My thoughts on 'Dream Theater' (***SPOILERS***)

[aprilethereal]

As I Am, Honor Thy Father, In The Name Of God, A Nightmare To Remember are in C tuning.

Endless Sacrifice, I Walk Beside You, Never Enough, Forsaken, A Rite Of Passage and Lost Not Forgotten are in D tuning.

Stream Of Consciousness and The Root Of All Evil are in Eb tuning.

Home is in Drop D.

These Walls is in A tuning (baritone).

Panic Attack and (I believe) Wither are in Bb tuning (baritone).

Maybe I forgot some, but even if not, that's a lot of songs anyway.

[PixelDream]

I really liked the baritone sound on These Walls. I haven't focused enough to really hear a clear difference between 6-string baritone and 7-string.

[aprilethereal]

The seven string DT songs are in a higher tuning (B) than the baritone ones (Bb and A).

[DreamerTV]

As I Am, Honor Thy Father, In The Name Of God, A Nightmare To Remember are in C tuning.

Endless Sacrifice, I Walk Beside You, Never Enough, Forsaken, A Rite Of Passage and Lost Not Forgotten are in D tuning.

Stream Of Consciousness and The Root Of All Evil are in Eb tuning.

Home is in Drop D.

These Walls is in A tuning (baritone).

Panic Attack and (I believe) Wither are in Bb tuning (baritone).

Maybe I forgot some, but even if not, that's a lot of songs anyway.

Space dye vest is in drop d
Blind faith is played with a silhouette bass A tuned

[mikemangioy]

Could you tell the various sections of FAS and IT?

[aprilethereal]

Okay, didn't know that. I thought Home was the only DT song in Drop D.

[?]

Part of the 6/8 section in TGD is in drop D as well - just listen to the final chord JP plays before "Harvesting existence..." and you can hear a low D.

Space dye vest is in drop d
Blind faith is played with a silhouette bass A tuned

I thought Blind Faith was played an octave down from the standard EADGBE tuning? I didn't know SDV is in drop D, but then again the quadruple rhythm guitar tracks sound so heavy throughout the album that it's hard to figure it out.

Anyway, ADTOE includes 3 songs with 7-string guitars and JP has confirmed that he played The Enemy Inside and Enigma Machine on a 7-string, so I bet the amount of songs with that may pretty much be the same as last time.

[wasteland]

I love when you all start speaking Technical

[noxon]

it's technical music, of course people talk technical

[AngelBack]

Were there any questions or info on the tour?  Orchestra?  Advanced indications on the general theme of the set list (more new, classics, songs not performed before or in a while)?

Thanks for sharing!

[cyberdrummer]

Were there any questions or info on the tour?  Orchestra?  Advanced indications on the general theme of the set list (more new, classics, songs not performed before or in a while)?

Thanks for sharing!

Nothing about that I'm afraid. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if they played the entire new album as one set, but I'm not basing that on anything firm.

Could you tell the various sections of FAS and IT?

The sections in IT were fairly clear, yes. The sections of FAS were more difficult to discern, but I'm sure that will become easier with further listens.   

[DreamerTV]

I have a quite simple question: as a dt fan, did you like it? I mean, i'm not asking in relation to previous albums, as to me ranking an album means almost nothing, but as something we're really waiting for, expecting it to be at least a good one.

[cyberdrummer]

Yes, first impressions were positive. I enjoyed it and there were no 'cringe' moments. It has its fair share of typical DT elements, which lends it a pleasant sense of familiarity for a long-time fan; however, I think this is a genuine progression in sound for the band. It just had a different feel to it. But that's as far as I'm going to go at the moment.

[cyberdrummer]

By the way, I think I noticed the 'snarling pig' make an appearance at one point.

[Zydar]

Did you make notes during the listening process or are you just taking this from your memory? Were you allowed at all to make any kind of notes?

[adastra]

After quick browsing , I didn't see this question answered before;  What DT album did it resemble the most? 

[BlobVanDam]

By the way, I think I noticed the 'snarling pig' make an appearance at one point.

As the snarling pig is in The Enemy Inside, that's no surprise.

[Kotowboy]

I keep reading about this snarling pig and keep meaning to listen out for it...

Where is the best place to hear it ( on any song ) ?

[wasteland]

I keep reading about this snarling pig and keep meaning to listen out for it...

Where is the best place to hear it ( on any song ) ?

Intro to Never Enough?

[BlobVanDam]

I keep reading about this snarling pig and keep meaning to listen out for it...

Where is the best place to hear it ( on any song ) ?

I don't know about the best place, but you can hear it on The Enemy Inside from 0:13 onwards once the riff repeats, doubling the guitar riff.

[cyberdrummer]

Did you make notes during the listening process or are you just taking this from your memory? Were you allowed at all to make any kind of notes?

This is all from memory. I think I could have made notes, but didn't want to spoil the listening experience.

After quick browsing , I didn't see this question answered before;  What DT album did it resemble the most? 

In terms of album structure: 8V
In terms of song structure: Images and Words/Awake
In sonic terms: SC/BC&SL

But let me reiterate, despite having familiar elements, this does not sound like any other DT album. It's new ground for the band.

By the way, I think I noticed the 'snarling pig' make an appearance at one point.

As the snarling pig is in The Enemy Inside, that's no surprise.

Haha fair point. It also appears in IT I think. 

[Kotowboy]

Thanks I know the one - I looked it up on Youtube.

[Onno]

But let me reiterate, despite having familiar elements, this does not sound like any other DT album. It's new ground for the band.

That's great news! Thanks a lot for all the cool information man 

[BlobVanDam]

cyberdrummer, you have a great memory for only one listen! I'd assumed you must have been taking notes, with how many details you've apparently retained.

[cyberdrummer]

Cheers, but let's wait and see how accurate I am when the album's released!

[noxon]

Hey, it looks pretty darn accurate from my point of view, and I've been listening to the album daily for almost four weeks already I've made many of the same observations - I even described the album very similarly (sounding like SC and BCSL but with songs written like images and words / awake).

First time -I- heard the album I couldn't remember _anything_.

[pgf]

I did not see this question. How would you rate MM performance in this album as compared to ADTOE?

[farsight]

Did the album remind you of chocolate cake?

[cyberdrummer]

Did the album remind you of chocolate cake?

  Perhaps the chocolate cake from Matilda. Absolutely brutal.

I did not see this question. How would you rate MM performance in this album as compared to ADTOE?

For obvious reasons, he seems more comfortable with the material and plays with more freedom. Certainly more chops on display. Can't wait to see him perform it live.

[Voices]

Don't know if you'll be able to answer that one...but let's try this: What are the most memorable individual moments (or spots, if you wish) of JR, JLB, MM, JP and JM? Can you remember in which song do you heard anything mindblowing from each one of them?

[cyberdrummer]

Don't know if you'll be able to answer that one...but let's try this: What are the most memorable individual moments (or spots, if you wish) of JR, JLB, MM, JP and JM? Can you remember in which song do you heard anything mindblowing from each one of them?

JR: there's some lovely piano work littered across the album.
JLB: second half of IT.
MM: throughout IT - a great drum break, and some awesome combinations with JR and JM.
JP: the solo in The Looking Glass is a highlight for me.
JM: the aforementioned section in IT; bass solo in Enigma Machine.

[Voices]

Thanks for answering, that is so great!

Let me ask you just one more thing...is there any baritone from JP?

[krands85]

Nice thread cyberdrummer, thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions  Will be interesting to see how accurate your thoughts/observations are once you can listen to the album properly  Takes me loads of listens before I can form decent opinions on a song or album, I wouldn't be able to answer most of these questions 

Were there any questions or info on the tour?  Orchestra?  Advanced indications on the general theme of the set list (more new, classics, songs not performed before or in a while)?

Thanks for sharing!

JLB mentioned in a recent interview that they haven't really decided on that sort of thing yet. I think he said they'd likely have some meetings in the fall to discuss what sort of show they want to put on.

[cyberdrummer]

Thanks for answering, that is so great!

Let me ask you just one more thing...is there any baritone from JP?

I don't know. Not an expert on guitars.

[Mladen]

Great read! Thanks for all the info, man.