# Mike Mangini's Kit on 'Dream Theater' (Dream Theater, 2013)

> Dream Theater's 2013 self-titled album was Mike Mangini's first as a full co-writer. Full breakdown of the Ludwig Keystone X maple kit, Meinl Byzance cymbals, and DW 9000 double pedals used to record the self-titled record.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Mike Mangini](/llms/drummers/mike-mangini.md)
**Band / Album:** Dream Theater — *Dream Theater* (2013)
**Genre:** Progressive Metal

## Overview

Dream Theater's 2013 self-titled album is the second studio record Mike Mangini made with the band — and the first he helped build from scratch. Where A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011) had been a triumph of technical execution on pre-existing compositions, the self-titled was a full collaborative effort in which Mangini contributed to the songwriting from initial ideas through the final sessions.

Released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records, the album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and reached number one in both Germany and Greece. Key tracks include the lead single "The Enemy Inside," the groove-driven instrumental "Enigma Machine," and the 22-minute closing epic "Illumination Theory" — one of Dream Theater's most structurally ambitious compositions.

For these sessions, Mangini made a significant gear shift: in place of the Pearl Masterworks maple/birch hybrid shells used on A Dramatic Turn, he tracked the self-titled album on a Ludwig Keystone X maple kit. The pure maple construction of the Keystone X produces a distinctly warmer, more open drum sound than the birch-reinforced Masterworks formula — a sonic difference audible when comparing the two albums directly. The Meinl Byzance Traditional cymbals and DW 9000 double pedal remained consistent with his 2011 setup.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Ludwig Keystone X Maple (Custom lacquer finish)
- **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Brass Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Meinl — Meinl Byzance Traditional
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9000 Double Pedal; DW 9000 Series Hi-Hat Stand; DW 9000 Series Straight & Boom Stands; DW 9120M Drum Throne; Vic Firth MM (Mike Mangini) Signature Sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Coated Ambassador (snare batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter), Remo Ambassador Clear (tom resonant), Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear (bass drum)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high batter tension for crack; moderate snare wire tension for ghost note response

### Ludwig Keystone X: Pure Maple Warmth

The Ludwig Keystone X maple kit distinguishes the 2013 self-titled from every other Mangini-era Dream Theater album. Where the Pearl Masterworks maple/birch hybrid shells on A Dramatic Turn of Events combined maple warmth with birch tightness and attack, the Keystone X's 100% maple construction lets the wood's natural character develop fully: longer sustain, a rounder fundamental, and a warmer overall tone that suited the self-titled album's dynamic and textural ambitions.

Mangini's configuration maintained his established extended setup: four rack toms (8", 10", 12", 13") plus two floor toms (14", 16") and a single 22" x 18" bass drum with double pedal. Dream Theater's compositional scope requires this range — "Enigma Machine's" melodic fill vocabulary and "Illumination Theory's" 22-minute arc both deploy the full tom spread as melodic rather than purely rhythmic instruments.

### Meinl Byzance: Consistent Across the Gear Transition

While Mangini shifted drum brands between A Dramatic Turn and the self-titled, the Meinl Byzance Traditional cymbal lineup remained constant — a deliberate choice that preserved the warm, complex, harmonically rich cymbal character that had defined his sound on the 2011 album.

The 14" Traditional medium hi-hats provide propulsive articulation on grooves like "The Enemy Inside" and delicate texture on the atmospheric sections of "Illumination Theory." Multiple Byzance crashes (16" thin, 18" medium, 20" medium) gave Mangini the full palette of accent dynamics Dream Theater's wide compositional range demands. The 22" Traditional ride's defined bell remained audible through the densest keyboard/guitar arrangements.

### DW 9000 Double Pedal

Mangini's DW 9000 double pedal provided the chain-drive consistency his precision footwork technique requires. For the 22-minute "Illumination Theory" specifically, the pedal's reliable feel across extended takes was essential — any variation between left and right beaters accumulates across a runtime longer than many complete albums.

## Key Facts

- Released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records
- Debuted at #8 on Billboard 200; #1 in Germany and Greece
- Ludwig Keystone X maple shells — warmer, more open tone than the Pearl Masterworks hybrid used on A Dramatic Turn (2011)
- Meinl Byzance Traditional cymbals — consistent with A Dramatic Turn of Events setup
- DW 9000 series double pedal
- Contains "Illumination Theory" — 22-minute progressive epic
- First Dream Theater album co-written by Mangini from initial songwriting stages
- Produced by John Petrucci

## Sonic Difference from A Dramatic Turn of Events

The key distinction between the 2011 and 2013 albums in drum tone comes from shell construction. A Dramatic Turn's Pearl Masterworks used maple outer plies with a birch core — the birch adds tightness, attack, and projection at the cost of some warmth and sustain. The self-titled's Ludwig Keystone X uses 100% maple throughout, delivering fuller natural sustain and a rounder, warmer fundamental. Both albums use Meinl Byzance cymbals, so the cymbal character is consistent; the drum sound itself shifts from punchy/bright to warm/open between the two records.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/dream-theater-self-titled-drum-setup

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**Related articles:** [A Dramatic Turn of Events drum setup (2011)](/llms/articles/a-dramatic-turn-of-events-drum-setup.md) · [Distance Over Time drum setup (2019)](/llms/articles/distance-over-time-drum-setup.md) · [What's in Mike Mangini's Kit](/llms/articles/whats-in-mike-manginis-kit.md)

*Last updated: 2026-06-27 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*