# John Petrucci's Current Playing Style



## michael777 (Oct 28, 2012)

I've been noticing for awhile now that John Petrucci has completely changed his style of playing, not necessarily for the worse but it's just different. I understand that musicians interest and styles are bound to change through their evolution of playing however I'm more a fan of his older legato techniques like on Falling Into Infinity where it's a very smooth, classy tone. I know gear and presets play a big role in this but it's largely due to his playing being more geared towards metal nowadays and his influence of Steve Morse. 

It just doesn't pique my interest as much as it once did like when he did the Rock Discipline video. I'm still a very big fan, I just wish I could hear some new legato techniques incorporated back into his playing.

If anyone has anything that they can recommend out of his new stuff, let me know. I haven't had a chance to listen to the new album as much as I would like to. 
Any new music from JP recently that you guys could recommend?


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## SpaceDock (Oct 28, 2012)

I completely agree and I think most old school theater fans do as well. I think he got caught up in trying to impress people with speed and lost a lot of his unique style around octivarium or so.


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## m3l-mrq3z (Oct 28, 2012)

It did change for worse. He's all about diatonic scales and boring, fast licks. Sometimes I get the feeling he "lost" it. His playing around the "rock discipline" era was very creative and inspiring. Nowadays he's just another shredder.


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## michael777 (Oct 28, 2012)

I couldn't agree with you guys more. There was a moment on the album 6 degrees of inner turbulence, with the solo on the song "the great debate", that sounded very reminiscent of his early days but with a new twist. I felt like that was the direction he was going in but then it just reverted back to this "new" style. Some of his riffs are still really good but the solos, there's nothing that makes me say "I have got to transcribe that"



Anthony said:


> I love this Petrucci
> John petrucci take the time live in Tokyo mega guitar solo - YouTube



I'm going to check that video out right now. I haven't seen that one yet. Thanks


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## m3l-mrq3z (Oct 28, 2012)

One of Petrucci's best solos (in my opinion):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd5PQCEkdlE

But after those years he decided it to spend more time at the gym than making music.


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## Vinchester (Oct 28, 2012)

I agree. Personally I found his new stuff very predictable(!) and while perfectly played and composed, new DT songs don't really wow me anymore. Take The Best of Times, awesome song, perfectly done, but sound like they reuse bits and pieces from old albums all the time.


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## BucketheadRules (Oct 28, 2012)

/thread


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## mgh (Oct 28, 2012)

clearly it all went wrong when he left Ibby!


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## Furtive Glance (Oct 28, 2012)

I think his stuff is still fucking awesome, but I guess that's just me in this thread. His solo on Breaking All Illusions is incredible, the structure of his guitar solo on The Shattered Fortress is very cool, and I'm looking forward to hearing his new solo album.


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## The ProfEscher (Oct 28, 2012)

Granted I've never been an extensive listener of Petrucci's work, but what I've heard has always seemed to me to be kind of devoid of phrasing. His solo on the new Periphery album, for instance, is easily the weakest of the three guest solos. He's just never really impressed me very much (with his phrasing that is, his technical skills are obviously astounding).


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## Mordacain (Oct 28, 2012)

Furtive Glance said:


> I think his stuff is still fucking awesome, but I guess that's just me in this thread. His solo on Breaking All Illusions is incredible, the structure of his guitar solo on The Shattered Fortress is very cool, and I'm looking forward to hearing his new solo album.



 That being said while I still think he has some stand-out solos still, the majority of them have been fairly "blah" for me as opposed to say on Scenes from a Memory, where every solo is amazing and phrased beautifully.

For instance, "Breaking All Illusions" is the only solo on A Dramatic Turn of Events that really speaks to me. While I love many of the riffs from that album, "Outcry" chief among them.


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## Xiphos68 (Oct 28, 2012)

I really enjoy his new stuff like Count of Tuscany, Breaking All Illusions, Lost Not Forgotten, Shattered. 

But when I go back and listen to stuff I haven't heard before like (Peruvian Skies, Knife). I am blown away by his solos! 

I just listened to Peruvian Skies this year and was completely blown away by how tasty that solo is. Especially in this video:


So good! But I think I would agree that his solos were more creative back in the day.


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## nateriffs (Oct 28, 2012)

can't believe no one has posted this yet lol
Dream Theater- Hollow Years (Solo) (Live at Budokan) - YouTube

but I couldn't agree more, his playing stopped speaking to me on an emotional level around Six Degrees.


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## Hybrid138 (Oct 28, 2012)

I like the solos on the last album...


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## simonpimonpoo (Oct 28, 2012)

I love his new style just as much as his old style. The best solo he has ever written has to be shattered fortress, and there are some great solos on the new album aswell, like for example in the song this is the life.


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 28, 2012)

His playing from the last decade or so can't hold a candle to his playing in the 80s/90s. For lack of a better explanation, his playing stopped being dynamic and became far too predictable. 

I'm still a DT fan through and through, but it's how I personally feel. Even Liquid Tension--it shits all over Petrucci's solo album. There were just so many moments, when listening to that first Liquid Tension album, where I just had to pause the track and say _Wow_, the rewind and try and comprehend what I just heard. None of the last six DT albums have left me feeling that way.


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## michael777 (Oct 28, 2012)

m3l-mrq3z said:


> One of Petrucci's best solos (in my opinion):
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd5PQCEkdlE
> 
> The playing style in that solo is exactly what I was talking about.


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## ilyti (Oct 28, 2012)

I'm the minority here, but I think JP has broadened his style considerably over the last several albums. He had a period around Train of Thought where it was too much shred, not enough melody. But since then, he's gone back to playing solos with many different flavours and influences, and even though there's more technicality in his solos, there's still just as much feeling there as there ever was.


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## michael777 (Oct 28, 2012)

SenorDingDong said:


> His playing from the last decade or so can't hold a candle to his playing in the 80s/90s. For lack of a better explanation, his playing stopped being dynamic and became far too predictable.
> 
> I'm still a DT fan through and through, but it's how I personally feel. Even Liquid Tension--it shits all over Petrucci's solo album. There were just so many moments, when listening to that first Liquid Tension album, where I just had to pause the track and say _Wow_, the rewind and try and comprehend what I just heard. None of the last six DT albums have left me feeling that way.



Love Liquid Tension I can only dream of him going back in that direction on the next solo album. On the other hand he was able to work off of the other musicians in the band to create those amazing works.


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## Sunyata (Oct 28, 2012)

I think I've further pinpointed the decline of Petrucci to the point when he started using BFRs/ Straightening hair. 

Ibanez era = Amazing
EBMM = Amazing, but different
BFR/Straight hair/Ed Hardy/Affliction/Middle Life Crisis = Over the hill

Pre BFR Petrucci is my fave guitarist ever.


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## ilyti (Oct 28, 2012)

When did JP have curly hair? I remember James LaBrie and Mike Portnoy with HUGE PERMS, but JP's hair has always been pretty average. Maybe he uses more product in it now than he used to?


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## nsimonsen (Oct 28, 2012)

Scenes from a Memory era Petrucci is my all time fav and my biggest inspiration.
His solo in The Spirit Carries On is still so fucking good.


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## IRequirezANewHOST (Oct 28, 2012)

I still think JP is awesome although maybe the reason I feel his old stuff was better is just because it was the stuff I first got into his playing with...

Still think he looks funny after he started morphing into a lumberjack/ using hair straightener. 
Lumber jack petrucci would still beat the shit out of me tho. Crack me over the head with his music man axe...


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## JP Universe (Oct 28, 2012)

The guitar solos on Rock Discipline are my favourites!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 28, 2012)

ilyti said:


> When did JP have curly hair? I remember James LaBrie and Mike Portnoy with HUGE PERMS, but JP's hair has always been pretty average. Maybe he uses more product in it now than he used to?



He used to have the spiky hair with blonde highlights in the late 90s/early 2000s.


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## Captain Butterscotch (Oct 28, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> He used to have the spiky hair with blonde highlights in the late 90s/early 2000s.



We do not speak of this.


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## ilyti (Oct 28, 2012)

OH YEAH, I forgot..







oh lawd.


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## edsped (Oct 28, 2012)

Why do people think JP straightens his hair? It's wavy just like it's always been except back in the early days when he probably used a ton of product and possibly got it permed. I also doubt Portnoy had a perm when he had his huge mane, it probably just naturally did that. Labrie's hair seems naturally curly too. Furthermore, why did I type an entire post discussing other guys' hair?


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## Furtive Glance (Oct 28, 2012)

edsped said:


> Why do people think JP straightens his hair? It's wavy just like it's always been except back in the early days when he probably used a ton of product and possibly got it permed. I also doubt Portnoy had a perm when he had his huge mane, it probably just naturally did that. Labrie's hair seems naturally curly too. Furthermore, why did I type an entire post discussing other guys' hair?



If you've ever spent any amount of time on the JP forum you'd realize that happens WAY more than you expect, haha. Pretty sure there've been numerous threads dedicated to it before.


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## prh (Oct 28, 2012)

generally yeah, especially in improvised solos he seems to end up shredding a lot faster than he used to, but the solos on lost not forgotten, the best of times, the shattered fortress etc are all up there with under a glass moon for me. so he still has it in him. he's probably just moreso on auto-play than deliberately pushing new things out of himself these days


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## Stealthdjentstic (Oct 28, 2012)

I could never really get into his playing, I respect him for sure and recognize it for what it is but its just not for me I guess.


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## Dooky (Oct 28, 2012)

Yeah, I gotta say, ever since Six Degrees I've kinda tuned out to Petrucci's solos. His solos these days are a bit of a snooze fest.


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## Adam Of Angels (Oct 28, 2012)

I wish he had a perm.


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## RevelGTR (Oct 28, 2012)

I actually really liked the solos on Black Clouds and Silver Linings, but if I'm being honest the solos on the new album sound like a nonsensical, dissonant mess.


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## Xiphos68 (Oct 28, 2012)

Have you ever heard the solos he did for Explorer's Club? It's tasty stuff!
Some of you probably will be tripped out by what he's playing over. 


(2:50,5:22)


(2:20, 5:08)


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## Sunyata (Oct 28, 2012)

edsped said:


> Why do people think JP straightens his hair? It's wavy just like it's always been except back in the early days when he probably used a ton of product and possibly got it permed. I also doubt Portnoy had a perm when he had his huge mane, it probably just naturally did that. Labrie's hair seems naturally curly too. Furthermore, why did I type an entire post discussing other guys' hair?



Now you've made me continue on the weird hair tangent, but...

Natural Petrucci Hair






Natural Petrucci Hair






Midlife crisis Straightened Petrucci Hair


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## edsped (Oct 28, 2012)

Oh, I'm guessing that's from a Dimarzio photoshoot or something. Those shouldn't even count. Remember his terrible emo-hoody-eyeliner promo shots?


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## Sunyata (Oct 28, 2012)

edsped said:


> Oh, I'm guessing that's from a Dimarzio photoshoot or something. Those shouldn't even count.



Last one...






Emo Petrucci was a genius ploy to trick emo kids into listening to DT...I hope...


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Oct 28, 2012)

^ 

I quite liked this so far as vaguely recent stuff goes...


9:20 onwards... and onwards...

I think it took him a while to break out of his David Gilmour phase with Six Degrees. Interesting that JP couldn't really get a filthy blues/rock tone for a long time, but it seems something he's developed recently. During the rock discipline era (Ibanez) he didn't have it down like he does now. 
Speaking for my own playing, coming from a scales, theory and accuracy perspective, I can't play the blues authentically at all. Blues wank fail.


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## JStraitiff (Oct 28, 2012)

The ProfEscher said:


> Granted I've never been an extensive listener of Petrucci's work, but what I've heard has always seemed to me to be kind of devoid of phrasing. His solo on the new Periphery album, for instance, is easily the weakest of the three guest solos. He's just never really impressed me very much (with his phrasing that is, his technical skills are obviously astounding).



Do you really think his solo was weaker? That solo was awesome. One of my favorites from him. His solo in Forsaken was one of my favorites for sure. I still like his newer stuff but i wasnt a super huge fan of the new album in general.


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## Dooky (Oct 28, 2012)

Sunyata said:


> Last one...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Petrucci needs to hit the gym more. His biceps are barely ripping that t-shirt.


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## Rypac (Oct 29, 2012)

JStraitiff said:


> Do you really think his solo was weaker? That solo was awesome. One of my favorites from him. His solo in Forsaken was one of my favorites for sure. I still like his newer stuff but i wasnt a super huge fan of the new album in general.



 I agree, I actually really enjoyed his guest solo on PII.


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## DLG (Oct 29, 2012)

SpaceDock said:


> I completely agree and I think most old school theater fans do as well. I think he got caught up in trying to impress people with speed and lost a lot of his unique style around octivarium or so.



"pulled a loomis"


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 29, 2012)

You guys forgot one crucial Petrucci era; the Tripp pants era:







Sorry, I had to take this screenshot from a video, so it's blurry. It's from DT's Gigantour set, straight off the DVD:









Overall, he's still going to always be the nicest guy in the world. But I just think he's lost even more of his touch in the past two years than he did collectively over the last twenty. A lot of his licks feel the same now, which doesn't mean I don't like them, but also doesn't mean I'll faun over them.


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## DLG (Oct 29, 2012)

what tour is parachute pants petrucci? can't really identify that drum set. 

I'm glad I missed this phase.


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 29, 2012)

DLG said:


> what tour is parachute pants petrucci? can't really identify that drum set.
> 
> I'm glad I missed this phase.



Octavarium, I believe.


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## Rojne (Oct 29, 2012)

I love JP's newer stuff, but the pre SFAM is what got me into music and picking up the guitar.. so I always find my way back to the "Images & Words" CD!

Where JP, and DT, really took a big turn was actually when they released SDOIT..
everything became more over the top and heavier and it was where I lost interest for a while!

And that Emo-Affliction-Mid' life crisis was a dark time.. seeing him posing like a biatch on DiMarzio homepage made me cry tears of sadness every day!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 29, 2012)

Sunyata said:


> Now you've made me continue on the weird hair tangent, but...
> 
> Natural Petrucci Hair
> 
> ...



All those curls went to his arms for lifting.


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## Malkav (Oct 29, 2012)

Still love the man tons, but he really had the fire in him in the early days


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## DLG (Oct 29, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> All those curls went to his arms for lifting.


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## IAMLORDVADER (Oct 29, 2012)

As a long time DT fan i've noticed that his playing developed around Octavarium into and picking orientated style which peaked with black clouds and silver linings but to me it seems he has started to meld his old legato based style into this with the latest album and recent video lessons IMO


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## mr_rainmaker (Oct 29, 2012)

I don`t know I really kinda liked his old tone when he was with Ibanez,but that just me.


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## m3l-mrq3z (Oct 29, 2012)

Anthony said:


> Jesus, what's with you guys thinking his body image has anything to do with the music he writes? You guys sound like Adele



I don't think you should take those comments at face value


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## Furtive Glance (Oct 29, 2012)

Xiphos68 said:


> Have you ever heard the solos he did for Explorer's Club? It's tasty stuff!
> Some of you probably will be tripped out by what he's playing over.



He recorded all the solos on that album in ONE day. Not even kidding  I'll need to hunt down his quote, but still!


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## DLG (Oct 29, 2012)

Furtive Glance said:


> He recorded all the solos on that album in ONE day. Not even kidding  I'll need to hunt down his quote, but still!



yeah I think I remember reading that as well. that was a pretty cool album, Trent Gardner is a great songwriter.


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## Valnob (Oct 29, 2012)




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## michael777 (Oct 29, 2012)

SenorDingDong said:


> You guys forgot one crucial Petrucci era; the Tripp pants era:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I experienced the Hot Topic-esque parachute pants firsthand at a meet and greet down at MAE in Fort Lauderdale and I was quite thrown off by the whole look. I noticed that at the show later that night, he had switched to a very similar pair of parachute pants as the ones in the picture posted here, with the red straps. This was at the Gigantour show in West Palm. He had the blond tip highlights at the time. 
When did the whole blonde tip thing come about?  Was this during the train of thought album or octavarium? I know he chopped all of his hair off and started using tons of product to spike it. 

Now that I think about it, he had more of a bushy haired blonde spike. At the meet and greet, he had those parachute pants and some harley davidson looking boots. The pants that he had on at the meet and greet had these black straps hanging off then he changed into yet another pair with red straps hanging off for the show. I remember at the show Symphony X was supposed to play but they got rained out due to a lightning storm so I was disappointed about that. I was further let down when the set DT played was only 45 minutes. The highlight of the whole set was under a glass moon


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## edsped (Oct 29, 2012)

Sunyata said:


> Last one...


Well you got me there.


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## michael777 (Oct 29, 2012)

I know JP is super busy with DT but maybe with him doing this new solo album it might unearth some of that creative melodic phrasing. I'm hoping for greatness.


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## m3l-mrq3z (Oct 29, 2012)

michael777 said:


> I know JP is super busy with DT but maybe with him doing this new solo album it might unearth some of that creative melodic phrasing. I'm hoping for greatness.



I might be a bit judgemental when I say this, but hearing him play that generic riff ala "scotty doesn't know" really made me lose all the hopes I had in that album being a return to Petrucci's fusion roots.


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## xCaptainx (Oct 29, 2012)

lol jesus some of you lot are worse than high school girls when it comes to judging.

So the dude had questionable fashion choices in the late 90's........didn't..oh I don't know....EVERYONE?!?!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 29, 2012)

xCaptainx said:


> So the dude had questionable fashion choices in the late 90's........didn't..oh I don't know....EVERYONE?!?!



I don't see anyone bashing him for how he looked in the 90's.


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## xCaptainx (Oct 29, 2012)

whenever those parachute pant/blone tip photos are from them. 

Let's not forget that Pantera started as a glam metal band...we've all had questionable fashion choices at some point or another. Hell, some of us could possibly be going through one right now, haha who knows.


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## ihunda (Oct 29, 2012)

ilyti said:


> When did JP have curly hair? I remember James LaBrie and Mike Portnoy with HUGE PERMS, but JP's hair has always been pretty average. Maybe he uses more product in it now than he used to?



Lol, are we really discussing how much gel he uses??? 

It's true that too much gel can makes his hands sticky hence less feeling and a more compressed tone!


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## Dooky (Oct 29, 2012)

DLG said:


> what tour is parachute pants petrucci? can't really identify that drum set.
> 
> I'm glad I missed this phase.



Ah yes, parachute pants petrucci... I actually didn't mind that era (music wise).


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## Sephiroth952 (Oct 29, 2012)

Has his solo's become a little more flashy? Yeah. But his rhythm playing has grown by leaps and bounds imo.


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## mr_rainmaker (Oct 29, 2012)

xCaptainx said:


> lol jesus some of you lot are worse than high school girls when it comes to judging.
> 
> So the dude had questionable fashion choices in the late 90's........didn't..oh I don't know....EVERYONE?!?!





well i won`t mention the fashion choices I HAD TO USE during the 80`s,but hell IT GOT ME LAID....


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## Hybrid138 (Oct 29, 2012)

Silk shirt era? I actually really like this solo


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## Maniacal (Oct 29, 2012)

Never been into Petrucci, I have his instructional but I never found it very useful. A few random exercises and how to use a metronome. 

Michael Romeo destroys Petrucci in every way.


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## Xiphos68 (Oct 29, 2012)

Maniacal said:


> Never been into Petrucci, I have his instructional but I never found it very useful. A few random exercises and how to use a metronome.
> 
> Michael Romeo destroys Petrucci in every way.



I humbly disagree. 

Both of them have incredible technique. They both play different as well. They are similar in some ways. Both can play fast and both play prog. Though Romeo is more classical based and Petrucci is more Jazz based. 

I would say that Petrucci is more versatile than Michael Romeo (bigger discography, diversity). But Romeo is a genius in a composition not only as a guitar player (where as Petrucci doesn't compose orchestra's). 

Both could play each other's stuff anyway. They are just different and both are incredible (both have incredible pros). In my opinion at least. 
Not to mention Symphony X and Dream Theater are my favorite bands. 



> He recorded all the solos on that album in ONE day. Not even kidding I'll need to hunt down his quote, but still!



That's what I have heard! Pretty incredible to say the least!


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## Lagtastic (Oct 29, 2012)

Xiphos68 said:


> Symphony X and Dream Theater are my favorite bands.




Agreed here man. Two of my absolute favorites of all time. I lean more towards Romeo myself, but both guys are absolute beasts.


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## Xiphos68 (Oct 29, 2012)

Lagtastic said:


> Agreed here man. Two of my absolute favorites of all time. I lean more towards Romeo myself, but both guys are absolute beasts.



Absolutely. They both kick tons of air! Haha.

Though I'll never understand why Symphony X isn't as popular as Dream Theater. It makes no sense. 

Plus they need to tour again together.


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## m3l-mrq3z (Oct 29, 2012)

Symphony X is the manly prog-metal guy's go-to band.

Dream Theater is more appealing for the nerdy, mostly musically trained listener. I personally find Symphony X's music to be more complex and beautiful, both melody and harmony wise.


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## Onegunsolution (Oct 30, 2012)

xCaptainx said:


> whenever those parachute pant/blone tip photos are from them.
> 
> Let's not forget that Pantera started as a glam metal band...we've all had questionable fashion choices at some point or another. Hell, some of us could possibly be going through one right now, haha who knows.



Irrelevant but Glamtera still kicked ass, sir


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## AddisonsOwn (Oct 30, 2012)

don't question the infallible! haha great player glad to see he has evolved over the years!


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## Ralyks (Oct 30, 2012)

I feel like Petruccis playing was much more Fusion-influenced up until aroubd Six Degrees. Not even just the solos,plenty of the riffs as well. Then he kinda shyed away from that influence to the more shredy around of today.


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## xCaptainx (Oct 30, 2012)

Onegunsolution said:


> Irrelevant but Glamtera still kicked ass, sir



my point exactly; so do Dream Theatre


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## michael777 (Oct 30, 2012)

The thing is Dream Theater has been able to reinvent themselves just about every album keeping them fresh and appealing to a constant and ever changing audience. So despite the cons they might not have gotten to where they are today if they had just stuck to the same fusion/rock based sound many of us know and loved so much. It makes me value the old stuff that much more. 

Regardless of what I have said about his more recent playing style 6 degrees, Octavarium, and Systematic Chaos did have some very memorable material.


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