DT15: A View From The Top Of The World (Timeline for DT15)

[IgnotusPerIgnotium]

It's normal and very welcomed to always experiment with new gear or a new instrument but the whole school of 'let's drop the guitars to hell's depths' as Lax mentioned is not going to add anything to JP's sound imo. I think the leap he made from 6 to 7 string in Awake had the most impact in his overall style evolution. Not to mention that for example Metallica made the most heavy songs in ..And Justice and they all had standard tuning and sounded really heavy!

[Buddyhunter1]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

[Architeuthis]

I'm all for JP using a eight string if it inspires new ideas.  I'm fully confident he will do something very creative that will sound good. Ya know, with his skills and all..   
Many have said DT should write material that is easier for JLB to sing to live.. Well, there ya have it..   

[gzarruk]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

This. I'm not expecting the 8 string to be featured on more than one or two songs, though, so I don't think the album will turn into Djent Theater.

[Ben_Jamin]

The 8-string opens up many more Chord choices and fingerings, available. The djent trend, only utilizes one aspect of the 8-string and that is a lower tone note, where they don't even have to bother with a bassist. They may explore those chord choices, but they may not.

JP is one that may utilize those chord choices, and put them into a song. With JM, playing a six string, it's possible him and JP could harmonize.

[Dedalus]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

This. I'm not expecting the 8 string to be featured on more than one or two songs, though, so I don't think the album will turn into Djent Theater.

Djent has already ruined a band (Haken) so a Djenty Theater would be a nightmare (to forget). But I don't see that happening.

I am absolutely sure that an 8-string guitar can be used in an interesting way (although no one has achieved this in a heavy metal band or similar). 

[nikatapi]

I am absolutely sure that an 8-string guitar can be used in an interesting way (although no one has achieved this in a heavy metal band or similar). 

Animals As Leaders say hello.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Damn, this recent Jordan interview (where Jordan mentions there's an idea behind the album) is super hard to watch. Some cool moments of Jordan playing piano and giving some thoughtful (and patient) answers, but I cringed many times.

Which interview is this?

I think he's referring to this one: https://youtu.be/IES9GIB8U3Q

Sorry, thought I included the link. 

[Fritzinger]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

This. I'm not expecting the 8 string to be featured on more than one or two songs, though, so I don't think the album will turn into Djent Theater.

Djent has already ruined a band (Haken) so a Djenty Theater would be a nightmare (to forget). But I don't see that happening.

I am absolutely sure that an 8-string guitar can be used in an interesting way (although no one has achieved this in a heavy metal band or similar). 

I don't like statements like this one. Just because you personally don't like the direction the last few Haken albums have been taking, doesn't mean that the band is "ruined". I think Haken's last double-decker album had some of the best music they ever released.

[Architeuthis]

I'm  actually excited to see how JP incorporates the eight string into their music. I'm confident he will use it tastefully.
I haven't heard any of the new Haken material. The only album I have from them is The Mountian, which hasn't  aged gracefully to my likes..

[Max Kuehnau]

I'm  actually excited to see how JP incorporates the eight string into their music. I'm confident he will use it tastefully.
I haven't heard any of the new Haken material. The only album I have from them is The Mountian, which hasn't  aged gracefully to my likes..

I'm sure he will yes (seeing has he has a strong penchant for melodies. Melodic playing on 8 strings would be pretty interesting IMHO

[gzarruk]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

This. I'm not expecting the 8 string to be featured on more than one or two songs, though, so I don't think the album will turn into Djent Theater.

Djent has already ruined a band (Haken) so a Djenty Theater would be a nightmare (to forget). But I don't see that happening.

I am absolutely sure that an 8-string guitar can be used in an interesting way (although no one has achieved this in a heavy metal band or similar). 

I don't like statements like this one. Just because you personally don't like the direction the last few Haken albums have been taking, doesn't mean that the band is "ruined". I think Haken's last double-decker album had some of the best music they ever released.

Haken have always done some djent riffing through their career (even Aquarius had it) but they knew where and when to use it. The last couple albums, Virus specially, got waaay too much in that direction and also killed the band for me, but I'm glad some people still enjoy their music.

If JP does get into the chugga realm with the 8 string, I really hope JM goes to the higher register and does something cool with it. We'll find out in a few months anyway. Can't wait for DT15

[Buddyhunter1]

If JP does get into the chugga realm with the 8 string, I really hope JM goes to the higher register and does something cool with it.

My friend and I call that the "Justin Chancellor Rule"
(I know Adam Jones only goes down to drop D usually but it's still basically the same effect)

[gzarruk]

If JP does get into the chugga realm with the 8 string, I really hope JM goes to the higher register and does something cool with it.

My friend and I call that the "Justin Chancellor Rule"
(I know Adam Jones only goes down to drop D usually but it's still basically the same effect)

Not a fan of Tool, but as a bassist I really appreciate Justin's playing

[Adami]

I bet the tuning is not from hell's depths, like G, F# or drop F idk

Well, a standard 8 string would have a low F#. So I just imagine he'll use that.

[kirksnosehair]

Yeah, the minute Dream Theater goes djent is the minute I stop listening to Dream Theater.  A fucking polka album would be better

[Dedalus]

I think the 8string could provide some nice variety so long as it's used sparingly. What I really hope this isn't is an attempt to catch up to the djenty riffing style that 90% of modern prog metal bands these days are doing, god knows we've got enough of that already and Dream Theater isn't TesseracT.

This. I'm not expecting the 8 string to be featured on more than one or two songs, though, so I don't think the album will turn into Djent Theater.

Djent has already ruined a band (Haken) so a Djenty Theater would be a nightmare (to forget). But I don't see that happening.

I am absolutely sure that an 8-string guitar can be used in an interesting way (although no one has achieved this in a heavy metal band or similar). 

I don't like statements like this one. Just because you personally don't like the direction the last few Haken albums have been taking, doesn't mean that the band is "ruined". I think Haken's last double-decker album had some of the best music they ever released.

But I think that the fact that they went deeper into Djent ruined the band. So, how could I write this? Making it explicit that this is a personal opinion? But isn't that obvious and implied?

I don't think it's necessary to write "Djent has already ruined a band FOR ME". And I won't.

[evilasiojr]

I don't see Dream Theater going "full Djent", as they have never really embraced any other gente to their music through the years. They are the progressive metal band, that means they can go many directions without "shifting" genres, and that's what I think is gonna happen with the 8 strings guitar.

That being said, I'd expect something similar to the modern usage of 8 strings, like Animals as Leaders and Periphery use them, since those are bands that JP frequently talks about. Of course, I imagine he is also gonna bring something new and unique.

But to those of you who are worried and/or don't like the bands I mentioned, you should really consider being a little bit flexible when hearing what is gonna come from DT using 8 strings, in my opinion.

[Max Kuehnau]

here we have a new studio shot by John: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIqotHuhkF1/ (having nothing to do with Djent)

[GasparXR]

I imagine the 8-string riffs would sound something like Viper King, where it's a super DT-esque blues-based riff that's just super low and chunky. Other examples that come to mind are the endings of A Dark Eternal Night and S2N with those really heavy sluggish riffs. Actually, one of the guitar solo sections in Veil by Haken comes to mind to, since that has an 8-string riff very much in the style of those DT sections I just mentioned.

[CodyWanKenobi]

In case I haven't mentioned this already in a thread, I was at a EBMM demonstration/signing at Sam Ash in Hollywood a few years ago with JP and Sterling Ball. During the the demo, JP and Sterling were doing a little Q&A and during that his 8 string prototype came up. Sterling mostly talked about it and hinted that it's going to have fanned frets, which I'm pretty sure will be a first for EBMM. I'm excited to see if that design choice made it to the final build.

[MoraWintersoul]

I think that the usage of the 8-string is going to be a complete nothingburger. Like, most of us are going to hear something, think "hm I wonder if that riff was played on the new guitar. I'm gonna ask a musician on DTF." Someone will make a thread, a few people will say "yup definitely an 8-string", and that's gonna be it. Maybe there's gonna be a few complete songs so he doesn't have to switch guitars in the middle of a song on stage, so 99% of that song is gonna sound like standard DT stuff.

[Architeuthis]

Sterling mostly talked about it and hinted that it's going to have fanned frets, which I'm pretty sure will be a first for EBMM. I'm excited to see if that design choice made it to the final build.

It's almost mandatory for a eight string to be multi scale with fanned frets. it allows for there to be more tension on the low F# and B strings so they will have more definition and not buzz near as much.  The extra length of the string allows for more tuning tension. Kind of like inside a piano, the lower strings are way longer. Same with a bass guitar.
I've never tried a fanned fret guitar, anybody here ever played one?

[Kotowboy]

I think that the usage of the 8-string is going to be a complete nothingburger. Like, most of us are going to hear something, think "hm I wonder if that riff was played on the new guitar. I'm gonna ask a musician on DTF." Someone will make a thread, a few people will say "yup definitely an 8-string", and that's gonna be it. Maybe there's gonna be a few complete songs so he doesn't have to switch guitars in the middle of a song on stage, so 99% of that song is gonna sound like standard DT stuff.

That's what i'm hoping. Like that one song on DT12 I think it is where there's a super low note but it's a baritone or 7 string detuned. But it's just for an effect.

[gzarruk]

I think that the usage of the 8-string is going to be a complete nothingburger. Like, most of us are going to hear something, think "hm I wonder if that riff was played on the new guitar. I'm gonna ask a musician on DTF." Someone will make a thread, a few people will say "yup definitely an 8-string", and that's gonna be it. Maybe there's gonna be a few complete songs so he doesn't have to switch guitars in the middle of a song on stage, so 99% of that song is gonna sound like standard DT stuff.

That's what i'm hoping. Like that one song on DT12 I think it is where there's a super low note but it's a baritone or 7 string detuned. But it's just for an effect.

IIRC, he recorded FAS with a 7 string tuned one step lower, but then tuned the low A a whole step lower (low G).

[CodyWanKenobi]

I wonder if LTE3 is already written and JP and JR are recording their parts while they're in the studio for DT15. Also, though highly unlikely, if they're completely recording both LTE3 and DT15 simultaneously. I mean, they're ahead of schedule and it's their own studio so it's not like the DT organization is forking out BIG bucks for studio time. It seems unlikely due to how insane it would be for JP and JR to be recording two albums at the exact same time in the exact same place, but I seriously wonder if there is any cross over. That's to say that LTE3 exists at all at any capacity. It's most likely that not even a note is even written yet. But who the fuck knows these days.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I think the sole focus is DT15 at the moment. LTE probably won't gather until next year I'm guessing

[devieira73]

I think the sole focus is DT15 at the moment. LTE probably won't gather until next year I'm guessing

Since the other 2 LTE albums strongly relied on jam sessions to produce the final songs, with a little overdubs, and apparently MP tweeted hinting that he had recorded the drums on august, it wouldn't surprised me if the album is in fact already fully finished.

[Fritzinger]

I think that the usage of the 8-string is going to be a complete nothingburger. Like, most of us are going to hear something, think "hm I wonder if that riff was played on the new guitar. I'm gonna ask a musician on DTF." Someone will make a thread, a few people will say "yup definitely an 8-string", and that's gonna be it. Maybe there's gonna be a few complete songs so he doesn't have to switch guitars in the middle of a song on stage, so 99% of that song is gonna sound like standard DT stuff.

As a non-native English speaker I never knew the word nothingburger exists, but I love it and I will use it a lot from now on 

[Zydar]

I could use a nothingburger right now.

Wait, is that a non-existent burger?

[Architeuthis]

At McDonalds drive-through.  "I'd like to order a nothing burger with extra nothing on it,  also an order of no fries and nothing to drink with it".   

[MoraWintersoul]

As a non-native English speaker I never knew the word nothingburger exists, but I love it and I will use it a lot from now on 

I'm not a native English speaker either, but it is in the dictionary, so I felt free to use it

[Kotowboy]

I could use a nothingburger right now.

Wait, is that a non-existent burger?

I'll have a half-pounder nothingburger.

I'm on a diet. 

[Moor]

Nothingburger as covered by CNN:
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/14/politics/nothing-burger-word-history-what-is-trnd/index.html

[gzarruk]

I was just thinking, how could playing SFAM entirely every show on tour have affected the writing of DT15? The last time, they were playing IAW (a shorter album), and we got D/T, which is also a shorter, more focused album.