# Chris Turner's Drum Kit & Gear Setup — Oceans Ate Alaska

> Complete breakdown of Chris Turner's drum setup with Oceans Ate Alaska. Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch kit, Meinl Byzance Extra Dry cymbals, Tama Speed Cobra 910 pedal, Vic Firth 5A sticks, and the gear behind Hikari and Disparity's progressive metalcore drumming.

**Type:** Kit Breakdown
**Drummer(s):** [Chris Turner](/llms/drummers/chris-turner.md)
**Band / Album:** Oceans Ate Alaska
**Genre:** Progressive Metalcore

## Overview

Chris Turner is the founding drummer of Oceans Ate Alaska, the Birmingham, UK progressive metalcore band whose albums Hikari (2017) and Disparity (2022) positioned them among the most technically sophisticated acts in the genre. Turner has built a reputation as one of modern metalcore's most compositionally advanced drummers — a player whose polyrhythmic kick superimposition, velocity-even double bass, and compositional blast beat deployment are documented in viral drum playthrough videos and MetalForge's signature lick breakdowns.

His setup — Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch, Meinl Byzance Extra Dry cymbals, Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedal — reflects a musical philosophy shared with his cited influences (Matt Halpern, Matt Garstka): technical sophistication in service of the song.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch
- **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14" x 5.5" G-Maple
- **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Dual Ride, 18" Extra Dry China)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal, Tama 1st Chair Throne
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A
- **Heads:** Evans throughout

### Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch

The Starclassic Maple/Birch uses a hybrid shell construction — maple outer plies for warmth and sustain, birch inner plies for focused attack and midrange punch. This combination addresses the dual tonal requirement of progressive metalcore: cutting attack clarity for complex pattern articulation over heavy guitar arrangements, and melodic warmth for the dynamic passages that Oceans Ate Alaska's compositions move through.

Configuration: 22" bass drum (with Speed Cobra 910 double pedal), 10" and 12" rack toms, 16" floor tom. The Tama Star-Cast Mounting System suspends the shells at a single point for free resonance.

### Tama S.L.P. G-Maple Snare

The 14" x 5.5" S.L.P. G-Maple uses a glued maple laminate (G-Maple) construction for faster attack response than standard maple at the same dimensions. The 5.5" depth produces shorter sustain and faster decay than deeper alternatives — each stroke speaks quickly and clears, which is essential for Turner's snare patterns that include ghost notes, cross-stick accents, and rimshots within the same phrase.

### Meinl Byzance Series Cymbals

Turner's Byzance setup is notable for the Extra Dry voicing on both crash cymbals (18" and 20") and the china. Extra Dry cymbals have a raw, unlathed finish producing immediate attack and short sustain — the cymbal speaks and decays quickly. For a drummer whose arrangements require precise accent placement, the Extra Dry's controlled decay prevents closely spaced crashes from blurring into each other.

- **15" Dual Hi-Hats**: Fuller body than standard 14"; Dual configuration for tonal versatility
- **18" Extra Dry Medium Crash**: Fast, controlled left-side accent
- **20" Extra Dry Medium Crash**: Fuller right-side crash for larger structural moments
- **22" Dual Ride**: Versatile tonal response across positions
- **18" Extra Dry China**: Controlled, non-washy accent for technical passages

### Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal

The Speed Cobra 910's Duo-Glide dual-chain drive eliminates mechanical flex at high tempos; the Spring-Loaded Cam Plate eliminates mechanical slack between power stroke and beater return. Both features support the velocity-even double bass technique Turner employs — where both feet produce identical note weight — and the polyrhythmic kick superimposition patterns that require precise timing from both sides simultaneously.

### Vic Firth American Classic 5A

Standard-weight 5A sticks balance ghost note sensitivity and rimshot authority within a single model — essential for Turner's dynamic hand patterns that move between low-velocity ghost notes and high-velocity accents without grip adjustment.

## Live vs. Studio

**Studio (Hikari, 2017):** Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch recorded with focused miking to capture the maple/birch hybrid's attack/warmth balance. The Meinl Byzance Extra Dry crashes' fast decay is audible in the isolation between crash placements in complex passages like "Hansha" and "Escapist."

**Studio (Disparity, 2022):** Same core setup applied to Disparity's more adventurous odd-time and mathcore-influenced arrangements. The Speed Cobra's consistency is critical for the velocity-even double bass that underpins "Metamorph"'s shifting time signatures.

**Live:** Setup matches studio configuration. The Extra Dry cymbals' controlled decay reduces washiness in dense live mixes. Speed Cobra's lightweight footboard design reduces physical fatigue across extended touring sets.

## Signature Technique: Polyrhythmic Architecture

Turner's defining vocabulary includes three core techniques:

1. **Polyrhythmic kick superimposition**: Three-against-four or five-against-four kick patterns beneath a compositionally independent hand pattern. Documented in the [Hansha lick breakdown](/drummers/chris-turner/licks/chris-turner-hansha-polyrhythm).

2. **Velocity-even double bass**: Both feet produce identical note weight at 165–170 BPM. Documented in the [Escapist lick breakdown](/drummers/chris-turner/licks/chris-turner-escapist-double-bass).

3. **Compositional blast deployment**: Blast beats as phrase-boundary punctuation, including within odd time signatures (7/8, 5/4). Documented in the [Metamorph lick breakdown](/drummers/chris-turner/licks/chris-turner-metamorph-odd-time).

See also the [blast-beat technique guide at MetalForge](/technique/blast-beat) for broader context on how blast placement functions compositionally.

## Key Facts

- Founding drummer of Oceans Ate Alaska since 2010 (Birmingham, UK)
- Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch — hybrid maple/birch shells
- Meinl Byzance Extra Dry 18" and 20" Medium Crashes — fast decay for precise accent placement
- Tama Speed Cobra 910 — Duo-Glide dual-chain drive for consistent double bass precision
- Tama S.L.P. 14" x 5.5" G-Maple snare — fast attack for ghost note and rimshot patterns
- Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks
- Evans heads throughout
- Influences cited: Matt Halpern (Periphery), Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders)
- Major albums: Hikari (2017), Disparity (2022)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What drums does Chris Turner use?**
Chris Turner plays a Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch kit: 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, 16" floor tom. The maple/birch hybrid shells balance cutting attack (birch inner plies) with melodic warmth (maple outer plies) across progressive metalcore's dynamic range.

**What cymbals does Chris Turner play?**
Chris Turner plays Meinl Byzance Series cymbals: 15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" Extra Dry Medium Crash, 20" Extra Dry Medium Crash, 22" Dual Ride, and 18" Extra Dry China. The Extra Dry finish on crash cymbals and china provides short sustain for precise accent placement in complex arrangements.

**What pedals does Chris Turner use?**
Chris Turner uses the Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal. The Duo-Glide dual-chain drive and Spring-Loaded Cam Plate provide mechanical precision for velocity-even double bass technique at 165–170 BPM.

**What band is Chris Turner in?**
Chris Turner is the founding drummer of Oceans Ate Alaska, a progressive metalcore band from Birmingham, UK (formed 2010). His major albums with the band include Hikari (2017) and Disparity (2022).

**What snare does Chris Turner use?**
Chris Turner plays a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare in a 14" x 5.5" configuration. The G-Maple construction provides faster attack than standard maple, and the shallow 5.5" depth produces fast decay for clear articulation of ghost notes, cross-stick accents, and rimshots within complex hand patterns.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/chris-turner-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-19 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*