Mike Portnoy's Drum Setup on Dream Theater's Awake (1994) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Mike Portnoy use on Awake?

Mike Portnoy recorded Awake in 1994 using a Tama Artstar II / Granstar kit with birch shells and Star-Cast mounting. The setup featured dual 22x16 inch bass drums, rack toms at 8, 10, 12, and 14 inches, and a 16 inch floor tom. The Artstar II / Granstar series was Tama's flagship professional shell platform of the early-to-mid 90s, and its birch construction delivered the punchy low end and crisp attack needed for the album's heavier sonic identity. Portnoy stayed with Tama Artstar II / Granstar shells before eventually transitioning to the Starclassic Maple series later in the decade.

What snare did Mike Portnoy use on Awake?

Mike Portnoy used a Tama Bell Brass 14x6.5 inch snare on Awake, replacing the Artstar II brass snare he had used on Images and Words. The Bell Brass shell is a dense, heavy brass alloy prized for its combination of cracking attack, fat body, and long sustain. Co-producers John Purdell and Duane Baron captured the snare with top and bottom mics plus heavy compression, producing one of the most distinctive snare sounds of the mid-90s progressive era. The Bell Brass voice anchors tracks like "The Mirror," "6:00," and "Lie."

What cymbals did Mike Portnoy use on Awake?

Mike Portnoy was a Sabian endorser throughout the 1990s and used a combined HH and AA series setup on Awake. The rig included AA 14 inch Rock Hi-Hats, AA crashes at 16 and 18 inches, HH Medium-Thin and Medium crashes at 17 and 19 inches, a Sabian HH 22 inch Raw Bell Dry Ride, an AA 18 inch Chinese, and AA splashes at 8 and 10 inches. The combination of brighter AA cymbals and darker hand-hammered HH cymbals gave Portnoy tonal variety across the album's wide emotional range.

What pedals did Mike Portnoy use on Awake?

Mike Portnoy used the then-new Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal on the 1994 Awake sessions. The Iron Cobra series had launched in 1993, making Awake one of the earliest major studio recordings to capture the pedal in action. The Power Glide cam gave Portnoy a heavier, more powerful feel ideal for the album's sustained double-bass passages — most prominently the relentless eighth-note pulse under "The Mirror" and the rapid sixteenth-note work in "Erotomania."

How does the Awake drum sound differ from Images and Words?

Awake is heavier, denser, and darker than Images and Words. Three factors drove the shift. (1) The snare changed from a Tama Artstar II brass snare to a Tama Bell Brass — a fatter, more sustained voice. (2) The studio changed from BearTracks (Suffern, NY) to Devonshire (North Hollywood, CA), which has a denser room signature. (3) The production team changed from David Prater to John Purdell and Duane Baron, whose work on Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper records brought heavier compression, fatter low end, and a more aggressive overall presentation. The toms are also tuned slightly lower on Awake, and the Iron Cobra pedal gave the bass drums more weight than the earlier pedal Portnoy used.