Favorite Album based on instrument tone.

[Global Laziness]

Guitar: ToT
Bass: BC&SL
Drums: ToT
Keys: SFAM
Voice: Awake

Why? I've heard almost nothing but complaints about it (specifically, the apparent lack of audible bass through much of the album) and I tend to agree with it for the most part.

I can hear the bass through my speakers fantastically and I picked it because it's a tone I like and i think it's his best tone on any album so far. You can call me whatever you want but i think it's badass. Just saying.

I can hear it fine too. It's a bit too low on AROP and TBOT, but for much of the rest of the album it's basically cranked. Anyone who can't hear the bass on ANTR or TSF is basically deaf.

Giving it some thought, I honestly think that some people don't know how to pick out the bass in music. I once didn't know how to do it all the time, either.

Sound system also makes a big difference. BCASL has a bit of a weird frequency mix. On worse sound systems the bass hardly comes through, but on anything better it seems to be cranked. You'd think that means that the bass is primarily really low frequencies, but yet I can still hear the tone of the bass and the attack quite clearly, so I don't really know how to explain it.

Perhaps this is why a lot of people complain about the bass. I don't usually have much problem identifying the bass in music, but it definitely does depend on what sound system I'm using. My issue with the bass tone on Black Clouds has more to do with the fact that, at least on some sound systems, it sounds very similar to that of the guitar and is thus harder to distinguish.

[BlobVanDam]

You can still hear that distinctive attack of a bass guitar, but JM does use a fairly distorted sound now (especially on SC), so it can blend in a bit. But I have great headphones that really separate the sounds very well, so I never have a problem hearing it.

[Global Laziness]

You can still hear that distinctive attack of a bass guitar, but JM does use a fairly distorted sound now (especially on SC), so it can blend in a bit. But I have great headphones that really separate the sounds very well, so I never have a problem hearing it.

Ship 'em to Canada so I can try them out and I'll get back to you.

[ACID_FOX]

I so suprised everyone likes the guitar tone so much on BC&SL, I hate it.

[walmartsecurity]

oh boy this is a tough one for guitar. BCSL has a really nice modern tone, but, I'm gonna go with..

Guitar- WDADU. No guitar tone I've ever heard has achieved what JP achieved here. It may be raw, it may sound low budget, but it's the most atmospheric and ethereal sounding tone that has ever rung through my ears. ANTR on BCSL is almost at that level, but not quite.

Keys- BCSL because of ANTR and TCOT. Octavarium is the runner up here.

Bass- WDADU. JM's mids and up are more audible on this album then any other, and to this day it is still the best example of why he is such a great bass player IMO. he blends with the guitar and keys perfectly and there's more lead/solo work then any other DT CD. BCSL is my second choice because of the pounding low range and overall really effective tone.

Vocals- Octavarium. Every DT album has it's great JLB moments but the production on 8VM is what separates it from the rest. As for runner up... BCSL (the count of tuscanyyyyyyyyyyyeaah)

Drums- BCSL. More power metal influence which appeals to me. the most important thing here is that I don't notice the drums often and there is nothing that I would change. That's a very good thing. Train Of Thought is next because of the sheer power of the drums.

I know my selections are off the wall, but that's why every fan is different right?

[pogoowner]

I so suprised everyone likes the guitar tone so much on BC&SL, I hate it.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of it either. I'm not sure I could even explain what I don't like about it, though.

[Arcaeus]

Vocals - Images & Words
Guitar - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Drums - Train Of Thought
Bass - Falling Into Infinity
Keyboards - Scenes From A Memory

[BlobVanDam]

I so suprised everyone likes the guitar tone so much on BC&SL, I hate it.

I don't like it on AROP (too trebley), but on the rest of the album, especially ANTR and TSF I think it sounds great. I'm a little surprised that it's getting so many picks, but I'd still rank it up there.

[changing_seasons]

Vocals: Images and Words
Guitars: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Bass: Falling Into Infinity
Drums: Train of Thought
Keyboards: Black Clouds & Silver Linings

[Global Laziness]

I so suprised everyone likes the guitar tone so much on BC&SL, I hate it.

I don't like it on AROP (too trebley), but on the rest of the album, especially ANTR and TSF I think it sounds great. I'm a little surprised that it's getting so many picks, but I'd still rank it up there.

I concur.

[ddtonfire]

Guitar - Awake - Quadruple-tracked deliciousness

Bass - Train of Thought - It's John Myung that makes this album heavy (honorable mention to Awake)

Drums - Awake - When I think of Portnoy's sound, I think of this (or 6DoIT). Such a great open sound - breathable, not stuffy!

Keys - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence or Black Clouds and Silver Linings - Jordan's patches are fantastic.

Voice - Images and Words - James' voice is so pristine!

[Tsev Eyd Ecaps]

Vocals: Awake definatley
Guitar: SFAM
Bass: Octavarium (clearest tone)
Keys: SFAM
Drums: Awake

[nikatapi]

Vocals: Awake
Guitar: I&W
Bass: FII
Drums: FII
Keys: FII

[weezul]

Train of Thought!!!

[MS394]

Guitar: WDADU.    Same reasons as walmartsecurity.
Keyboards: SFAM.  The dramatic piano parts, the lead patches, exotic sounds (like in Home), everything is brilliant IMO.
Bass: FII.  For some reason I really like the overall bass sound here. Trial of Tears, Hell´s Kitchen, New Millenium (although that would be the chapman stick), really awesome sound.
Drums: Octavarium. This album really shines drumming-wise IMO, and part of it has to do with the drum tone, particularly the snare. From the power of The root of all evil, to the intricacies of These Walls, the complex parts of I Walk Besides You, the great little cymbal fills in Octavarium, it all sounds great.
Vocals: Black clouds and silver linings. Sure, IaW and Awake were James´s glory days, but I really enjoy the sound of the vocals in DT´s recent work.

[perfey]

Drums: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Bass: Systematic Chaos
Guitar: Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Keyboard: Images & Words
Vocals: Awake

[ReaperKK]

Vocals: SDOIT
Guitar: SDOIT
Bass: FII
Keyboard: SDOIT
Drums: SFAM

[walmartsecurity]

Guitar: WDADU.    Same reasons as walmartsecurity.
Keyboards: SFAM.  The dramatic piano parts, the lead patches, exotic sounds (like in Home), everything is brilliant IMO.
Bass: FII.  For some reason I really like the overall bass sound here. Trial of Tears, Hell´s Kitchen, New Millenium (although that would be the chapman stick), really awesome sound.
Drums: Octavarium. This album really shines drumming-wise IMO, and part of it has to do with the drum tone, particularly the snare. From the power of The root of all evil, to the intricacies of These Walls, the complex parts of I Walk Besides You, the great little cymbal fills in Octavarium, it all sounds great.
Vocals: Black clouds and silver linings. Sure, IaW and Awake were James´s glory days, but I really enjoy the sound of the vocals in DT´s recent work.

<3 <3 good to see someone else feels the same way. maybe not quite as deep of a connection as me but who knows lol. good for you

[MS394]

Guitar: WDADU.    Same reasons as walmartsecurity.
Keyboards: SFAM.  The dramatic piano parts, the lead patches, exotic sounds (like in Home), everything is brilliant IMO.
Bass: FII.  For some reason I really like the overall bass sound here. Trial of Tears, Hell´s Kitchen, New Millenium (although that would be the chapman stick), really awesome sound.
Drums: Octavarium. This album really shines drumming-wise IMO, and part of it has to do with the drum tone, particularly the snare. From the power of The root of all evil, to the intricacies of These Walls, the complex parts of I Walk Besides You, the great little cymbal fills in Octavarium, it all sounds great.
Vocals: Black clouds and silver linings. Sure, IaW and Awake were James´s glory days, but I really enjoy the sound of the vocals in DT´s recent work.

<3 <3 good to see someone else feels the same way. maybe not quite as deep of a connection as me but who knows lol. good for you

Yeah, I really enjoy that guitar tone. Also, for some reason I find it really similar to JP´s tone in ¨Another Won¨ and ¨Afterlife¨ in Score, in which I also found it great. I always replay those 2 songs many times  .

[Infinite Cactus]

Guitar:Awake
Bass:BCSL
Drums:Awake
Vocals:Awake
Keyboards: FII

[Chaotic_AK]

Vocals- IaW
Drums- ToT
Keyboards- SC
Guitar- SFAM
Bass- Awake

[moffatt]

Guitar:Octavarium
Bass:Scenes from a Memory
Drums:Octavarium
Vocals:Octavarium
Keyboards: Octavarium

[LordCaptainMcKlockenstein]

Vocals: SDoIT - HM: Systematic Chaos
Guitar: SDoIT - HM: IaW
Bass: I'm terrible at picking out bass lines
Drums: SDoIT - HM: ToT
Keyboard: Octavarium - HM: IaW

[?]

Vocals: Awake
Guitar: Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Drums: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Bass: Falling into Infinity
Keyboards: Awake

[austin]

Guitar: 6DOIT
Bass: FII
Drums: ToT
Keys: FII
Voice: IAW, defiantly.

we are in complete agreement
i like you

[Dream Team]

Vocals: Images and Words
Guitar: Scenes From a Memory
Drums: Awake
Bass: When Dream & Day Unite
Keyboards: Images and Words

[Nick]

Hmm...

Vocals - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (Was a tough choice)
Guitars - Falling Into Infinity
Drums - Train of Thought
Bass - When Dream and Day Unite (Not for the quality, for the mix and the punch)
Keyboards - Black Clouds and Silver Linings

[ben_1112]

Guitar: Scenes From A Memory
Bass: Falling Into Infinity
Vocals: Images And Words
Keyboard: Octavarium
Drums: Awake

[OsMosis2259]

Vocals: Octavarium
Guitar: Black Clouds and Silver Linings
Bass: Falling into Infinity
Drums: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Keyboards: Black Clouds and Silver Linings

[silver_linings]

Guitar : ToT
Bass : WDaDU
Vocal : ToT
Keys : IaW
Drums : BC&SL

[Rzepolicz]

Vocals: Scenes From A Memory
Guitars: Score
Bass: Train of Thought
Drums: Scenes From A Memory
Keyboards: Scenes From A Memory

[LCArenas]

Guitar: Awake & BC&SL
Bass: FII & ToT
Keyboards: SC & 6DoIT
Drums: ToT & SFAM
Vocals: WDADU



































Just kidding.
Vocals: IaW & 8VM

[BRGM]

Bass SFAM
Drums ToT
Keyboard hmm, six degrees or octavarium...I think it's octavarium
Guitar BC&SL
Vocals BC&SL