Whats with the John Petrucci obsession?

[venaleschatology]

Seems to be unusual for people on this bored but I don't quite understand the obsession with John Petrucci. More specifically...his tone.

Granted I'm not big on that kind of metal, or any kind of metal for that matter, so I could understand if the issue is with my not being able to appreciate the subtle brilliance of his tone, but I've had a bit of a listen and I just don't see whats so special.

I love Mesa gear as much as the next discerning guitarist, and I certainly appreciate that JP is good between the frets. Its the tone issue I don't get. It (Dream Theater) all seems to be pretty standard hi-gain tone of that sort of genre.

My question is this: Is there some subtle genre specific issue I'm missing, or, is there something special about JP I don't know (stuff like "here was the first to do _____ with his tone", or, "he ____ in the _____ with his_____...tone"), or is it just a taste for tone that I simply happen not to share with so many people?

Not attacking or bagging him in anyway, and I'm certainly not having a go at his guitar work or his use of effects/equipment. I'd like to be enlightened so that I could appreciate something that I, at the moment, basically reckon is rubbish...I feel like I'm missing something everyone else can see clearly.

 

[Animeka]

It's all a matter of taste... The same kind of question could be asked about any player. What attracts a lot of people to Boogies (IMHO) is the fact that they like John's tone. So you will find a lot of fans on boards about gear he uses.

Same with David Gilmour, go to a Fender board and everybody is raving about him, Slash and Gibson etc...

Marc

 

[venaleschatology]

So its more about the fact that he's famous, people like his music, so they wanna emulate him, rather than any objective (if thats possible) tonal awesomeness? That is... people like his tone because they like his music..not the other way round.

If anyone's just reading this and not commenting...comment **** it....keep it coming. I really wanna hear peoples opinions on why his tone is good.

 

[Animeka]

So its more about the fact that he's famous, people like his music, so they wanna emulate him, rather than any objective (if thats possible) tonal awesomeness? That is... people like his tone because they like his music..not the other way round.

If anyone's just reading this and not commenting...comment **** it....keep it coming. I really wanna hear peoples opinions on why his tone is good.

Well, if you like his music, you tend to like his tone, his playing style etc... I've rarely (if ever) heard anyone say "I like band X's music but the guitar playing sucks or the tone sucks" So wanting to emulate the tone? In me and my son's case, it is.

I have heard however "I like band X but the singer...." I feel like that about DT and the male singer in Lacuna Coil.

Marc

 

[MusicManJP6]

His tone may not be everyone's cup of tea. I, personally, think it is a killer tone. Not all albums and all songs are amazing tone, but there is a good amount that have a killer tone, while the rest are still note worthy (no pun intended - well maybe). His tone, playing style, and technique are inspiring to me and listening and watching him makes me want to play. I have his signature guitar. and a Mesa DC-3 amp. Does this make me a fanboy? Of course not! He plays Mark series amps. :lol: I used to own a Mark IV though and it was not the amp for me. Do I sound like him? Of course not! I have my own playing style and technique and need to work on my chops ALOT more. He attracted me to the EBMM JP guitar, but after playing it I found it to be THE guitar I was looking for no matter who's name is on the headstock.

 

[Animeka]

His tone may not be everyone's cup of tea. I, personally, think it is a killer tone. Not all albums and all songs are amazing tone, but there is a good amount that have a killer tone, while the rest are still note worthy (no pun intended - well maybe). His tone, playing style, and technique are inspiring to me and listening and watching him makes me want to play. I have his signature guitar. and a Mesa DC-3 amp. Does this make me a fanboy? Of course not! He plays Mark series amps. :lol: I used to own a Mark IV though and it was not the amp for me. Do I sound like him? Of course not! I have my own playing style and technique and need to work on my chops ALOT more. He attracted me to the EBMM JP guitar, but after playing it I found it to be THE guitar I was looking for no matter who's name is on the headstock.

My son agrees with you He LOOOOOVES his JP6!

 

[dmcguitar]

I started listening to his music first and then found that I like the tone. I don't think its the fame thing so to speak though. Im not a huge fan of When dream and day unite's tone... but Images & Words, Awake and Scenes from a Memory have great guitar tone to me.

So does appetite for destruction, which is better thatn Use your illusion, and Slash's new Velvet revolver tone sucks (IMO).

I think he is regarded as one of the guys who took the Mark II C+ and not only got a good rhythm tone (which every new could happen from Master of Puppets) but he coaxed a really sweet lead tone out of it (which Kirk...well didnt do as good)

To me it seems like he has the right amount of distortion and EQ'ing to make everything sound really good... its not mushy or overly harsh.

Why do people love Eddie Van Halens tone? I'll be honest I really like EVH too... hear you don't find discussion about that tone, since its Boogie amps, and its a little harder to acheive that. But at a marshall, or marshall clone forum he's everywhere.


all in all... i dunno, it's pleasant to our ears.. and he plays really well

 

[dmcguitar]

I want a JP6..

and I have actually listened to bands and think.... ewwww this tone stinks, but the song is good....

i'll think of some and list them

 

[Animeka]

I want a JP6..

and I have actually listened to bands and think.... ewwww this tone stinks, but the song is good....

i'll think of some and list them

How dare you disagree with me?? Who do you think you are???

 

[Sixstringpsycho]

I am a songwriter first and fore most, I enjoy creating whether it be for guitar or piano or even cross over between the two instruments. I am more of a progressive guy who attempts to push the limits and create music that is inspiring to myself and others. I am attracted to Dream Theater and Petrucci's workj because I believe they as a unit truly push the boundaries. the music Petrucci creates solo and with Dream Theater inspires me and makes me push my own limits of creativity. His tone INHO is epic on so many levels, but thats my taste. This is just my persoanl feeling and how the music relates to me. I have never tried to write the next top 5 hit, I always try to write things that make me feel good.

 

[dmcguitar]

Also, I'm thinking that alot of people like the sound of the Mark IIC+ (maybe its inflated due to the scarcity who knows) and he's one of the few people still using them, and actually basing most of his tone from that.

Alot of people don't like the Train of Thought / Octavarium sound since it's a Roadking... I enjoy it its different though.


I'm king of the internet (and They call me the facebook police at work), and I'll disagree ith anyone I want!!!! ahahahaahhaahah
it's nice to hide behind a computer screen... I know there are some songs that I dislike the tone.. at least I'm not a stupid internet kid just yelling at people saying your all stupid for thinking this (eck that annoying)

 

[Animeka]

I'm king of the internet (and They call me the facebook police at work), and I'll disagree ith anyone I want!!!! ahahahaahhaahah
it's nice to hide behind a computer screen... I know there are some songs that I dislike the tone.. at least I'm not a stupid internet kid just yelling at people saying your all stupid for thinking this (eck that annoying)

Yeah that gets really annoying... People who put down everybody else for having an opinion... Or like you said, hide behind a screen to say whatever comes thru their twisted minds to offend others. Anyway that's off topic lol (I hope you know I was kidding!)

Marc

 

[MesaGod666]

I didn't like Petrucci's tone of the last DT album. I thought it was too...kinda butt-rockish.

Although, his tone on the Scenes in NY was amazing.

Petrucci is God.

 

[dmcguitar]

Animeka, i knew you were kidding.. so i figured i'd give you an over the top response....

To add to the post.. what is everyones Favorite DT tone (album or song wise?)

I'd go with scenes from a memory for me.


mesagod do you hate every song (tone wise) on systematic chaos? I think forsaken is a good one... but then constant motion is half and half, like the E chug's are great, but the single line stuff (ie intro) just isn't full enough)

 

[MesaGod666]

mesagod do you hate every song (tone wise) on systematic chaos? I think forsaken is a good one... but then constant motion is half and half, like the E chug's are great, but the single line stuff (ie intro) just isn't full enough)

I don't hate any of Petrucci's stuff. I just enjoy Systematic Chaos the least. I don't quite have the seasoned taste for JP's Chaos Tone...perhaps when I arrive at that phase in my musical life maybe I'll like it more, but for now it's something I'm not quite into, yet. There are some nice parts, as in all of DT songs (Forsaken being one of them), but overall it's my least favorite...I still bought the album.

 

[joe web]

His tone may not be everyone's cup of tea. I, personally, think it is a killer tone. Not all albums and all songs are amazing tone, but there is a good amount that have a killer tone, while the rest are still note worthy (no pun intended - well maybe). His tone, playing style, and technique are inspiring to me and listening and watching him makes me want to play. I have his signature guitar. and a Mesa DC-3 amp. Does this make me a fanboy? Of course not! He plays Mark series amps. :lol: I used to own a Mark IV though and it was not the amp for me. Do I sound like him? Of course not! I have my own playing style and technique and need to work on my chops ALOT more. He attracted me to the EBMM JP guitar, but after playing it I found it to be THE guitar I was looking for no matter who's name is on the headstock.

just like me, i love his guitars. my JP7 is a dream and both JP6 are awesome guitars as well.
i changed my rig to mesa amps shortly after the TOT came out. the tone he has on this record is so brutal and singing at the same time, i love it. so the dual recto plus a roadster head was my desicion....
with the studio preamp, i come closer to the SFAM tone, which is one of my favorit petrucci tones ever.
but as "MusicManJP6" mentioned, i don´t sound like him because everybody has his own style. but i try to come close to his sound, because i love his sounds.

 

[shredi knight]

(All IMHO of course ) His earlier tones were the best, with the "Awake" album being my favorite - Mark IIc+/ Dual Recto for rhythms - IIc+ for leads (though I've read that he may have used the Dual Recto for a couple of leads as well):


This will give you an idea, despite the horrid youtube quality:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nd8vTOUnO0&fmt=18




His tone on his instructional DVD is great too - Triaxis/2:90:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiR6GKJcGcs&fmt=18




And don't even get me started on his live tone with the IIc+:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e_Qen_tKT8&fmt=18





His more recent live Mark IV tone isn't to shabby either:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytGwbtcqZag&fmt=18

 

[UltraGary]

To reel this back to the original poster's thoughts>
I really don't get it either, and it's not like I have anything against the guy. It's not just tone or style admiration on this site for the guy....but there is an oddly obsessive fan-boy thing with him on this site that I find strange for such a serious amp-brand site. Other gear sites have their 'icons' too....but it's nothing like this. My favorite example is a poster here recently suggesting that a John Petrucci Forum be set up on this site....which to me sounded an awful lot like girls screaming in the front row of a Justin Timberlake concert, and then breaking down and discussing every outfit he wore in minute detail at school the next day.

I know there are a lot of fans of his here, and I don't mean to upset anyone......but I've always shared the original poster's thoughts on this and saw this thread as a chance to vent what I always think on this topic.

 

[MusicManJP6]

My favorite example is a poster here recently suggesting that a John Petrucci Forum be set up on this site....

They were actually suggesting a separate forum to keep the 'how do i sound like petrucci' or 'what settings to nail petrucci' etc threads all in one place instead of cluttering the main forum. I think it is a good idea. There are lots of requests for settings/tips on how to sound like him so there must be something about his tone! :wink:

 

[Animeka]

Animeka, i knew you were kidding.. so i figured i'd give you an over the top response....

To add to the post.. what is everyones Favorite DT tone (album or song wise?)

I'd go with scenes from a memory for me.


mesagod do you hate every song (tone wise) on systematic chaos? I think forsaken is a good one... but then constant motion is half and half, like the E chug's are great, but the single line stuff (ie intro) just isn't full enough)

Octavarium for me...