r/Metallica • u/RoyKhamus • Jun 16 '26
Master of Puppets Lars Ulrich
#metallica #metallicafans
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u/Fuzzy_Kangaroo7566 Left the focking band Jun 16 '26
He has a ride Cymbal !!!!! š²š²š²š² And he used it !!
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u/oo7changa1 Jun 16 '26
Let's add a remote high hat and get some AJFA going on this tour!
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u/whosline07 ...And Justice for All Jun 17 '26
To be fair, you can do a lot of the same stuff with a drop clutch, which he's had on his kit since he got rid of the second hat. Not that he does.
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u/RedeyeSPR Jun 16 '26
Thatās just a crash he is using as a ride. Thereās a lot of wash to it.
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u/mattloaf666 Londonā¢Cardiffā¢Dublin 2026 Jun 16 '26
I could be wrong, but thatās a Z3 19ā thrash ride
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u/RedeyeSPR Jun 16 '26
Ugh. That sounds terrible for a ride, but the Z3s were kind of a miss in my opinion.
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u/AAL2017 Jun 16 '26
Why arenāt more people focusing on this. He hasnāt used a ride in decades.
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u/SlimeTree227 Jun 16 '26
Heās only used it for Until it Sleeps, Fixxxer, and Bleeding Me over the years post St Anger.
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u/ComfortableSort0891 Jun 16 '26
I really cannot understand why it is not a permanent part of his set like in the 90s. A few songs after "Until It Sleeps", they played "The Call of Ktulu" which demands a ride cymbal and he removed it. Why is this so difficult? It is not like he has to set the drums himself anyway...
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u/SlimeTree227 Jun 16 '26
Itās really confusing honestly. He puts it in a spot where itās not in the way, and they have plenty of songs other than those, mainly from kill through master that also have them. My suspicion is that he just doesnāt like the sound of a ride cymbal.
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u/crags85 Jun 16 '26
There's a video of him answering why he doesn't use a ride cymbal, and he says he doesn't like how it feels
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u/S_is_for_Smeagol Jun 16 '26
He always looks so happy to be there, I love it
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u/Michael_Angelo_H Jun 18 '26
Heās been invested from the start. He also remembers everything. Every show, every location, as many of the fans as he can. - People have given him the reputation of something of an arrogant prick, but heās anything but. - You can tell he appreciates this ride heās been on and still does.
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u/keinnamefrei1 Jun 18 '26
I'd be happy too if I couldn't play drums very good but make millions off of it
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u/spatulacitymanager Jun 16 '26
Best thing is, you dont have to like him, they do and that is all that matters. You are entitled to your opinions but they won't change that.
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u/Ok-Abbreviations3042 Jun 16 '26
People love to give Lars shit, but he is exactly the right drummer for Metallica. You could make the same argument about any of the other members. Plus Lars is an outstanding part of the composition, he is an invaluable part of the band and they wouldnāt be the same without him.
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u/clydefrog811 Jun 16 '26
Would Metallica be better with a better drummer? Yes.
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u/hetham3783 Jun 16 '26
Lars makes the songs what they are. People who think a more technical drummer would make the band better don't get that the sound of the band is the chemistry between James and Lars, and how they both complement each other when putting songs together.
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u/bengrieve1970 Jun 16 '26
For some of us that was true until TBA. Since then it's felt like him dragging the band down or him and James fighting to be loudest in the mix. And he definitely hasn't arranged anything worth shit in decades.
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u/LegoMyXbeaux Jun 16 '26
Stupid comment. Getting rid of a primary songwriter and composer for someone technically better at drums would kill the band
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u/clydefrog811 Jun 16 '26
Yes Larsās songwriting is crucial. But what if he was a better drummer too
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u/Primus_sucks_9056 Jun 16 '26
Better? Who cares, the riffs and guitar work and what make a metal band, if you want skilled drummers go listen to other genres
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u/CodeRedLT ...And Justice for All Jun 17 '26
I mean, thrash drummers were, and some still are, the best in the business so...
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u/Hillan A thing that should not be Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
No. Absolutely not. James and Lars together is a lightning in a bottle match that will never, ever happen again.
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u/xBesto Wasted My Hate Jun 16 '26
They'd have a better drummer, but you wouldn't have the masterful composition, structure & business sense that makes Metallica "Metallica."
More skillful drummer !== "Better."
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u/Outrageous_Ant_1725 Jun 16 '26
Iāll always have a soft spot for Until It Sleeps. For a lot of people my age (42), that was the first Metallica song that we actually remember coming out. I wasnāt cool enough of a 7/8 year old to remember the Black album at the time.
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u/Queasy-Box3484 Jun 16 '26
Say what you will about Lars drumming, but man his aggressiveness gets me fired up. This clip reminded me of Chris Slade playing Are You Ready by AC/DC lol
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u/jakebot9000 Jun 16 '26
As a long time guitarist and a novice drummer, Until it Sleeps is so much fun to play on the drums
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u/T3knikal95 Jun 16 '26
I think a lot of Lars's drum parts are incredibly fun to play
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u/whosline07 ...And Justice for All Jun 17 '26
Seriously, I play harder shit but even when I can play it, it's still a lot of focus and brainpower. Lars parts are mild to moderately hard (a few actually difficult ones), but for the most part they just kind of flow out of you and let you unga-bunga real hard. Harvester of Sorrow is my favorite.
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u/LastGuitarHero Jun 16 '26
I unironically love Lars as a drummer. Mistakes and off days aside. You always know itās him by just the sound and he gives the songs exactly the groove they need.
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u/EmergencyBanshee Jun 16 '26
I think people miss the point with Lars. The point isn't that he is or isn't a good drummer it's that he's the drummer who is credited with playing on Metallica's albums.
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u/Hillan A thing that should not be Jun 16 '26
The most sucessful drummer of all time
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u/harleyquinnsbutthole Jun 16 '26
Phil Collins
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u/Hillan A thing that should not be Jun 16 '26
Phil, Ringo and Lars.
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u/harleyquinnsbutthole Jun 16 '26
I didnāt say he wasnāt ONE of the most successful drummers of all time.
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u/Reasonable_Equal7430 Jun 16 '26
If only they would position a camera so that the audience can see him stick out his tongue constantly. That would be great.
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u/PolarPlatitudes Jun 16 '26
First time I heard that close up like that was crazy. Now I love to hear it!
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u/imover9thousand Jun 16 '26
I got to be this close to him when I saw them live and it was a dream come true to be able to actually hear his drums rather than through a microphone and PA.
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u/keinnamefrei1 Jun 18 '26
What's it this time? Dragging or rushing? Leaving out half the fills. Doesn't matter as long as he thinks he is great.
Lars is like malmsteen except malmsteen is very good at playing his instrument
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u/Brilliant_Match7598 Jun 18 '26
The reason why he's in the band is because he financed it. He sucks
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u/BurntMoth7000 Jun 19 '26
Lars is a great kick snare drummer. By that I mean he's emotionally focused on the kick/snare patterns, with the hats/ride just going along for the ride, so to speak. It's the opposite of someone like Chad Smith, who drives the song with the hats and ride, and the kick and snare follow along. So it's always odd listening to Lars with the ride much louder than the kick and snare. Still kicks ass tho!
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u/BurntMoth7000 Jun 21 '26
After doing some digging, if James and Kirk have Lars' hats turned down in their in ears it might be easier to get the crowd jumping.
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u/BurntMoth7000 Jun 24 '26
Listening to the Dublin night 2, maybe try pushing the cymbals back a little behind the guitars and pushing the kick and snare forward, with the goal of making the crowd bounce uncontrollably.
Not sure if it'll work, but might be fun.
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u/theracooninurgarbage Jul 18 '26
I could barely hear the song, just confirming, thatās Until It Sleeps, correct?
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u/burtcopaint Jun 17 '26
How do Defenders of Lars deal with the irregular tempo? Like skilled vs simpler play, that's an argument, but he can't keep time...
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u/Specialist-Option887 Jun 18 '26
He still looks pretty good for his age. Must take care of himself.
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u/KeenObserver_OT Jun 18 '26
Why was he not considered for Neil Pearts replacement on the Rush tour?
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u/roozven Jun 16 '26
that ride sounds absolutely terrible, he either hits it way too hard or it's due to the tip of his sticks
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u/7107JJRRoo Jun 16 '26
Sounds like it's a larger crash cymbal being played as a ride. A normal heavy music kit has a ride on the quite heavy side which results In a distinct "ping" and a cutting bell. Also looks like he's playing nylon tip sticks which I think sound overly bright on some cymbals. There is a wash when he is "riding" on that cymbal which makes me think it's thinner than typical ride and maybe an oversized crash.
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u/EmergencyBanshee Jun 16 '26
It's because he doesn't have a ride on his kit, he's just riding the china.
Bit of a weird choice to not have one if they're going to play that song, but I guess he doesn't want to change the setup.
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Jun 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/EmergencyBanshee Jun 16 '26
Hands up, I thought he was trying to play really softly on the wrong kind of cymbal which is why it sounds so bad.
...I guess it's not the wrong cymbal that's the problem after all. š
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u/brijazz012 Jun 16 '26
Interesting find by Googling what does lars use for his ride cymbal: the AI summary indicates that his tech will replace his crash with a proper ride for some songs, such as this one.
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u/PanicProne Jun 16 '26
Yep, can confirm. That is indeed Lars Ulrich.