Now this video is of pretty low quality so it’s hard to tell whether or not this guy is getting any buzzing going on, but if we give him the benefit of the doubt it would put him fourth in the world. However as it isn’t official obviously, he’s not. But it’s worth a watch none the less and see what you think.
1st Mike Mangini USA 1247
2nd Jotan Afanador USA 1199 (ooo so close!)
3rd Tom Grosset USA 1194
4th Fabio Godboy* BRAZIL 1125
5th Matt Smith USA 1119
6th Art Verdi USA 1116
7th Daniel Rice USA 1108
8th Daniel Barnat USA 1106
9th Sam LeCompte FRANCE/USA?? 1096
10th Chris Senior* ENGLAND!!! 1087 (oh come on, I have to put myself in here batting for England!)
Some of these results have been taken from the official WFD website but have been updated by videos found on youtube.com. If anyone has video proof that they, or someone they know can play faster please let us know and we’ll add it to the list. The video however DOES have to be of good quality or be from an official event with judges present for verification purposes.
*All results found from videos on youtube.com
WFD (Worlds Fastest Drummer) un-official rankings update….. March 2008
There have been a few more official events since this table was last updated and some positions have changed. So here is the new un-official world ranking table from 1-10.
WFD The UN-official World Rankings for Hands (with sticks)
Ranked Name Country Hits in 1 min
1st Mike Mangini USA 1247
2nd Jotan Afanador USA 1199 (ooo so close!)
3rd Tom Grosset USA 1194
4th Matt Smith USA 1119
5th Art Verdi USA 1116
6th Daniel Rice USA 1108
7th Daniel Barnat USA 1106
8th Sam LeCompte FRANCE/USA?? 1096
9th Chris Senior* ENGLAND!!! 1087
10th Eric Okamoto JAPAN/USA?? 1085
Some of these results have been taken from the official WFD website but have been updated by videos found on youtube.com. If anyone has video proof that they, or someone they know can play faster please let us know and we’ll add it to the list. The video however DOES have to be of good quality or be from an official event with judges present for verification purposes.
With regards to Worlds Fastest Drummer I’m now trying to get interviews with some of the current and past champs to bring you inside tips and advice for you guys to try. Many of you know that Mike “da man” Mangini is currently ranked number 1 in the world for many categories of the WFD events so I’ll start with him. This is what is said about him on the official worlds fastest drummer website:
Hailing from Waltham, Massachusetts, 5’6″ Mike Mangini has proven to have some of the World’s Fastest Hands as he has set World Records for the fastest Matched Grip, Traditional Grip, and Bare Hands (no sticks – that’s right folks, NO STICKS!) Single Strokes in 60 seconds!
On April 17, 2002, Mike set the record for Bare Hands of 1,138 Singles in 60. Additionally, on July 19, 2003 at the NAMM Summer Session, Mike went on to beat Art Verdi’s Traditional Grip record when he blistered 1,126. Then at the NAMM Winter Session on January 17, 2004, Mike Mangini and Jotan Afanador battled and set TWO New World Records for Matched Grip Single Strokes. First Jotan broke his existing record of 1,165 Single Strokes with a new record of 1,177. Not to be out done, Mike soon topped Jotan’s score and became the new World’s Fastest Drummer when he played a breath-taking 1,180 Matched Grip Single Strokes in 60 seconds. Mike and Jotan again battled at the 2004 NAMM Summer Session. This time Jotan topped Mike’s 1,180 when he played a smokin’ 1,199!
Mike then became the 1st person in history to break 1,200 when he set a new World Record playing an outrageous 1,203 Singles in 60 seconds at the 2005 Winter NAMM Session! Mike has truly proven to have the World’s Fastest Hands™ !!!
Mike even topped that at the 2005 Summer NAMM in Indianapolis, IN when he played a smokin’ 1,247 Singles in 60! We know…that’s INSANE!
When asked how his involvement in WFD has impacted himself and/or others, Mike says, “I’ve been able to make more friends with common interests, teach my techniques more easily as people trust me more because of the records, and also learn more from other participants as someone always has some ‘improvement’ for all of us to benefit from. If not for the other participants and the events, I certainly would not have progressed as much with my speed as I wouldn’t have had a reason or the support from others that what we are doing is simply just fun and worth being a part of each year. I expect more participants to catch and pass my records, and this will hopefully help me get better too.”
Stats
Hometown: Waltham, Massachusetts
Height: 5′6″
Weight: 142 lbs.
Years Drumming: 36
Hobbies/Interest: All sports, Reading (physics, mathematics, and religion)
Years in WFD: since beginning (2000)
Current WFD Records: Matched Grip Singles - 1,247, Bare Hands Singles - 1,138,
Traditional Grip Singles - 1,126
To find out more about Mike Mangini you can visit his website:
I’ve written about how I myself am working on becoming the fastest drummer in the UK and up to 3rd in the world. However right now I’m kinda being outdone by a lad called Elliot Jones, (a 17yr old I believe) who hails from the UK, somewhere in the West near Bournemouth (judging from his accent!). I’ve met him before, and would like to try and get an interview with him about his practice at some point, but until then here’s a list of the most recent times/numbers that he’s knocked up in his practice. (remember, these AREN’T OFFICIAL)
Obviously I’m gonna try and work on kicking his arse, but he’s a worthy adversary, so I don’t really mind losing to him! As long as he’s bringing it from the UK it’s all good.
Ok, so the last time I wrote a post about this I think I was a bit down about the fact I’d performed so badly in my competition! Since then I haven’t really done any practice, firstly because I focused on other things for a bit and secondly because once you get kicked in the nuts it takes a while to get back up!
But I’m up now and I’m ready for battle again! I’ve started practice again, slowly, but surely. I’m now trying out a new practice regime too. Rather than just trying to get as many hits as I can in 1min, I’m trying to work on my technique. My left hand (despite actually BEING left handed), like most, is pretty poor compared to my right. So I’ve decided to work to the click using individual hands so that I can really asses and work on the accuracy in my left. Once I’ve built my left up to where I want it to be I’ll start back using both.
This is something I’d recommend to anyone. You don’t need a “drumometer” you just need to work to a click. Really put the weakest hand under the microscope and try to mimic the strong hand in all ways. If both your hands are under control then when it comes to playing “hand to hand” or “singles” you’ll have a much better time
Today (Sunday) at Drummer Live was a bit of a rubbish one for yours truly! It turns out after my exceedingly poor performance (for myself only, not knocking anyone else’s attempts!) I was feeling a bit down. See, I know I can hit above 1100, but only in the comfort of my own living room. And I was disappointed ‘cos I’m yet to prove to myself that I can hit real numbers in a proper competition. In a way it was a good thing I guess ‘cos I have to be determined enough to continue after defeat (which I will) and prove to myself that I CAN do it.
From right to left: Chris Senior, Elliott Jones, Ed Frietas, Ben Griffiths
As I was feeling a bit rubbish I didn’t bother to go round the different manufacturers to get free stuff. In fact I didn’t feel I deserved any! So I’ll have to try that one another time and give you the low down. I did watch a few drummers, and will review a few more things for ya, so that’ll all be coming up in the days to come. If you REALLY wanna find out my result you can look on http://drummerbuzz.co.uk however, I’d prefer you didn’t!! Just the fact that I’m telling you it was bad should be enough and we’ll leave it at that.
WFD, or Worlds Fastest Drummer, is a competition that was started in the United States a few years ago to get drummers across the globe trying to win this prestigious title.
Chris demonstrates 1087 hits in a minute, that’s 18 hits a second!!
It has 3 main categories:
Fastest hands (with sticks)
Fastest Bare Hands (usually on an African drum of some description)
Fastest Feet (using a double pedal)
Most categories are judged over 60secs, however some endurance records of 15mins have also been set. The “WFD” however, IS the fastest person over the 60secs. Kinda like the 100m at the Olympics.
has recently come over to Britain and has cause a storm!
Some people look upon it as pointless, creating such arguments as: “Just ‘cos they can play fast doesn’t mean they’re a good drummer.” or “Playing the drums isn’t a sport, so why are people trying to turn it into one?!”
Well, both valid points I guess, but how about the fact that the immense stick control involved may HELP them to become a better drummer and this is just a part of their practice regime?? Or the fact that some people like sport AND music, so have found a good way to combine the two? And to answer the people who say “Why does everything have to be turned into a competition?” Well what’s wrong with a little competition? Doesn’t it make us all strive harder to be the best that we can be? Isn’t it human instinct to want to compete? We compete at almost everything else in life, so why should this be any different?!?
And for those people who STILL aren’t interested, that’s fine, but we are going for the title!!
Nuff said, let’s have the un-official rankings!
WFD The UN-official World Rankings for Hands (with sticks)
Ranked
Name
Country
Hits in 1 min
1st
Mike Mangini
USA
1247
2nd
Jotan Afanador
USA
1199
3rd
Tom Grosset*
USA
1194
4th
Art Verdi
USA
1116
5th
Matt Smith
USA
1109
6th
Daniel Rice*
USA
1108
7th
Daniel Barnat
USA
1106
8th
Sam LeCompte
FRANCE/USA??
1096
9th
Chris Senior*
ENGLAND!!!
1087
10th
Eric Okamoto
JAPAN/USA??
1085
Some of these results have been taken from the official WFD website but have been updated by videos found on youtube.com. If anyone has video proof that they, or someone they know can play faster please let us know and we’ll add it to the list. The video however DOES have to be of good quality or be from an official event with judges present for verification purposes.
• All results found from videos on youtube.com
Contest Rules:
1. All contestants for both Battle of the Hands™ and Battle of the Feet™ competitions will be scored on playing single strokes (no bounces, presses or buzz) for 60 seconds and recorded by the Drumometer™.
2. Contestants may run as many times as they like during the Preliminary Heats.
3. Contestants’ top Preliminary score will be used toward Finals qualifying.
4. Preliminary scores will not be used to determine Grand Prize winners!
5. Finals scores will be the only scores used to determine Grand Prize winners.
6. Note that WFD Champions and previous Grand Prize winners are ineligible for prizes.
7. It is the contestant’s responsibility to verify if he/she qualified for the Finals and to be signed in.
8. Due to filming and various time restraints, there will be no equipment changes.
9. WFD only recognizes scores from Official WFD sanctioned events.
10. World Record scores must be witnessed and certified by proper WFD officials.
11. Judges decisions are final!
WFD UK Ranking - Details
Only Single Strokes played at WFD UK sanctioned events utilising the Drumometer Model II only and confirmed by WFD officials are recognised in the official ranking tables.
Participants attaining a score of over 1000 Single Stroke hits automatically qualify to have their name added to the relevant WFD UK trophy regardless whether during the preliminary heats of an event or finals. The score and performance will however need to be attended, verified and filmed by an official WFD UK official for verification/archiving purposes.
The winner’s names of contests held throughout the UK and parts of Europe will be published in separate pages on their website.
Please Note:
World’s Fastest Drummer, WFD, Extreme Sport Drumming, Battle of the Hands, Battle of the Feet, World’s Fastest Hands, World’s Fastest Feet, and the WFD icon are Trademarks ™ and Service Marks (sm) of Alan-McAfee, Inc. No part of any Trademarks or Service Marks may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from Alan-McAfee, Inc.
Below is a link to Chris’ attempt on the record, and other WDF related sites.
