Mike Mangini's Kit on 'A Dramatic Turn of Events' (Dream Theater, 2011) | MetalForge
Mike Mangini recorded A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011) on a Pearl Masterworks Custom kit with a Pearl Free-Floating Brass Snare snare.
World-record holder Mike Mangini replaced Mike Portnoy on Dream Theater's landmark 2011 album. Full breakdown of the Pearl Masterworks kit, Sabian HHX/AAX cy...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drums did Mike Mangini use on A Dramatic Turn of Events?
On Dream Theater's A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011), Mike Mangini used a Pearl Masterworks Custom kit with a maple/birch hybrid shell formula. The configuration included a 22" x 18" bass drum, four rack toms (8", 10", 12", 13"), and two floor toms (14", 16"). He paired the kit with Pearl Eliminator Redline double pedals and a Pearl Free-Floating brass snare. For Mangini's complete current touring setup and gear history, see the [Mike Mangini drummer profile](/drummer/mike-mangini) and the [What's in Mike Mangini's Kit article](/articles/whats-in-mike-manginis-kit).
What cymbals did Mike Mangini use on A Dramatic Turn of Events?
Mike Mangini used Sabian HHX/AAX cymbals throughout the recording of A Dramatic Turn of Events. The setup included 14" HHX Evolution hi-hats, three crashes (16" AAX X-Plosion, 18" HHX Evolution, 20" AAX X-Plosion), a 22" HHX Evolution ride, an 18" AAX Chinese, and a 10" AAX splash. Sabian's HHX and AAX lines produce a complex, versatile tone that suited the album's dense progressive metal arrangements. Sabian remains Mangini's primary cymbal choice, continuously since this 2011 debut — full details at the [Mike Mangini drummer profile](/drummer/mike-mangini).
When did Mike Mangini join Dream Theater?
Mike Mangini joined Dream Theater in April 2011, following a globally watched audition process that began in late 2010 after founding drummer Mike Portnoy resigned in September 2010. Dream Theater filmed the auditions and released footage showing all five candidates — Thomas Lang, Marco Minnemann, Peter Wildoer, Aquiles Priester, and Mike Mangini — performing the band's material. The audition videos became some of the most-watched drumming content on YouTube. Mangini's first studio recording with the band, A Dramatic Turn of Events, was released in September 2011. For context on the Mike Portnoy era of Dream Theater, see the [Images and Words Drum Setup article](/articles/images-and-words-drum-setup).
How does Mike Mangini compare to Mike Portnoy on Dream Theater recordings?
The two Mikes represent distinctly different but equally valid approaches to progressive metal drumming. Portnoy — co-founder, lyricist, and visual architect of Dream Theater for 25 years — brought a rock-based power and compositional authority built on Ludwig and then Tama kits with Zildjian cymbals. Mangini brought scientific precision, world-record-level speed, and a Berklee-trained theoretical foundation built on Pearl Masterworks and Sabian HHX/AAX. Portnoy's performances on Images and Words and Metropolis Pt. 2 are more emotionally raw; Mangini's work on A Dramatic Turn of Events and The Astonishing is metronomically precise. For the Portnoy-era gear breakdown, see the [Images and Words Drum Setup article](/articles/images-and-words-drum-setup) and the [Mike Portnoy drummer profile](/drummer/mike-portnoy).