Ryan Van Poederooyen vs Mike Portnoy — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit does Ryan Van Poederooyen use?

Ryan Van Poederooyen uses Pearl Reference Series with Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" HHX Evolution Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride, 19" AAXtreme China). Ryan plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a 14x6.5" brass Pearl Reference snare, Sabian HHX & AAX cymbals, and a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Mike uses a Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch hybrid kit with his steel Tama Melody Master signature snare, Sabian HHX Evolution cymbals, and a Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal.

What drum kit does Mike Portnoy use?

Mike Portnoy uses Tama Starclassic Maple + Starclassic Bubinga ("Dream Monster" dual kit) with Sabian HHX MAX / AAX MAXX Series (22" HHX MAX Ride, 18" AAX X-Plosion Crash, 19" HHX X-Plosion Crash, 18" AAX O-Zone Crash, 18" HHX Chinese, 19" Paragon Chinese, 7"/9"/11" AAX MAXX Splashes, 6"/6.5"/7" AA MAX Chimes). Ryan plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a 14x6.5" brass Pearl Reference snare, Sabian HHX & AAX cymbals, and a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Mike uses a Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch hybrid kit with his steel Tama Melody Master signature snare, Sabian HHX Evolution cymbals, and a Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide double pedal.

Which is better, Ryan Van Poederooyen or Mike Portnoy?

Ryan Van Poederooyen exemplifies the versatile, service-first drumming progressive metal needs when the music constantly shifts shape between ambient and crushing extremes. Mike Portnoy embodies the genre's technical ambition and theatrical scale, having helped invent its vocabulary with Dream Theater across 25 years and multiple side projects. Both show different sides of what makes progressive metal drumming demanding and rewarding for listeners and drummers alike.