How to Sound Like Sean Reinert — Drum Gear & Setup Guide | MetalForge
Replicate Sean Reinert's Death / Cynic drum sound. Gear list, settings, and technique tips to get that signature tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Sean Reinert use on Death's Human?
Sean Reinert played Pearl Reference drums during the Human (1991) recording period — an all-maple professional kit. The Pearl Reference's full, warm maple tone is audible on Human's production, contributing to the organic warmth that distinguishes the album from drier contemporary death metal recordings. He ran a relatively conventional configuration — the musical complexity came from his technique and composition, not from an unusual setup.
What cymbals did Sean Reinert use on Human?
Sean Reinert played Zildjian A Series cymbals, including 14" A New Beat Hi-Hats and A Medium Ride and Crash cymbals. The Zildjian A Series traces its heritage to jazz drumming, and this lineage is audible in Reinert's ride work on Human — the A Medium Ride provides the articulate bell and responsive wash suited to jazz ride phrasing at death metal tempos.
What is Sean Reinert's signature drumming technique?
Reinert's defining technique was applying jazz drumming concepts — traditional grip ghost notes, jazz ride phrasing, polymetric odd-meter cycling, and wide dynamic range — within death metal intensity and tempo contexts. His traditional grip left hand gave him ghost note sensitivity rare in the genre. His jazz ride patterns on Human gave the album a rhythmic texture fundamentally different from contemporaries who used straight 16th-note ride patterns.
Did Sean Reinert use traditional or matched grip?
Sean Reinert used traditional grip on his left hand and matched grip on his right — a hybrid approach common among jazz-trained drummers who cross over into rock and metal. Traditional grip on the left hand gave him the arm-rotation-powered ghost note sensitivity and jazz nuance that defined his snare work. His right hand used matched grip for power strokes on crashes and rides.
What are the best songs to learn Sean Reinert's style?
Start with 'Lack of Comprehension' and 'Suicide Machine' from Death's Human (1991) — both showcase his jazz ride technique and ghost note work in accessible contexts. 'Flattening of Emotions' demonstrates his polymetric phrasing. For Cynic material, 'Veil of Maya' and 'I'm but a Wave to...' from Focus (1993) show how his approach extended further into jazz-fusion territory. Study the full Human album systematically — every track contains distinct examples of his vocabulary.