Jordan's use of patches on ADToE is just right...(for me).

[ishak540m]

Does anyone else feel that Jordan had made better choices in patches, or at least attained better patches on ADToE as well as had a great balance between keyboard, piano, moog, etc (Come to think of it...I don't recall hearing the contiuum.)  Nothing really seems out of place (no "Pacmany" sounds).

[Kotowboy]

The continuum is definitely there. Only once if I remember correctly.

But yes. Definitely more like the Rudess I enjoyed on earlier albums before it all got a bit gimmicky.

  Welcome back Rudess !

[Adami]

I admit that while JR seems like possibly one of the coolest people in the world, and is obviously one of the most talented musicians to have lived.....I haven't always been very fond of his playing in DT. However I was very impressed with him on ADTOE.

[Infinite Cactus]

I think ADTOE is Rudess' best DT album as far as patches and atmosphere go. But I would say probably 8vm for solos.

[Adami]

I think ADTOE is Rudess' best DT album as far as patches and atmosphere go. But I would say probably 8vm for solos.

Really? I mean 8vm the song has some cool solos, but the rest just have his generic fast runs and high bends deal.

[Infinite Cactus]

I think ADTOE is Rudess' best DT album as far as patches and atmosphere go. But I would say probably 8vm for solos.

the rest just have his generic fast runs and high bends deal.

I can see that, but I'm usually not that big of fan of his solos anyway. TROAE is one his bests imo as well as 8vm the song. Maybe SFAM or SDOIT has better solos but to be honest it's been a dickyear since I last listened to them.   As you can see, I'm not too sold on the 8vm argument myself. But I still think ADTOE is his best for the above mentioned.

[MetropolisxPt1]

ADTOE was the first time Jordan used all of his styles he has shown in DT.

[BlobVanDam]

I think ADTOE is Rudess' best DT album as far as patches and atmosphere go. But I would say probably 8vm for solos.

I will take down anyone who disagrees that SDOIT is JR's greatest masterpiece for sounds. Yeah, I know what you're going to say "BUT OVERTURE..". But listen to the rest. Blind Faith, Misunderstood, Disappear all sound AMAZING due to JR's creative keyboard work, and are among DT's most layered and detailed songs for sounds.

[Diffidentia]

I've got to agree with BlobvanDam on this one. SDOIT is JR's  greatest masterpiece for sounds. I remember reading in an interview a while ago by one of the members of Dream Theater that SDOIT was very JR oriented, and it definetly shows. Now, while I cannot make an argument for another album featuring better sounds than SDOIT, I would have to say that SFAM features his best solos and I feel JR's best lead tone out of all the albums he played on.

It seemed like after Train of Thought JR really revamped his lead tone very much. He began incorporated the Wah-pedal into his solo arrangements, and unfortunately a lot of his solo's (especially live) sounded like just wanking. It kind of reminded me of Derek Sherinian's solo/lead tone from his days in the band.

I must say though, it would seem that with ADTOE Jordan abandoned the overly processed lead that he featured on the previous three albums, and moved back towards a more traditional JR lead tone reminiscnet of LTE or his solo projects. I am also glad that he abandoned soloing on his iphone/ipad.

Does anyone else think that his solo in Rite of Passage is probably his worst moment in Dream Theater?

Just my thoughts...

Musically,
Ryan

[Pols Voice]

Jordan did a good job on this album. Lots of different sounds and styles, and his playing fits the songs well.

The solo near the end of Lost Not Forgotten reminds me of Kevin Moore.

[BlobVanDam]

It seemed like after Train of Thought JR really revamped his lead tone very much. He began incorporated the Wah-pedal into his solo arrangements, and unfortunately a lot of his solo's (especially live) sounded like just wanking. It kind of reminded me of Derek Sherinian's solo/lead tone from his days in the band.

I must say though, it would seem that with ADTOE Jordan abandoned the overly processed lead that he featured on the previous three albums, and moved back towards a more traditional JR lead tone reminiscnet of LTE or his solo projects. I am also glad that he abandoned soloing on his iphone/ipad.

I believe the wah pedal was only on Train of Thought (no doubt to fit the "metal" thing). Can't recall him using it since. And Octavarium was the last to use his classic Kurzweil lead (such as the TROAE solo).

After that, his lead tone was the V-Synth, I believe (which you can hear on his key solo in A Rite of Passage and Constant Motion). I don't mind it, but it's much thinner than the thicker Kurz sound. He also uses the V-Synth for the continuum. (someone feel free to correct me on this, as my memory is terrible)

I'm not sure if he uses the V-Synth sound for the LNF solo, although he has more variety with his solo sound on this album. We have the analog sort of sound on Beneath the Surface, and I am pretty sure the lead on This is the Life is infact his iPad (Morphwiz). He also uses it on the intro of OTBOA. When people think "iphone/ipad sounds" they're only thinking of that one Bebot solo, but on this album he shows he can actually get some great sounds out of his "toys".

And welcome to the forum. Nice post (and not just because you partially agreed with me )

[ariich]

His sounds on ADTOE are perfect, best they've ever been in my opinion. On all the other DT albums the sounds have ranged from brilliant to mediocre, but this time he even said that he had taken the time to choose the right patches and sounds, and you can tell.

[E.S.]

I like his sound design on this album. He manages to give more than a few nods to heroes of the past, Emerson in particular, while keeping it up to date and moving forward. I kinda like that. The "Lucky Man" solo in BTS is probably the most obvious one, for those who remember ELP.
I'm a huge fan of bizarre synth sounds and effects, but some of them have been a little too out there, so to speak, on earlier albums. I never liked the Iphone thing he did, and some other cheesy things. But he is one of the few keyboardists in prog who actually move forward instead of clinging to the old dusty Mellotrons, Hammond organs and Moog for 99% of the sounds.

It's fun for me as an Omnisphere owner, to hear some of the stock patches on the last two albums.

[Diffidentia]

But when I listen to TROAE, his tone has the wah in it, and is very reminiscent of the Train of Thought tone, and on songs like ANTR. Maybe I'm not hearing the subtle differences, but to me it sounds very similar. Was Jordan still using Kurzweil during Train of Thought?

[BlobVanDam]

But when I listen to TROAE, his tone has the wah in it, and is very reminiscent of the Train of Thought tone, and on songs like ANTR. Maybe I'm not hearing the subtle differences, but to me it sounds very similar. Was Jordan still using Kurzweil during Train of Thought?

Actually, you might be right about TROAE. If there is wah, it's much more subtle that the ToT stuff. I'd been thinking all of it was just the aftertouch feedback and bending. It's a completely different sound on ANTR though. No wah or Kurz there. I don't recall him using the wah at all with the Oasys.

Kurz was everything from SFAM -> Octavarium, so it was the Kurz on ToT. SC onwards was the Oasys. Can't remember if the new album was Oasys or the Kronos (doesn't make much difference). But from Octavarium onwards is when he started using more VSTs in the studio I think, so his main keyboard wasn't as much a factor in his sound.

[Sketchy]

Oh, that moog solo is glorious. The tone of it is so much like Lucky Man, and it really makes me smile, plus the solo itself is brilliant. Yes, I do think his keyboard sounds are the best they've been since SDOIT, but I do enjoy a lot of his keyboard sounds between then and now, however, this album is where I love all of them again.

[cramx3]

Without knowing much musically, Id say he sounds the best on ADTOE. I felt all his solos and sounds were right for each song. I dont hear sounds from him that make me wonder why they are there (AROP and BTL come to mind). I also think his solos are some of his best and most enjoyable to my ears.

[Orbert]

I know this is something of a backhanded compliment, but out of recent albums, I enjoy Jordan's work on this one the most because there are no times when I go "WTF?"  No ragtime breaks, no insane high-speed diddling for the sake of high-speed diddling, nothing to take me out of the moment.  I'm always a bit sensitive (okay, probably too sensitive) about the keyboards fitting properly into the overall sound, and it just seems like there were always at least one or two times per album when I just facepalmed mentally at what Jordan had chosen to do.  He's so talented, so freakin' amazing, and I guess I can't blame him for wanting to show off what he can do.  But he always just took it a bit too far, once or twice.  Not so this time around.  Everything is just awesome.

Someone mentioned in another thread that that bizarre croaking sound in "Bridges" is a sample triggerred by Jordan.  If that's true, I may have to retract my statement.  I like the song overall, but I skip it because of the croaking, which I find absolutely obnoxious.