Who's the best musician?

[berrege]

Who's in your opinion the best DT musician compared to other musicians playing the same instrument? (Or LaBrie compared to other singers).

I think Mike Portnoy is one of the greatest drummers ever, so I think Mike is.
EDIT: But also Jordan Rudess, but that's maybe because there aren't that many keyboard players.

[Phantasmatron]

Jordan Rudess is the best them.       

[Ultimetalhead]

Jordan Rudess is the best them.       

[rumborak]

JP: Nah, there's quite a few guitarists around who can run circles around him
MP: Same here, there's numerous better drummers than him. And he's not been growing lately really
JM: Who?
JLB: I have a hard time comparing singers, since they are so much dependent on personal taste
JR: Can't think of anybody who can play better keyboards than him

So, yeah, JR.

rumborak

[Mladen]

Jordan Rudess is miles ahead of all keyboardists I've ever heard.

JP is my favorite guitarist, but quite a lot of them are close, so I dunno...

[ariich]

I think Rumbo summed it up pretty perfectly.

[antigoon]

The answer is Jordan.

[Valdor]

Here seems to be something DT can agree on. JR it is.

[glaurung]

The best them! 

[Perpetual Change]

During Images and Words era I would have said James EASILY.

but everyone's gotten better while he's just gotten oler.  He's still great, but it's Jordan.

[Darkes7]

I say John Petrucci. I don't know any other guitarist who can combine such amazing technical skills with so much feeling and emotion in his playing. Although I have a lot of respect for each DT member in this, it's just also a way of intuition and my love for melodic guitar solos.

[skydivingninja]

JP: Plenty of guitarists better than him, even if he is one of the best.
MP: Great drummer, but hasn't really been evolving or impressing lately as he used to.
JM: Very cool bassist when you can hear him nowadays, but I can name plenty that I consider to be better.
JLB: Pre-accident, he would win hands down.  GOD.  Nowadays, still a god, but I wonder if he would be as huge as Dickinson or Dio if that whole thing hadn't happened...
JR: Very technically skilled, and when he gets a memorable solo, its one of the high points of the song.

JR wins.

[Ben_Jamin]

Jordan Rudess, hands down. Although he has his flaws, playing too many notes in an emotional song which doesn't require as many as it should, I still consider him the best with the technological aspects of a keyboard. Knows how to utilize his instrument.

[Jamesman42]

I think you speled mucian right lol

[Perpetual Change]

JLB: Pre-accident, he would win hands down.  GOD.  Nowadays, still a god, but I wonder if he would be as huge as Dickinson or Dio if that whole thing hadn't happened...

He's way better than both, even after accident.  The other two had extremely popular bands and became larger than life persona's.  James wouldn't do that with DT no matter how good he sounded.

[hefdaddy42]

Rudess.

[ReaPsTA]

Rudess. I think some of you guys are a bit quick to discount JP, MP, and JM, but they aren't decisively at the top. JLB would be a legit contender if it weren't for the throat injury.

Here's the thing about Rudess. He's the only keyboardist in the world at his level. Nobody else has the knowledge of music, how to play the instrument, the technology, and the ability to execute based on that knowledge. He's completely in his own league as a musician.

[LudwigVan]

Rudess, but bear in mind one thing: 

There's a zillion guitarists/drummers/bassists out there in the world of hard rock/heavy metal.   The universe of rock keyboard players is MUCH more limited.

[kirbywelch92]

Kevin Moore

[blackngold29]

I think MP summed it up well when he said that Dream Theater only taps into a small part of what JR can do.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

This thread could have been soooooo much more epic

Anyway, I'd say JMX

Why?

First of all, it takes tremendous skill to double the lines that JP writes. That's amazing in and of itself. Second, he's really creative outside of the box (and actually, IMO, he and Geddy are about tied in that respect), as you can hear on songs like Trial of Tears and Learning to Live. And finally, if you look at his instructional video, the songs he wrote (Solar Groove and Freeport Jam) are an excellent showcase of his talents, and I think that if he were to do more outside of DT, he'd be given the recognition he rightly deserves.

[Volk9]

Ruddess, though I dont like his style.

[Chino]

JR is the best them. Not only is he a phenomenal piano player, but as a composer, he writes some of the best music I have ever heard. Not to mention he can play multiple instruments. 

[antigoon]

This thread could have been soooooo much more epic

Anyway, I'd say JMX

Why?

First of all, it takes tremendous skill to double the lines that JP writes. That's amazing in and of itself. Second, he's really creative outside of the box (and actually, IMO, he and Geddy are about tied in that respect), as you can hear on songs like Trial of Tears and Learning to Live. And finally, if you look at his instructional video, the songs he wrote (Solar Groove and Freeport Jam) are an excellent showcase of his talents, and I think that if he were to do more outside of DT, he'd be given the recognition he rightly deserves.

That's nice and all, but..Jordan Rudess.

[emindead]

During Images and Words era I would have said James EASILY.

This. And Kevin Moore closely second. Edit that, MP closely second. I was just thinking KM because of the amazing leads and melodies he created.

Now-a-days? Jordan.

[BlobVanDam]

So hard to separate favourite from best musician. Because you could judge it on many factors, but I'm trying to judge this purely on their proficiency at their instrument.

JP - He's definitely my favourite guitarist, and to me he's the best blend of styles and strengths (no pun intended), but there are a lot of cleaner faster players than JP, and better rock players than JP. I just don't think anyone combines them as well as JP.
MP - Definitely my favourite drummer, but I wouldn't say the best, although he's well up there anyway. MP's strengths lie in his stage presence and everything else he does for the band, which is why he's my favourite.
JM - He's a good bass player, but there are a lot of crazy bass players out there. I don't find them as tasteful as JM, but they are better players.
JLB - As rumby said, hard to compare singers. But there are others I'd say are better.
JR - I don't think anyone can really reach JR's level, at least for this style/genre. He's just insane.

Definitely JR.

[sonatafanica]

I thought long and hard, and I really have to give it to Jordan.

[Tsev Eyd Ecaps]

JR may be one of the best musicians alive today.

[emindead]

I thought long and hard, and I really have to give it to Jordan.

/nohomo

[Pyroph]

How about the people listing "better guitarists, drummers etc" name them? I voted JR as well, but I'd still like people to back up their responses.

[Ben_Jamin]

my decision was chosen by how well they can play plus how well they can play genres, variety. jr showed it to me on live scenes, the Reggae part of learning to live

[BlobVanDam]

How about the people listing "better guitarists, drummers etc" name them? I voted JR as well, but I'd still like people to back up their responses.

I don't think that's necessary. There are people who could list a lot of musicians they feel are better, and I think it would only lead to pointless arguing.

[The Awesome]

All 5 are among the elite at their craft. The idea that anyone is significantly better than any of them on a technical level is just foolish. Anything else boils down to personal tastes.

[orcus116]

I gotta say JR. Dude's got some chops and can sound amazing when he wants to. Plus his 'musical faucet' ability is incredible even if it is a bit overwhelming.

[antigoon]

The idea that anyone is significantly better than any of them on a technical level is just foolish.

I'd apply this to JR maybe, but not the rest of them.