Riccardo Merlini may be best known as one of the fastest drummers around, but his approach to drumming goes far beyond simply chasing speed.
Speaking to Drummers Review, Riccardo reflected on the moment he first discovered his potential for extreme speed, his time studying with Mike Mangini, the importance of developing your own identity as a drummer and why the global drumming community remains such a special place.
Riccardo started playing drums at just three or four years old, eventually progressing into music schools and conservatoire studies. His fascination with speed really began after seeing Mike Mangini at a drum clinic. “I was amazed about this speed,” Riccardo recalled. “I didn’t know that a human being could really be able to play that fast.”
Inspired by what he had seen, Riccardo spent weeks experimenting with his technique, eventually discovering a motion that allowed him to dramatically increase his speed. Within three weeks, he was reaching around 300 BPM with both hands, although, as he is keen to point out, it certainly wasn’t an overnight gift. “I worked at it a lot,” he explained.
Riccardo later had the opportunity to study with Mangini, who encouraged him to look beyond speed and concentrate on fundamentals such as grip, balance, co-ordination and counting. That experience helped shape Riccardo’s approach to playing and teaching.
One particularly fascinating part of the conversation centred around playing with a click. For Riccardo, a metronome isn’t simply something to follow, it’s about developing an internal sense of pulse.
“The click for me is not the click, it’s the pulse of the music,” he explained.
He believes drummers need to develop an awareness of their own body and how it moves with the music, rather than becoming completely dependent on hearing a click.
Riccardo also spoke passionately about the unique relationship between drummers. Having met countless players at festivals and drum shows around the world, he believes drummers share a sense of community that is difficult to find elsewhere.
“We don’t have that big ego,” he said. “We’re just friends, and we become friends in one second.”
But perhaps the most important message from the interview came when Riccardo was asked what advice he would give to a young drummer. “Try to recognise who you are as soon as possible.”
For Riccardo, finding your own voice is far more valuable than simply attempting to become proficient at everything. He encourages young drummers to discover what naturally comes out of their playing, then go deeper into that identity. Whether that means jazz, metal, groove, speed or something completely different, Riccardo believes the key is to discover what makes you unique. “Study who you are. Get better in yourself.”
While Riccardo may always be remembered as “the fast guy”, that’s something he sees as a positive, because ultimately, he has found his place in the drumming world.
