DT in the studio again!

[goo-goo]

I hope JLB writes some lyrics. I think he has been getting better while JP has gotten a bit worse.

[ibosmiley]

I'd be in favor of that.  I'm a fan of JLB lyrics.  I hope he gets more than one song this go around.

[Ben_Jamin]

JLB might have a couple songs he wrote lyrics for, then again he mightve used them all on impermanent resonance.

[ibosmiley]

JLB might have a couple songs he wrote lyrics for, then again he mightve used them all on impermanent resonance.

Hmm... good point... very good point.

I still hope he pens more lyrics for DT12.  I don't have anything against Petrucci's lyrics, but it was a slight disappointment how ADTOE was such a Petruccifest with lyrics.

[Mosh]

I hope JLB writes some lyrics. I think he has been getting better while JP has gotten a bit worse.

JLB's lyrics are hit and miss with me, I didn't care for Far From Heaven and Prophets of War all that much but the lyrics on Medicate and Disappear are fantastic. J{ has gotten too literal. There's no poetic edge in his lyrics anymore, they've kinda gotten lazy even. Though I still very much miss Kevin Moore as a lyricist. 

I wish Myung would write more lyrics. Breaking All Illusions really had that 90's DT edge in the lyrics. We could use more of that.

[?]

James isn't my favorite lyricist, but his strength is that you can almost always relate to what he writes about, which is something you can't say about all DT lyrics. For example, sometimes (a lot of times, actually) I feel like the narrator in Caught in a Web, and I think we all can relate to the theme of loss in Disappear.

[goo-goo]

Some Myung lyrics wouldn't hurt either. I enjoyed BAI a lot. especially how the lyrics sound poetic.

[gmillerdrake]

James wrote the lyrics for 'Blind Faith' also. IMO that may be his best offering as a lyricist. Other than 'Prophets of War' I like all his lyrical efforts.

When compared to his efforts early in their career JP is the lyricist who has 'slipped' IMO. I don't think I've heard a JMX penned song I disliked. I like his avstract writing style.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Will all of this have any impact on the mixing of the album and the ultimate sonic output?

It might have if it was recorded through it. But it wasn't, so that's a good thing. 

[Flacracker]

How long does mixing take?

[Dellers]

Hard to say, but 1 song a day or so would be a fair guess. It depends on a lot of things, but I doubt it would take more than two working weeks maximum. One would be possible.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Hard to say, but 1 song a day or so would be a fair guess. It depends on a lot of things, but I doubt it would take more than two working weeks maximum. One would be possible.

One would be possible for an average album. I'm gonna go with two because of the length of DT's songs. I'll probably be finished or close to finished anywhere between next thursday and the following monday. (not counting the weekend, cause I'm sure Rich will be taking at least one of those days off)

[ZirconBlue]

JLB might have a couple songs he wrote lyrics for, then again he mightve used them all on impermanent resonance.

Hmm... good point... very good point.

I still hope he pens more lyrics for DT12.  I don't have anything against Petrucci's lyrics, but it was a slight disappointment how ADTOE was such a Petruccifest with lyrics.

Especially considering that JLB said he wrote more lyrics for ADToE, but that they weren't accepted.

[liran95]

Maybe DT will rehire Kevin Moore as lyrics-specialist? 

[atmyne]

Maybe DT will rehire Kevin Moore as lyrics-specialist? 

Incredibly likely 

[CodyWanKenobi]

JLB might have a couple songs he wrote lyrics for, then again he mightve used them all on impermanent resonance.

Hmm... good point... very good point.

I still hope he pens more lyrics for DT12.  I don't have anything against Petrucci's lyrics, but it was a slight disappointment how ADTOE was such a Petruccifest with lyrics.

Especially considering that JLB said he wrote more lyrics for ADToE, but that they weren't accepted.

It was for Outcry I believe.

[Fiery Winds]

Anyone else notice the lack of JLB in all these announcements? Seems like forever when we actually heard him talk about something.

[MoraWintersoul]

Anyone else notice the lack of JLB in all these announcements? Seems like forever when we actually heard him talk about something.

Plot twist: he lost his voice recording the new album. The new album is that awesome.

Seriously though, he was right next to JP while JP was talking about having everything mic'd up, and we didn't actually have any footage of Jordan talking directly to the camera either, only studio shots of him being his hyperactive self. So yeah I think next time we'll hear them two talk a little more.

[Fiery Winds]

Anyone else notice the lack of JLB in all these announcements? Seems like forever when we actually heard him talk about something.

Plot twist: he lost his voice recording the new album. The new album is that awesome.

Haha, yes!

Seriously though, he was right next to JP while JP was talking about having everything mic'd up, and we didn't actually have any footage of Jordan talking directly to the camera either, only studio shots of him being his hyperactive self. So yeah I think next time we'll hear them two talk a little more.

Yeah, he's there, but we need more Pirate high jinks!

[Lucidity]

Does anyone else dislike Myung's lyrics? :/

[Kotowboy]

I have no idea what BAI is even suposed to be about.

PLus I don't really enjoy it as a song and don't get this classic legendary song that everyone else does.

[johncal]

Hard to say, but 1 song a day or so would be a fair guess. It depends on a lot of things, but I doubt it would take more than two working weeks maximum. One would be possible.

Mixing is a lot more difficult than you might think. It could easily take a month or more to mix. There are complications too numerous to mention here, but one as an example.....

When you introduce another instrument to a mix it will often change the sound of the other instruments. So in those particular areas you need to change not only volume of various instruments, especially if you're trying to change the emphasis on the mix, but the EQ for the other instruments may need to be changed at that point to cut through the mix. Then when the instrument is removed, the EQ, etc has to be changed back, all while preventing the listener from perceiving the difference.

Now on top of that is ear fatigue. After you listen to the mix for a while, you start to lose the ability to sense accurately the sonic quality of the mix. You actually need to get away from hearing it to be able to critique it properly. It sounds great today, crappy tomorrow. Now just throw that one example into a DT song, and you can easily see where it could take a long time. I've done a lot of mixing myself, and helped my son in law who used to have a recording studio and does his own mixing, etc. for his own albums. He has routinely spent over 1 week just doing 1 song.

Then on top of that, the producer (JP) comes in and says he doesn't like something, now throw that mix out the window and start over.

[Kotowboy]

Or just Rick Ruin it - turn everything up until everything is in the red and it'll sound great on ipods !

[DebraKadabra]

James isn't my favorite lyricist, but his strength is that you can almost always relate to what he writes about, which is something you can't say about all DT lyrics. For example, sometimes (a lot of times, actually) I feel like the narrator in Caught in a Web, and I think we all can relate to the theme of loss in Disappear.

Hear hear.  FFH is another one (I know, I know - not everyone shares this opinion).

[dparrott]

I understand about ear fatigue.  I listen to my homemade music from around 10 years ago and shake my head at how bad the mix and mastering is.  I've learned a lot since then. 

[ibosmiley]

JLB might have a couple songs he wrote lyrics for, then again he mightve used them all on impermanent resonance.

Hmm... good point... very good point.

I still hope he pens more lyrics for DT12.  I don't have anything against Petrucci's lyrics, but it was a slight disappointment how ADTOE was such a Petruccifest with lyrics.

Especially considering that JLB said he wrote more lyrics for ADToE, but that they weren't accepted.

It was for Outcry I believe.

Yeah I heard as well that there were two songs he wrote lyrics for that were not used for whatever reason.

In the end, whatever makes it a great album I'm all for... but, some lyrical balance wouldn't be a horrible thing.  Even just 2 from LaBrie, 1 from Myung and then 4 from Petrucci would be cool with me.

[bosk1]

Does anyone else dislike Myung's lyrics? :/

I think it's going to be pretty tough finding many people who sympathize with that position.  In general, people love his lyrical contributions.  I know I like most of them, BAI being a notable exception.

[gmillerdrake]

I have no idea what BAI is even suposed to be about.

PLus I don't really enjoy it as a song and don't get this classic legendary song that everyone else does.

For me it isn't that BAI is 'legendary'....I like the song a lot ...but it's more the fact it seemed like more of what DT is (to me) than what they had given me in SC and BC&SL. It was a return to what made me fall in love with the band in the first place....all those years ago in 93'.
  There are some good songs on those two albums prior to ADTOE, but for the most part I wasn't captivated by them at any poi t. ADTOE has many moments that captivate me.

[425]

Or just Rick Ruin it - turn everything up until everything is in the red and it'll sound great on ipods !

The thing is, stuff like Death Magnetic sounds bad even on an iPod with cheap earphones (the type of earphones is important because you can put lossless or even 256+ Kbps music on an iPod and use quality headphones and it'll sound pretty much as good as anything else to all but the most discerning of ears).

Which is what makes the loudness war even more confounding. I'm not sure of a single situation where that style of mixing is better than one without clipping. Maybe playing music out loud over cheap laptop speakers where volume matters, but still. That's one very specified scenario and it would be dumb to ruin the sound for every other scenario to slightly improve that one. Honestly, if I want the music louder, I'll turn the volume up. I don't understand why that's such a big deal. The only time I have ever turned the volume up to 50% when using headphones is when I'm in an area with a lot of ambient noise listening to music that has not been clipped. And if it's really a problem for you that the music is too quiet when you're playing it off cheap laptop speakers, there is an obvious and simple solution awaiting you at any electronics store.

Sorry for the rant, which was longer than even I expected, but the whole idea of compressing music just confounds me.

[Lucien]

I think DT will know better than to let SC happen again.

[Luigi]

Hello everybody. I`m new here, but I read this forum since a long time.

DT12 have many "hope factors":

- The previous step in the right direction with ADTOE.

- Mangini math brain in the creative process (with a complete tour and a lot of jamming sessions on his shoulders).

- Richard Chycki engineering.

- At least one song with John Myung lyrics  .

- An instrumental.

- Eren Basbug and an orchestra.

- Chocolate cake guitar  .

- Jordan trying to put some seaboard there.

- The self titled album issue as a challenge.

You can say that i`m trying to be 100% optimistic, but, there are some reasons for that.

[Zook]

Hello everybody. I`m new here, but I read this forum since a long time.

DT12 have many "hope factors":

- The previous step in the right direction with ADTOE.

- Mangini math brain in the creative process (with a complete tour and a lot of jamming sessions on his shoulders).

- Richard Chycki engineering.

- At least one song with John Myung lyrics  .

- An instrumental.

- Eren Basbug and an orchestra.

- Chocolate cake guitar  .

- Jordan trying to put some seaboard there.

- The self titled album issue as a challenge.

You can say that i`m trying to be 100% optimistic, but, there are some reasons for that.

Welcome to the forum! Is your brother a Dream Theater fan as well?

[Luigi]

Welcome to the forum! Is your brother a Dream Theater fan as well?

Of course.

He`s listening I&W right now.

[Big Hath]

ask your brother how he can smash bricks with his head and be fine, but he dies when he touches a turtle.

[Zook]

ask your brother how he can smash bricks with his head and be fine, but he dies when he touches a turtle.

Everyone knows plumbers are deathly allergic to turtles.