
Matt Halpern

Some of the worlds greatest drummers and industry members share their memories of what Neil Peart has meant to them.

For a decade the prolific progressive metal drummer, educator, and entrepreneur has been powering Periphery’s wild time signatures and blazing riff s. We asked the sticksman all about the groundbreaking band’s first self-released title. MD: Where was Hail Stan recorded? Matt: Our guitarists, Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen, and Mark Holcomb, …

With one foot in tradition and one in the future, the exceptionally diverse, super-polished pounder is at the forefront of a scene that shows little interest in what can’t be done on the drumset.
Posted: October 29, 2019

Steve Finn of the Offering
My name is Steve and I play in the Offering, a heavy metal band based in Boston, Massachusetts. I have been a subscriber to Modern Drummer since I was fifteen, so having the opportunity to appear here “On The Beat” is an incredible full circle moment for me.
Posted: July 7, 2015
News: Periphery Drummer and Bassist to Host Creativelive.com “Studio Pass??? Workshop on August 26 and 27
CreativeLive Music & Audio has announced an upcoming “Studio Pass??? recording workshop to be hosted by Periphery bassist/producer Adam “Nolly??? Getgood and drummer Matt Halpern….
Posted: January 9, 2015
News: Enter Evans’ Heavyweight Tournament Now!
Evans is seeking the heaviest hitters for its Heavyweight Tournament. Drummers are called to compete, for four rounds, in a single-elimination battle to determine the “Undisputed Heavyweight Champion.??? Winners are determined by votes every week, with each competition’s top voter advancing….
Posted: October 14, 2014
The Essence of Progressive Drumming
What is the rhythmic essence of progressive music? What makes prog so different from other genres? Does it require a specific skill set on the drumkit, or does the nature of the music make it open to interpretation? MD posed these and other questions to the drummers in Spock’s Beard, …
Posted: September 15, 2014
Drummer Blog: Jazzer Bryan Tuk and Metal Head Justin Vigile Overcome Adversity and Form Production Company Project/Two
Hey, MD readers! Bryan and Justin here to give you an update on our production company, Project/Two. The concept of Project/Two is simple: a twenty-something metal drummer and a forty-something jazz drummer approaching composition and performance in their own style….
Posted: August 18, 2014
Ash Doodkorte of Voyager (w/ VIDEO)
I’m from the faraway town of Perth, Western Australia. I play drums for the modern progressive metal band Voyager and also for the dirty fuzz punk blues band the Floors….
Posted: May 16, 2014
Meinl Cymbals Partners with Bandhappy as an Official Sponsor of the 2014 Vans Warped Tour
Meinl Cymbals is pleased to announce that it is partnering with Bandhappy as an official sponsor of the 2014 VANS Warped Tour.
Posted: April 9, 2014
Periphery Drummer Matt Halpern Hosts Online Class
Leading online classroom CreativeLive has been live-streaming Matt Halpern’s Working Musician Playbook class, which began earlier today.
Posted: March 19, 2014
Sunny Leejean of Activator and the Meaning of Life
My search for a drum sound has been an active one. I’ve played everything from an old-school “tube??? Tama from the late-’80s to fusion-size Pearl, Yamaha, and PDP drumkits….
Posted: March 11, 2014
Periphery’s Matt Halpern Announces Free CreativeLive Class
The online classroom CreativeLive has announced its first music and audio class for April, “The Working Musician Playbook,??? with Periphery drummer and Bandhappy.com founder, Matt Halpern….
Posted: September 11, 2013
Matt Halpern Mapex Groove Clinic Tour Dates for September
Mapex artist and Periphery drummer, Matt Halpern, will be conducting a clinic tour at the following locations during the month of September…
Posted: September 5, 2013
2013 Regina Drum Festival
The third annual Regina Drum Festival will take place on September 28 and 29 at the Exchange and the Club in Regina, Saskatchewan, which is located at 2431 8th Avenue….
Posted: August 28, 2013
October 2013 Issue of Modern Drummer Featuring Mike Portnoy
October 2013 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Mike Portnoy Contents
Posted: June 28, 2013
Modern Drummer’s 2013 Readers Poll Winners
The results are in for the longest-running, most prestigious drummer poll in the world. Without further ado, here are your winners for 2013….
Posted: April 11, 2013
Periphery’s Matt Halpern and Dillinger Escape Plan’s Billy Rymer Schedule Last-Minute Drum Clinic
Drummers, fans of the groups Periphery and Dillinger Escape Plan, and aspiring young musicians who live in the Baltimore/DC/Virginia/Pennsylvania area will want to know about an upcoming two-hour drum and music business-based workshop featuring Matt Halpern of Periphery and Billy Rymer of the Dillinger Escape Plan. The workshop, which will …
Posted: March 28, 2013
The May 2013 Issue of Modern Drummer magazine featuring Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer
See what’s in the May 2013 issue of Modern Drummer magazine….
Posted: March 27, 2013
Stickman Drum Experience Fantasy Drum Camp
The Stickman Drum Experience Fantasy Drum Camp will take place at the Cedar Lodge on Blackstrap Lake in Saskatchewan from June 27 to July 1….
Posted: March 18, 2013
Mike Lloyd of Leogun
My earliest memory of wanting to play drums dates comes from when I was ten years old and riding in the back of my dad’s car.
Posted: January 28, 2013
NAMM 2013 in Photos
It’s that time of year again, when the makers of dreams—or at least the equipment that helps them come true—show off the latest and greatest gear that will be available in the upcoming months. What’s the catch? Not everyone is invited! Never fear, the Modern Drummer editors have it covered. …
Posted: August 27, 2012
Mapex MyDentity Matt Halpern Clinic Tour
Mapex is sponsoring a nine-city clinic tour with Modern Drummer Readers Poll winner Matt Halpern. Matt Halpern will be discussing his approach to playing complex rhythms while maintaining a solid groove, the importance of drum instruction, and how to coexist with band mates on the road….
Posted: July 24, 2012
Carlos Rueda of Thick as Blood
My name is Carlos Rueda, and I play drums for Thick as Blood, from Miami, Florida. We’re currently doing a full U.S. and Canada tour with Lionheart and Dead Icons.
Posted: May 24, 2012
Matt Halpern Improvised Grooves (Video)
Check out Modern Drummer’s July 2012 cover Star Matt Halpern of Periphery performing an improvised drum solo, which he posted on You Tube early last year.
Posted: April 4, 2012
Matt Halpern SXSW Master Class
Watch this thirteen-minute clip of Periphery’s Matt Halpern in clinic. The session was filmed at this year’s SXSW convention in Austin, Texas, during Indie Ambassador’s party at the Soho Lounge. This was Matt’s demonstration of polyrhythmic concepts, in answer to an attendee’s question on the subject.
Posted: November 7, 2011
Stef Broks of Textures, Exivious, and Cube X
It’s 2003. Me and my band Textures are performing our first shows in Holland. Alongside Dillinger Escape Plan and Meshuggah, the press calls us “a new phenomenon,??? math metal. Writing some riffs with random digits on a whiteboard, we experimented a lot with weird polyrhythms and time signatures. It would …
Posted: May 17, 2019

MD Podcast Episode 192: Matt Halpern, Glitched Beats, Aston Mics, and More
In this episode Mike and Mike discuss June 2019 featured artist Matt Halpern, who recently released a new album (IV: Hail Stan) with his band Periphery.