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United States Matt Halpern is a progressive metal drummer, educator, and entrepreneur known for his work with the band Periphery and his collaborations with various music technology brands.
Matt Halpern serves as a brand ambassador for Wilde Brands, aligning with their products through his lifestyle which includes fitness, ice baths, and hot saunas.
Matt Halpern uses and endorses Pearl drums and hardware. He has also developed a signature snare drum with Pearl Drums.
Matt Halpern uses and endorses Meinl cymbals and has developed the Meinl Artist Concept Double Down Stack.
Matt Halpern uses and endorses Promark drumsticks, and has a signature drumstick model with the brand.
Matt Halpern uses and endorses Evans drumheads.
Matt Halpern developed a signature drum key for drumkeyshop.com.
Matt Halpern previously endorsed Mapex drums and hardware, and developed the Mapex Black Panther Wraith snare drum.
Matt Halpern previously endorsed Yamaha drums and hardware.
Born in Baltimore on June 21, 1983, Matt Halpern developed an early interest in music. He began playing a kids’ drum set at age three and transitioned to full-sized drums at age six, at which point he started private lessons. During his early years, Halpern performed extensively across the northeastern United States on a weekly basis, gaining initial stage experience. At seventeen, he co-founded the band Spinfire with Evan Taubenfeld, releasing an eponymous EP. He continued to refine his skills through college, supporting himself by teaching drums and performing at local bar gigs. After college, Halpern toured with bands like The Underwater from York, PA, and Armoreta with long-time friend Dan Book.
Halpern’s career progression took a significant turn when he joined the instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders in 2008. The following year, in 2009, he joined the progressive metal band Periphery, replacing Travis Orbin. With Periphery, Halpern has contributed to numerous significant albums, including “Periphery” (2010), “Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal” (2012), “Juggernaut: Alpha” (2015), “Juggernaut: Omega” (2015), “Periphery III: Select Difficulty” (2016), “Periphery IV: Hail Stan” (2019), and “Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre” (2023). Beyond his performance work, Halpern has ventured into music education and technology. In 2012, he launched Bandhappy.com, an educational platform providing live, one-on-one video lessons with established artists. The site was later shut down in 2014 due to his demanding schedule with Periphery and his commitments as a drum educator.
A key milestone in his entrepreneurial journey occurred in 2016 when he co-developed GetGood Drums, a sample-based drum software synthesizer, alongside Periphery bandmates Adam “Nolly” Getgood and Misha Mansoor. This venture aimed to provide musicians with high-quality drum sounds and tools. In 2016, Halpern also performed live with Mick Gordon and Sonic Mayhem at The Game Awards, showcasing his drumming on tracks from the “Doom” and “Quake II” soundtracks. In 2018, Periphery established their independent record label, 3DOT Recordings, a move reflecting their evolving career and artistic control. Additionally, in 2012, Halpern formed the rock group The Mothership with Periphery bandmate Spencer Sotelo, a project that was revived and rebranded as King Mothership in 2020, releasing their debut album “The Ritual” with Halpern on drums.
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