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Dream Theater => Dream Theater => Topic started by: Joshin U on July 11, 2013, 08:25:19 AM

Title: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Joshin U on July 11, 2013, 08:25:19 AM
There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for SOC around these here parts! In fact, a lot of people find it to be DT's most "boring" instrumental. 

I LOVE SOC, and I would definitely go as far as to say it's in my top 3 instrumentals by any band ever.  It uses the same riff throughout, but it never feels recycled or stale.  Instrumentally, it's brilliant! And when it reaches its crescendo near the end   :metal :metal :metal

It's one of the few instrumentals that I feel like "tells a story" in and of itself.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: KevShmev on July 11, 2013, 08:28:55 AM
Damn good instrumental.  No way is it boring.  I wouldn't call it their best or their worst.  It's not as awesome as Erotomania or Overture 1928, but it's better than Raw Dog and The Dance of Eternity.  So yeah, a middle of the pack DT instrumental.  Yep, that sounds about right. :coolio
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Ad134 on July 11, 2013, 08:31:51 AM
One of two 10 minute+ DT songs I have taken the time to learn on Guitar (the other being Lines in the Sand). One of my favourites of all time!
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Kwyjibo on July 11, 2013, 08:31:57 AM
I like most of the instumental sections in DT songs a lot, but I don't like DT instrumentals. SOC is the only exception and therefore it is the best, forget the rest.  ;D

It's not boring and what makes it perfect for me is, that it's not an excuse for an ongoing wank-fest but actually a real song. The harmony guitar parts later in the song are just spine chilling.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: senecadawg2 on July 11, 2013, 08:35:02 AM
It's not truly bad, but it's never done much for me. It feels a little... Emotionless
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: serrano on July 11, 2013, 08:42:16 AM
Some great parts, excellent solos but repetitive.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Podaar on July 11, 2013, 08:59:21 AM
This is my favorite DT instrumental and I'd love to hear more like it on the new album. I really dig the whole 'variations on a theme' vibe--a theme that was started on the previous song no less. I really love the soloing and feel they are really well crafted and tasteful.

Appreciated.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: BlastParadigm on July 11, 2013, 09:32:24 AM
The ending always brings chills down my spine.
That classical-oriented melody, with that harpsichord and guitar solo,  and the initial riff bringing an almost abrupt ending to the song... it's beyond amazing!
One of my favorites by DT <3
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Zydar on July 11, 2013, 09:33:58 AM
An excellent instrumental, one of their best IMHO.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: lyfeternl on July 11, 2013, 09:35:52 AM
An excellent instrumental, one of their best IMHO.

This. I remember listening it to the first time on LAB...first: :omg: ....later....  :metal
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 11, 2013, 09:39:21 AM
I don't think it is their best instrumental, but it definitely kicks ass.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Onno on July 11, 2013, 09:59:41 AM
My favourite DT instrumental. Amazing.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Naikon on July 11, 2013, 10:02:30 AM
Eargasm at 3:50
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Tomislav95 on July 11, 2013, 10:03:42 AM
Amazing instrumental. This thread reminded me how long I haven't heard it.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Woodworker1 on July 11, 2013, 10:05:23 AM
The drumming is outstanding.  In parts of SOC the guitar riffs are more simplistic giving the drums room to shine.  I miss MP (MP the drummer, not MP the personality!).
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: lyfeternl on July 11, 2013, 10:15:09 AM
The drumming is outstanding.  In parts of SOC the guitar riffs are more simplistic giving the drums room to shine.  I miss MP (MP the drummer, not MP the personality!).

I want to hear MM play SOC..perhaps this upcoming tour (as being discussed in the new album thread). I have a feeling he'd blow us all away.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Crow on July 11, 2013, 10:20:26 AM
one of my favorite DT songs since I found the band, hasn't fallen out of my top 10 ever.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: aprilethereal on July 11, 2013, 10:21:41 AM
The song that made me listen to Train Of Thought in its entirety and therefore the song that made me a DT fan :hearts:

The main riff/melody still blows me away, just as it did the first time I heard it.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 11, 2013, 11:07:43 AM
I first got a taste of DT through watching LAB, this song along with Trial of Tears cemented my love for their music. The riff I enjoy that it could be played endlessly and I'd still enjoy it.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Orbert on July 11, 2013, 11:37:35 AM
I need to listen to it again.  I remember thinking that it had a different vibe from other DT instrumentals.  More cerebral or something, rather than trying to be all about musical pyrotechnics.  But I don't listen to Train of Thought much, so I haven't heard "Stream of Consciousness" in a while.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: VincentMDO on July 11, 2013, 12:01:57 PM
Definitely best DT instrumental. Love Petrucci ending solo, the main riff is so contagious, drumming are superb... Perfect.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Ruba on July 11, 2013, 01:17:31 PM
My favourite DT instrumental and a top 5 song in general. The melodies are possibly the most heart-wrenching in their entire discog. And the middle section suits the song like long hair for JP. And even when I'm not the biggest fan of Jordan, his work in the song is absolutely splendid. The string solo in the outro...  :heart. Oh, and the main guitar solo is my second fave (behind Lines in the Sand) DT solo. And the outro guitar solo is majestic, and the harmony which joins in the second time makes it even better. A masterful composition.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Jaffa on July 11, 2013, 02:28:49 PM
I was hoping somebody would make this thread.   :tup

I love this song.  It's definitely my favorite DT instrumental, and a top 15 DT song overall, maybe even top 10. 
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: atmyne on July 11, 2013, 02:55:45 PM
listened to this earlier while on a run, and all i can say is "meh". That first chord progression is cool, but it lingers on. and then its got all that medolically bulgarian style riffage which doesn't do anything for me at all. JPs solo is lolworthy (in a good way! freaking crazy man). and then theres nothing else really besides the awesome guitar duet thing, jordans organ sounds on that chord progression, and his string section sounding keyboard solo thing. I dunno... I don't see myself listening to this one again for a while...
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: SystematicThought on July 11, 2013, 03:16:46 PM
I really like the Live at Budokan version, the studio version just doesn't do it for me like the live version does. MP speeds it up a bit and I like it. The rest if the band may not have  :lol
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: rumborak on July 11, 2013, 03:25:23 PM
Shameless self plug:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mrE7JalsJ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTah5TbkH3k

 ;D
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: senecadawg2 on July 11, 2013, 03:26:03 PM
I really like the Live at Budokan version, the studio version just doesn't do it for me like the live version does. MP speeds it up a bit and I like it. The rest if the band may not have  :lol

I just gave both of them a listen again and realized that I actually enjoy the live version quite a bit more. In the studio it sounds very impressive, but equally robotic. Hearing it live lessens that aspect considerably.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: BlackInk on July 11, 2013, 03:31:47 PM
Best Dream Theater instrumental, no contest.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: SystematicThought on July 11, 2013, 03:35:38 PM
I just gave both of them a listen again and realized that I actually enjoy the live version quite a bit more. In the studio it sounds very impressive, but equally robotic. Hearing it live lessens that aspect considerably.
Yeah, robotic is the word I was looking for. I was thinking sterile too. Especially the first half of it on the studio album, it sounds robotic, but comes alive on stage
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Laich21DT on July 11, 2013, 04:54:41 PM
Very good song. Not my fav DT instrumental, which would probably go to Erotomania or Ytse Jam. But, as Kev said, it easily beats out Raw Dog and TDOE. Possibly Hell's Kitchen as well. I would say this song has Jordan's best performance on the album. He really shines on this track. I actually came into this thread thinking that SoC was maybe a little underrated, but apparently I was wrong about that, with several people claiming it to be their favorite DT instrumental.

Anyway, I just listened to the song again, and here's a few points that I really liked. The keyboard run at 2:03. Seems to say, welcome to the song. From 5:33-7:32, I get a bit of a feeling of flowing water, hey, almost like a stream! Jordan's parts at 9:03 are  :omg: The unison at 9:55 is very nice, usually DT's unisons are more speedy and less melodic than that. I also find that the transitions in the song are pretty darn smooth.

Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Jaffa on July 11, 2013, 05:05:44 PM
I actually came into this thread thinking that SoC was maybe a little underrated, but apparently I was wrong about that, with several people claiming it to be their favorite DT instrumental.

Well, keep in mind that this is an appreciation thread.  It's designed to focus on the positive more than the negative.  I know that there are quite a few people who aren't too fond of this song. 

But yeah, for me, this song is aces. 
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Laich21DT on July 11, 2013, 05:46:01 PM
Sure, I am not surprised that it's getting a lot of praise, just that so many find it to be their favorite DT instrumental. There's a lot of middle ground between not being fond of it, and it being your fav DT instrumental.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: senecadawg2 on July 11, 2013, 05:55:20 PM
Rumborak, the audio quality is a little shaky, but I'm impressed with the cover! Thanks for sharing. What other songs has/does your band play?
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: sueño on July 11, 2013, 05:58:53 PM
*note to self:  play this during the commute home...
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: krands85 on July 11, 2013, 06:07:18 PM
Great song from a brilliant album. I'm always a little unsure what my favourite DT instrumental is, but I guess it probably is SoC when I think about it.

It seems like it should be too long for an instrumental and that it might drag at some points - but it never feels like that when I listen to it. Plus, JP's solo melts my face every time  :omg: ;D
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: rumborak on July 11, 2013, 06:31:21 PM
The drummer of my band haaaated it because it had so many 4/4 measures in it.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: sueño on July 11, 2013, 06:51:47 PM
Couldn't he play simple 4/4 ??   ???  ;)   











what are they teaching drummers these days....    :loser:


j/k  :D
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Cable on July 11, 2013, 07:29:32 PM
The song works very well as an actual song to me, and it's structured as a song with lyrics almost to me. And I will take it over Erotomania any day; to me, that is boring and more repetitive.

First full DT song I learned on bass as well.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: sueño on July 11, 2013, 08:05:20 PM
Listened to it twice on the way home...LOVE!   :hefdaddy

I always appreciate good 4\4 beats.  Gives you great spots to settle into a 'groove', snap yo' fingahs...   :hat  I'm coming from a more R&B background, though.   :millahhhh
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Orbert on July 11, 2013, 09:11:37 PM
*note to self:  play this during the commute home...

I did the same thing.  It was good.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Sketchy on July 12, 2013, 12:07:39 AM
This instrumental always gets a minor volume boost when it comes on. It's too damn good, and probably one of my favourite instrumentals (not DT instrumentals only, all instrumentals), and definitely my favourite DT one.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Another_Won on July 12, 2013, 05:20:57 AM
This is one of my favorite DT songs.  If I actually sat down and did a top 50 it might not rank that high because the other songs are that much better.  I enjoy it every time I listen to it.  A few years back I used to watch the Budokan version over and over and it never got old.  Just a great song :tup
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: tuto on August 04, 2013, 12:48:20 PM
Definitely my favorite DT instrumental. To see this one live would be a dream come true
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Tis BOOLsheet on August 04, 2013, 02:05:42 PM
The drumming is outstanding.  In parts of SOC the guitar riffs are more simplistic giving the drums room to shine.  I miss MP (MP the drummer, not MP the personality!).

I want to hear MM play SOC..perhaps this upcoming tour (as being discussed in the new album thread). I have a feeling he'd blow us all away.

Honestly, MM could play any prior DT song including SOC blindfolded, drunk, high, and half asleep with astounding and absolute precision, accuracy and musicianship.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: eviljust on August 04, 2013, 02:09:25 PM

Honestly, MM could play any prior DT song including SOC blindfolded, drunk, high, and half asleep with astounding and absolute precision, accuracy and musicianship.

LOL that is fun and absolutely true. Can't wait to see him again behind the kit  :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: wolven74 on August 04, 2013, 02:10:51 PM
So, I just posted this in the Enemy Inside thread... when I finished typing and posting, I saw this thread, so I'll copy it here. :tup

SoC ranks near the bottom of my list of favorite DT instrumentals. When I first heard it there didn't seem to be any changes in it. The theme just kept repeating itself. Upon further spins I realized that there were changes in the song, but the theme still seemed a little too bland for me.

On the other hand, Erotomania and TDoE have come to define Progressive Instrumental Masterpiece in my musical dictionary.

Falling somewhere in the middle are Overture 1928 and Hell's Kitchen.

EDIT: To be clear, I dig the tune, but it's not in my top 3.


Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: JayOctavarium on August 04, 2013, 02:13:33 PM
The drumming is outstanding.  In parts of SOC the guitar riffs are more simplistic giving the drums room to shine.  I miss MP (MP the drummer, not MP the personality!).

I want to hear MM play SOC..perhaps this upcoming tour (as being discussed in the new album thread). I have a feeling he'd blow us all away.

Honestly, MM could play any prior DT song including SOC blindfolded, drunk, high, and half asleep with astounding and absolute precision, accuracy and musicianship.



And while eating a pepper and sucking on a pipe cigar
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: jonnybaxy on August 04, 2013, 04:00:31 PM
I don't think you'll hear this well as my voice will be muffled because my head is so far up this songs anus.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Jaffa on August 04, 2013, 04:20:54 PM
I don't think you'll hear this well as my voice will be muffled because my head is so far up this songs anus.

 :lol
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: The Boomr on August 05, 2013, 01:19:00 PM
I go back and forth between SOC and TDOE as my favorite DT instrumental. I love them both for completely different reasons. TDOE is balls-out ridiculous and insane the whole way through, and after years I still don't have all the time changes down by memory. I love that. SOC is extremely cerebral, for me, as someone else put it, and the joy of that song is more about tracking the story it tells. People are right, it absolutely showcases more melodic songwriting abilities, and the guitar lines feel like a vocal melody in themselves. I'm going to refrain from typing out my big cerebral/theoretical analysis of this song and how it speaks to me, FOR NOW, cause I'm at work and it would take forever :P It will come, though, for I love this song!!
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: puppyonacid on August 06, 2013, 05:20:13 AM
I think SOC is great. The Spanishy bull fighter vibe!

I think it's probably about 2 minutes too long though.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Kotowboy on August 06, 2013, 06:38:57 AM
The section that goes from 3:04 - 3:35 is my favourite moment on Train of Thought.

Apart from a very noticeable edit at exactly 3:35 ( or is it just me? )

:)
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: BlobVanDam on August 06, 2013, 06:46:04 AM
The section that goes from 3:04 - 3:35 is my favourite moment on Train of Thought.

Apart from a very noticeable edit at exactly 3:35 ( or is it just me? )

:)

Just checked, and I hear it too. I can't quite pinpoint, but I think it's on every instrument, so maybe they trimmed the whole section down?
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Kotowboy on August 06, 2013, 06:49:26 AM
It sticks out like a sore thumb to me - but then I have been working in Logic for 9 days so maybe i'm tuned in to hearing edits :P

I'm surprised they didn't hear it - a tiny crossfade would have smoothed that over.


+ Or maybe even pasted in a big cymbal crash and kick drum - amazing how much dodgy editing you can disguise like that...
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: lyfeternl on August 06, 2013, 09:30:15 AM
The drumming is outstanding.  In parts of SOC the guitar riffs are more simplistic giving the drums room to shine.  I miss MP (MP the drummer, not MP the personality!).

I want to hear MM play SOC..perhaps this upcoming tour (as being discussed in the new album thread). I have a feeling he'd blow us all away.

Honestly, MM could play any prior DT song including SOC blindfolded, drunk, high, and half asleep with astounding and absolute precision, accuracy and musicianship.

I concur  :tup
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Kotowboy on August 06, 2013, 06:52:47 PM
Without hearing the song before.
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: JayOctavarium on August 06, 2013, 06:56:07 PM
While wearing women's underwear
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: Kotowboy on August 06, 2013, 06:57:48 PM
As Usual....  :zydar:
Title: Re: Stream of Consciousness Appreciation Thread
Post by: JayOctavarium on August 06, 2013, 07:00:33 PM
Oh Myyyyyyyy