PERIPHERY and the Basslines That Helped Define Modern Djent

If you're a bass player who enjoys modern metal, chances are you've come across PERIPHERY.

The band helped push progressive metal and djent into a much wider space by combining crushing low-tuned riffs, complex rhythms, atmospheric sections, melodic songwriting, and seriously polished production. But for bass players, there's another reason PERIPHERY is worth studying: the bass is deeply connected to the rhythm and production of the music.

It's not simply there to make the guitars sound heavier.

There's a lot happening underneath those riffs.

The bass has to lock with the drums, support the guitars, survive dense arrangements, stay rhythmically precise, and still sound musical rather than becoming a wall of low-end noise.

This page is the growing PERIPHERY Bass TAB collection on Akiya369. You'll find a list of individual song transcriptions here, while each song gets its own dedicated article with its specific Bass TAB, performance material, PDF resource, and practice information.

Before getting into the songs, though, it's worth understanding the band and especially the bassist whose playing and production approach became strongly associated with PERIPHERY's modern metal sound.

About PERIPHERY

PERIPHERY is an American progressive metal band formed in 2005 around guitarist and producer Misha Mansoor. The project developed from Mansoor's early online music work before becoming a full band and releasing its self-titled debut album in 2010.

The band's music is commonly associated with progressive metal, djent, and progressive metalcore. Rather than staying inside one narrow formula, PERIPHERY mixes heavy rhythmic guitar work with melodic passages, atmospheric textures, electronic elements, technical playing, and dynamic songwriting.

That variety is a big reason their songs can be useful study material for bassists.

One section might demand extremely tight rhythmic playing, while another gives you space to work on dynamics, sustain, phrasing, or simply supporting the arrangement.

PERIPHERY's official catalog has also continued to expand over the years, giving players plenty of material to explore across different eras of the band. Their official store currently lists releases ranging from Periphery I and Periphery II through later material, including A Pale White Dot.

From Online Music Project to Progressive Metal Band

The early history of PERIPHERY is closely connected to the internet and home-recording culture.

Misha Mansoor developed music under the name Bulb before PERIPHERY became a full band. That background is important because the band's identity was built around modern recording technology, detailed programming, layered guitar production, and a willingness to experiment with sound.

Eventually, the project evolved into a full touring band and developed a much larger musical identity.

The result was a band that could combine the mechanical precision of modern metal with the emotional and structural freedom normally associated with progressive music.

What Genre Is PERIPHERY?

Calling PERIPHERY simply a "metal band" doesn't really tell you much.

Their music is commonly described as progressive metal, while djent is strongly associated with their sound and place in modern metal history.

You'll also hear elements of progressive metalcore, atmospheric metal, experimental music, and modern alternative influences depending on the song.

That's actually useful for bass players because the band's catalog doesn't force you to practice one single technique over and over.

PERIPHERY Element	What It Means for Bass Players
Djent	Tight rhythmic riffs, low-register playing, syncopation, and precise articulation
Progressive Metal	Changing structures, technical passages, unusual rhythmic ideas, and contrasting sections
Metalcore Influence	Aggressive grooves, strong accents, and high-energy rhythmic sections
Atmospheric Writing	More space for dynamics, sustain, texture, and melodic awareness
Modern Production	Clean low-end control, consistent attack, and bass that fits tightly inside the mix

Who Is Adam "Nolly" Getgood?

If we're talking about the bass identity of PERIPHERY, one name deserves a serious spotlight:

Adam "Nolly" Getgood.

Nolly is an English bassist, guitarist, producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist whose work became deeply connected with modern progressive metal production.

His path into bass was unusual.

He originally developed as a guitarist and studied electric guitar formally. His background also included piano, violin, clarinet, and exposure to classical and jazz music before he moved toward heavier guitar-based music. When he first filled in on bass for PERIPHERY, bass wasn't yet his primary instrument.

That background actually helps explain something interesting about his playing.

Nolly approached bass partly through the mindset of a guitarist and producer, but he deliberately studied what strong contemporary bassists were doing so he could develop a more bass-specific approach.

How Nolly Joined PERIPHERY

Nolly already had a connection with the PERIPHERY camp before becoming the band's full-time bassist.

He first filled in on bass during the band's early touring period. He later became a full-time member in 2012, taking on bass duties live and in the studio while also contributing guitar, production, and songwriting skills. PERIPHERY announced his full-time membership in June 2012.

That transition is pretty interesting from a musician's perspective.

He wasn't simply hired to stand on stage and reproduce someone else's bass parts.

His role developed into a combination of bassist, guitarist, producer, arranger, and recording specialist.

Nolly's Role in the Studio

Nolly's importance to PERIPHERY goes beyond the notes he played.

He was heavily involved in the recording and production side of the band, and his bass approach was closely connected to the way the entire mix was constructed.

That distinction matters.

A bassline can be technically excellent on its own but still fail inside a dense metal mix.

Nolly's approach often focused on the opposite question:

How does the bass sound when everything else is playing?

That's a very useful mindset for any bassist who records at home.

Nolly's Bass Playing Style

Trying to describe Nolly's playing with one word would be pretty limiting.

His style is better understood as a combination of precision, rhythmic discipline, aggressive articulation, controlled dynamics, technical efficiency, and strong awareness of the mix.

He isn't simply trying to make the bass flashy.

The goal is usually to make the bass part work.

1. Precision Over Random Complexity

One of the biggest lessons from Nolly's approach is that technical playing only matters when it serves the music.

A complicated bassline that doesn't lock with the drums can sound weaker than a simple line played perfectly.

In PERIPHERY, the bass often has to move through highly synchronized rhythmic material. That makes precision extremely important.

For a bassist, this means practicing the placement of the note, not just the note itself.

2. Strong Pick Attack

Nolly is strongly associated with pick-based bass playing, and his approach to the pick is part of the sound.

In interviews and educational material, he has discussed using a relatively thin pick and focusing on a consistent attack. His reasoning is interesting: the flexibility of the pick can help create a more even response as picking intensity changes.

That doesn't mean every bassist needs to copy his exact pick choice.

The bigger lesson is understanding consistency.

If one note is attacked much harder than the next without intention, the bassline can feel uneven.

A Simple Pick Exercise

Choose a short riff.
Play it slowly with a relaxed grip.
Focus on consistent pick depth.
Keep the attack even across different strings.
Gradually increase the tempo.
Record yourself and listen for uneven attacks.

That boring-looking exercise can make a huge difference once the tempo gets serious.

3. Tight Muting

Modern metal bass is not just about hitting the correct notes.

It's also about controlling everything you don't want to hear.

Unwanted open-string noise, sympathetic vibrations, and notes that ring too long can make a tight riff sound messy.

That's why muting is such a big part of modern metal bass technique.

When you're playing a PERIPHERY riff, listen not only for the attacks but also for the spaces between them.

Sometimes those spaces are what make the riff hit so hard.

4. Aggressive Without Being Out of Control

There's a difference between playing aggressively and simply playing as hard as possible.

Nolly's approach is a good example of controlled aggression.

The attack can be sharp and energetic while the timing remains extremely controlled.

For bassists, that's a useful distinction:

Force creates volume.
Technique creates consistency.
Timing creates groove.
Articulation creates character.

You want all four working together.

Nolly's Bass Tone Philosophy

This is probably one of the most interesting parts for bassists who also record music.

A modern metal bass tone has to accomplish two seemingly opposite things:

It needs to sound huge while remaining clear.

That's harder than it sounds.

Too much low-end energy can make the mix muddy. Too much distortion can destroy the fundamental note. Too much high-end can make the bass harsh instead of powerful.

Nolly's production work demonstrates an approach where the bass is treated as part of the complete mix rather than an isolated instrument.

Low End vs. Definition

A useful mental model is to think of bass tone as having different jobs.

Tone Area	Main Job
Low Frequencies	Weight and foundation
Low-Mids	Body and note character
Upper-Mids	Pick attack and note definition
High Frequencies	Edge, brightness, and texture

The exact balance depends on the song, instrument, tuning, strings, playing technique, guitars, drums, and mix.

So don't treat any specific EQ setting as a universal "Nolly preset."

The more useful lesson is to understand why you're shaping the tone.

Why Nolly's Bass Can Sound Heavy Without Losing Clarity

A major part of the answer is that the bass sound isn't doing only one job.

There can be a cleaner fundamental underneath a more aggressive distorted character, allowing the instrument to retain its low-end identity while still producing enough upper-frequency information to remain audible through dense guitars.

Modern production techniques can make this much easier.

But the player's technique still comes first.

If the original bass performance has inconsistent timing and uneven attacks, no plugin chain is going to magically turn it into a perfectly tight performance.

The Relationship Between Bass and Drums

If you want to understand PERIPHERY bass parts, spend less time staring at the guitar and more time listening to the drums.

Seriously.

The kick drum is often the bassist's closest rhythmic partner in this kind of music.

When the bass and kick land together, the riff can feel massive.

When they intentionally separate, the contrast can create movement.

Kick Drum Awareness

Try this when learning a PERIPHERY song:

Listen to the drums without your bass.
Identify the main kick pattern.
Hum or tap the bass rhythm.
Play the bassline slowly.
Listen to the kick and bass together.
Check whether your note endings are also controlled.

This approach helps you stop thinking of the bass as an isolated instrument.

You're not just playing notes.

You're building the low-end rhythm section.

How PERIPHERY Uses Rhythm

One of the biggest reasons the band's music can feel challenging is that the riffs often depend on rhythmic placement more than raw speed.

Syncopation, accents, rests, repeated rhythmic cells, and changing subdivisions can make a riff feel much more complicated than the number of notes would suggest.

That's why a bassist learning PERIPHERY should spend time practicing rhythm away from the instrument.

Try Playing the Rhythm First

Mute the strings with your fretting hand and play only the rhythm.

Don't worry about pitch.

If the rhythm doesn't feel right on a muted string, adding the correct notes isn't going to fix it.

Once the rhythm feels natural, add the pitches back into the exercise.

Bass and Guitar: Same Riff, Different Job

In modern progressive metal, bass and guitar often share rhythmic information.

But they don't necessarily have identical roles.

The guitar can provide the harmonic and rhythmic attack while the bass reinforces the foundation and connects that material to the drums.

Sometimes the bass follows the guitar closely because that's exactly what the arrangement needs.

Other times, small differences in note length, register, articulation, or movement can change the feel of the whole section.

When studying a Bass TAB, don't automatically assume that copying the guitar is the final goal.

Listen to what the bass is actually contributing.

Why Fretboard Efficiency Matters

Technical bass playing becomes much easier when unnecessary movement is removed.

This is especially important when working through low-tuned or rhythmically dense material.

Instead of asking:

"How can I play this as fast as possible?"

Try asking:

"How can I make this movement smaller and more efficient?"

Efficient fingering reduces tension and leaves more physical energy available for the next phrase.

Build Your Own Fingering

There isn't always one universal fingering that every bassist must use.

Your hand size, bass scale length, string spacing, technique, and preferred position can all affect what feels natural.

Use the TAB as a map, but don't be afraid to experiment with positions if the original fingering isn't comfortable for you.

PERIPHERY Bass Playing: What Makes It Different?

When you put everything together, the bass approach associated with PERIPHERY can be understood through several connected ideas.

Playing Concept	Practical Takeaway
Precision	Every rhythmic attack needs to be intentional
Aggression	Use attack without creating unnecessary tension
Muting	Control what should stop as carefully as what should ring
Groove	Lock the bass with the rhythm section
Dynamics	Don't play every section with identical intensity
Tone	Think about the complete mix instead of the solo bass sound
Efficiency	Reduce unnecessary movement and physical tension

PERIPHERY Bass TAB Collection

This section is intentionally kept as a simple list so the collection can grow naturally over time.

Each song has its own dedicated article. The individual article is where you'll find the song-specific Bass TAB, performance material, PDF resource, tuning information when available, and detailed practice guidance.

MILE ZERO Bass TAB — A progressive metal bass study focused on timing, articulation, muting, and controlled playing.

More PERIPHERY Bass TABs will be added as new transcriptions are prepared.

This structure keeps the collection organized while allowing the pillar to become a larger reference point for bass players who want to explore more of the band's catalog.

Why Each PERIPHERY Song Has Its Own Article

The idea is simple:

This page helps you discover the collection. The individual song pages help you learn the songs.

That means each supporting article can focus on the details that actually matter for that particular track.

Depending on the song, the individual page may cover:

specific Bass TAB information
tuning
performance video
PDF Bass TAB resource
rhythmic challenges
articulation
muting
technical passages
practice methods
recording observations

Keeping those details on individual pages also prevents this pillar from becoming repetitive.

How to Practice PERIPHERY Bass Lines

If you're just getting into progressive metal bass, don't try to brute-force the entire song at full speed.

That's a fast route to frustration.

Instead, build the part in layers.

Step	Focus	Question to Ask
1	Listen	What is the bass doing in the arrangement?
2	Learn	Where are the notes and positions?
3	Slow Practice	Can I play it without tension?
4	Timing	Am I locking with the drums?
5	Clean Up	Are unwanted strings ringing?
6	Tempo	Can I increase speed without losing control?
7	Full Take	Can I make it sound like music?

Record Yourself

Recording yourself is one of the easiest ways to find problems that you don't notice while playing.

You don't need an expensive studio.

Your phone is enough to start.

After recording, listen specifically for:

rushing difficult passages
dragging behind the beat
uneven pick attacks
unwanted string noise
notes ringing too long
inconsistent dynamics
timing problems during transitions

Pick one problem at a time.

Don't try to fix everything in one session.

Gear vs. Technique

Let's be honest: modern metal gear is ridiculously tempting.

Extended-range basses, multiscale instruments, aggressive preamps, distortion pedals, compressors, amp plugins, cabinet simulations...

There is always something else to buy.

But before you blame your gear, check your technique.

If your timing is inconsistent, a more expensive bass won't fix it.

If your muting is messy, a new pickup won't magically clean it up.

If your pick attack changes wildly from note to note, another distortion plugin won't solve the underlying problem.

Get the hands working first.

Then use gear to shape the sound.

What Modern Metal Bassists Should Prioritize

Consistent timing
Clean muting
Controlled attack
Efficient fingering
Good instrument setup
Consistent string response
Appropriate tone shaping
Mix awareness

That order will usually save you a lot of unnecessary gear shopping.

What Bassists Can Learn From Nolly's Production Mindset

One of the coolest things about studying Nolly isn't just copying his playing technique.

It's understanding how a bassist can think like a producer.

When you're recording bass, don't ask only:

"Does this sound awesome by itself?"

Ask:

"Does this make the whole song better?"

Those are two very different questions.

A bass tone that sounds enormous when soloed might completely swallow the kick drum and guitars.

A slightly more controlled tone might actually sound much bigger once everything is playing together.

Think Like a Producer

Listen to the bass inside the complete arrangement.
Check the relationship with the kick drum.
Don't automatically add more low end.
Keep enough upper-mid information for note definition.
Use distortion to add character, not simply noise.
Check the bass at different listening volumes.
Make decisions based on the complete mix.

PERIPHERY as a Bass Practice Laboratory

One reason this band works so well as study material is the variety.

You can use one song to practice tight rhythmic riffs, another to work on dynamics, another to explore melodic movement, and another to challenge your endurance.

That makes the catalog feel less like a single technique exercise and more like a complete practice laboratory.

And that's probably the better way to approach it.

Don't ask:

"Can I play PERIPHERY?"

Ask:

"What skill can this particular song teach me?"

Common Mistakes When Learning Djent Bass

Common Mistake	What Happens	Better Approach
Playing too hard	Tension and inconsistent attacks	Use controlled aggression
Chasing speed	Timing falls apart	Increase tempo gradually
Ignoring muting	Low-end becomes muddy	Practice note separation
Watching only TAB	You lose the musical context	Listen to the full arrangement
Copying guitar blindly	Bass loses its own role	Study bass, drums, and guitar together
Buying gear too early	Technique problems stay hidden	Fix playing fundamentals first

A Practical PERIPHERY Bass Practice Routine

If you want to turn this collection into an actual practice system, try something like this:

Day 1 — Rhythm

Choose a short riff and focus almost entirely on timing and note placement.

Day 2 — Technique

Work on fingering, pick attack, muting, and physical efficiency.

Day 3 — Groove

Play with the drums or full recording and concentrate on locking into the rhythm section.

Day 4 — Tempo

Gradually increase speed while keeping the technique relaxed.

Day 5 — Musicality

Focus on dynamics, note length, articulation, and how the bass sits inside the arrangement.

Day 6 — Recording

Record yourself and identify the weakest section.

Day 7 — Full Performance

Play the song without constantly looking at the TAB.

That's when the part starts becoming music instead of an exercise.

Explore More Western Bass TABs

PERIPHERY is part of the Western side of the Akiya369 Bass TAB collection.

If you want to explore more bass transcriptions from Western rock, metal, progressive metal, alternative, and related styles, visit the WESTERN Bass TABs section.

Like this PERIPHERY collection, the Western section can continue growing with new individual song articles over time.

Explore Western Bass TABs

Looking for more songs to practice? Browse the growing Western Bass TAB collection on Akiya369.

EXPLORE WESTERN BASS TABS

Independent Educational Bass Transcriptions

The Bass TABs published on Akiya369 are independent transcriptions created as educational and study resources for bass players.

Individual song articles may include independent bass performances created to demonstrate how the transcribed bass parts can be approached in practice.

Akiya369 does not claim ownership of PERIPHERY's original compositions, master recordings, lyrics, artwork, trademarks, or other intellectual property belonging to their respective rights holders.

The purpose of this collection is to help bass players study songs, improve technique, understand arrangements, and develop their musical skills.

Copyright & Disclaimer

PERIPHERY and its music belong to their respective rights holders. Akiya369 is an independent educational website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by PERIPHERY or its rights holders.

The commentary, practice explanations, educational material, and independent bass performances published on Akiya369 are created specifically for this website.

If you are a copyright or rights holder and have a concern about material appearing on this website, please contact Akiya369 through the Contact page.

Final Thoughts

PERIPHERY is more than just a band to learn a few ridiculously heavy riffs from.

For bass players, the catalog is a crash course in timing, groove, articulation, muting, technical efficiency, dynamics, tone, and mix awareness.

And Adam "Nolly" Getgood's contribution makes the bass side of the band's music particularly interesting because his work connects performance with production. His background as a guitarist, bassist, producer, and engineer helped shape an approach where the bass isn't treated as an isolated instrument but as part of the entire musical and sonic picture.

That's probably the biggest lesson worth taking away.

Don't just learn the notes. Learn why the notes work.

Listen to the drums. Listen to the guitars. Pay attention to the spaces between notes. Control your attack. Keep the low end clean. Practice slowly. Record yourself. Then bring the tempo up.

Once you start doing that, even complicated progressive metal basslines become much easier to understand.

And as more PERIPHERY Bass TABs are prepared, this collection will keep expanding with them.