# How to Sound Like Travis Orbin — Periphery Drum Sound Guide

**Drummer:** Travis Orbin  
**Band:** Periphery  
**Genre:** Djent / Progressive Metal  
**Guide URL:** https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-travis-orbin

## Overview

Travis Orbin didn't just play drums for Periphery — he helped invent the rhythmic language that defined an entire subgenre. As Periphery's founding drummer from 2005 to 2012, Orbin performed on the self-titled debut and early EPs that established djent as a distinct style. His ability to navigate Misha Mansoor's complex extended-range guitar compositions while maintaining groove is the template that an entire generation of djent drummers has studied. What makes Orbin exceptional is that he makes complexity serve the music. His patterns in songs like "Icarus Lives!" and "Zyglrox" aren't technically demanding for its own sake — they're the exact right pattern for an unusually complex musical idea. He's gone on to establish a substantial solo career with YouTube playthroughs showcasing technical mastery that has made him one of the most-studied drummers in progressive metal.

## Kit Setup

Travis plays **DW Collector's Series** maple drums — chosen for warm attack with upper-mid projection that djent arrangements require:

- **Kick Drums:** 22" x 18" (x2) with DW 9000 Series Double Pedal
- **Snare:** 14" x 6.5" DW Collector's Series Steel Snare
- **Rack Toms:** 10" x 8", 12" x 9"
- **Floor Tom:** 16" x 16"
- **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance / Classics Custom Series — clarity and complexity for dense arrangements
- **Pedals:** DW 9000 Series Double Pedal
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5A (standard — creativity comes from technique)
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear (kick), Remo Ambassador Coated (snare), Remo Emperor Clear (toms)

## Tuning & Setup

Travis tunes for articulation in dense, heavily distorted arrangements. Djent's extended-range guitars occupy enormous frequency space — drums must carve their own space with precise attack and controlled sustain:

- **Kick:** Medium-tight tension with moderate muffling (pillow or felt strip). The kick must click and thud distinctly at syncopated djent tempos — too much sustain creates mud.
- **Snare:** High tension on both batter and resonant heads. Let the steel shell add brightness — don't fight it with dampening. Cracks clearly on every displaced backbeat.
- **Toms:** Medium-high tension, one Moongel per tom. Tom fills in djent need to speak quickly and decay before the next guitar chug arrives. Tune in musical intervals for prog melodic fills.

## Technique Tips

Travis uses **matched grip** with exceptional four-way independence. His djent approach requires the left hand to execute complex snare patterns completely independent of intricate kick figures and a steady hi-hat pulse.

**Orbin's Polyrhythmic Djent Framework:**

- **The Djent Foundation Groove (120–160 BPM, Intermediate):** 8th notes on hi-hat while kick executes the guitar's rhythmic pattern and snare accents on 2 and 4 (or displaced backbeats). The guitar riff IS the kick pattern — learn it on your feet first.
- **Displaced Backbeat Patterns (130–170 BPM, Advanced):** Snare backbeat placed on the 'and' of beats or odd subdivisions. Subdivide at the 16th note level and count out loud. Identify where the displaced beat falls before adding it to the full kit.
- **Progressive Metric Modulation (Variable, Expert):** Periphery modulates between time signatures. Find common subdivisions bridging departing and arriving meters. Practice 4/4 to 7/8, 5/4 to 6/8 in pairs.

**Key songs to study:** *Icarus Lives!* (Periphery, 2010) · *Zyglrox* (Periphery, 2010) · *Jetpacks Was Yes!* (Periphery, 2010) · *Buttersnips* (Periphery, 2010) · *The Walk* (Periphery, 2010)

## Gear Shopping List

| Item | Orbin's Spec | Budget Alternative |
|------|-------------|-------------------|
| Drum Kit | DW Collector's Series Maple | PDP Concept Maple (~$700) |
| Snare | DW Collector's Steel 14" x 6.5" | Pearl Free-Floating Steel or Ludwig Supraphonic |
| Cymbals | Meinl Byzance / Classics Custom Dark | Meinl HCS Pack (~$200) |
| Pedal | DW 9000 Double | DW 3000 Double (~$200) |
| Sticks | Vic Firth 5A | Any quality 5A |
| Kick Head | Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear | Evans EMAD Clear |

**Starter budget path (~$1,000):** PDP Concept Maple + Meinl HCS + DW 3000 Double. See [/brands/dw](https://metalforge.io/brands/dw) and [/brands/meinl](https://metalforge.io/brands/meinl).

## Practice Routine

1. **Limb Isolation Method (20 min daily):** Practice each limb independently: right hand hi-hat (steady 8ths), left hand snare (various patterns), right foot (kick rhythms), left foot (hi-hat foot). 5 minutes per limb before combining any two. Goal: full four-way independence at 160+ BPM.
2. **Guitar Riff Transcription (30 min, 3x/week):** Listen to a Periphery riff and transcribe the exact rhythmic pattern. Play on kick alone with metronome. Add snare and hi-hat only when kick pattern is memorized. Goal: accurate kick transcription of complex djent riffs.
3. **Odd Meter Fluency (15 min daily):** 4 bars of 4/4 groove → 4 bars of 7/8 → return to 4/4. Gradually reduce preparation time between transitions until seamless. Goal: effortless transitions between common and odd meters.

**Common mistakes:** Learning combined patterns before isolating each limb; rushing through guitar riff transcription (the kick pattern must be accurate); treating odd meters as math problems rather than grooves; ignoring dynamics (Orbin's playing ranges from quiet prog passages to extreme aggression).

## FAQ

**Q: Why did Travis Orbin leave Periphery?**  
A: Travis Orbin left Periphery in 2012 to pursue his solo career and other musical projects. The departure was amicable. He was replaced by Matt Halpern, who has been with the band since.

**Q: What makes Travis Orbin's djent drumming unique?**  
A: Orbin's approach combines the polyrhythmic complexity of djent with a deeply musical sensibility. He translates guitar riffs directly to kick patterns, creating a tight rhythmic lock between instruments that is central to djent's sound.

**Q: How does Travis Orbin practice polyrhythms?**  
A: Orbin advocates isolating each limb independently before combining them. He practices kick patterns derived from guitar riffs, then adds snare and hi-hat separately, only combining when each element is secure.

**Q: What time signatures does Travis Orbin use?**  
A: Periphery's music employs a wide range of time signatures — 4/4, 7/8, 5/4, 6/8, and various combinations. Orbin's approach is to find the groove feel of each meter rather than counting beats, which keeps the music flowing despite frequent transitions.

**Q: Can beginners learn Orbin's style?**  
A: Some fundamentals are accessible to intermediate players — his basic djent groove structure is learnable with patience. The advanced polyrhythmic content requires substantial four-way independence, typically built over years of practice. Start with Periphery's simpler tracks before attempting songs like Zyglrox.

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**Full interactive guide:** [https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-travis-orbin](https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-travis-orbin)  
**Drummer profile:** [https://metalforge.io/drummer/travis-orbin](https://metalforge.io/drummer/travis-orbin)  
**Licks & patterns:** [https://metalforge.io/drummers/travis-orbin/licks](https://metalforge.io/drummers/travis-orbin/licks)  
**Related guides:** [Tomas Haake](https://metalforge.io/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-tomas-haake.md) · [Matt Halpern](https://metalforge.io/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-matt-halpern.md)

*Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io) · Last updated: 2026-06-20*