Sprite Metric Modulation Study — Morgan Ågren (Devin Townsend) Drum Lick | MetalForge
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Learn the Sprite Metric Modulation Study drum lick by Morgan Ågren of Devin Townsend. From Sprite (Empath (2019)). Devin Townsend's 2019 album Empath is one of the most ambitious progressive metal records in recent ...
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1. Morgan Ågren's Signature Licks — Devin Townsend's 2019 album Empath is one of the most ambitious progressive metal records in recent memory, and Morgan Ågren's drumming across it is a masterclass in applying metric modulation to a rock context. On "Sprite" in particular, Ågren navigates a series of time-signature shifts — moving between 4/4, 7/8, and 5/4 passages — without ever losing the underlying pulse that makes the song feel coherent rather than chaotic. Metric modulation, in the sense Ågren uses it here, means that the felt tempo changes but the subdivision remains constant: a quarter note in 4/4 becomes a dotted quarter in the new time signature, so the beat shifts but the listener's internal clock does not lurch. This is a technique rooted in contemporary classical composition and jazz, and Ågren's ability to apply it in a progressive metal arrangement reflects a career-long engagement with rhythmically sophisticated music through his work with the Mats/Morgan Band and his early collaboration with Frank Zappa's circle. The playthrough video he released for "Sprite" provides a rare clear view of how he physically navigates the shifts — the hi-hat foot and ride hand function as anchor points that carry the subdivision across the bar-line change while the snare resets to the new metric feel. For drummers, learning to play through metric modulations requires internalising the subdivision rather than counting bar by bar, which is a fundamental shift in how to relate to pulse. Ågren's playing on Empath is an ideal case study because the modulations are compositionally motivated — they serve the music rather than being displayed for their own sake — which means every shift feels earned rather than arbitrary.2. Morgan Ågren Profile — Keep the subdivision constant across bar-line changes so the pulse feels continuous rather than lurching Use the hi-hat foot as an anchor subdivision marker that persists through time-signature shifts Internalise the new metric feel before the downbeat of each new section rather than recounting from bar one Practise each time signature in isolation until it feels natural, then practise the transition points specifically Sing or tap the melodic line while playing to keep the modulations serving the music rather than dominating it
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