for myself and am really impressed with how well they work for metal.
The snare drum-
This is a highly personal subject with as many opinions as there are snare drum models. That’s the beauty of our instrument, we can all have our own voices. Many of the world’s most respected and admired drummers can often be identified by their unique snare drum sound. For extreme metal, where there are arguably more notes being played on the snare drum than any other style of music, the more the drum is able to respond without losing any attack, the better. Wood or metal works great and die cast hoops really help with the attack factor. I like to keep it somewhere in the middle as far as depth is concerned. Piccolo drums may get lost in the mix live and really deep drums sound great for slow ballads, not so much blastbeats. Anywhere from 4″ to 6 1/2″ depth is great. You get plenty of body and still get that snap from the bottom head. Obviously the best thing is to try out a few drums and see which one works best for you. Go see some live bands and if you can, ask the drummer what kind of snare he or she was using if you like what you heard. A live setting is the best way to really hear how a snare drum performs. Recordings these days are loaded with tons of eq and samples and achieving that sound in your practice room is nearly impossible without using triggers, which is a subject that we’ll talk about in later installments.
What do you guys think?!-
These are just guidelines and not the gospel. This is what has worked for me through the years as far as setup is concerned. I want to know what you guys are using, what works for you? Maybe I can learn something new too! In any case, it’s still all about enjoying yourself behind a drum kit. For drummers who play extreme metal music, the more you know and the better equipped you are, the more you’ll enjoy your instrument! Next time we’ll talk about cymbal, head, and stick selection. Thanks!
Gus Rios
Alright. I saw this and I had to make an account, because after reading your answers to some questions, I had a question of my own. I’m not sure if this thread is still alive, but one can always hope.
You said in a previous answer that in blast beats, the snare should be the dominant time keeper. Would you care to elaborate on that? Do you mean that it should be the 1+2+3+4+ etc, or should it just be what makes the blast fuller? A very interesting form of blasts that I learned by watching to Between the Buried and Me’s drummer Blake Richardson, is a combination, where the hands play alternate strokes in a 16th note pattern (right hand on a cymbal, left hand on the snare, in a RLRLRLRL fashion) and the kick drum also plays an alternate stroke pattern, but in an 8th note pattern, making the kick hits in sync with you’re right hand. Blake does a different form of this actually, because he’s a dominant left foot player, which I envy. I’d try to learn that way, but I don’t have a drumset, so I go with what’s easiest, and starting alternating strokes on the kicks on my right foot is just easier. Anyways, is this method of blasting something you approve of, or even heard of? I’ve heard a lot of different forms of blasts, but I think that this one gives the most effect as a general usage blast. Thanks for your time.
@Zj111,
Glad you came on board! What I meant by the dominant time keeper being the snare is what keeps the guys in the band in time isn’t the 16ths on the ride ( a common problem I think), but the 16ths on the snare…1e+a2e+a…etc. Derek Roddy many many years ago used to GRILL me on this premise. He’d always watch me play and point to his ear during blast parts! What a true teacher he was ( and still is!) for me. A blast is just a faster version of the skank beat, or the thrash beat where the ride hand is playing 16ths and the kick and snare 8ths. The kick is technically the time keeper in that beat, but without the snare cranking it just sounds like disco! The blast is the same, where the kick starts the beat, but everyone really listens for that snare hammering out those 16ths. As far as what Blake does, its what’s called the 2 foot blast but he’s just starting it with his left foot, and yes that left foot lead thing is enviable! Sean Reinert leads with his left foot as well. I think that the important thing is have consistent, clean, and aggressive notes. Blasts are very fast beats…without those 3 characteristics it can turn into just noise. I should add good timing to that list too! When I play live I always accent the time with plenty of crash hits. It’s really easy for the rest of the band to get lost in that barrage of notes. Watch some of my youtube clips to see what I mean. The guys are always listening for those hits to cue them. In the end, blast beats mean nothing without using them in a song, so its as much about keeping time as it is being able to simply play blast beats. There are several blasts but they are all unified in the fact that the snare notes are what make them blasts. I highly recommend getting that left hand nice and strong with some good solid practice and have fun! Hope this helped! Thanks!
It helped a lot. Thanks man. I’ll definitely keep a lot of what you said in mind when I practice blasts and use them in live settings. I have a question that I’m not sure you’d be able to answer, but I’d like to throw it out there anyways. Most drummers have heard of the god-like technique called a one-handed roll. The thing is, almost nobody knows how to do it. I watched a video with Dave Weckl, where he talked about it, and he said it’s like a double-stroke roll, just altered to where it can played in succession and in time. When I’ve tried to do it, it came out more like a gravity blast, where the point where gravity caused the natural rebound to occur wasn’t on the rim of the snare, but in the tension I would apply to the stick with my ring and pinky fingers. I’m not sure if this what Dave was talking about, but it definitely got me excited whenever I could feel the stick hit the snare at this incredibly fast speed. I haven’t been able to duplicate it since I the first time I tried it, which sucks, but I’m working on it. So my question is, do you have any tips for this technique? My focal point in practicing drumset now is speed, because that’s the only thing I’m not strong with, so I think the proper use of this technique would make my drumset playing grow exponentially. Thanks for the help again, and thanks for your time.
Hey Zach, glad that I was able to help you out! As far as the infamous one handed roll, I’ve seen a clip of JoJo Mayer doing it which was pretty sick. I’ve personally never even attempted, so I can’t really offer any advice. I guess I would focus on the same principals as the regular blast…consistent, clean, and aggressive. I’ve yet to hear someone use that beat live and “heard” the snare drum…so practice and BE THE FIRST! Thanks!
Gus Rios
Challenge accepted.
Polak,
Happy to hear that you’re happy with your new kit, not so much about your knee surgery…get better! One thing about that finger control thing..be sure and always be aware of your volume when it comes to blasting, especially with that technique. All too often I hear the snare disappear when a drummer starts blasting. All fast blasters use finger technique in some form or another, but make sure that it’s strengthened enough to project those rapid 16th notes out and make the snare the dominant time keeper in the blast, not the ride or hats. On that note, usually stock heads are pretty bad, and of course affect the drum sound negatively. I recommend replacing the snare heads more than the wires themselves. This includes the bottom head as well! I use an Evans hazy 300 for the bottom and an HD Dry on top. This combo has proven to be great both live and in the studio. The drum becomes very tight and dry, which is exactly what you want for fast music in general. Hope this helps and thanks!
Gus Rios
Killer article Gus. I am currently using a Gretsch Catalina Ash 6 piece kit, tom sizes 8×7,10×8,12×9, and 14×14 floor tom. Bass drum size 22×18, snare is 14×5. Im currently using the factory heads because i jsut got the kit in march for my birthday and i have yet to be able to work due to a knee surgery (zomgihaventdrummedinamonth), and i spent about three hours tuning them and they dont sound bad at all. I have a dw 7000 double bass pedal and i finally reached the point where i need to upgrade to direct drive. Paul one thing i recently learned that has helped my weak(left) hand and has also dramatically increased my blasting speed is finger control technique. The best demonstrator of this, in my opinion, is Johnny Rabb. I watched countless videos of his on youtube to figure out his technique and i finally figured it out after getting his 30 days to better hands program.
Gus I was wondering what snare wire system(s) would make my snare better for extreme metal. Im not too pleased with the stock one but Im not sure what to look for. I was thinking possibly a marching snare kit?
You got it Paul! That’s what I’m here for!
Hey Paul,
Good question! This was actually the focal point of all of my pre show warm up on the last Malevolent Creation tour. I would start out slowly playing quarter, eighth, and then 16th notes with both hands in unison. The thing is to really watch your weak hand closely and make sure that it physically mimics what your stronger hand is doing. So the excercise is simply both hands together at the same time playing 1 2 3 4, 1+2+3+4+, 1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a. I would do each count several times and then just stick with the 16ths for quite a while. It definitely helped me, but it takes time. So be patient and have fun with it. Thanks!
You have no idea how much you have helped me with your advice. Thanks a lot.
Hey there Gus. I have another question for you to ponder. Is there anything that can do to improve my playing with my weaker right hand. My left is stronger it always has been,but I want to be albe to make both my hands as strong as I can. What do you think. Thanks for your time.
There is one thing I would like to learn when it comes to exterme Metal is blast beats. Dose any one have any advice for this type of beat? Anything would be gr8. Thanks for your time.
There are quite a few different types of blast beats. The 2 most common beats are alternate blasts, where the hands are basically playing a single stroke roll (RLRLRLRL, etc) and the foot is playing all the notes that the right hand is playing, kind of a real fast polka or thrash beat, and the other is referred to as a “bomb blast”. This one is where the hands are in unison, or playing the 16th notes together at the same time and kicks are doubling what the hands are doing. The right kick is playing all of the 16ths in unison with the hands and the left kick is also playing 16ths, but alternating notes with the right kick (RLRLRL,etc). START SLOW! Get the pattern down and THEN speed things up. I cannot stress that enough. Hope this helps…thanks!
Gus Rios
Yes it dose help. Thanks Gus and good luck with your drumming.
Hi Gus, thanks for taking the time to share this info with us! I just wanted to share a comment with all the metal drummers that are reading this. I was pretty discouraged with my double bass drum playing when trying to reach those higher tempos. I struggled with it so much and I thought that I needed two bass drums in order to reach the speed I was looking for. It may help to have two bass drums, and the physics of why that is certainly make sense, but I was shocked to hear that one of the fastest double bass drum players on the planet actually uses a double pedal! I had the privilege of seeing Derek Roddy give a clinic at the Modern Drummer festival last year, and was surprised to hear that although he has two bass drums, he plays all his blazing fast double kick grooves with a double pedal on his primary bass drum! He uses his other bass drum, which is tuned and muffled differently, for the parts of his songs that need a bigger, more open-sounding bass drum. I just thought I’d share that with all the metal drummers out there who may not be able to get that coveted second bass drum. All hope is not lost!
Hey Rich,
Thanks for taking the time to write a response. I have the fortune of living only a few minutes from Derek and he and I have been friends for years. I too have seen him just burn up a double pedal!! I’ve even done entire tours with a double pedal. I never said that it was impossible to play without one, just that I prefer two kick drums. Believe me Rich, I hear ya on that coveted second kick drum man! I certainly don’t want to discourage drummers from practicing double bass unless they have two kicks, not in the least. If you are having trouble with speed, you can try making adjustments to your pedals. Most every drummer who plays really fast doubles has very unique pedal set ups. It took me years to get up to speed, and tailoring my pedals really helped. Derek’s are so unique that he’s the only person that can play on them successfully! There’s no real science to double bass speed, just time practicing and finding the sweet spot on your pedals, something which I plan on discussing in the near future. How are you practicing? Thanks Rich!