Petrucci fans ...

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famous beagle

famous beagle

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Ok, Petrucci's been near the top of my "I don't get it" list for a while now. Now, admittedly, I'm not a huge hard rock fan, but I can certainly enjoy Steve Vai's playing and others in that vein. With Petrucci, however, I just don't see what all the fuss is about. Yeah, he's got chops, but so do lots of other people. But people go on and on about Petrucci, and I must be missing something.

So, I've been thinking, maybe I just haven't heard the right stuff. Could someone please tell me the song I need to hear --- the song that will make me a fan if any of them will?

Thanks!
 
Well in my opinion it is more about the music and the style... if you are into Prog Rock then Dream Theater would certainly be up there on anyones list.
 
famous beagle said:
Ok, Petrucci's been near the top of my "I don't get it" list for a while now. Now, admittedly, I'm not a huge hard rock fan, but I can certainly enjoy Steve Vai's playing and others in that vein. With Petrucci, however, I just don't see what all the fuss is about. Yeah, he's got chops, but so do lots of other people. But people go on and on about Petrucci, and I must be missing something.

So, I've been thinking, maybe I just haven't heard the right stuff. Could someone please tell me the song I need to hear --- the song that will make me a fan if any of them will?

Thanks!
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Have you only heard him in the context of Dream Theatre, or have you heard Liquid Tension Experiment?

I stumbled on LTE before I knew there was a Dream Theatre (:eek:) and even though I buy and listen to Dream Theatre as a means of hearing what he's up to, I much prefer the Liquid Tension Experiment material.
 
msly said:
Well in my opinion it is more about the music and the style... if you are into Prog Rock then Dream Theater would certainly be up there on anyones list.
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Maybe that's it then. I'm not really into prog rock I guess, so perhaps that's the issue. Thanks for the response. :)
 
WhiteStrat said:
Have you only heard him in the context of Dream Theatre, or have you heard Liquid Tension Experiment?

I stumbled on LTE before I knew there was a Dream Theatre (:eek:) and even though I buy and listen to Dream Theatre as a means of hearing what he's up to, I much prefer the Liquid Tension Experiment material.
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I think I've probably only heard the DT stuff. I owned Awake and (I think) Images and Words back in the 90s. There were some songs that I thought were pretty good, but I don't remember being particularly impressed with Petrucci's soloing really. But back then, everyone wasn't raving about how he's one of the best guitarists ever the way they have been for several years now. And I guess I just don't understand that.
 
famous beagle said:
I think I've probably only heard the DT stuff. I owned Awake and (I think) Images and Words back in the 90s. There were some songs that I thought were pretty good, but I don't remember being particularly impressed with Petrucci's soloing really. But back then, everyone wasn't raving about how he's one of the best guitarists ever the way they have been for several years now. And I guess I just don't understand that.
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Liquid Tension was a side project (all instrumental) that he did with Portnoy & Rudess (both from Dream Theatre, ironically) and Tony Levin on bass. Even though 3 of the 4 are from DT--the result was totally different. I know bass players who say it's the best bass material, and drummers who say its the best drum music--and for me, yep, it's some of the best guitar music I've ever heard.

Portnoy's probably my favorite drummer, and Petrucci's one of my favorite guitarists, but I'm not sure I'd have ever gotten there from Dream Theatre. LTE was that different. Check it out if you get a chance.
 
WhiteStrat said:
Liquid Tension was a side project (all instrumental) that he did with Portnoy & Rudess (both from Dream Theatre, ironically) and Tony Levin on bass. Even though 3 of the 4 are from DT--the result was totally different. I know bass players who say it's the best bass material, and drummers who say its the best drum music--and for me, yep, it's some of the best guitar music I've ever heard.

Portnoy's probably my favorite drummer, and Petrucci's one of my favorite guitarists, but I'm not sure I'd have ever gotten there from Dream Theatre. LTE was that different. Check it out if you get a chance.
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Cool thanks, will do.
 
WhiteStrat said:
that he did with Portnoy & Rudess (both from Dream Theatre, ironically)
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Except at the time, Jordan Rudess wasn't in DT, Derek Sherenian (sp?) was. LTE pretty much solidified Derek leaving and Rudess joining (much to the betterment of the band--although i prefer the music from the Kevin Moore days, they lost a great songwriter when he left).

Fraid i can't help ya much beagle on the recent stuff, as I far prefer the Images and Words/Awake material to everything that's come after it. From those albums i'd check out Learning to Live, Metropolis, Erotomania and the acoustic solo he does on The Silent Man is really nice.

Something to keep in mind is that a lot of the guitar and keyboard solos are actually both in unison. So for me a large part of my appeal for JP isn't so much his chops or soloing, but rather his ensemble playing.

That's the thing that gets me the most about DT is that it isn't 5 guys wanking on stage together, but rather that the songs are crafted to showcase their talents. There's an arrangement/compositional aspect to their music that shouldn't be ignored.

Now, JP's *tone* on the other hand....that i've never been so fond of.

cheers,
wade
 
mrface2112 said:
Now, JP's *tone* on the other hand....that i've never been so fond of.

cheers,
wade
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You know, all of these "virtuosos" sound very similiar to me, tone wise, and I don't really get it. With the exception of some Vai, I always find Petrucci, Satriani, the rest of Vai, etc. kinda annoying. Anyone else feel this way? I guess it just doesn't sound "real" to me for lack of better explanation. I understand that their notes need to be very distinguished from one another while playing so intricatly, and they are, but it just takes some of the enjoyment from me for some reason. Anyhoo, who am I to judge?
James
 
Also you might want to check out Petrucci's solo album "suspended Animation". To me, those tunes have more "space" in them. The DT stuff, there is so much going on...I like it, but a lot of people don't. As far as his tone, I'm a fan of that as well. But when you're talking tone, that's a pretty subjective topic. And as far as tone between Vai, Petrucci, and Satch. I can hear a big difference between the three, although Joe S. seems to be the guy who changes things up a lot more than the other two. Petrucci I feel was at the top of his sound somewhere around the "Awake" and LTE stuff when he was still being endorsed by Ibanez.
 
I've got another slightly obscure release--it's called "An Evening With..." as in an evening with Petrucci and Rudess. It's a live set from a small clinic style show, with nothing but piano and guitar. The compositions are more melodic than DT, and without the rest of the band, there's tons of room for these to breathe.
 
WhiteStrat said:
I've got another slightly obscure release--it's called "An Evening With..." as in an evening with Petrucci and Rudess. It's a live set from a small clinic style show, with nothing but piano and guitar. The compositions are more melodic than DT, and without the rest of the band, there's tons of room for these to breathe.
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That's a spectacular release. I always thought Rudess was the reason Dream Theater sort of went downhill after Moore left until I heard that (and Octavarium, where Rudess's contributions totally carried that album, IMO).

Anyway, I love Petrucci. Love his tone, love his playing. I guess here's a few things I'd check out if I had to recommend "the other side of John Petrucci" to someone who didn't listen to prog metal.

"Take My Pain Away" off DT's Falling Into Infinity - this is about as commercial as DT ever got. Noteworthy here is a pretty cool chimey guitar part that carries the chorus, and a great technique/feel sort of solo.
"Black Ice" from Petrucci and Rudess's ...an Evening with. There's a ton of songs from that disc that would deserve a nod, IMO, but I recall this solo being one of his more edgy.
"Lost Without You" from Petrucci's Suspended Animation. A bluesy minor key instrumental ballad, by and large pretty understated and jazzy for JP.
"Through Her Eyes" off DT's Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes from a Memory. Petrucci does his best Jeff Beck/David Gilmour impression on this one, and totally nails it.
"Comfortably Numb" off DT's Dark Side of the Moon (Official Bootleg). Petrucci's the only guy I've heard who can really do Gilmour justice. They do this one as a duet with the guys from Queensryche, I think, and the contrast between the other dude's first solo and Petrucci's outro solo is pretty dramatic - in the first solo (not Petrucci), the notes are basically all right, but the feel just isn't there. In the second (JP), he completely nails the vibe, at least until he goes into hypersonic shred mode at the end of the solo. Oh well. If you want a purer rendition, he nails the solo from Time earlier on the non-bonus disk.
 
DrewPeterson7 said:
That's a spectacular release. I always thought Rudess was the reason Dream Theater sort of went downhill after Moore left until I heard that (and Octavarium, where Rudess's contributions totally carried that album, IMO).

Anyway, I love Petrucci. Love his tone, love his playing. I guess here's a few things I'd check out if I had to recommend "the other side of John Petrucci" to someone who didn't listen to prog metal.

"Take My Pain Away" off DT's Falling Into Infinity - this is about as commercial as DT ever got. Noteworthy here is a pretty cool chimey guitar part that carries the chorus, and a great technique/feel sort of solo.
"Black Ice" from Petrucci and Rudess's ...an Evening with. There's a ton of songs from that disc that would deserve a nod, IMO, but I recall this solo being one of his more edgy.
"Lost Without You" from Petrucci's Suspended Animation. A bluesy minor key instrumental ballad, by and large pretty understated and jazzy for JP.
"Through Her Eyes" off DT's Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes from a Memory. Petrucci does his best Jeff Beck/David Gilmour impression on this one, and totally nails it.
"Comfortably Numb" off DT's Dark Side of the Moon (Official Bootleg). Petrucci's the only guy I've heard who can really do Gilmour justice. They do this one as a duet with the guys from Queensryche, I think, and the contrast between the other dude's first solo and Petrucci's outro solo is pretty dramatic - in the first solo (not Petrucci), the notes are basically all right, but the feel just isn't there. In the second (JP), he completely nails the vibe, at least until he goes into hypersonic shred mode at the end of the solo. Oh well. If you want a purer rendition, he nails the solo from Time earlier on the non-bonus disk.
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Thanks for listing all those. I checked them all out.

That was pretty funny when Kevin messed up the lyrics in "Comfortably Numb." He did a great job on Gilmour's part though, and it sounded as though Geoff Tate (he packed on a few lbs!) did pretty well too, although it sounded pretty boomy. I definitely hear what you're talking about regarding the guitar solos. The QR guy did a pretty poor job, and JP did a very good job on his end.

Regarding the other tunes, mehhh ... I don't know, I guess it's just different strokes. There's just something about his playing that strikes me as white bread or something. Just blah. It's like someone who's learned the right scales and chords and all, but stopped there and just went on playing/composing using their brain only and not their ear.

Of course, this is all subjective, and it's totally just my opinion. And who the hell am I to talk? He's sold millions of albums, and I ... haven't. :)

Thanks for the suggestions though!
 
famous beagle said:
Thanks for listing all those. I checked them all out.

That was pretty funny when Kevin messed up the lyrics in "Comfortably Numb." He did a great job on Gilmour's part though, and it sounded as though Geoff Tate (he packed on a few lbs!) did pretty well too, although it sounded pretty boomy. I definitely hear what you're talking about regarding the guitar solos. The QR guy did a pretty poor job, and JP did a very good job on his end.

Regarding the other tunes, mehhh ... I don't know, I guess it's just different strokes. There's just something about his playing that strikes me as white bread or something. Just blah. It's like someone who's learned the right scales and chords and all, but stopped there and just went on playing/composing using their brain only and not their ear.

Of course, this is all subjective, and it's totally just my opinion. And who the hell am I to talk? He's sold millions of albums, and I ... haven't. :)

Thanks for the suggestions though!
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No worries - he's not for everyone, that's for sure - stylistically, he's a lot more, oh, tequnique- and exersize-driven than some of the other well-known shred guys. I'm more the Satriani type myself, but I dig the guy's playing anyway (and love his tone, especially his live tone).

On the compositional side of things, if you're still in a listening mood I'd check out "Damage Control" off his insturmental debut, and (if you somehow haven't heard it) "Erotomania" off DT's Awake. He takes two solos, and while the first is nice, it's the second one that really cemented his reputation as a up-and-coming force to be reconed with in the early 90's - a blistering alternate picked neoclassical tour de force that's over before you even really know what's hit you. I predict you'll hate it, but it's probably something you should have heard if you want to understand what the "fuss" is about Petrucci - he's a very smart, harmonically aware composer, and he's VERY fast.

Another thing, I guess, is that what really blew me away was seeing him live for the first time - simply, he doesn't make mistakes. I once saw him sort-of-almost-come-close-to-not-fretting-as-cleanly-as-possible one of the opening notes to the Erotomania lead, and it didn't ring out as clearly as maybe would have been ideal. Meanwhile, on that ...Evening With disk it sounds like he actually DOES blow a note once. That's about the closest to being human as he comes - he's sort of like Chuck Norris with a guitar (The chief export of John Petrucci is 32nd notes. John Petrucci's guitar has never gone out of tune. Ever. John Petrucci's amp has a knob that controls the heat of the sun. There is no global warming, just John Petrucci practicing.)
 
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