The Dream Theater Experiment

[jakepriest]

 

[pcs90]

Yeah, plus if she stops with the experiment we'll all be talking about how we missed The Way this thread Used To Be.

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

......................................................................
















And finally

bae

[RMGadelha]

:/

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Move on be brave, don't cry at this threads grave, because it is no longer here. Please don't let your memory of this thread disappear!

*cue epic Petrucci solo*

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

You know what? If bosky sees this...well...hehe heh
Let's move back shall we?

[RMGadelha]

Well, I hope so. I was enjoying the experiment.

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

And you were not enjoying this?

[RMGadelha]

Maybe, if it were in another thread ;p

[DragonGuitar]

Wtf just happened to this thread... did it die? It was an interesting thread, too...

So does that mean you don't have to buy your friends dinner then...?

[SystematicThought]

Well, it was fun while it lasted 

[pcs90]

It just got a little sidetracked, I think.

[IDontNotDoThings]

......................................................................
















And finally

bae

[countoftuscany42]

watched that entire scroll.  now that was an ordeal...

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Sorry about that detour guys
Ill have Eve, ACOS, the two astonishing songs and hopefully New millenium.
ACOS was a bit......lol

[thosava]

Looking forward to it

[Pragmaticcircus]

Are you skipping through their catalogue now??

[Viking of the Sagas]

I'd enjoy it more if this stayed on topic, honestly 

[paulstfu]

Angela, are you still taking suggestions??

I got an idea that could work well with the girls when the time for SFAM comes.


Before the listening, tell them the next thing on DT's catalogue is different. The next album has a story going through every song. It's about love (emphazise this point), mystery and reincarnation. If they are into books, like Hunger Games, Divergent or that sort of literature, tell them they will like the story. If you want, tell them what's the story about, but don't give details.

TL;DR: Tease them 


Now, everyone will listen at the same time. After some songs, make a pause and ask them what they understood of the story. Let them speak. Then, tell them what was the song about, and ask them about the music.

This "scheme" is what I got in mind:


REGRESSION
-Pause
-Let the "hello Victoria, so glad to see you, my friend" sink in
-Try to record their reactions to this line 

OVERTURE 1928
STRANGE DEJAVU
-Play them without any pause
-At the end of SD, ask them about the story and the music.

THROUGH MY WORDS
FATAL TRAGEDY
-The same as the previous songs: Play both, then pause and ask.

BEYOND THIS LIFE
-Pause and ask.

THROUGH HER EYES
-Pause and ask. You may tell them this is the end of act I, so you can have a longer pause/intermission.



HOME
-Pause and ask.

DANCE OF ETERNITY
-Pause and ask. This is going to be an amazing reaction. Ask them about the "ragtime", the part where Jordan plays a Saloon/cantina melody 

ONE LAST TIME
-Pause and ask

SPIRIT CARRIES ON
-Pause and ask. They may like it

FINALLY FREE
-Let them speak about the ending. Then, ask them about the music, what they understood and what each one thinks happened at the end. DO NOT reveal the ending, unless its needed to reveal.

[thosava]

Any new updates on the way? This thread is making the wait for the album a little bit easier!

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Sorry for the delay guys!

Angela, are you still taking suggestions??

I got an idea that could work well with the girls when the time for SFAM comes.


Before the listening, tell them the next thing on DT's catalogue is different. The next album has a story going through every song. It's about love (emphazise this point), mystery and reincarnation. If they are into books, like Hunger Games, Divergent or that sort of literature, tell them they will like the story. If you want, tell them what's the story about, but don't give details.

TL;DR: Tease them 


Now, everyone will listen at the same time. After some songs, make a pause and ask them what they understood of the story. Let them speak. Then, tell them what was the song about, and ask them about the music.

This "scheme" is what I got in mind:


REGRESSION
-Pause
-Let the "hello Victoria, so glad to see you, my friend" sink in
-Try to record their reactions to this line 

OVERTURE 1928
STRANGE DEJAVU
-Play them without any pause
-At the end of SD, ask them about the story and the music.

THROUGH MY WORDS
FATAL TRAGEDY
-The same as the previous songs: Play both, then pause and ask.

BEYOND THIS LIFE
-Pause and ask.

THROUGH HER EYES
-Pause and ask. You may tell them this is the end of act I, so you can have a longer pause/intermission.



HOME
-Pause and ask.

DANCE OF ETERNITY
-Pause and ask. This is going to be an amazing reaction. Ask them about the "ragtime", the part where Jordan plays a Saloon/cantina melody 

ONE LAST TIME
-Pause and ask

SPIRIT CARRIES ON
-Pause and ask. They may like it

FINALLY FREE
-Let them speak about the ending. Then, ask them about the music, what they understood and what each one thinks happened at the end. DO NOT reveal the ending, unless its needed to reveal.

Good idea! Thanks! I'm always open to suggestions!!

Any new updates on the way? This thread is making the wait for the album a little bit easier!

Soon, very soon.

[pcs90]

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

 

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Now, here is everyone with EVE! WHOOP!

Me: Now, the reason I gathered you guys here is because we are going to do a group experiment!
Victoria: Great.....
Me: It'll be fun! It's only one song. It's called Eve and it's an instrumental by Dream Theater. A real calm and soothing one at that.
Ashley: Really?
Me: Yep! You will enjoy it. Now, let's just listen to it from the speakers
Michelle: Let's get started then!
Maria: Whoop!
Me: Just imagine this as a lullaby or a song that you would hear to go to sleep.
Ashley: Let's get started already!
Me: Woah, woah. Hold your horse young girl, we must not rush.
Ashley: Why not?
Me:.......
Ashley: That's what I thought.
Nikki: Girls, enough. We're ready Angela.
Me: Let it begin!
Sophia: It's about time....
Me: 
*After the instrumental*
Me: What'd you think and....SOPHIA, WAKE UP!
Sophia: HUH?!! WHAT? WHAT?!
Me: You alright there?
Sophia: *yawns* Sorry. Just dozed off there.
Me: It's fine.
Ashley: I can understand why. It's really refreshing to hear, really.
Victoria: Still, it was pretty boring.
Michelle: What?! How can you say it was boring? What about compared to all we listened too? It's actually a real nice song.
Me: *Ahem*
Michelle:
Me: Instrumental.
Michelle: Same thing.
Me: *ahem* Nope. 
Michelle: Fine. Instrumental.
Me: 
Michelle: Anyways, back to our friendly argument.
Nikki: *coughs*
Michelle: *glares*
Victoria: Don't worry Mish. It's just my opinion. I'm sure others enjoyed it also. What about you Maria?
Maria: It was actually very soothing. Compared to the other songs, I'd take this any day.
Victoria: Humph. So none of you thought it was pretty boring?
Nikki: Nope.
Ashley: Nuh uh.
Maria: No.
Michelle: Not really.
Sophia: Why do you think I dozed off?
Me: Because you were tired.
Sophia: Well, I got kinda bored just staring at the pictures and the whole room was silent so I did what any sane person would do. Doze off.
Michelle: Hey! Are you calling us insane!
Sophia: What do you think? 
Michelle: *growls*
Sophia: I'm kidding Mish.
Michelle: I knew you were kidding also.
Me: Well then! Before we go too off hand, do you have anything to add about this song?
Ashley: No.
Sophia: Nope.
Victoria: No.
Michelle: No.
Maria: No.
Nikki: What the rest are saying.
Me: Great! Let's go too the next album then! Some of you will be disappointed!
Maria: WAIT! I have something to add!
Ashley: Me too!
Michelle: Me thr-
Me: No. You all said no so good bye!




Well, that was pretty short, but.....?
Let's get to FII.

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Ashley:  You Not Me, Hollow years
Maria: Trial of tears
Sophia: Burning My soul, Take away my pain
Nikki: New millenium, Just let me breathe
Michelle: Peruvian skies, Anna Lee
Victoria: Lines in The sand
Everyone: Hells Kitchen

[pcs90]

Eve is my favorite instrumental so glad ALMOST everyone liked it...haha

[OnTheBacksofAngela]

Here is Nikki with New Millenium!

Me: You ready for this Nikki?
Nikki: Ready for this new album? Of course!
Me: You have the two songs by Mike Portnoy and well....compared to the other songs, it's not that great.
Nikki: What do you mean?
Me: I mean, I love those songs because it's catchy, but it is in no way poppy at all. They are both not....well, I will just let the music do the speaking for you.
Nikki: Ok....
Me: I have much to tell you, but let's just save that for the interview. Here are the headphones and the lyric sheet. Are you ready?
Nikki: Yep.
Me: Let the torture....I mean, the experiment begin!
Nikki: *puts on headphones*
Me: *starts the music*
After the music.
Nikki: *takes off headphones*
Me: Well?
Nikki: You were right.
Me: About what?
Nikki: I have the worst songs!
Me: Well, I didn't say that! And how do you know it's the worst song?
Nikki: If I didn't have a lyric sheet in front of me, I would be so lost right now.
Me: So, everything was a turn off?
Nikki: Well, not everything.
Me: 
Nikki: Just get on with the interview please.
Me: Sure thing!
Nikki: Thanks.
Me: Your welcome! So, all of Portnoy's songs deal with his frustration with the record company. This record was so stressful that Portnoy decided to quit, but was convinced by his band members. They also demanded to be free from the record label, Elektra Records. Many songs did not make the cut sadly. Two of Portnoy's songs, the songs you have are aimed at the music industry and label. Any thoughts, questions, or comments on that?
Nikki: Wait, so all of his songs are going to be like this? The ones I have?
Me: Yes. Just Let Me Breathe is an interesting song also. I enjoy it very much, but I'm not sure about you. BUT, you have Hell's Kitchen, an instrumental with the others and that instrumental is a bit more powerful than Eve.
Nikki: Oh.
Me: So, back to the Portnoy thing. Any other things you want to add?
Nikki: Not really.
Me: It was a really stressful period.
Nikki: Huh....
Me: Yeah. Let's go into some lyrical analysis. It has some clever references....
Nikki: No thank you.
Me: Excuse me?
Nikki: No thank you. You said the lyrics dealt with frustration with the company? Those are the meaning then. I don't want to go into a deep analysis. Can we just go with the interview?
Me: Yea, sure.
Nikki: Sorry.
Me: No, it's fine. Did you know that Myung used a Chapman Stick for this song?
Nikki:
Me: *pulls up a picture*
Nikki: Oh wow.
Me: Yeah. This also was the first and last studio album to feature Derek Sherinian. He was later replaced by Rudess.
Nikki: Oh.
Me: Yeah. Anything you'd like to add before we close?
Nikki: Yes. Now that I learned about his frustration, I can understand the song better now.
Me: So you don't dislike it?
Nikki: It's not my cup of tea, but I can deal with it.
Me: Great, thanks! Can you bring in Ashley? She might enjoy this next song. It's pretty poppy.
Nikki: Lucky her.
Me:  Don't worry!
Nikki: Ok, thanks.
Me: No problem.

[Onno]

Hmm, I was expecting a more positive reaction for NM but I might have been too optimistic 

[wasteland]

Hmm, I was expecting a more positive reaction for NM but I might have been too optimistic 

Don't tell me you like it! 

[mikemangioy]

Me: Yeah. Let's go into some lyrical analysis. It has some clever references....
Nikki: No thank you.
Me: Excuse me?
Nikki: No thank you. You said the lyrics dealt with frustration with the company? Those are the meaning then. I don't want to go into a deep analysis. Can we just go with the interview?
Me: Yea, sure.
Nikki: Sorry.

Wow. I'd get pissed off at this.

[jakepriest]

Me: Yeah. Let's go into some lyrical analysis. It has some clever references....
Nikki: No thank you.
Me: Excuse me?
Nikki: No thank you. You said the lyrics dealt with frustration with the company? Those are the meaning then. I don't want to go into a deep analysis. Can we just go with the interview?
Me: Yea, sure.
Nikki: Sorry.

Wow. I'd get pissed off at this.

Yeah. If she doesn't want to do the experiment, she should just say so. She had a pretty horrendous attitude here.

[Onno]

Hmm, I was expecting a more positive reaction for NM but I might have been too optimistic 

Don't tell me you like it! 

Sorry Marco, I really like that song  But my tastes regarding DT are a bit weird anyway. I have no problem with songs such as Never Enough or Prophets of War, but I thought almost all of DT12 apart from IT was really uninteresting. Another example: Outcry has terrible lyrics and the only good thing about it is the instrumental section.

Wait, this wasn't the 'controversial opinions'-thread, was it? Damn 

[thosava]

New Millennium is the best song on FII!

[lumpy33]

maybe a different line of questioning would help to get more out of the girls.  like, how did the song make you feel, or, what did you get out of the music.  there will probably be different answers for different sections of songs too.

great stuff.  keep it up!

[The Astonished]

New Millennium is the best song on FII!

No 'effin way. You saying it kicks Trial of Tears' (Top 5 DT song) ass?

Great thread btw, Angela. Glad you continue despite being trollbait and you rock for making this an opportunity to read. 

I really want to know the reaction on Trial of Teaaaaaaars!