Periphery - Make Total Destroy

Matt Halpern and Mark Holcomb of Periphery met up at local Cajun restaurant in Pensacola, FL to play through some of the band's songs and discuss their approach to timing, counting off beats, and the secrets to making Peripheries polyrhythmic guitar riffs sound like the faceshredding ear-melting riffs they are. The members stated that they had never done a sit down clinic such as this and gave me permission to film their playthroughs. They sounded great for the stripped down rig with a single cab and an Axe FX II, Matt with a mapex bass, snare,and hats. Mark is an awesome guy and a solid guitarist. The event was organized by Raymond Rudy of www.easthillguitar.com/about-us/

[@PaintballBoomer]

I love that Matt Halpern is like every other drummer in the way that he just plays random shit while people are talking. Drummers, man.

[@johnbergeman883]

I saw them live recently and he was drumming while Spencer was talking and he was like "stoooppppp" lol

[@louisfroidevaux5012]

😂😂😂😂

[@thegodphreaker]

Matt has a unique philosophy that helped me a lot as a musician and a person

[@thegodphreaker]

@@johnbergeman883 i love them after meeting them. Awesome folks

[@HugoStiglitz88]

Wtf else we gonna do?

[@ryanrix6221]

What I find incredible is that Matt has a bass drum, a snare and a high hat! That's it, he is incredible!

[@thegodphreaker]

Matt rocks

[@onizuka132]

Djent is easy they said, just 0-0-0 they said

[@amenace33]

that rinkle in the carpet is making me loose my freaking mind!!!

[@MediHusky]

I know what you mean, I just pretend the floor is made like that. Then I could laugh at the incompetence of the carpenters.

[@AbuYusuf12704]

didnt notice till i read this comment -_-

[@Patrick_Hession98]

DEAR GOD WHY DID YOU TELL ME?!

[@aftafrancis]

Maybe you should tighten it if it's so loose.

[@Scias]

Tyler Francis If we could tighten it as much as periphery tightens their guitar tone that would solve it

[@JgHaverty]

marks professionalism just exudes from him. Every session he just plays top notch.

[@Cen2ored]

As he goes pee in the middle.

[@jayreyes828]

Wow I just absolutely love how they sound stripped down, cuz you can really feel Matt's drums! Mark is such a solid player.

[@ossibossi100]

Jake is Petruccis nephew but it's Mark who's using the JP model lol

[@biggin92191]

+ossibossi100 Not so much any more.

[@TehBloodyYank556]

Petrucci used to use Ibanez which Jake uses

[@neonblack211]

I didn't know that... interesting

[@ManleyReviews]

Whoa those guys are good, they should be in a band or something...

[@subzSauria]

there in pheripery?

[@ManleyReviews]

My apologizes, it's sometimes hard to display comedic sarcasm over the internet hahaha!

[@subzSauria]

hmmm i was thinking that before that you might be sarcastic, but then again there are alot of idiot on the internet haha :D cheers buddy :)

[@ManleyReviews]

Hahaha yeah, too true! Cheers.

[@ayusharipirala3121]

Imagine these 2 in a band with Misha Mansoor, I think that'd be dope

[@TheHIOJK]

as a drummer that loves Matt, I find this video very frustrating.

[@williamgreen624]

Did anyone else notice that his strap came off his shoulder but also actually wiggled the screw out of the guitar. You can clearly see the strap pin hanging on at 7:08-7:010

[@thegodphreaker]

It was definitely a cool experience, especially because they were about to play a gig. The guys shared some enlightening insights

[@1n3rtia]

Whenever any of the members of Periphery speak about how "easy" a song actually is, that's when I begin to lose my shit.

[@owenb3979]

+Luke Edwards i can't tell if they're being sarcastic because they were laughing when they said it was easy but then they kept talking about why it was easy and as a drummer i am quite sad

[@thegodphreaker]

They are definitely funny guys, it was great to meet them, matt is awesome

[@BaconJets]

Hearing the clean interlude with high gain is really nice.

[@zacfarro8678]

True Musician, Low Instrument Kit, But Still Show The Best Sound and Perfect Skill...BEAST MODE:ON

[@MrAntihumanism]

This guy is insanely talented. Wish they had more solos but this is crazy good.

[@frankhcoxiii]

Never gets old

[@thegodphreaker]

That sounds awesome, I'll have to check it out! I had no idea they worked on stuff together outside of periph. Thanks for the info!

[@Sjokoladesuppe]

i swear matt is so masterfull on those drums.

[@wipe0utpuls3]

+Lord Gestrüpp seriously...to be able to play that song on a tiny two piece kit...amazing...

[@jeffd.3883]

this is so cool!

[@ballypoo]

Love that intense zoom-in at 3:28, fits with song haha

[@xMiyazakiAkira]

4:58 that was fuckin wonderful

[@theSICkidd24]

Very inspiring!

[@mattman1127]

Fucking Matt is so good and such an awesome guy

[@acetariaformosa]

Fractal sonido muy bueno

[@adamcogan211]

Man I thought Matt was playing a huge kit till it zoomed out!!😂

[@thegodphreaker]

I never thought of that, but you are definitely right. Mark is the Gilbert of 7 string rhythm

[@Jrocka7x]

Mark has to be my #1 inspiration.

[@antispectrum000]

when was this?! and how did they end up here playing?? I live close to there and wish I could have gone to this!

[@KarlDutschke]

Music Man JP!!!!

[@metallica5252]

nice! my power amp is my old Peavey 3120 bypassed. Gotta love that warm tube power ;)

[@thegodphreaker]

I only filmed the playthroughs anyhow, but I'm sure they will do more stuff like that this that may be filmed or around your area .

[@KennyGraves_]

I had a great time at that clinic

[@ChaseZachary]

Fuck. Yes. These guys kick some serious ass

[@thegodphreaker]

haha man that was an awesome day!

[@TheYongqi]

i swear to god the dude at 0:53 sounds like josh gilbert from Wovenwar/Ex As I Lay Dying

[@MightBeCale]

Spencer and Matt also have a pretty neat side project called The Mothership, and Misha did drums and guitars with Elliot Coleman in Of Man Not Machine. I highly suggest checking them both out.

[@metallica5252]

definitely..i need to run my axe-fx/tube power amp rig through an Orange with V30s and really hear/feel the difference...hopefully Guitar Center won't mind if i pay a visit ;)

[@1998flint]

The pick is in the grooves of his palm

[@TheNicksellers]

what kind of power amp is that?

[@agnosticii]

Cameras should be hidden from people like this guy.

[@thegodphreaker]

yes, andy james does it too, it makes a sound! Fret 25!

[@awiegrn_]

anyone knows what's below the axe fx? thanks!

[@thegodphreaker]

which part?

[@brandontadday6288]

For some reason, Mark reminds me of Paul Gilbert (maybe it's his face). I don't know...

[@thedeathmachine666]

he looks a lot like the main actor from 28 days later

[@brandontadday6288]

thedeathmachine666 Hahaha! Know tat you say it...Yeah, he does XD

[@alexisd3]

Brandon Tadday To me it's his voice!

[@kunalrb5]

BT Studio Productions OMG I too feel same since long time

[@OfArgento]

thedeathmachine666 Cillian Murphy is the guy.

[@ainsbass]

Scarlet was originally a Haunted Shores song

[@baconsayshi]

Anyone know what the cabinet is?

[@chrisneill87]

baconsayshi its a vht

[@IronreaverVII]

The part where they talk about the song and answer questions.

[@Dampfwalzi]

sounds big for this little setup

[@kingandronikos4298]

I happen to love the singer.

[@cazza710]

I understand what people say about the Crunch Lab/Liquifire set being pretty low output, Mraky seems to be putting some fair attack into chords and they're just not giving the growl that I expect in a Periphery song, I'm so glad Mrak's getting his own Dimarzio set soon

[@Jaydenwybenga]

mraks getting a duncan set not dimarzio's

[@cazza710]

anussplittingbearcok I know. Look at when this comment was posted. He WAS going to be getting a Dimarzio set at the time i posted it, now he moved to Duncan.

[@thegodphreaker]

You got it backasswards, bro

[@Samus5164]

They shouldn't considering you're a possible customer! I bring my 8 string to the local store all the time to play through the amps they bring in ;) Sounds awesome through an Orange TH30 and Orange PPC412!

[@JamesHazBeHaiTyme]

The 25th fret is actually there, there on the guitar, theres just no fretboard after it. The fret is the metal bar remember, not the space in between.

[@metallica5252]

Opinions on VHT cabs? I use a Marshall 1960A with G12-75s as a comparison. Gear nerds, GO!

[@thegodphreaker]

Mark is too good for that

[@gh0stn0tez]

3:45 i was wondering the exact same thing lol.

[@Alej2682]

someone could tell me what that is below the fractal and it works? thanks

[@rmi004]

+alejandro avellaneda i believe its a qsc power amp. Fractal puts out the tone. power amp puts out the LOUD.

[@mike__durrett]

Yeah, to run a fractal through a regular cab, you have to have a power amp, and that's what the QSC is doing.

[@MateNako]

It is QSC power amp.

[@Bunters196]

It's where they wrote Scarlet :)

[@rahulmistry5019]

#mark

[@thegodphreaker]

practice makes precision

[@casey36]

what kind of effect processers is the guitarist using

[@GiordanDrago]

It's an Axe FX II, as far as i can tell.

[@meghanus007]

the guitarist is using a black processor written axe fx on it!!.

[@norocknrollradio57]

brandon boyd?

[@blunty6feetunder]

fuck man I wish i could play with precision like that

[@Ryanizorx]

LOL THE GUY SINGING IN THE BACKGROUND

[@wozing]

He moves the pick to between his ring and middle finger.

[@xxczerxx]

On the second tapped bit in the intro/verse, tabs say it's [tap]24th fret and then 12, followed by [tap]23rd fret and 12.... am I the only one who finds that really hard to co-ordinate? All the other taps in that section are octaves up so I'm naturally inclined to try and hit the 11th fret after tapping the 23rd. Is that definitely how it's played?

[@paganphoenixguitar]

Yeah all the taps are an octave up so 11 and 23 played just as the 12 and 24 are

[@xxczerxx]

Phoenix Pagan Ah, cool, thanks bro!

[@Amber097]

he uses PlanetWaves's strap?

[@matiasx1996]

what power amp is that?

[@VonRich]

QSC RMX 1450

[@thegodphreaker]

That could be it, It look likes his middle finger is pretty open though, I think he tucked it into the index finger. It's always cool to see metal players slapping

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

fuck yeah vht

[@thegodphreaker]

We all do.

[@NickGuitarMalfara13]

Awie Garen Its a power amp for the Axe Fx

[@thegodphreaker]

Everyone in the world

[@Knosferatu]

Frak, its Mrak playing Mrake Total Destroy

[@jamesgerth4471]

How well do those music man guitars play?

[@DragonFlopp]

It all depends on what you're comfortable with. I picked one up before and I personally don't really like the way they feel. They feel too rigid for me. But go to a Guitar Center and see if they're right for you.

[@jamesgerth4471]

Thanks for your input man!

[@DragonFlopp]

No problem. I hope you find a guitar that you like.

[@VvVGuitar]

Honestly, nothing plays like a Musicman guitar, the action is usually low and the intonation is overall amazing. Build quality is very high and Musicman guitars have a distinct tone which you have to like. They're the best guitars I have ever laid my hands on, wish I could afford one.

[@jamesgerth4471]

Sweet, thats just what I need lol

[@thegodphreaker]

yeah I figured that out after I posted that comment, lol

[@thegodphreaker]

Fret 25, it makes a sound!

[@urielferreira]

Caralho vcs são foda!!!!!!!

[@zyon3101]

What he said make total destr....I mean, made total sense about bandmates

[@higler.]

What the hell, is he tapping past the 24th fret?

[@Samus5164]

Depends on what you're going for. I think the VHT has Celestion V30s, so the tone will be different. I have a Randall with the G12s in it and honestly /prefer/ the Randall to say, Mesa Boogies or VHTs with V30s, but Orange with V30s have a better tone to them, in my opinion due to the woods and construction of the cab. Mesas sound muddy and the VHT sounds... boxy, to me. It's good to have different cabs with different speakers, though.

[@thegodphreaker]

Na Matt and Mark said upload only playthroughs if you want. They don't want all of periph's secrets out there :p

[@TheJeffum]

damn i worship the haunted shore self titled album. taht thing is guitar revolutionary. sorta like how hendrix and van halen revolutionized guitar playing.

[@thegodphreaker]

Because they asked not to film that and I respect the band members

[@zxzxzxzPDOGZzxzxzxz]

Matt reminds me of my friend. Always playin shit while people are talking. God damn drummers...

[@metallica5252]

I never tried my rig through either. maybe i'll come across a used model mesa/orange down the road. buying those cabs new is expensive as fuck lol

[@thegodphreaker]

Yes, exactly, most people who win acclaim and fame like Periph is loose their values and sense of kindness and humility and get all ego-strung. Mark certainly gives good advice, and even takes his own his advice. There are two kind gents who haven't let success get to their heads

[@Erebus5620]

at 3:45 he is gripping his pick between his middle finger joints by curving his finger. I do the same thing. Its simply just a better way to get rid of a pick so you don't have to set down and pick it back up.

[@higler.]

Marc sounds so much like Paul Gilbert haha

[@Dinofly4]

I need to know where their picks go when they play that slap part.

[@coastcoretv1265]

usually theyd put it in their mouth or palm it

[@Dinofly4]

CoastCore TV I know that most guitarists would do that but they switch instantaneously between parts though, you even see him do it in this video. Unless he can magically make it appear in his mouth instantly they do something else I'm pretty sure.

[@coastcoretv1265]

Wolfen he hides it behind his index finger i think

[@MediHusky]

He put the pick between his thumb and palm, out of the way of his thumb.

[@Koivisto147]

i.stack.imgur.com/IBp2q.jpg I find this is the easiest way

[@amenace33]

.....................do you guys think he washed his hands?

[@bloodyoneiric9641]

I think he used hand sanitizer or maybe he didn't wash his hands at all. ----------C====3

[@IronreaverVII]

Why would you cut out the most interesting part ._.

[@thegodphreaker]

Haunted shore?

[@khanchris79]

Fret 25 is the Neck pick-up brahhhh.

[@nateyoung3675]

He doesn't palm it.. like heaps of guitarists he stashes it inbetween the 1st and 2nd knuckle on the middle finger of his picking hand.

[@5at050ta]

3:10

[@jonathanchandler9310]

love this song probly heard it 100+ times now, ive played drums for maybe 15 years and maybe in the last year or two have started playing periphery stuff and i just give up when it comes to the start of this song lol it the only songs of theirs that i really struggle with the timing this and maybe rainbow gravity, seriously underrated drummer

[@danjohnson7270]

REDUCE THEM ALL TO BONES

[@AttitudeCastle]

Looks like he tucks his plectrum in his middle finger against the knuckle as he curls his finger, if that makes sense? Kind of like Brian Setzer