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Where to start with Dream Theater/Petrucci?

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Katana6506

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Jun 19, 2005
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Midwest USA
I just picked up Octavarium out of semi-familiarity, and it certainly is impressive (to my virgin ears!) However, I was expecting a bit more out of Petrucci (not to say that his work on this album isn't impressive!) and I'd like to know where to look to find him at his best.

Thoughts?
 
imho octavium is their worst album, pick up Images and Words, Awake, Scenes form a memory, or six degrees of inner turbulence, but for starters l'd recommend Images and Words, it's one of their best.

Scott.
 
I haven't heard more than 2 or 3 of DT's cd's (SFAM is incredible, the dvd too)...


But I absolutely love John's CD AN EVENING WITH (with Jordan).
Piano and guitar duets with great melodies, incredible soloing and best of all, no singing.

Has a very timeless quality to it.
 
Simple Simon said:
IMO the greatest petrucci album is his solo cd :)
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I agree- I just got 'Suspended Animation' and I think it's great- but I tend to prefer instrumental music (although I do like DT). This is definitely pure, unadulterated Petrucci.
 
Katana6506 said:
I just picked up Octavarium out of semi-familiarity, and it certainly is impressive (to my virgin ears!) However, I was expecting a bit more out of Petrucci (not to say that his work on this album isn't impressive!) and I'd like to know where to look to find him at his best.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Octavarium is a lot more ensemble- and keyboard-oriented than their last album, Train of Thought. Train of Thought is quite heavy (but good!). The other suggestions were also very good - I haven't heard Petrucci's solo CD yet, nor the "Evening with" stuff...as far as DT goes, yes, Scenes from a Memory, or Images and Words.....

I also liked A Change of Seasons, the title 'track' is wonderful, and there's a whole bunch of live stuff that is cover songs - like Love Lies Bleeding from Elton John, and a whole medley entitled "The Big Medley" which they do snippets of other tunes.

My favorite stuff thus far from Petrucci (getting back to your original question) is Liquid Tension Experiment. Before Rudess actually joined DT, he and Petrucci and Portnoy and Tony Levin got together and did a studio project called Liquid Tension Experiment. Then they did a second one. It's really great stuff, all instrumental. My favorite piece is a 28 minute jam entitled 3 Minute Warning on the first LTE CD.

Hope that helps.
 
Katana6506 said:
I just picked up Octavarium out of semi-familiarity, and it certainly is impressive (to my virgin ears!) However, I was expecting a bit more out of Petrucci (not to say that his work on this album isn't impressive!) and I'd like to know where to look to find him at his best.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yeah...Octavarium is the least Petrucci-oriented of the DT albums.

My favorite solos by JP are on Images and Words ("Under A Glass Moon" is the track) and on Awake ("Scarred"). Those are great places to start. Unfortunately, you're coming to this after JP has done a lot of recorded work. So, there's a lot to catch up on, and it makes it hard to choose. Those of us who have been there for years got to do it disc-by-disc.

Another great way to get delve into Petrucci/DT is to get Live Scenes from New York or Live at Budokan. The DVD versions are more impressive just because you get to actually see him play. LaB, I think, has better camera work. So, I'd probably go with that one. "Instrumedley" off that album is sick!
 
savannah_sean said:
I agree- I just got 'Suspended Animation' and I think it's great- but I tend to prefer instrumental music (although I do like DT). This is definitely pure, unadulterated Petrucci.
Click to expand...

My only complaint with "Suspended Animation" is that some of it sounds derivative, but I understand that those parts are more of an homage to people like Satriani. It's wonderful, however, when you hear the parts that are total JP!
 
Another thought about "Images and Words": It has the song that sort of defines their career and catalog--"Metropolis, Part I (The Miracle and The Sleeper)." If that isn't definitive DT, I don't know what is.
 
Whenever someone asks me that question, "Where do I start?" (when it pertains to DT), I always tell them the same thing: Start at the Beginning.

By that, I don't mean the Majesty Tapes, but rather Dream Theater's first album, "When Dream And Day Unite" and go from there. I started listening to DT when Images & Words came out and it took me quite a few listens to really appreciate WD&DU because it was almost a different band at that time (not solely contributed by the fact that Charlie Dominici was their Vocalist). From then on, work your way up to present day stuff, I think that it is the best path to discovering the evolvement of the band and why they play the way they do.

"Suspended Animation" is pretty freakin' sweet, though. I usually play the first track of it on my way to my Hockey Games to get me all pumped up just because it's such a tough song. Hope this helps.
 
roburado said:
My only complaint with "Suspended Animation" is that some of it sounds derivative, but I understand that those parts are more of an homage to people like Satriani. It's wonderful, however, when you hear the parts that are total JP!
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, "curve" in particular sounds a lot like Satriani, and maybe it is supposed to. I tend not to think of it as "derivative", but rather "homage", like you said. After all, it's not like Petrucci is so unimaginative that he just cops other peoples' sounds/licks... I really dig the "hiccups" in the middle part of that tune too.

"Tunnel Vision" is my favorite tune. Totally mind-blowing.
 
Definitely check out Live at Budokan. Hearing it is one thing, seeing him do it is another. "Instrumedley" might be the single best thing to happen to music ever (IMHO of course :D ).

roburado said:
Another thought about "Images and Words": It has the song that sort of defines their career and catalog--"Metropolis, Part I (The Miracle and The Sleeper)." If that isn't definitive DT, I don't know what is.
Click to expand...
That and "Pull Me Under" :)

savannah_sean said:
"Tunnel Vision" is my favorite tune. Totally mind-blowing.
Click to expand...
+1 to that. Amazing track, stuck in my head for weeks.
 
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