Mike Portnoy Learns Impossible Danny Carey Drum Part

Mike Portnoy and TOOL... We know you've dreamed about it and today, it's happening.
Watch as drumming legend Mike Portnoy attempts the impossible task of learning TOOL's 12-minute masterpiece - "Pneuma". This song was released on TOOL's Fear Inoculum record in 2019 and is known for featuring some of Danny Carey's most complex drumming to date.
How will Mike go about learning this insane drum part? How does he crack the "code" of the song? Tune in to find out and watch Mike learn one of the most challenging drum parts ever created over the course of a Drumeo session lasting nearly six hours.💪🏼
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Lesson Overview
01:02 - A Surprise Message From Dream Theater
01:55 - First Time Listening
04:32 - Song Analysis
05:22 - Studying The First Verse
08:23 - Watching Danny Carey's Performance
10:27 - Cracking The Code
11:46 - Looking At Sheet Music
16:02 - The Final Performance
27:45 - Final Thoughts
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#MikePortnoy #DreamTheater #Tool

[@DrumeoOfficial]

This is the most difficult challenge we've ever given anyone in Drumeo history! Thanks for taking part in this epic exercise, Mike! You can play along to this song and many other Tool and Dream Theater songs inside Drumeo (with note-for-note sheet music AND drum-less versions of each song). Click the link to get your 7-Day FREE Trial! www.drumeo.com/trial

[@JohnHenry1331]

Great video drumeo!

[@ABeans07]

Idk... I think the Primus one might have been the most difficult.

[@FantasySportsZen]

What a stud.

[@elias41790]

That was CLEAN AF. I can't believe he nailed that after 5 hours

[@exhainca]

It's just amazing the compliment Mike gives Danny and Tool throughout this whole video. You know, just the guy from that simple musical project Liquid Tension Experiment.

[@MikePortnoyDT1]

Glad to see you all enjoying this exercise in human torture! 😂😝 Also, relieved to see I’m not getting bashed (at least too badly) for not “nailing it”…yes, this was a massive challenge!! As I mentioned in the video, I think watching Danny’s performance video and taking a look at the transcriptions were surely helpful…those are two additional tools I would’ve utilized at home if I were auditioning for a band or preparing to learn songs for a tour… (I also am NOT a professional transcriber nor sight reader…which would’ve surely sped up the process for a lot of drummers who are good at that) Surely this playthrough is rough in spots, but I did the best I could with the pressure of cameras rolling and a clock ticking…what a challenge!!! Wow… 🤯

[@freestyletow1]

epic god

[@Juan-jw5tf]

Stunning work Mike! Is not just the humble way that you took the challenge but the interpretation itself give me a lot of goosebumps. Thank you! 🫶🏻

[@therealcyberius]

This was so much fun to watch. You are an absolute beast and did an amazing job!

[@abrams_60]

Love everything about this video and how much fun you all had making it. Thanks for participating and showing us your process and taking it so seriously while having a great time.

[@joris.elfrances]

Sir, this was brilliant and so much fun to watch...

[@ignaciomora5522]

Now guys you have to bring Danny and make him learn The Dance Of Eternity

[@BrandonToews]

The DREAM!

[@yannickb6332]

Dude make it happen. ​@BrandonToews

[@Harrysnacks]

We need this. Or some LTE.

[@FantasySportsZen]

It's only fair. Haha.

[@enlightenedrenegade472]

​@@BrandonToews Seriously, we need DC on Drumeo. The world would be complete having him jam to a song he's never heard before (although good luck finding one, he listens to a lot of different stuff)

[@dekatonkheir]

I am floored at the idea someone could go from zero to that competent at Pneuma in such a short time. It took me a day and a half just to figure out how to headbang to it

[@spiritcrusher1983]

Lol !!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@richardashworth400]

"Danny Carey, Lose my number, I don't want this gig" had me HOWLING

[@austincooper4508]

If Mike had time to learn all the songs I think he would nail the songs.

[@patrikmachac3935]

Danny and also Gavin Harrison are not from this World

[@phobit]

I think what Drumeo did here was probably one of the most important videos to their channel - you just showed thousands of aspiring drummers, that even after decades of playing and probably being one of the best drummers of all time, even people like Portnoy still struggle learning certain songs. True learning never stops! Thank you Drumeo!

[@jonny555ive]

Well said brother. Keep evolving 🤘🥁🤘

[@Detonated66]

Hail to that!!!

[@CoversWithCare]

Straight dropping knowledge on em! Such a fun watch

[@andrelucas8950]

Amen brother

[@WittyCaMoNinja]

I just wrote this exact sentiment to my best friend - it's so nice to see a legend appear human. Well, at least for a few hours 😂.

[@BrandonToews]

You can all thank me later 😂 Mike put up with us for an entire evening filming this 👀

[@KyleDavisMusic]

Release the Collins interview!

[@iAnimeDude]

Looking forward to this! Is the Blake Richardson stream going to be reuploaded soon aswell? Also highly stoked for that!

[@CloseUpLover]

Brandon you crazy devil 😈😎

[@slobash33]

I am at most a desk drummer but these vids make me wish I had the coordination to do better :D This one's going to be a ride, thanks mate

[@nickp440]

I will thank you now, later, and every time you guys make cool stuff like this.

[@wrlsfanatic1532]

I would literally pay money to watch Danny Carey watching this video.

[@bucket_o_noodles8914]

Same dude, then watch Danny Carey cover a Dream Theater song

[@sensory_deprivation4126]

I’m just a dude, watching a dude, who’s watching another dude

[@evanoneill619]

Why? Danny came up with this, and although Mike is super talented, he's way off, even from the beginning.

[@bethannprather1462]

Saaaame

[@stainedsteel1]

Yo dawg, I heard you like watching drummers watching drummers...

[@warc8us]

Dude made out like he was struggling and not gonna make it, then proceeded to tear this song a new asshole. That fucking rocked

[@ooze4261]

“This makes dream theater sound like weezer” is one of the biggest compliments Danny Carey will ever get 😭

[@lollipop84858]

Prove it.

[@paulj.buckingham2297]

From none other than Mike F'n Portnoy

[@powerslop7941]

Ever idk but that is definitely high praise.

[@powerslop7941]

If you combined Portnoy and Carey youd have Super Peart.

[@user-zm8rn9td6o]

dude he nailed it there. He says hey Danny loose my number😂😂😂

[@MrLieka]

" 6-5 ... 6 6 5 ...The Neighbor of the beast " made me laugh so much

[@u.v.s.5583]

The Neighbor of Order 66 followed by the Neighbor of the Beast.

[@Zeezu70]

I seriously want to design a shirt now with Eddie from Maiden on the front lawn of a fifties-style home, waving like a neighbor, with that phrase "665 The Neighbor of the Beast!" 😝

[@bingobango4840]

Gold!

[@Jayzon666]

The "Neighbor of the beast" joke for 665 was done in Max Payne.

[@theanticitizen]

@@Jayzon666and in Alan Wake 2 recently

[@00jknight]

To hear Portnoy sound so human is honestly refreshing. I think this video shows that hard work is the key, not God given talent. Portnoy got where he is through pure dedication and grit.

[@sjs9698]

right!? liek he heard a thing & went 'on HELL no' then just dug in & did his damndest (i know f-a about music so, to me both original & the version here are incredible)

[@1FontaineCreaturae]

It's one thing to have God-given talent. What's up to you is what you choose to do with it

[@macko-dad]

Mike has a God given talent to be fair. But the the amount work he put into this and the humble approach is impressive.

[@kickithard]

To be at the top of your game, without a doubt, God given talent, along with sharpness of mind and an uncompromising drive and dedication to your craft is a must, along with having a creative generous spirit and being willing to collaborate without ego. Without all of these attributes, you can never reach this level of success, no matter how talented you are.

[@ML807]

The greatest talent you can hope for is the willpower keep working hard until you have amazing skills that were hard earned

[@muhammadahsan3022]

I had no idea Mike is so humble. I think it takes balls to go through something like this specially when the cameras are rolling. Loved the difference in playing between the two legends. This is the best drumeo video ever.

[@fantabulousdave]

Well said!! I loved his improv

[@rustincole_w1339]

"This makes Dream Theater sound like Weezer" got me good

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

Pat Wilson is watching this from his mansion laughing his ass off😆

[@silentobserver2348]

say it ain't so :/

[@FantasySportsZen]

Same.

[@mikel5163]

He’s being very humble. On the whole Dream Theater has significantly more complex sections that Tool.

[@joho0]

@@bigbowlowrong4694 In Beverly Hills?

[@nestortomaselli6372]

“This is not a song, this is a Mathematical Equation” pure FACTS

[@supervillain3213]

I always call Danny Carey the time machine.

[@Coldfire75]

Every Tool's song are like this.....mathematics in music

[@DST7058]

Every music is a mathematical equation. Some are just extremely hard math (like this one)!

[@radbradmusicartist]

Says the drummer of dream theater 😂😂😂

[@FBobby]

The most Danny Carey compliment anyone could ever give. lol

[@derpderpington824]

This vid should be an inspiration to all musicians. To watch MIKE FRICKIN' PORTNOY stare blankly into space and be, like, "Wtf am i supposed to do with this?" is incredible. Even more incredible, he took a swing and gave it a damn good shot. It should remind all of us, There's ALWAYS another level. There's ALWAYS someone who makes you think, "Gawd, what's the point?". Just take a swing at it.

[@nickentros]

“This makes Dream Theater look like Weezer!”

[@kenvirag4025]

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1183">19:43</a> seeing Mikes face as he , unintentionally , flips and catches his stick after an intense fill is a testament to exactly how good he is....

[@matthewscott2987]

No egos. All compliments. Real struggles. Total talent. This video checked all the boxes. Mike is amazing. Drumeo kicks ass. Danny is a legend.

[@sonmadika4727]

13:13 HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@solarwinds9363]

I made the 665'th thumb up! You know what that means!

[@flyingdart9819]

I added the last dw

[@MetalHeart8787]

man give me a break I Don't hear anything challenging in this song, would I be able to play it? NO BUT Portnoy is an Amazing Drummer of course he could do that song. heres a challenge Give him a Fates warning Song.

[@KellFendry]

Watching _Mike Portnoy_ blue screen like a normal person listening to this is honestly inspirational.

[@enjoybrad81]

Right?! Instead of making me want to quit music, I kinda want to buy that drum set now :)

[@sphaleritecarcharias1404]

Mike accomplished in 3-4 hrs what i have not been able to in 2 years. Even though I am not being filmed and pressured and had the playthrough video since square one... Granted, even though there is no one to see me, im still afraid of trying it on my drumkit

[@Goshoonkeys]

so, when all incredibly talented octopus-like drummers on earth are actually normal and humble persons, what does it say about the normal person? Yes, every normal person has the theoretical capabilities to be the next Mike Portnoy or Danny Carey. It's a material quesion at the end, frankly

[@MrAlexjames94]

I have been playing drums (not very consistently) for about 10 years now. Im average at best, if you gave me a solid year to work on this song i think i could really nail that beginning part of the song. You know? That silent part waiting for the guitar to come in? that part.

[@dernorsebassist4252]

I play bass and it's making me think about giving Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) another shot from him blue screening on Tool

[@knsd1402]

Learning that song in 5 hours is wild. Mike portnoy is a G

[@danielpolentino5203]

I love how they didn't beep his"fuck". It came right from the heart ❤

[@cobbhc]

"It's all sixes and fives and threes, but that's all of music," spoken like a true prog drummer.

[@segueoyuri]

Like "mfers condensed the whole of music in this hellish song to play" hahah

[@Owl90]

That's so funny and accurate. Screw twos and fours!

[@christophertheiss8877]

"Six six five... The NEIGHBOR of the beast."LOL 🤣

[@davidsteinhour5562]

I KNOW, I audibly laughed when he said that.

[@jobyoanvillarreal9400]

As a musician, you know that you are in big trouble when Jordan Rudess send you a video to cheer you up.

[@WADEDESTROYS]

Lmao Fr mike knew it was over

[@yolandabrignardello3096]

Hahahahaha

[@markvandenberg4606]

Great comment. 😂

[@rizaabdiali]

😂😂😂hahahahaha

[@robertosantosayala8971]

XD

[@warnerpaau3706]

Hey Mike, I saw you in Hong Kong in 2004 (or was it 2005) and you rocked my world. You guys played Octavarium live and I fucking lost my mind. After I moved to the USA your music kept me alive through a really tough time getting bullied and far away from home. Thanks for all the great memories. Thanks for keeping me alive all these years.

[@benbullettmortlock]

Stay strong brother!

[@Ou8y2k2]

Two of the greatest drummers of all time. Now we need Carey to cover Portnoy.

[@peterdefrankrijker]

“665. The neighbor of the beast.” Man, that cracked me up.

[@timludwig841]

That was Hilarious!!

[@GRBandog]

667 is the landlord

[@curtschmidt3436]

went right over my head until u pointed it out

[@exclasher9975]

12:52

[@ch444z]

atm you have 566 likes man

[@wccrispy]

When you guys get Danny Carey in to cover a Dream Theater song, Mike has to be there just so he can talk sh!t to Danny. 🤣

[@king-manu2758]

I really like this idea.

[@natejackson1037]

Have him do that wack section in Dark Eternal Night

[@user-df1ns1ob8y]

Most Liquid Tension Experiments would probably harder, but for Dream Theater, Danny could definetly do The Great Debate

[@inconnector]

Danny would slay it, and Portnoy would probably never touch the song again.

[@chadcarrdrums]

@@inconnector not even

[@yzixs7790]

I'm a guitarist, but watching Mike on the drums is mesmerizing

[@vibetherealone]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1370">22:50</a> to <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1560">26:00</a> was just godlike and you can see he was in the "zone".

[@sojournchris]

was looking for this comment... he went beast mode

[@baileygray404]

YES. That was damn satisfying!!

[@JarradSpring89]

Agreed I love what he did in that section!!! He made the version his own in that whole section but paid enough service to the original parts to keep it in the feel of the whole song! Best part of the whole video

[@Unkle_Billz]

So true

[@myyoutube7144]

Oh yeah!

[@paultapping9510]

"This isn't a song, it's a mathematical equation" is such a good way of describing TOOL

[@paultapping9510]

@radbarij something about people being really good at and enjoying pattern recognition?

[@krokovay.marcell]

@@radbarij he also say in the beginning "Danny plays so damn tasty..." that's why:)

[@FredericoLaydner]

Tool is so complicated... It pisses me off sometimes 😂 it's like that college everyone had in school, that always had complex but accurate answers to the teachers. Involuntary they made all the other students sound like a bunch of "tools" 😂

[@invisiblecurious856]

Fibonaci sequence shit 😂

[@ytmndan]

Its also a great way of describing Dream Theater, which is why it's so ironic.

[@Safety_J395]

We need a Danny Carey reacts to Mike Portnoy playing Danny Carey.

[@mickeymassage]

I was thinking the exact same thing . Danny in the bottom right corner with his big toothy grin the whole time. I can’t listen to Danny Carey interviews in my lounge room thru my 5.1 because his deep voice maxes out my subwoofer 😂

[@arifafifuddin6802]

I need this too! Pls make this happen!

[@GK-xo6it]

This must happen!!!

[@kodedart2311]

YES PLEASE! ♥♥♥

[@blakejohnson6923]

And then a Mike portnoy watching Danny careys reaction to Mike portnoy playing Danny Carey

[@subliminaldoubt2092]

Mike Portnoy isn’t just a great drummer. He’s generally just a damn genius.

[@joshnizzle]

The fact that he had such a challenge just shows you the genius of Tool and Danny

[@kykk3365]

I think handing him Pneuma shows how much they respect and admire Mr. Portnoy.

[@chrisminarich0817]

Yes!

[@adampowell5986]

For sure. It takes a world class drummer to even have the balls to try it.

[@Jeff-vw7fw]

Props to Mike. Not every drummer would be willing to put their ego aside and let people see the real world struggle, non magical moments like this. It’s awesome content grounded in reality. Right on!

[@Muzikrazy213]

Need more of this from all aspects of a band!

[@user-bh6ou3bf6f]

This shows portnoy Is not incredible. Chambers killed it playing a tool song

[@mrbungle3310]

​@@user-bh6ou3bf6fnot this one though,this is complex

[@90nazarul]

This song are way to technical tho.. not many have try to play it . ​@@user-bh6ou3bf6f

[@bibmo84]

@@user-bh6ou3bf6f I would disagree, this shows Portnoy really IS incredible. To learn Pneuma this fast and execute it like he did, one has to be the highest musical genius.

[@jordonleigh174]

Mike did a PHENOMENAL job processing this song under such extreme conditions! TOTAL RESPECT.

[@vewilli]

It‘s the first time that I hear about Danny, but I‘ve seen Mike Portnoy live with Dream Theater and I‘m incredibly much looking forward to the new DT-album with Mike Portnoy. Now, this song by TOOL is a real masterpiece of music. Mind-blowing. Heard it for the first time!

[@postjm9]

My favorite part of this show is just how much great drummers love other great drummers.

[@TRAVIESO_NA]

That’s true

[@a.b.8035]

It's so unlike other genres where there is this rat race of being better than someone else. True musicians really appreciate each other's work, and let themselves be inspired by it

[@6BURG9]

So true. You’d never see guitarists doing this :P

[@postjm9]

@@6BURG9 I don't know. That documentary/interview "It May Get Loud" was kind of that.

[@markokecman1177]

Yeah.. like, rappers always keep dissing each other... Yet here, guys that look like they sacrifice goats every now and then all love and respect each other... That is the true metal community ❤

[@farrelfoster-lynam6683]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="173">2:53</a> "I already can't find the one. Fuckin' Danny" Mike is hilarious, humble, and super skilled. Total joy of a video

[@al-919]

He wasn't being humble, any drummer would say that if they were asked to play for TOOL.

[@glockmaster77]

@@al-919 really? Dennis Chambers didn't say that.

[@RigRacers]

@@al-919 exactly, being asked to play for TOOL is a humbling experience. Pure contradiction in your words.

[@paulhookey9074]

You know its getting real when Mike put on his reading glasses...

[@Avisale]

I came after to watch the drum cam Danny playing this song and I can say that the Portnoy job is AMAZING , amazing talent, all my respect for this legend!

[@TheBonzobonzo]

The fact that someone could learn this song so well in 5 hours is still absolutely astonishing!!

[@HairFIip]

Yeah honestly, you can give me 5 years and I won't get anywhere close.

[@SmittyD33]

Mike is one of the goats

[@Toni_560]

Let Danny try dance of eternity and watch him crumble

[@akhmassimohamed7054]

​@@HairFIipYou can give me 3 months i can't even play the intro

[@jacket2848]

@@Toni_560 I highly doubt that. Seems like you just wanna shit on an insane drummer for no reason other than not liking tool

[@dusty_bones]

The fact that he did this in 5 hours blows my f****** mind. Absolute legend

[@Marta1Buck]

it's gonna be 5 hours for 3 months for me

[@ThePaintedHope]

@@Marta1Buck thats optimistic ....xD

[@lfbaez]

​@@Marta1Buckit's gonna be 5 hours for 3 months just to get the 1st section 😆

[@Erickhetfield]

He watched a playthrough and had the notations. Let's be honest, he cheated and only managed to kinda get the main groove. He completely ignored the interlude solo part and came up with a part of his own. It would take him days to actually get the song properly. It's an incredibly complex and long song.

[@tdoom1354]

Larnell lewis would have nailled this in 1 hour

[@americanlostinvietnam3721]

As a Mike fan since around 1989 and a Tool fan, this was one of the best things I've seen. Thank you for this. Huge labor and huge reward for the fans.

[@el_torrez75191]

Its so cool that even PROFESSIONAL drummers struggle with songs we mere mortals dream to ever even understand hahaha, great job everyone !!!

[@TheBenjammin]

He didn't struggle...he learned in less than 6 hours

[@SMBarno]

We need Danny Carey on Drumeo. This was the perfect way to show that Pneuma is a masterpiece and Danny is a genius

[@u.v.s.5583]

Danny Carey learning Dance of Eternity?

[@Terminxman]

I’d love to see Danny, but these are the most entertaining when they’re doing something really out of their element. So I’d want something like death metal or even some pop(but I know Danny is into some pop too)

[@PureJadeKid]

@@Terminxman Danny Carey plays Bleed by Meshuggah

[@Terminxman]

@@PureJadeKid I really don't think that would be difficult, plus Meshuggah has toured with Tool before if I remember right. He would definitely know it. Plus these are more interesting when the drummer has to improvise a song they don't' know without hearing the drum track.

[@vin_9028]

@@TerminxmanI think Carey, like ANYONE, would struggle with Bleed’s kick drum intro. Haake is a beast in his own way

[@Jet_1982]

Mike: “Please tell me this is only 4 minutes long” Pneuma runtime <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="712">11:52</a> 😂 💀

[@marckferrer]

my man mike got a taste of his own medicine

[@nv5123]

Would have said, hey Mike how many tool songs you know come in under 4 min? I think they have more intros that are 4 min+ than songs around 4 min

[@marckferrer]

@@nv5123 but this is nothing to mike, dream theater have a lot of songs going over 15 mins.

[@susanalfieri4487]

God bless Mike for being game for this madness! I love Tool so much.

[@GrayVMhan]

@@marckferrer 15 minutes of playing something you did yourself compared to 12 minutes of Carey drums are two wildly different things

[@shaung75]

As a non-drummer, that was an awesome process to watch

[@pinkat13]

That was f*****g sick! Well done dude! Your face said it all during the last performance- happy, panicked, happy, ecstatic, joyful, relief! All the emotions. Bad ass talent.

[@TGRoko]

Mike Portnoy is sheer talent in human form. Danny Carey is an octopus in a celtic's jersey with his special drum from the 90s that they don't make anymore.

[@ljklj719]

What do you mean they not make his drum anymore? :o

[@shillian4770]

@@ljklj719 its a magic drum set

[@TGRoko]

@@ljklj719 He mentioned it in an interview. He has an electric drum that makes a sound he really likes and he hasn't been about to find another that recreates that sound.

[@echoloch500]

@@TGRoko The original Korg WaveDrum WD-1 from 1994. Only 700 to 800 were made.

[@TGRoko]

@@echoloch500 Yeah! Thanks!

[@maynardyorke]

everyone knows he's a great drummer, what we should highlight is the patience and professionalism and good humour he has while he's working it out- he's a big time musician and doesnt need to prove anything, he doesnt have to be there, working and sweating but he is and he makes light and shows vulnerability in figuring it out good dude

[@bethannprather1462]

So true. And I think it's all about the challenge of it. The respect he has for the other drummers skill... then trying to copy and learn it. Super impressive

[@jormundgandr88]

And if you were to have the opinion to think Mike was a better drummer than Danny Mike would probably laugh in your face with humility and dissagree

[@asadahmad2716]

@@bethannprather1462 Goes to show the artist's love for the art. Their egos probably takes a back seat, and lets them genuinely appreciate others who excel at it.

[@111usul]

to see someone like portnoy struggling just gives me punch to pick up instrument and proceed practicing, nothing comes easy, respect

[@unpsihologstilat]

TOOL's music is nothing short of a musical Big Bang, a cosmic creation and simultaneously, a poignant end to the universe. It's an experience that has left me utterly speechless, a testament to the profound impact their artistry has had on me. Their sonic landscapes unfold like the universe itself, with layers of intricate melodies, and each lyric carries the weight of a collapsing star - intense, deep, and emotionally explosive. In every note, TOOL manages to encapsulate the essence of a journey, a voyage through the vast expanse of emotions. It's as if they've tapped into the very fabric of existence, weaving together a tapestry of sound that resonates with the complexities of life. The music is a gentle caress for the mind and soul, a cosmic embrace that leaves an indelible mark. And this particular song, it feels like the Big Bang of all Big Bangs - a creation that takes shape only to unravel, making way for a rebirth. It's a musical metamorphosis, a celestial dance where every note and lyric converges and diverges in a cosmic rhythm. This composition is more than just an auditory experience; it's a journey through the cycles of creation and destruction, a sonic representation of the universe's eternal ebb and flow. (16.6.2024)

[@RobCarlson23]

Well put my friend. You took the thoughts right out of my mind with such elligance and clarity it's almost on the very plane of perfection you're describing! Idk if you're into psychedelics but one of the most amazing experiences of my life was eating 🍄🍄 and listening to this album (and other choice tracks) through $300 headphones 🎧. 😵‍💫 If you're open to such things I highly recommend it (in the appropriate environment of course 😉). Best wishes to you on this journey we call life 🙏🏻

[@unpsihologstilat]

@@RobCarlson23 Hey Rob, thanks for your comment. I have never ventured into the realm of drugs, nor do I have any experience with them. Nevertheless, I am profoundly aware of the transcendental power of a high-quality pair of headphones. The exquisite clarity and immersive soundstage they provide can evoke a sensory experience akin to hallucinations, especially when paired with the right kind of music. ;-) In such moments, the boundaries between reality and imagination blur, and one can be transported to ethereal soundscapes. Let the music play on, and may your future be filled with harmony and resonance! :-)

[@michaelwalsh9037]

wow you managed to perfectly parody what a typical insufferable tool fan sounds like, way to go this had me rolling. they are so pretentious. you weren't serious... right?

[@squibblez2517]

its funny, cause without Carrey, TOOL sounds like any other generic ass, art school prog band. Carrey is so talented he can carry a mid-at-best band into superstar territory, which is the most impressive part.

[@drphilsranch6782]

There’s something about seeing legendary drummers gush over other legendary drummers that makes me happy inside.

[@pauls3946]

🎯

[@g32.recitales]

Great time to be alive, right?

[@OcKY11239]

I glow happYness cuz of this fuck 😂🤘🏼

[@manchu9636]

I just love how there's never a bad word to be said about each other! They all truly appreciate the art that they each create

[@bevrosity]

can't not love danny

[@fubar1217]

I love how he was happy to not have to play an Animals As Leaders song but then gets hit with Pneuma. LOL "You sure you don't wanna do a Foo Fighters song?" You did great Mike.

[@BoolFalse]

i heard a lot about Foo Fighters and Dream Theater, but after this i really wanna try DT with all the discography, but nothing from FF :)

[@asabovesobelow2299]

He is not capable to play Animals as leaders

[@xeyon]

Speaking of AAL i hope they get a video with Matt. Hes insane

[@BlssdNFvrd77]

We all knew already that he is one of the best!! But, as a 40+ year drummer myself, this truly shows MP's true caliber as an Artist. Absolutely Impressive!!! And I'm not surprised. I can't say a name comes to mind when I ask myself if anyone else could perform this song, at that high a skill level, in less that 6 hours. If you can, please, I would like to know who! 💯

[@knightbiker1383]

The amount of respect Mike shows for Danney is astronomical and we need more of it in the drumming community

[@jonathansanders9816]

Both are super nice dudes also. I bet they get along really well.

[@robynrob4867]

Mike has great love and respect for drummers. See him talk in this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6q0oZqPpdqgqdUsi=kfrQbr0LPqcLfXQx

[@sarahdell4042]

The fact you got a massive name in drumming to sit here for 5.5 hours of actual torture is a feat in itself. Love this series so much

[@lucassaueressig1411]

$

[@Ty91681]

​@@lucassaueressig1411and in other news heat is hot and water is wet

[@mariofischer5437]

The dedication and the fun in challenging himself is inspiring.

[@sarahdell4042]

@@Ty91681 I highly doubt he was paid for this.

[@Rondigity92]

​@@mariofischer5437exactly, the point here is to make him think and learn something. Knowing how technically proficient he is mike could pick up a foo fighters song by ear pretty quick. He didn't have formal training he's self taught and goes by feel a lot, Also a pretty big flex too koz everybody who knows drumming (which is a probably most of the subs) know how insanely difficult this is

[@lLpars]

This was, without a doubt, the best half-hour I’ve seen on KZbin. There’s so many things so impressive about this: the song itself which already sounded crazy to me as a listener but I as a drummer never even dared tryin to look it up how to learn it. Mike’s feat of getting it done in just 5 hours while the vast majority of us will play drums for a lifetime and never be able to nail it. Also, Mike’s balls and humility to agree to lay bare all of that, recording him so uncomfortable and out of his zone. And most of all, Drumeo’s conceptualization, execution and production to put this together. I can’t stress this enough, but this channel is absolutely fucking awesome. Thank you for this content.

[@bryden72]

It also shows what beast Danny is. And to do it in a day lol

[@sinnedam]

Yes. This is the kind of content I would have killed for back when I was trying to catch 10 second snippets of the drummer on mtv in the 90s.

[@lLpars]

@@sinnedam right?? And we're getting it for free now!! Drumeo deserves mad respect from all of us.

[@juggalonumber27]

The tone of Mikes kit and playing the song "wrong" towards the end gave it a really warm tone I really dug. A whole section of the song had a feeling that most Tool songs never have.

[@markorangelismusic]

Cracking the Tool code is a life time journey itself. I really enjoyed this one, kudos to Drumeo for making this happen and Mike showed us his humility and humor while preparing his performance. Talent and experience came through. What a great show! Thanks.

[@shellbournian]

Dear Editor, thank you for your service.

[@augustoalvarez82]

This will go in history as being one of the most important drumming and music learning videos ever made. Everything is absolutely epic: The fact that one of the best in history stayed for 5.5hs to learn a masterpiece; Portnoy’s absolute humbleness; watching him struggle and deeply enjoying the process; listening to a bit of DT into a Tool song. Masterful. You guys are amazing!

[@NIUHOY]

THIS!

[@wurm90125]

x1000.

[@McLoven-vm1ck]

It blows even my mind that they asked a drummer to come in and try to wing it on a Tool song, their timings are known to be tricky with one of the worlds most amazing drummers making an exercise out of nearly every part he writes. Hats off to Portnoy for being such a good sport about it, as well as putting in so much effort on his attempt to fill in for Carey on this song. (queue the mission impossible theme song)

[@crk140]

Agree 100%, one of the coolest drumming videos I’ve ever seen

[@YaYousef5]

Yeah but he cheated. He was allowed to see the notation, watch a live performance of the song, and the "final performance" is a comp of different takes. He didn't play it one go. None of the other drummers in this series did any of that.

[@Mayday_zj]

Ive watched that drum cam video of pnuema at least 300 times....not an exaggeration at all...cant get enough of the genius that is Danny Carey!!

[@PointOfViewUk]

I love how much respect musicians seemingly have for each other, and how Mike seems to really praise Danny!

[@zach.hanford]

It's fun to see Mike experiencing what Dream Theater has done to so many other drummers now.

[@Skrobodja_Vloban]

Revenge, revenge:)))

[@M2Mil7er]

Probably took him back to his teens in a garage learning Rush.

[@Agostoic]

LOL

[@william_mazza]

Underrated comment

[@hernansnow7505]

@@M2Mil7erbeautiful

[@saldeleon4927]

For Portnoy to say Danny is one of the most creative drummers speaks volumes of the respect between the two.

[@majesty9322]

Mike Portnoy is one of the greatest drummer in the world. Love you mike

[@slickvic21142]

This videos is amazing, huge Portnoy fan after this. Thank you drumeo and Mike for amazing drumming display!

[@BarlowsMusic90]

Danny Carey should react to this video. And then Danny Carey should learn a dream theater song to be fair

[@lunaticmoon2941]

That would be epic

[@byrondouglasdean]

He should tackle The Glass Prison 😎

[@eddominates]

FAIR IS FAIR

[@GK-xo6it]

YES!

[@claytondennis8034]

Mike is no slouch.... an understatement, I know. After 5.5 hours, he not only did a great job, and showed us how legit he is, but that he's a gracious artist full of complimemts for Danny. Mike solidifies my fandom for him.

[@Whiskey_Pleaz]

Mike used to be a regular at a restaurant I worked at. He always polite, very genuine and a great tipper. Real cool dude.

[@SeanMacRSA]

Yeah, that's exactly what I said when a mate of mine sent me this link. Mike absolutely knows his shit! Just goes to show, as intricate as Dream Theatre is, and as convoluted their music can get, Tool and Danny have their own tricks and sorcery too. I absolutely loved watching this. But who wouldn't? Tool on loop is always welcome!😂😂😂😂

[@JasonRyanWilson410]

Danny Carey tracked Aenima in 8 hours.

[@BlssdNFvrd77]

I wish I had a place to play drums. I have wanted to get Drumeo for several years. I've been watching as you build it over the past several years. But, I lost my home over a decade ago, and I have not been able to get another that playing drums would be allowed. Hard to do when you are living on the street or in an institution, such as the Salvation Army, the YMCA, countless bunkhouses, and the Star of Hope. I still dream of having a place to play at home again, like when I was growing up. No one ever told me those would be the best days of my life. I thought it was supposed to get better.....💯 Still Praying it will! God Willing, and God Bless!

[@Driller0072]

BRILLIANT!!! You did in 5 hours what most drummers couldnt do in a lifetime!! Kudos sir!!!

[@ArmandoGarcia-dz4ry]

I’m a guitarist and this is my favorite music channel ever.

[@simon1987thomas]

I’m 100% in the same boat. And this video solidifies that!!

[@MrWepx-hy6sn]

Same bro

[@sammorris3858]

Same. Bassist here.

[@abefernandez6546]

Same. I do play a little of every instrument but guitars and vocals is what I've like and shine at.

[@poshinoposhi]

I wonder if Drumeo would ever try for a bass/guitar/vocal version of this channel. I’d love to see Victor Wooten’s take on a John Myung song.

[@Diego-Rabello]

The fact that we have Mike in his natural environment showing the reality of the process without the ego interfering in any way is for me the greatest asset of this video! Yes, more than five hours, yes, final version in several takes, yes, imperfect...but guess what, this is the reality! The human aspect presented in this video is gold! Learning to appreciate Mike even more! Thanks Drumeo!

[@Uphold-your-Rights]

Well said. It's a reminder that all of us go thru this to learn songs, even the best like Mike. No embarrassment, no ego...just learn the music.

[@user-bv3qt2jt2v]

his ego was there all along. he dont want to be showed as bad drummer. and etc and etc

[@leerobbo92]

@@user-bv3qt2jt2v Yeah, but every great has an ego. The trick is aiming it back at yourself as motivation, rather than at other people.

[@Diego-Rabello]

@@user-bv3qt2jt2v I believe there is a misconception on your part, I said ''...without the ego interfering...'' the fact that your ego is always part of you does not mean that you will let it act in an erratic way, which is actually the case here...lack of basic text interpretation ...

[@Diego-Rabello]

@@leerobbo92 Excellent observation, very well said.

[@jayluksha6809]

"665 the neighbor of the beast" F'n classic! Portnoy is one funny dude, had me laughing throughout.

[@legionnair23]

The patience and ability to soldier forth is incredible

[@mikelatimer]

This made me simultaneously appreciate Portnoy, Danny Carey and Pneuma even more! 😲

[@DanSpengler]

I'd never expect anyone to precisely reproduce what's on that track in this setting. My biggest takeaway here is mad respect to Mike for giving so much time to the challenge when he has nothing to prove and already has a reputation as one of the GOAT in the genre. So many great drummers on Drumeo, but I question how many of them would be willing to spend close to 6 hours working this hard for someone else's song on someone else's channel.

[@keyvanmesbahi497]

Well said!

[@YaYousef5]

The beauty of this series is watching how a drummer analyzes a part, puts their own twist in it and us hearing the drummer play through the song, but sadly, we didn't get to see that last part because it's a comp. He cheated. No other person on this series has gotten notation and looked at a live performance of the song, and they played through it begging to end in one go. Mike didn't do that.

[@MikkoRantalainen]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1378">22:58</a> I love how melodic the part that starts here is! Don't tell me that you can't play different note frequencies with the drums.

[@GenHornhead]

I've listened and watched the live version at least 100 times and am still obsessed with it. This is a great rendition for spending just a handful of hours. He captures certain sections well but overall is very different than the live version which varies some from the studio version.

[@electricred85]

I’m not a Dream Theater fan, but I am now a Mike Portnoy fan.

[@diemcarl5546]

We're on the same 📄 mate ❤

[@hhaste]

Same, I've tried to get into DT but can't, really.. aside from the Train of Thought album, I love that one. I've always loved Portnoy's playing, though.

[@kaoko111]

Is weird For me cause i dislike Dream Theater, however i love other projects with Mike, specially Winery Dogs.

[@serroche]

Listen to Images And Words from 92 and thank me later, it was the album that got me into them, easiest to dig into. The last song 'Learning To Live' is probably their best song to me

[@diemcarl5546]

@@serroche actually gonna thank you right away god knows when we meet next time 😁🙌 Spotified right now 👍 gonna dig it some time soon ✌️ peace

[@chrismoffatt604]

Danny playing sixteenth notes using a Swiss triplet stick pattern for like six minutes with one foot thinking in threes and the other in fours is superhuman. An evil ask to make to Mike, but he performed unbelievably!

[@kodyoliva8183]

Bro understanding that is superhuman too! lol

[@sp00g37]

as soon as that kicked in, my head started to hurt. the sticking was in my head, the kick was in my head, and my brain said durrr

[@saintjabroni]

@@kodyoliva8183😂😂😂

[@saintjabroni]

@@sp00g37🤣🤣🤣

[@chuckbrown5904]

A true masterpiece and a true master Rising to the challenge. A thing of beauty to watch. TY!

[@annakhusnutdinova9937]

Thank you for this video! What makes me keep returning to it is that you're showing an inside learning process, nicely edited but still one can see all ups and downs of the process. Being a musician myself, I can totally relate to it. And Mr Portnoy does an amazing job here!

[@sammarkey4702]

Ive listened to this song so many times and never got the timing down. It's so much different writing songs/parts with nuances like this as opposed to trying to learn it on the spot. Mike's performance turned out incredible under the circumstances

[@steven99191]

"I don't want this gig, Danny Carey lose my number" hahaha I'm dead. This is fantastic!

[@MayankRoy81]

What an amazing take! And thanks to the video and the comments section for introducing me to The Dance of Eternity. There is so much great music still out there yet to be enjoyed!

[@CerexFlikex]

This was fun to watch, thanks for the experiment and experience. You did damn well to get that far in that time frame

[@ThePhilTorretto]

Just want to say the “total time spent” is incorrect. It should have said: “5 hours and 30 minutes today + a lifetime of dedication learning to play the drums”. It literally took Mike the decades he’s been playing to be able to pull off something of the magnitude. Absolutely astounding. 🤯

[@mr3n10]

Facts

[@kpag3030]

Absolutely true. You know though, there is a 9 year old Asian kid who smokes this song somewhere in the world. Lol.

[@b_nes6093]

Well said

[@ethanpunto9222]

Yea and he's a disappointment to the family cos his cousin did it at 4 years old ​@@kpag3030

[@kapinnn]

@@kpag3030😂😂

[@VicCross]

The best part of this session is that he became determined to crack it. At least in what we get to see, he never get's overly frustrated, always seems to be having fun. Makes it so enjoyable to watch.

[@jamesadamgleason9471]

Yeah paying someone handsomely will do that

[@alexbrown4426]

​@jamesadamgleason9471 no guarantee he's getting paid for this, however, directly... that is, this is definitely good press for their upcoming album.

[@jazzcatjohn]

@@jamesadamgleason9471 You really think this was all about money?

[@Ricki_Snow]

@@jamesadamgleason9471Do you work for free?

[@Juttargoe]

This song and watching Danny on this song is literally magic to me.

[@JF11145]

Amazing! Appreciate watching these breakdowns and they are inspirational

[@TimWing23]

I didn't realize how good my father was at the drums until he started learning all the Dream Theatre songs back in the day, and how complicated they were. He had all their Albums. And recently my dad has been playing Tool too. He's 62! Great video!

[@tavaresdudu]

That's awesome! Do you have any footage of your old man playing? Would be fantastic to hear.

[@TimWing23]

@@tavaresdudu good question. He records himself sometimes. I'll have to check and see if he's posted it anywhere and get back to ya. He has an electronic set he plays in his basement for hours everyday. Plays in a band on the weekends but they play stuff like Van Halen, etc.

[@WesleyThibodeau]

Imagine him in a dad tool cover band with other 60 year olds...they could call themselves TOO-OLD (pronounced as one word)

[@FantasySportsZen]

That's awesome.

[@llamabot9889]

​@@TimWing23please put it on KZbin, I'd love to see your dad play drums

[@paolo-ex5zf]

This is the first time I leave a comment on KZbin in 15 years. Mike Portnoy just gave us a precious diamond! Humility, humanity, learning effort.... a true example for everyone out there trying to make it out with his/her passion! Thank you Mike! You are the Master!

[@TrTveT]

Too much humblness. You can be humble without putting your self down thw whole time.

[@Brojack69]

Keys to success.

[@felixjones9198]

IMHO, this is Drumeo's best yet.

[@stephennagy6675]

I couldn't have said it any better. To see someone like Mike saying, "Holy hell," what is this is real humbling and shows no matter who or how great you there is always something that will make you go wow.

[@shadowaccount]

Doubt that it's your first comment

[@gregcampbell2977]

A genius playing another genius. Pure gold! Awesome to watch. ❤

[@eddysmokes7]

when mike asks to watch him play the song, cause he said seeing it helps him “cement” it in his brain. that’s how i feel sometimes. watching something helps so much.

[@willemvdk4886]

As a drummer AND a professional video editor for 15+ years I appreciate the effort in both drumming and the video editing. It's a monumental effort on both parts. Awesome! I have a lot of respect.

[@phillagettie]

Amen!!!! Have so much appreciation for the production crew on this!! Imagine the absolute mammoth amount of footage to cut through, especially with a multicam set up. My brain would frizzle trying to piece together this puzzle on the timeline haha!! Good job noticing the detail!

[@Jump-2-the-moon]

A lot of viewers take for granted the video production when watching videos like this (myself included). Thank you for reminding me about the enormous talent in this video across the board!

[@jordangarrido3069]

I couldn't agree more!

[@BigTruckBigRV]

The issue here isnt Mikes inability to play a song this technical, its the fact that most Tool (and DT for that matter) have so many changes it requires a roadmap to understand what comes next. If you dont know there's a fork in the road you wont know which way to go. Thats why drummers who are this talented often are part of the song writing. They help write the map.

[@glockmaster77]

EXACTLY!

[@reshpeck]

Nailed it. It's funny how some people think that makes for superior skill and musicianshio. It certainly takes skill but memorization is not musicality.

[@doctorjames4245]

Exactly. Being part of the process is a lot different to trying to learn the process.

[@timg2727]

Not only talented drummers but also Lars Ulrich

[@bryanlejeune8132]

This.

[@ericmora85]

I gave tears of joy at the sheer craftsmanship of both Mike and Danny!! Man… I will watch this video and Vic Firth’s recording a million times

[@DaemonGuitarist]

He does come in on the two. Figuring that out is what FINALLY allowed me to hear the time.