This week’s featured drummer has definitely made quite the name for himself over the last few years. As far as metal drumming goes, he really is the full package; speed, precision, power, and intricacy. I put him right up with Travis Orbin with regards to these proficiencies, as the two actually have a very similar playing style. Every time he uploads a new video on YouTube, I know I am in for a treat. This drummer is none other than…
Alex Rudinger – Current drummer for Whitechapel, Independent
Taken from https://www.metalsucks.net/2015/07/06/alex-rudinger-will-fill-in-on-drums-for-obscura-on-summer-slaughter-tour/Rudinger is only about to turn 30 years old and has already had quite the career in the metal scene, playing with the likes of Good Tiger, The Faceless, Whitechapel, Revocation, Monuments, and many more. He has built up quite the catalog with many other amazing musicians, each featuring his own distinctive style of playing. I personally place him at the front of the “modern” metal drummer movement entailing precise and powerful playing with some very difficult linear fill ideas. I would also like to add that he has a history of playing with ambidexterity to the same degree as Travis Orbin; these two are certainly at the forefront of that (with the exception of the open-handed metal drumming pioneer Gene Hoglan). He does not really play with the setup as much anymore, but here is an example of it; this is “Repress” by Ordinance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50bBWy4YwBk
First of all, I would like to add that this video is from over 10 years ago; Rudinger was only 20 years old. At this time, he played with a perfectly symmetrical kit; the amount of toms and cymbals and the types of each are nearly mirrored from left to right. As with Orbin’s drumming, this allows Rudinger to apply some natural panning effects to the music and also look damn cool whilst doing so. The ability to play freely leading with either hand or foot opens up a realm of possibilities that would otherwise be hard to achieve with traditional playing. I can certainly say that both Rudinger and Orbin have greatly inspired me to practice this skill myself, and I would like to think that it is coming along nicely. My next personal step is to acquire a setup like this one, however.
As can be seen in that first video, Rudinger was playing very fast and intricate pieces even at the age of 20. For those not familiar with his work, one can only imagine what he is capable of now. His playing has only gotten more precise and refined over time as well as his ability to write parts. It is obvious that he has never really relented in his practices, which is definitely a quality to be admired and learned from. Drummers like Rudinger are a reminder to never give up if you truly want to make music work as a career. Anyways, back to the drumming itself; let’s take a look at another more recent playthrough from Rudinger. Here is “STORM” by Kaz Rodriguez:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J6Qdxlfyps
Of the 3000+ custom charts that have been made by fans for Rock Band and Clone Hero, this is one of the few that I enjoy playing almost every session that I hop on. This song has everything under the sun: technical rudiments, open-hand playing, lots of groove, a wide range of dynamics, and a massive linear drum fill that is absolutely mental to try to attempt – although Rudinger makes it seem like a walk in the park. This one song alone is a good depiction of how Rudinger really is the full package; I also personally believe this to be one of his most technical pieces in general, although that is a hard debate considering the wide range of work he has done. Asides from recording his own drum parts, Rudinger also uploads covers every now and then. Here’s a recent one from just a few months ago of one of my favourite bands; this is “Nil by Mouth” by Haken.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzSpN-mxiwg
Knowing this song well enough, I can say that this cover is extremely spot on and close to the original with little deviation. Sometimes Rudinger aims to keep the song as close to the original recording as he can, and that is totally fine; I just consider this his way of paying homage to Hearne’s phenomenal drum writing. That being said, this song is no easy feat to play and Rudinger does not miss a note anywhere, showing how well-practiced he is and how important perfection is to him. Both of the sections at 1:47 and 3:11 require a lot of focus, memorization, and understanding of timing to execute effectively. Of course, Rudinger is fully capable.
Overall, I cannot help but feel inspired by watching videos of someone like Rudinger. He is a constant reminder to all musicians out there to work hard if you want to achieve greatness. The only real limit to your abilities are the ones you set yourselves. Without the drive to get better, you will simply get drowned out behind others that are able to hold onto the drive like Rudinger. This being said, I think I am going to go an practice now. To conclude, here is Rudinger’s most recent video from April 2nd, 2021, featuring his drum rendition of a show theme mash-up of his favourite shows. Enjoy!
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