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

[Architeuthis]

Not bad.

[Architeuthis]

You did that? Neat! I am cleaning out my garage and literally 10 minutes ago pulled out that poster. Ah, to be single again when I could have film and music posters hanging on my walls.

I did - glad you enjoyed it. And yeah, I can relate to batchelor decor as opposed to married decor! 

Could you post a picture of that please?

I don't have the poster image handy, but seeing as the same image was used (with a few tweaks) for the last/latest edition of Lifting Shadows, hopefully this will work for you:

I'd not seen that before.  That's bad ass, bud.  Nice work.

Really? Surprised you hadn't! But thanks for the compliment! 

Well now that the elephant is out of the room, that's a pretty good picture. 😁

[Fritzinger]

Nice work Scotty! What is that little red object next to the unicyclist? Also, how did you make the shadow of the unicyclist?

[Setlist Scotty]

Well now that the elephant is out of the room, that's a pretty good picture. 😁

Thank you.    That elephant was always one of the things that bothered me about the original image - the shading seemed all wrong on it, and the image itself (besides the shading) didn't look very realistic either, like it was CGI.

Nice work Scotty! What is that little red object next to the unicyclist?

Thanks! Are you talking about the object on the floor actually next to the unicyclist's shadow? That's the majesty branding iron from WDaDU.

Also, how did you make the shadow of the unicyclist?

First, I had to cut the unicyclist out of the ADToE cover, which resulted in me having a mask. I mirrored that mask and created a new fill layer, applying that mask to it, filling it in with a flat black color, setting that layer to multiply and reduced the opacity (don't remember by how much). Then I skewed it to the correct angle. After that, I blurred the shadow a little, undid the blur but set the history brush to *after* the blur, and applied this history brush to most of the shadow. I repeated the same step multiple times, progressively adding a heavier blur each time, but only applying the history brush to progressively less of the shadow (the further away it was from the unicyclist). Finally, I used a very large, heavily feathered brush set at a reduced opacity to further reduce the darkness of the shadow (again, the further away it was from the unicyclist). Does that all make sense? Hope so! And thus concludes today's Photoshop lesson! 

(Keep in mind that there may have been easier/faster/more efficient ways to achieve the effect, but that's how I did it with the limited knowledge I had, and considering that I created the image 11 years ago - I'm sure Photoshop has improved in different ways that might make accomplishing the same task easier now)

[DanLore]

I'll stick to audio projects.  I'm not smart enough for this stuff!

[Stadler]

It took me three hours to superimpose TAC's cousin's face on his body once, and about an hour and a half to put a Santa's hat on good ol' Statler over there.  So you have my compliments, for sure.

[bosk1]

What was the rumor/tease of the co-headliner?

MM originally said here: https://youtu.be/9sDyhyC8A5k?t=574 that they were planning a special tour with someone else for the fall (2020, before everything went down). And now you get Bosk's post, who we all know might have heard something from good sources

I don't think any other member has made comments about this, but if it was such an special tour they were planning, I think they'd try to keep it in the cards once/if touring is possible again.

Yes, I heard it from a VERY reliable source.  And as far as I know, it's still tentatively in the works for whenever restrictions lift.  But who knows?  As the months pass, priorities change, so I guess we'll see when the time comes. 

[gzarruk]

What was the rumor/tease of the co-headliner?

MM originally said here: https://youtu.be/9sDyhyC8A5k?t=574 that they were planning a special tour with someone else for the fall (2020, before everything went down). And now you get Bosk's post, who we all know might have heard something from good sources

I don't think any other member has made comments about this, but if it was such an special tour they were planning, I think they'd try to keep it in the cards once/if touring is possible again.

Yes, I heard it from a VERY reliable source.  And as far as I know, it's still tentatively in the works for whenever restrictions lift.  But who knows?  As the months pass, priorities change, so I guess we'll see when the time comes.

Any hints on who could be the co-headliner?

[bosk1]

Nope. 

[gzarruk]

Nope. 

It was worth the try

[bosk1]

I don't blame you.  I would have asked if the tables were turned. 

[evilasiojr]

About Mike saying the release will be in September...

Do you guys think that LTE3 date of release has something to do with it?
Maybe John didn't want to collide the marketing for a new DT record with the LTE3 repercussion, I don't know.

Or maybe it's more about the timeline of the production itself that had to be a bit extended, with James also working on a new album and stuff, they took it a little slower.

Cause given the fact that they started working on this one in October, it'd "normally" arrive about 8 months later, around June, right?! It was even being discussed here that this was a possible time of release.

[KevShmev]

My guess, and this is just a guess, is that with late summer/fall seemingly the target now for when concerts will resume, on what scale no one still knows, they probably don't want to release it too soon and then have a big chunk of time in between its release and when they can tour on it. 

[TAC]

Sure, the later release date will allow those other projects to breathe, but perhaps it is being released later in the year to coincide with the hope of possible touring.


Ninja'd by Kev!

[evilasiojr]

Yeah, there's that too!

[IDontNotDoThings]

I finally got around to listening to that Mistress Carrie podcast to confirm that MM actually said it'd be out in September. If anyone else wants to do the same, it's in the last 5 minutes of a 2 hour podcast, so it might save you some time to know that.

I think the thing that struck me about it was his certainty of it. He didn't say "around September"; he directly said "the plan is to release it in September (paraphrasing)", & I think the album's too early in development to give that kind of precise estimation. My theory is that September is the deadline that the label gave to the band. If that's the case, the label's probably planned their release schedule around that (for reasons others have discussed above), so I imagine that's when they'll release it, even if it's finished earlier than expected.

This is just speculation, & idk if it adds anything to the discussion, but I wanted to share my thoughts.

[Kotowboy]

It's nearly March now.

September is not THAT far away. Not if you're on DTF every day looking for updates. If you occupy yourself in the summer - September will be here in no time at all.

[IDontNotDoThings]

It's nearly March now.

September is not THAT far away. Not if you're on DTF every day looking for updates. If you occupy yourself in the summer - September will be here in no time at all.

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

[jonny108]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio. 

[darkshade]

We're going to have LTEƎ to tide us over for the next 6 months.

[gzarruk]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

I do think it's a good sign. My initial concern was that they'd finish the album on their regular pace (which is about 5 months of recording, & would finish in March) & then just wait until September to release it, but it seems they're actually using that time to work on it more, & I think that's cool of them.

Of course, it's not guaranteed that they won't still finish in March or April, but I'd be down for them spending as much time as they can working on it before the deadline. I wouldn't want them to become a band that only releases an album once every 5-6 years, but a few extra months is ok in my book.

[Kotowboy]

Didn't they say they're never short of ideas ? Like - they'd be writing in the studio and everyone would always have several different ideas

as to where the song could go next ? I don't think they're rushing - just that they have 4 virtuoso musicians in the band and there's never any shortage of ideas.

[Max Kuehnau]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

edited the timeline, thanks very much.

[Max Kuehnau]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

I do think it's a good sign. My initial concern was that they'd finish the album on their regular pace (which is about 5 months of recording, & would finish in March) & then just wait until September to release it, but it seems they're actually using that time to work on it more, & I think that's cool of them.

Of course, it's not guaranteed that they won't still finish in March or April, but I'd be down for them spending as much time as they can working on it before the deadline. I wouldn't want them to become a band that only releases an album once every 5-6 years, but a few extra months is ok in my book.

I very much approve of them taking their time this time around (especially after D/T having been made so quickly (far too quickly IMHO, it suffered massively because of it)

[hunnus2000]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

I do think it's a good sign. My initial concern was that they'd finish the album on their regular pace (which is about 5 months of recording, & would finish in March) & then just wait until September to release it, but it seems they're actually using that time to work on it more, & I think that's cool of them.

Of course, it's not guaranteed that they won't still finish in March or April, but I'd be down for them spending as much time as they can working on it before the deadline. I wouldn't want them to become a band that only releases an album once every 5-6 years, but a few extra months is ok in my book.

I very much approve of them taking their time this time around (especially after D/T having been made so quickly (far too quickly IMHO, it suffered massively because of it)

Statements like this one make no sense to me. How would D/T be better the longer they take to write it? What if it took 8 months to write and record but you get the exact same product? Would you be satisfied knowing they took their time? From a producers point of view, what would you have done differently to ensure that D/T would not suffer and how does D/T suffer in the first place?

[Max Kuehnau]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

I do think it's a good sign. My initial concern was that they'd finish the album on their regular pace (which is about 5 months of recording, & would finish in March) & then just wait until September to release it, but it seems they're actually using that time to work on it more, & I think that's cool of them.

Of course, it's not guaranteed that they won't still finish in March or April, but I'd be down for them spending as much time as they can working on it before the deadline. I wouldn't want them to become a band that only releases an album once every 5-6 years, but a few extra months is ok in my book.

I very much approve of them taking their time this time around (especially after D/T having been made so quickly (far too quickly IMHO, it suffered massively because of it)

Statements like this one make no sense to me. How would D/T be better the longer they take to write it? What if it took 8 months to write and record but you get the exact same product? Would you be satisfied knowing they took their time? From a producers point of view, what would you have done differently to ensure that D/T would not suffer and how does D/T suffer in the first place?

work out the music far more (IMHO, they are capable of doing that, and they purposefully did not do it. It's (largely) extremely simplistic, for their current lineup that is. Too simplistic (and phoned in).Hopefully DT15 will be more worked out.)

[Ben_Jamin]

Jordan posted yesterday on Patreon that he's getting ready for keyboard tracking with a picture of his new Moog One synth in the studio.

It seems they're really taking their time (pun not intended) to record the album this time, because there's no pressure to get it out quickly.

I wanted them to finish and release it sooner, but now I hope this makes all the fans that were asking for them to sit with the material for a while before recording it immediately happy.

I do think it's a good sign. My initial concern was that they'd finish the album on their regular pace (which is about 5 months of recording, & would finish in March) & then just wait until September to release it, but it seems they're actually using that time to work on it more, & I think that's cool of them.

Of course, it's not guaranteed that they won't still finish in March or April, but I'd be down for them spending as much time as they can working on it before the deadline. I wouldn't want them to become a band that only releases an album once every 5-6 years, but a few extra months is ok in my book.

I very much approve of them taking their time this time around (especially after D/T having been made so quickly (far too quickly IMHO, it suffered massively because of it)

Statements like this one make no sense to me. How would D/T be better the longer they take to write it? What if it took 8 months to write and record but you get the exact same product? Would you be satisfied knowing they took their time? From a producers point of view, what would you have done differently to ensure that D/T would not suffer and how does D/T suffer in the first place?

work out the music far more (IMHO, they are capable of doing that, and they purposefully did not do it. It's (largely) extremely simplistic, for their current lineup that is. Too simplistic (and phoned in).Hopefully DT15 will be more worked out.)

How could they work out the music more? They felt that, each song needed what was needed for that song, and felt it didn't need anything more. I mean they used a raw demo for the ending of At Wits End because they liked it so much that they likely tried writing an ending, but it didn't capture what they felt the raw demo ending did.

They also, only have so much studio time, to Write and Record. Which is why they bring in Demos. But this time, they decided to jam, and then take those ideas and create songs from them. While also, condensing them into shorter length tracks. It's easy for Dream Theater to make a long song, it's a challenge for them to condense all that into one song.

And now, since they have their own studio. They don't have a time limit of how long they can be there. They are able to do a lot more stuff in house now they have their own studio.


You have some really high standards for the band...

[Cool Chris]

I am no musician or writer, but I have heard from those who are, and I think it is a fair analogy, that writing can be like cooking. You can over-cook something just as easily as you can under-cook something, Spending more time on a dish, or a song, isn't by default going to make it better.

If you think they did not spend a proper amount of DoT, or that more time would have made it more enjoyable for your, I won't challenge that criticism.

[Max Kuehnau]

I am no musician or writer, but I have heard from those who are, and I think it is a fair analogy, that writing can be like cooking. You can over-cook something just as easily as you can under-cook something, Spending more time on a dish, or a song, isn't by default going to make it better.

If you think they did not spend a proper amount of DoT, or that more time would have made it more enjoyable for your, I won't challenge that criticism.

it is possible that, had D/T been fully "cooked out" as it were, I'd have enjoyed it far more, yes. (at the same time, I don't fault the people who do love it. Let them have it ) Hence why I'm a bit more optimistic about DT15, given that they apparently are taking their time with it.  I am back once their is an update to add to the timeline. (and one more thing, ever since MM joined, we have been spoiled by a run of very very highly consistent albums (great!), so D/T was quite a step down, to me anyway.)

[Kotowboy]

.

[Kotowboy]

It's nearly March now.

September is not THAT far away. Not if you're on DTF every day looking for updates. If you occupy yourself in the summer - September will be here in no time at all.

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

k

[geeeemo]

I think Dream Theater writes exactly the album they want to write. They wanted to do a more condensed record this time. Thats what they said they wanted to do and I take it that way. I believe they have written other albums in quickish fashion also. (I am pretty sure I have read that, but could be wrong). It would be really funny if they had this whole year plus to make a new record, and it was "condensed" as well.  Then what would the reason be, but none other than doing exactly what they want.

[Architeuthis]

The only reason I could see them doing a condensed album is due to other projects such as LTE3, Terminal Velocity, Mangini solo album etc. It's wise to let those releases run their course before the new DT album diverts the attention away from them.
However those reasons are just speculation and probably won't have any impact on the quality of DT15.  Those guys are musical machines and it's no problem for them to crank out good music in a short time span. If one good thing came out of this pandemic, it allowed them more time to record in the studio.

[Kotowboy]

To me the perfect album length is around 45 - 60 minutes.

Hardwired to Self Destruct is great - but if you add in Lords Of Summer - it's nearly a 90 minute album. I never listen to it from start to finish in one go.

On the other hand - I feel gypped when bands take 5+ years to release an album and it's literally like 33 minutes long. ***

I didn't mind that Green Day's Father Of All was 26 minutes in total though for some reason - as I really enjoy that album.

Bryan Adams " Get Up " was like 6 years after his previous, and far superior album " 11 " and it was like 9 songs and 30 mins. . .

It's like... come on Bry -  chuck a couple more songs on there...






*** - Unless they're absolutely cracking of course. Therapy? released a Troublegum follow up called CLEAVE in 2018 - and it was 10 songs and 33 minutes.

But it was all killer zero filler. It had no fat on it at all. It was their best album in YEARS.