Pick you 5 favorite & least favorite Rudess solos

[KevShmev]

His solos tend to be love or hate for quite a few people, including myself, so I thought it'd be cool to see what peoples' favorites and least favorites were.  My picks:

Favorites
Home - By far the best keyboard solo he has done in DT.  It is perfect in every way, and is a perfect blend of technical flash and melodic joy.  Plus, that bend he does after the initial fury (about five seconds into the solo) is one of the best moments on the entire Scenes album.
Blind Faith - The piano solo.  Absolutely beautiful.  'Nuff said.
Octavarium - The continuum solo that opens the song.  It's long, but it's awesome.
Beyond This Life - The first solo in the instrumental section.  I love the slow nature of the music behind it, and he plays the solo right along with it, instead of trying to overdo it.  Very LTE-ish.
Stream of Consciousness - The super short piano solo around the 4 1/2-minute mark.  It's very dazzling and one of the highlights of a really good instrumental.

Least favorites
Panic Attack - I hadn't listened to this song in a long time until the other day, and when I did, I enjoyed it quite a bit, but that keyboard solo is just a complete mess.  I get that he was going for total fury, but it just sounds like a mess.
The Test That Stumped Them All - I have never liked this solo; it just sounds ugly.
Honor Thy Father - Like Panic Attack, the furious nature of it matches the song well, but it just sounds like a mess.
A Rite of Passage - Bebot...really??
Constant Motion - I don't like most of this song anyway, but to follow up such a great guitar solo (by far the best thing about the song) with such a poor keyboard solo did not help this song's cause .

[Crow]

Fav:
Home keyboard solo
One Last Time piano solo
Octavarium; Medicate solo

Least:
Constant Motion solo
TDEN outro solo
ANTR second keyboard solo (before the main theme reprise bit at least)
AROP Bebot (of course)
Enigma Machine second keyboard solo


I can't think of any more off the top of my head that I have really positive emotions to, a lot of his are just meeeh but the five in my least favorite are all just noise and pretty unlistenable.
Rudess is easily my least favorite of DT's keyboardists though.

[Sycsa]

Octavarium reigns above all, both sound and playing-wise.
Blind Faith - piano + organ
Outcry - around the 6:30 mark, the piano buildup + resolution is satisfying as hell
Fatal Tragedy - the way he plays with the expanding riff, 5:23 - what a moment 
Endless Sacrifice - that little piano/synth break in the midst of the heavy instrumental section, my jaw dropped the first time I heard it
Lost Not Forgotten - he really nailed the very beginning of this one

I also agree with your picks and could think of a few more, because his solos are good pretty much everywhere. For the same reason, I don't really have any 'least favorites', although when he just quickly slides his fingers on the continuum is less than inspired (TDEN ending for instance, not referring to the 8vm intro, which is beautiful). Still, I tend to agree that his biggest asset isn't his soloing. ADTOE is his best album overall.

[Zyzzyva17]

Favorites:
1. Octavarium solo before Full Circle. The rare solo that both sounds great and is fun to play.
2. TDOE ragtime solo. Just plain fun.
3. Solitary Shell piano solo. Nice blend of mood and technicality.
4. Stream of Consciousness "harpsichord" solo near the end. Pity that it's so low in the mix.
5. Bridges in the Sky organ solo. Also fun to play, but unfortunately quite short.

Least favorites:
1. The Shattered Fortress solo. Very long, but nothing really happens.
2. Constant Motion solo, for the same reasons.
3. The Dark Eternal Night Continuum solo. I don't mind it in context, but it's still a bad solo.
4. Beneath the Surface solo. In my opinion, the "Lucky Man" patch kills the mood.
5. Overture 1928 first solo. I would be nicer on this one if it wasn't his first DT solo, but that's what it is.

[namgalsipsclar]

Favs:
All of them in Octavarium, but particularly the one at the end of Medicate
Panic Attack - Contrary to OP I love this solo
Solitary Shell - This is a cracking one
Blind Faith - very nice
Fatal Tragedy - has a few great ones
Dance of Eternity -so cool

Least favs:
A rite of passage - kinda rubbish
Train of Thought - Don't like any of them except on Stream of Consciousness
Enigma machine - just not very memorable
Take the Time - Theres a live performance (not sure which one) where he grabs his keytar for the solo and it just sounds beyond shit

[Outcrier]

Still, I tend to agree that his biggest asset isn't his soloing. ADTOE is his best album overall.

SDOIT for me.

EDIT: Realized seconds after you're talking about his solos 

[jakepriest]

Favourites:
1. Octavarium Medicate solo
2. Stream of Consciousness entire solo part 
3. Home
4. The Count of Tuscany intro "solo" - Can't believe no one mentioned this 
5. In The Name of God

Least favourite:
1. Test That Stumped Them All
2. A Rite of Passage
3. Illumination Theory
4. A Nightmare to Remember
5. Lost Not Forgotten

[Outcrier]

Favs:

1. Octavarium (Medicate).
2. Beyond This Life (Odd keyboard patches section).
3. Light Fuse And Get Away(From Reunite).
4. Blind Faith (piano through unison).
5. TDOE Ragtime.


Favs (upside down):

1. AROP Chicken Run
2. AROP Chicken Run
3. AROP Chicken Run
4. AROP Chicken Run
5. AROP Chicken Run

[Sycsa]

Still, I tend to agree that his biggest asset isn't his soloing. ADTOE is his best album overall.

SDOIT for me.

EDIT: Realized seconds after you're talking about his solos 

Actually I was thinking overall performance + sounds. 

5. TDOE Ragtime.

Yeah, how could I forget that!? It was my ringtone for years. It's probably the most distinguished thing he's ever recorded.

[mikeyd23]

Off the top of my head I'd say:

Favorites: (In no particular order)

1. Home: All the stuff JR is playing behind the "sex noises" is pretty cool and then when the big solo lead spot comes back in with the band around 8:40 into the song he really rocks it! The runs he hits right around the 9:00 mark when the rhythm switches up behind him are great, this lead is a great rocking JR lead that is fast and shredy but also still contains parts that I can sing along to, which makes it great.

2. Solitary Shell: The piano section here is fantastic absolutely love it! Its technically impressive, almost bluesy a few times and builds the song back into a heavier section nicely.  I love JR piano breaks!

3. Octavarium: Right at the 12:15 mark... I don't really know what to say about this section besides how great everything works together here. The solo fits the backing instruments so well and the backing instruments work along with the solo just playing off each other back and forth perfectly.  Really great section and playing by all!

4. Blind Faith: Great overall song by JR, lots of great sounds, but the piano break (told you I love piano breaks) starting at 6:12 and continuing all the way through till the unison finishes is a standout. In that time he uses about 3 or 4 different sounds that once again help to carry the song from one dynamic back to another.  This may be my favorite example of JR's work now that I think about it, its got a little bit of everything, piano, chorus patch, organ-like sounds, his main lead sound, and a great unison with JP!

5. Illumination Theory: Its slightly shorter than I would like, but his solo at the 14:00 minute mark is great.  I just really like the phrasing on this lead and it has a certain vibe to it that I really was drawn to even in my first listen. 


Least Favorites: (Also in no particular order)

1. A Rite of Passage: Like many others have said, not his best work.

2. Constant Motion: This lead is almost just to many notes to be able to determine exactly what is going on at points.  Also, trying to follow that KILLER guitar solo is tough.

3. The Shattered Fortress: Aside from a few moments where I really like the phrasing, this solo isn't bad, it just doesn't really seem to take the song any where, its just kinda there.

4. The Test That Stumped Them All: Once again, wouldn't call it bad, but it just doesn't do much for me.

5. Panic Attack: I like the first few bars, then it loses me a little until the guitar lead comes back in.

[BlobVanDam]

In no particular order-

Fatal Tragedy - the ultimate air keyboard solo.
Beyond This Life - I love the sleazy 6/8 (or 12/8) groove to this section, and it's so catchy.
Solitary Shell - Such a beautiful piano solo, and the section has a great vibe that nothing else from them has done. Also another great one to air keyboard along with.
Octavarium - So uplifting and memorable, and one of many highlights of the song.
The Root of All Evil - Kurzweil's last stand! The way he makes those big notes wail out with the feedback is badass. I can play most of that solo note for note, but it just doesn't sound the same as how JR can do it. :

And I don't see any point to slipping in hating on JR, so instead I'll give honourable mentions-

Overture 1928 - It's short, but it packs an epic punch to kick off the album!
Blind Faith - The organ solo is excellent, but then that keyboard solo comes in as the icing on the cake.
Honor Thy Father - One of their most heavy and angry songs, and despite being a long song, no guitar solo, just the keyboard solo. And that solo fits so perfectly, better than a guitar solo would have. Love it.
Beneath The Surface - I'm not a fan of the song, but the keyboard section alone redeems it. It's beautiful.
Constant Motion - Suck it Kirk Hammett. Jordan Rudess can shred over a Metallica song better than you can.

[El Barto]

They're not love/hate for me; the exact opposite, in fact. Ninety-nine percent of them are just JR solos to me. I can't think of any that I actively dislike, and the only two that stand out as awesome to me are:

Medicate
Universal Mind Oh Damn the Guitar Broke solo. Unplanned, made up on the spot, and will never be heard again. Add to that it was just beautiful playing all within the framework of the song.

[Tom Bombadil]

Cant think of a whole lot off the top of my head, but easily my three favorites are:
1.TCOT intro solo
2. Outro of ITNOG (not really a solo but it's so good I have to mention it.
3. Middle of Octavarium

Dislike:
1. AROP
2. The Shattered Fortress
3. Fatal Tragedy

[Outcrier]

Fatal Tragedy - the ultimate air keyboard solo.

Like that one too.

[Estiui]

This is a nice topic. I don't think I'd be able to make a top list, but IMO his piano/organ solos are great. When it comes to lead sounds, he combines awesome solos (Octavarium, Blind Faith, Fatal Tragedy...) and awful wankery solos (most of SC and BCASL, for example). I'm not saying that wankery solos can't be good, but they have to be crafted with sense and musicality (I think that most of his last albums solos are not). However, what I hate most about JR is when he changes KM's solos to pure senseless wankery (that keytar example already mentioned, or Take The Time, for instance). I really hate that, KM's solos are exremely awesome.

[erik16]

His solos were not nearly as good on SC and BC&SL as the ones before and after. A Nightmare to Remember contains two really bad solos, but the lead melody with the continuum is great. The Shattered Fortress has a drawn out and nowhere going solo. A Rite of Passage, well there's not much to say, at least it was an innovation. It really is a shame since everything else that Jordan has done on those albums is great, but it has been at times buried in the mix (TCOT anyone?) and overshadowed by the wanking solos.

On the other hand, both SFAM and SDOIT are just filled with great solos: short and sweet solos on Overture 1928 and SDV, awesome melodical wankfests and bendings on FT and Home. Then Glass Prison which is the template and thus the best example of the quadruple solo trading, Blind Faith which is just beautiful, Misunderstood - simply creepy and TGD, simply awesome transition from JR lead sound to 80s keyboard lead. The 2nd disc has a monster solo on TTTSTA, sweet solos on SS and ATC(REP). TOT has great solos on SOC and ITNOG, 8VM has great stuff on TW, PA, SS and title track.

Then on ADTOE an interesting solo on LNF, great usage of Morphwiz and continuum on TITL, BITS and Outcry. Sweet keyboard leads on BAI and the patch on BTS (and on AFTR later) is a great contrast with the main part of the song. On DT, playful and joyous solos on EM, beauty on TBP and STR, virtuosity on IT.

JR has messed up the TTT solo a lot but I like his rendition of LTL solo, especially the LSFNY version. He also does great with Derek's material.

[Tomislav95]

Favorites:
-Octavarium Moog solo
-Honor Thy Father
-Blind Faith piano solo

[a8ac]

Favorites:
Octavarium
Solitary Shell
Illumination Theory
Outcry

I cant think of a solo I dislike.....

[theseoafs]

Universal Mind Oh Damn the Guitar Broke solo.

What's this?

[El Barto]

Universal Mind Oh Damn the Guitar Broke solo.

What's this?

At LTE's Downey show (the one filmed for Live In L.A.), Petrucci's rig crapped out a few minutes into UM. It was right before a keyboard break, so they played through to that and JR extended the break out to about 7 minutes (while Petrucci and his tech crawled around on the floor dicking with patch cables ), and finished it up right where it they would normally be afterward. All of the context is removed from the DVD, but there are still some giveaways. MP runs over and holds up a sign that says "just keep playing till I cowbell," Tony Levin switches from a Fender to the Chapman stick in case he needs to stall when JR runs out o gas, and the audience reaction is far more pronounced than would normally be the case for a simple keyboard solo.

Anyway, JR's improved solo remains the single finest thing I've seen in 30+ years of concert attendance.

[MadImmortalMan]

Haha, literally everyone in this thread lists Octavarium as one of his best. I think we have a clear winner.

Besides the aforementioned, I particularly love the outro in ITNOG and the beginning of Solitary Shell. (too tired to think of a top/bottom 5)

[ParagonCzerwony]

This is pretty difficult to pick out. I can't put them in an exact order, but as for just grouping them into 'most/least favorite':

MOST
Breaking All Illusions at about 9:13. All the keyboard parts here are great but this particular part sticks out for me for some reason despite it being relatively simple.
The Count of Tuscany. I can't single out any part of it, it's all amazing as far as keyboards are concerned.
Stream Of Consciousness. Also too many to pick out here, let's just say the whole thing as a single unit.
ITPOE part II (The Reckoning): The whole song has some great examples, but this section of the song is a good representative for it.
Lost Not Forgotten starting from about 6:30 to the end. There's this glide lead solo around 8:30 which is one of my favorite parts of that whole album.

LEAST
BMUBMD. I can't really get into this song anyway, though I find it stuck in my head sometimes (it does have a good groove) and I don't totally dislike it either.
Beneath The Surface. I feel like the strings make it too cheesy (the melody of it contributes to that as well) and the solo is kind of weirdly placed.
Endless Sacrifice: WAIT. I LOVE this song, but there's just one little part that is less than ideal, which is the little synth thing right before the first verse begins. Seems unnecessary, that's all.
A Rite Of Passage. Whole song is really kind of disappointing to me.
Enigma Machine: Just those notes that start the song off. The tone of it is kinda grating to me. The rest of the song (literally from 0:22 onward) is totally great.

it was much harder to think of least favorites than favorites really, I had to kind of reach to get 5 least faves.

[teclas]

I'll have to mention This Dying Soul and how this song has two of my favorite JR solos of all time:

- Intro lead solo:  that badass patch with "almost uncontrollable" feedback.  His lead sound on all  TOT is my favorite by far.
- Piano run later on, basically doing the same lick as the lead solo, the melody from "Now that you can see all you have done, it's time to take that step into the kingdom.."

Gives me chills just to think about how stellar these  two kyb spots are 

I'll have to agree whit Kirk Hammett when he says that a good solo is the one you can almost remember note by note afterwards and sing along to it.. too bad JR doesn't have too many of those.

[Sycsa]

I'll have to mention This Dying Soul and how this song has two of my favorite JR solos of all time:

- Intro lead solo:  that badass patch with "almost uncontrollable" feedback.  His lead sound on all  TOT is my favorite by far.
- Piano run later on, basically doing the same lick as the lead solo, the melody from "Now that you can see all you have done, it's time to take that step into the kingdom.."

Gives me chills just to think about how stellar these  two kyb spots are 

I'll have to agree whit Kirk Hammett when he says that a good solo is the one you can almost remember note by note afterwards and sing along to it.. too bad JR doesn't have too many of those.

I'm completely on the other side of the fence here. While the melody and the piano reprise are nice, it's flat-out my least favorite JR lead sound ever. It sounds so much like a guitar, it's almost pointless to be played on a keyboard. His first Budokan solo and his Metropolis solos on WDADRU are equally terrible and tasteless for this reason. They're also wah-wah'd to hell, so it's quite appropriate that you mentioned Kirk Hammett. Good thing he ditched it later on.

[teclas]

I'll have to mention This Dying Soul and how this song has two of my favorite JR solos of all time:

- Intro lead solo:  that badass patch with "almost uncontrollable" feedback.  His lead sound on all  TOT is my favorite by far.
- Piano run later on, basically doing the same lick as the lead solo, the melody from "Now that you can see all you have done, it's time to take that step into the kingdom.."

Gives me chills just to think about how stellar these  two kyb spots are 

I'll have to agree whit Kirk Hammett when he says that a good solo is the one you can almost remember note by note afterwards and sing along to it.. too bad JR doesn't have too many of those.

I'm completely on the other side of the fence here. While the melody and the piano reprise are nice, it's flat-out my least favorite JR lead sound ever. It sounds so much like a guitar, it's almost pointless to be played on a keyboard. His first Budokan solo and his Metropolis solos on WDADRU are equally terrible and tasteless for this reason. They're also wah-wah'd to hell, so it's quite appropriate that you mentioned Kirk Hammett. Good thing he ditched it later on.

To me  there's more sound design in that lead than just using a synth preset; it's reminiscent a bit of Derek's monster lead or the famous Jens Johansson signature lead that so many keyboardist s (myself included) look up to. 

IMHO it fits the overall agressive sound that the album has, and back in 2003 I was pretty stocked that Jordan was finding his own lead sound, departing a bit from the Kurzweil type presets on SFAM and Six Degrees.

But to each his own.  Cheers