Mike is an Official W.F.D. World's Fastest Drummer Champion and in the rankings of 5 hand and foot categories. Here is his opinion on it: "The existence of the drumometer and the WFD events has helped my drumming speed and endurance. It really doesn't matter how many hits I can get in a certain timeframe as it relates to how many other person can get. The point is that the WFD has helped me get better and keep a certain part of my chops up when I most certainly would have let them deteriorate if I had no place to use them. Speed has a defintion which does not include musicality; it is something different, so the word "musical" is irrelevant with regard to Drumometer. What is relevant is the nature of everything along with proper definitions. The Drumometer is a device, speed is a derivative, facts with truth are usually based in scienfically provable forms of evidence, opinioins include feelings and not necessarily facts, musicality includes a level of order and "melody" (which also has a defintion.) My top runs are never perfectly executed rhythmically and certainly are not musical. Trying them really has helped my more 'quality' playing in a big way. As far as the 'runs' go, the just are what they are. Please know that I don't get injured doing the runs because I practiced many years of clean, slow, accurate and rhythmically perfect groupings for extended hours per day in order to build up my muscle groups. Trying a one minute 'run' for the first few times was something that I didn't really have to practice for. I have some kind of gift to do this, just like anyone that has the gifts that they have. I felt that it was important to do something with that gift. The WFD provided a really fun way for me to stay on top of my chops even though 'all out runs' would not be of the perfectly executed varity of drumming I would approve of on a recorded track. My cleanest runs are with my bare hands; they're also the hardest, by far. I use a very low stick height in order to play as fast as I can for one minute; the higher the stick, the less velocity and the quicker I die in my tracks after so many seconds....just like anyone else I'm sure. I use mostly wrists; I never use just fingers as it causes tendon related pains. In the end, as long as one does not get injured and can express their musical ideas, or fastest 'runs,' then a technique is not necessariy "wrong." I do have evidence to show that certain techniques work better than others for not getting injured and for playing with high quality. Peace. - Mike Mangini"
Official World Record Certificates |
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From Mike: "The camaraderie of anyone who truly knows the fun of being in the World's drum community is, by nature, true of the W.F.D. events. To be able to improve at a mechanical thing, then use it to express an artistic idea is to have incredible peace as far as I'm concerned. I wish this on everyone who wants it." The term "World's Fastest Drummer" cannot be used without the approval of the W.F.D. (who owns it.) There is one lawsuit pending as you read this. |
10" Hihat Machine Sounding Part on "Lost" Double Snares & 3 Toms Left Hand Percussion Simulation on "Thanks for Nothing" (Track 4), Hihat Verse on "His Voice", Mullmuzzler Anvil Part on Cowbell edge on "Am I Ever Going to Change", Extreme "Running Gag" Live in Japan Death Metal Tom Melodies on "Rage Absolute" This one is more about the velocity as the speed is 4 hits per second slower than the world record. All the strokes are hard hit wrist strokes. Go toPage for Non-Speed Playing Overview or Recordings
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Mike's "Lopping Shears" move named by tech Magee This clip starts on closer toms, then explodes faster to further floor toms. The feet are hitting in between the hand singles ala "blast". The "Crow" named by Gary Cherone Footage of a long run of foot singles at this speed will be seen in the solo from the upcoming "Drum Pad 20thAnniversary" DVD spring06 release. See Last 30 Seconds of this Bare Handed Run
Stick weight affect on speed
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TO ANSWER 'THE' QUESTION OF HOW: "My hand records are all set with a technique that is mostly wrist. There is no "finger only" motion although there surely is a mix of fingers and wrist. Making my point, you can believe the bare hand one is ALL WRIST because there are no sticks used; those are all full single stroke hits. Learning this has allowed me to express more ideas on recordings without worrying about hitting too lightly to 'go to tape'. Personally speaking, an all finger technique seems like a good idea, but I feel sharp pains from it, so I just stay away as much as I can. That's all I have to say about that.
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Every once in awhile, an innovation comes along in music that helps shape the future of the industry. Still, people fear change. Many view the advancement as an attack to the establishment. They try to resist for as long as they possibly can until it becomes accepted by the majority thus making it mainstream. When Rock & Roll came about, many thought it would lead to the downfall of America's youth. When Ray Charles combined gospel music with R&B, many said it was blasphemous and degrading God's work. Yet, Ray Charles is now considered one of the greatest music innovators of the 20th century. Enter speed drumming. Not immune to the same criticism, this latest craze is taking the drumming world by storm and creating quite a stir. Although it's been embraced by many drummers young and old, others see it as an infringement upon their revered tradition. http://store.drumbum.com/drums/speed-drumming.htm
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A bit of seriousness & dry humor... It seems the following words used in the past to describe drummers the double pedal or "big" kits are still used today, but for the drumometer device and the contests. Here they are for your review unless you know them all and don't need to look them up: speed, musical, drummer, ignorance, stupid, editors, writers, professional, wrong, correct, envy, opinion. Here's a good one: intention. |
