What do you think about John Petrucci?

He is, personally, my favorite guitar player, but i also like McCready from Pearl Jam and Kiko Loureiro of Angra. I like the teqhnique that Petrucci uses in his solos and the speed of Loureiro. Tell me what you think.

I saw him at G3 last summer. Amazing player . . . he had Portnoy along for the ride, and they played two songs from LTE, plus one that was specially written for the G3 tour.

What I want to know is, are they going to release a 2001 G3 album????? Vai's set was extremely lame, but Satch and Petrucci both rocked it out like madmen.

Well, I've heard all the fuss about Petrucci... Now, I'm not a bad guy, so I've bought a couple of dream theater's CDs, I've even found a used copy of the rock discipline book, so that I could make my own opinion about him...

Well, he has some chops... Call him amazing, the best ever, or a ****ing god, like I have seen written elsewhere, well, no.

I didn't really enjoy the music made by Dream Theater, of course, I was impressed by how they could play those odd time signatures one after another, how precisely intertwined petrucci's lines were with the keyboard's, but sorry, no catchy hooks or melodies.
Of course, you can tell me to go and get a Spice Girl's CD if I need melodies...Well, I don't really know how come that guy has so much coverage since there are other guitarists that have more chops, that make even more complicated music, so if you tell me what's so amazing about him, I'll listen (I'm not being ironic, I just need to understand) Is it because he played with the G3 that made him a star? Or luck?

Well, i know that many people dont get the kind of music that Dream Theater plays, but its all amazing how they can transmit their feelings in the music they play. I mean, i am talking about that these guys, can play what they are feeling, because the good they are. Petrucci, well, i like his peeking technique, i mean he is very fast!! Fast as hell, but i know that fast isnt good. I dont know, is just a feeling that i have, that when i see him play, my god, i wish i could play like him. I recomend Dream Theaters DVD (Metropolis Pt 2). If you have seen it, tell me what you think about Erotomania. What a song ha. I dont know, the same i think about Loureiro, recomend it if you like Speed Metal.

lalimacefolle, Petrucci is an amazing guitarist. His chops are unreal. Playing Petrucci's stuff is so difficult. Do me a favor and try to play some of his stuff. I have listened to him for a long time and I have seen him a couple of times live. Some of the melodies he writes are incredibly difficult to play. Try playing like "Under A Glass Moon" or even the melody in "take the time" (both on images and words). I guarantee that you will be shocked at how hard it is to play. That is just technique alone. His material is so innovative. I don't know how you can listen to him and not think he is amazing. Honestly...I can't believe that you are a guitar teacher...and have been playing for any length of time without hearing him play a long time ago.

I'm sorry if my last post seemed like I was an asshole...I was just shocked that you didn't have anything really good to say about him...If you try to play those solos...and you find them easy...Hats off to you...if so...please post them? I would like to hear it...

I think he's a great player. Fantastic chops, and very musical in his playing. Personally I love Dream Theater (Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is a fantastic album).

Originally posted by albo
lalimacefolle, Petrucci is an amazing guitarist. His chops are unreal. Playing Petrucci's stuff is so difficult. I guarantee that you will be shocked at how hard it is to play. That is just technique alone. His material is so innovative. I don't know how you can listen to him and not think he is amazing. Honestly...I can't believe that you are a guitar teacher...and have been playing for any length of time without hearing him play a long time ago.

Well, I said he had some chops, but I have been listening to music made by obscure guitarists and musicians, and he isn't the best there is! If you ever get the chance to listen to a track by Schizoid (a guitarist and a keyboard player) and their stuff were WAY more difficult than Petrucci's. Also, Allan HOLDSWORTH is head and shoulders above him, and I can't figure out why he doesn't get as much coverage, since his music is also very complex and conveys a lot of emotions too...
Your post was based on how hard his stuff was to play, but I don't listen to music because it's hard to play... Listen to Scott Mischoe, you'll see what's hard to play...
I haven't tried to play Petrucci's stuff, because nothing has made me go "huh, how did he do that?" sorry, but I just don't get all the fuss...

Originally posted by lalimacefolle
If you ever get the chance to listen to a track by Schizoid (a guitarist and a keyboard player) and their stuff were WAY more difficult than Petrucci's.

Yeah but does it sound any good? That's what makes Petrucci special, in my opinion. He's got massive chops and can play really fast, but unlike most guitarists, it sounds good.

When most guitarists play fast it just sounds like meaningless giberish, but Petrucci's style is actually distinguishable. He can also play the slow, catchy melodies that make the song.

Difficult stuff is one thing, but difficult stuff that actually sounds decent is another.

Here, here Christoph. Well said.

I think that Petrucci is an amazing player, he makes weird stuff sound good, but I don't think he plays anything impossible. I can play the solo in Under a Glass moon (just learnt it) and I addmitt that it was hard at first but when you play it over and over you can manage to play it quite correctly. Another point, I think that even if some of Petrucci's solos may not sound so good (don't hang me for this;) ) most of the solos are great, I can't seem to understand what does he think when he makes them.

To gather this in a nutshell. Petrucci is a great player, but he doesn't have stuff that's impossible to play (Except for Fatal Tragedy's solo). That's my opinion.

I went on the technical side because your argument was about how difficult his lines were... I actually love Shawn LANE, it's much more melodic than Holdsworth and Petrucci I think...

Originally posted by Christoph

Yeah but does it sound any good?
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No, but you guys didn't say it sounded good, only that it was difficult to play :)

I totally agree with them, i've tried to play some of Dream Theater song (as i am a big Dream Theater fan), but it is virtually imposible to do what he does. His speed , his peeking technique, i mean, c'on you gotta love him. And it is not just Petrucci it is the whole group, they are amazing, Rudees in the keyboards, Portnoy on the drums, John on the bass, Petrucci on the guitar and Labries vocals. They all together play one of the most amazing music ive ever heard. Falling into infinity is another great album. I love it!!!!!

during one of his guitar workshops he played (live) eruption with one hand while playing with a yo-yo in the other.


why? i don't know. all i know is that it happened.




i am a big fan of petrucci. he is definately one of my favorite guitarists, but shawn lane is great too, also much faster. i haven't heard much of holdworth so i can't give a comparison on him. also there is Jennifer Batten, who most people don't realize exists but who has some massive chops as well, especially with that octo-digit tapping. you should check her out too.

Pfft, if you want to tap, play the bloody piano*.
*Obligatory infammatory statement.

Obviously Petruccis doesn't play anything impossible, and I challenge anyone to, ever. Think about it.

It is clear to me. I agree that if someone can play it, there is no reason someone with a good level and time on his hands can't.
So, be it Petrucci's or anyone else's for that matter, anything is playable, except Petrucci sounds more flamboyant than other guys.

He can't play that fast, for even I can play Under a Glass Moon's solo, the 26.5 notes per sec. could be in the tapping/legato system, but the chromatic run is eventually quite easy to play in fact. And I don't recall any other part in the solo which would go even near 26.5 notes/sec.
Or perhaps in the sweep downwards, but no, there are no such place in the solo, I can play it with a metronome, and with the record. But if Petrucci says that it's 26.5 notes/sec I can play so fast!! Even if I don't think so..

[Edited by FretSlug on 05-02-2002 at 01:42 PM]

You guys must know better than me (been playing the guitar only about 2-3 years), that when we talk about a good guitar player, we dont only talk about speed, technique, etc. That is good part of it, i know, and i also know that what Petrucci plays isnt impossible, he is human. It takes a lot of years of practice, but isnt impossible. The point here is that HE CREATES WHAT HE PLAYS!!!!! It is all in his head. He can play what he is thinking and feeling, but he makes his music, he doesnt repeat or plays what other people plays, he's got his own style. And the last poster is correct, he plays mostly alternate picking, and look what he can do.

So, bottom line, He is a great guitar player. (At least for me, i respect other people's opinion)

I just played it just to make sure that I'm capable of doing it with the record, so perhaps I can play 26 (or whatever) notes in second, I can play that chromatic run so that it doesn't get blurry, or something and I think it sounds very good, so either you have calculated wrong(or there's something weird going on) or I'm a fast guitarist... YAY! :D