Petrucci and Poppa

[kneeoh]

Hey John,

First, I'd like to thank you and Big Poppa for your signature guitar... I own an EBMM and an OLP version with plans of buying more when money permits..., and for your music. I have had Octavarium in my car CD player for weeks now ... truly an inspiring disc!

I've got 2 questions for you,

Who would you consider to be the biggest influences on your song-writing and guitar playing?

If you could name any 3 artists you would jump at the chance to perform with, who would they be and why?

Thanks,
James

PS: can't wait to catch your clinic in Detroit and Gigantour the next day!

 

[tommyindelaware]

Tonight at 8:00 Pacific time, BP and JP (Sterling and John Petrucci) will be here online, answering questions for you all. Go ahead and start posting questions, and they will get to as many as they can. Some won't get answered, but they will do their best to get to as many as they can.

Is this forum awesome, or what?

i love the control of tone that comes from being able to alternate pick & pick every note. it seems to me that string crossing is the most frequently avoided.... & most difficult aspect of picking every note w/ any amount of speed.
was string crossing something you could always do.....or did you have to work on it specifically....& do you have any suggestions on how to master it.

p.s. . y'all should market that whammy system....... i think it's far & away the best on the planet. when poppa builds me my morse type one offs......i want one w/ your trem,
thanks....& the best to you both !!!!!

 

[Raz]

i love the control of tone that comes from being able to alternate pick & pick every note. it seems to me that string crossing is the most frequently avoided.... & most difficult aspect of picking every note w/ any amount of speed.
was string crossing something you could always do.....or did you have to work on it specifically....& do you have any suggestions on how to master it.

p.s. . y'all should market that whammy system....... i think it's far & away the best on the planet. when poppa builds me my morse type one offs......i want one w/ your trem,
thanks....& the best to you both !!!!!

Agreed! A 7 string Morse Y2D with the famous Petrucci bridge...ok so I hope John starts answering from the begining Afterall we're from the same homeland...Giovanni, comme stai?

 

[guitardude324]

You are my inspiration!

Hey Mr Petrucci!

Let me jsut say, you are the reason i play guitar, whenever i'm feeling down or feel depresseed i always listen to your solo CD and Dream Theater CD's and it just takes me away and i love it!

My question is, can i have your hands and your guitars and your gear?!?!?!

Nah, just kidding around, i don't have any questions for you, i just wanted to say that you are my inspiration and i'm gonna work extra hard in hopes of having 1/100th of the skillz you have!

-Erik Hopwood

 

[Morbid]

Hey JP! Before asking my question, I would like to thank you for being one of the biggest inspirations in my life. You have changed the way I listen to and play music, and I could never go back, nor would I want to. Like many people my age (17) I consider you my mentor, and every day I play, I look to you for inspiration, thank you! I will soon have the pleasure of seeing you, and the rest of the DT Gang on the GiganTour stop in Orlando August 6th (I can't wait!) but damn those platinum tickets for selling out before I could buy one!! lol

Anyway.. My Question: Do you ever find the time to listen to unsigned projects? And if so, have you ever taken an extreme liking to any of them? If you have, let me know where to send my tape, lol.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions...you're the man

 

[CudBucket]

Just thought of another (in case it hasn't been asked already): Will you be doing any new instructional material (book/dvd/in-house lessons?)

PS

It was great meeting you at the RMA clinic.

Dave "CudBucket" Frattaroli

 

[psycle_1]

Hi John.
First of all, I want to say it was an honor to play onstage with you at the Ernie Ball sponsored clinic you did in Raleigh, NC at the RMA. I was the one with the dark blue Ibanez 7 string that you autographed the back of the headstock for me and propped my foot on the floor monitor while soloing, if you happen to remember.

Anyways, have you and Mike ever thought about taking JaM Progductions any further by producing other band's projects during DT downtime, even though you guys stay pretty busy with touring and putting out new albums approximately every 2 1/2 years.

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you and the rest of DT in Atlanta at Gigantour next Friday!

Hajji Grape

PS: Octavarium freaking rocks!

 

[Terry]

Hi John,

Just want to echo what's been said, you are a major influence on my playing, if not the biggest and I am really impressed by your latest solo album and Octavarium! Will keep things as short as possible, just two quick questions

1) How do you keep your picking arm relaxed when you play those lightning fast alternate pick runs? I find myself stuck at a particular tempo and can't really break past it, primary reason being the tension build up in my picking arm.

2) How is it working with BP, Dudley, Jon and the rest of the EBMM team? They make fantastic guitars!


Thanks a million John!


- Terry

 

[Big Poppa]

Ok we are ready. I am cooking and John is answering questions and Casey is typing the answers.......have fun

 

[bovinehost]

Cooking? What's on? I'm hungry.

Hi to John and Casey. I don't have any smart questions because I'm a bass player!

 

[Big Poppa]

Ok can you provide details on the creation of the Petrucci trem, the inspiration for the design and how the team came up with the final product. I must say there's nothing like it (well the guitar also) anywhere! Thanks!

"We wanted to create something that would feel like a floyd rose, yet would be a non-locking trem. We also wanted a really smooth and rounded surface to rest your right hand on, and we wanted something that was sturdy...a bit manlier."
-JP

 

[Big Poppa]

Why the change in scale for the new guitar?

Was there any particular reason for the neck through design this time around?

thanks,
fred

"One of the great things about working with MM is that we're able to try just about anything."
-JP

"yeah, witness the double-neck "
-BP

"Today, for example, we went in with the intention of working on the neck-thru and decided to make a lamborghini bolt-on."
-JP

 

[Big Poppa]

Ok... Here's a question for BP:

How are the limited edition colors selected? Who comes up with the color ideas? what are the selection criteria? Who came up with the idea of the Mystic Dream finish on the Pet? Any other info on color selection is welcomed...

Thanks

"The limited is kind of a collective effort. I have final approval on what's released, Dudley and I did the Radiance Red and Envy Green. The annual limited concept 'buttercream' was all Dargin. We are now considering many different colors for the '06. Mystic Dream was John's idea."
-BP

 

[CudBucket]

"we wanted something that was sturdy...a bit manlier."
-JP

Yeah, I definitely get more chicks with that trem.


Ok, maybe not so much. My wife would kill me and whatnot.

Dave

 

[CudBucket]

"'buttercream' was all Dargin.

Ok note to self: no xmas card for Dargin this year.


Jus' kidding.

 

[Big Poppa]

1) What was the inspiration to begin prototyping the new guitar?

2) Do you own any other Ernie Ball models?

3) Will Dream Theater do an Octavarium (aside from Gigantour) tour this year in the US?

4) Will you be doing another clinic at the Raleigh Music Academy any time soon?

5) Have you seen CudBucket's project guitar based on the EBMMJP and if so, how bad do you want one?


and if you have time...

6) How much money do you have in your pocket right now?

7) Which member of Dream Theater is the biggest pain in the ass?

1: as in the new one that we're doing right now? See the response to Raz; because i can, because I know they can make it for me. We don't know if it'll be premiered in Anaheim, because we want to tease the hell out of you with the Lamborghini.

2: Yes. I own five Silhouette Basses, probably more. And a StingRay, looking out for a Bongo. I named most of my Sil's: Barry White, Drew, and Manilow.

3: Absolutely. We will be coming your way with a full DT headlining tour in Feb/Mar 06.

4: Paul Warren's a good friend and an awesome webmaster (for johnpetrucci.com). I thoroughly enjoyed the last clinic there. However there are no plans as of yet for a clinic.

5: No I haven't, but why not? Sounds kinky.

6: [John digs through pocket.] two cents.

7: ...

 

[CudBucket]

OK, Casey listen, when you type the keyboard goes in front of you. What's the hold up?


People, I kid. It's the NY'er in me.

 

[CudBucket]

1: as in the new one that we're doing right now? See the response to Raz; because i can, because I know they can make it for me. We don't know if it'll be premiered in Anaheim, because we want to tease the hell out of you with the Lamborghini.

2: Yes. I own five Silhouette Basses, probably more. And a StingRay, looking out for a Bongo. I named most of my Sil's: Barry White, Drew, and Manilow.

3: Absolutely. We will be coming your way with a full DT headlining tour in Feb/Mar 06.

4: Paul Warren's a good friend and an awesome webmaster (for johnpetrucci.com). I thoroughly enjoyed the last clinic there. However there are no plans as of yet for a clinic.

5: No I haven't, but why not? Sounds kinky.

6: [John digs through pocket.] two cents.

7: ...

JP, you're a real person man. Thanks for answering.

Though it sounds kinky, it's just a project guitar of mine I based on my Petrucci 6 string. You should put off the tour to take some time and look at it on: www.dafguitars.com. It's posted over at johnpetrucci.com. Like I said, there's nothing more important you can be doing right now then to go look.

Thanks and peace.

Li

 

[Big Poppa]

You guys are unbelievable ... can I write a letter to someone ... you really gotta get the message out there about the way you guys approach customer relationships. Constantly you guys blow my mind.

If I were to ask Mr. Petrucci a couple of questions, it'd be these:

After listening to the Dream Theater live albums I really wondered how you remember all the various parts, tempo changes, starts and stops. Do have sheet music on stage, or is it memory? If it's just memory, do you have any tips for how you memorize that much.

and...

Some of the videos showing the prototyping of your signature model, you're playing an Axis while warming up. What did you think of the Axis guitar. Likes, dislikes?

1: I have no sheet music on stage, all memory. I use various cues to prompt me to recall various sections.
TIPS: It's easier to remember smaller parts and then string them together. piece by piece.

2: The Axis is a great sounding guitar and in many ways is very comfortable to play, however, it's just not me.

 

[CudBucket]

Ok, looks like it's just you, me, Casey and Big Poppa. I'm getting another beer.