Mike Portnoy is a drummer who needs no introduction to any drum lover out there, certainly to those of you who are interested in rock drumming. Anyone who knows this drummer’s style is perfectly aware of his fascination with progressive music. A few days ago, in an interview for musicradar.com, Portnoy presented his drum set, which he is currently using on his tour with the band Sons Of Apollo. Let’s take a look…
photo: Mike Ainscoe
Mike’s shell set is a Tama Starclassic Bubinga in the Mirror Chrome finish. Mike Portnoy previously used this set with Adrenaline Mob, Twisted Sister or Dream Theater. The snare drum that Portnoy uses is his own signature instrument – the Tama Mike Portnoy Melody Master snare. It is characterized by a three-way throw-off that allows a player to set the snares in three different positions, which makes it possible to easily modify the snare drum sound even in the middle of a song. All the hardware, of course, is also from TAMA. The bass drum pedals are Tama Speed Cobra.
Kit configuration:
- 22″x18″ bass drum x2
- 8″, 10″, 12″ toms
- 14″, 16″, 18″ floor toms
- 14″x5 wood snare
Cymbals:
All cymbals are from Sabian
- 22″ HH Rock ride
- 18″ Crashes (AAX, V-Crash or HHX)
- 19″ Artisan or AAX
- 20″ AAX, V-Crash or HHX
- 18″ AAX or HHX Ozone crash
- 14″ AAX Stage hats 12″ lub 13″ HHX Groove hats
- 18″ HHX Chinese
- 19″ lub 20″ HHX Chinese
- Splashes: (3) – Total Max splash preferred
- 7″ AAX Max splash
- 9″ AAX MAX splash
- 11″ AAX MAX splash – 8″, 10″ & 12″ AAX Vault
- HH Max Stax medium 10″
- HH Max Stax low 12″/14″
- Bell: Total (Radia Bell lub Radia Cup chime)
- 8″ HH Radia Cup chime
Percussion:
- LP Cyclops mountable tambourine
- LP Tito Puento Timbalito
Drumheads;
All heads are from Remo
- Bass drums – 22″ Powerstroke Pro Clear
- Tom Tops: 8″, 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″ Colortone Smoke/Emperor Ebony
- Tom bottoms: 8″, 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″ Colortone Smoke
- Snare tops: 14″ Colortone Power 77
- Snare bottoms: 14″ Ambassador
Sticks used by Mike Portnoy are Pro Mark 420x with Active GriP technology, which uses a special material, very sensitive to a body heat and sweat. When the hand gives its heat off onto the drumstick, the Active Grip material becomes kind of sticky, and makes the grip stronger so you have a lot more control.
