Worst DT Solos

[Lucidity]

Are there any solos you think of as being particularly bad, and maybe even make the song they're in worse? I think DT generally has very good solos, but for whatever reason one solo that comes to mind that I've never liked is the keyboard solo in The Root of All Evil.

[JoeG]

The last few minutes of Misunderstood take so much away from what starts as a brilliant song.

That's the only one that comes to mind immediately that just feels so out of place that it detracts from the song.

[adastra]

Keyboard solo from A Rite Of Passage!
Worst Dream theater solo and propably the worst keyboard solo I've ever heard 

[Lucidity]

The last few minutes of Misunderstood take so much away from what starts as a brilliant song.

That's the only one that comes to mind immediately that just feels so out of place that it detracts from the song.

I don't hate this part, but I definitely think Misunderstood would be a much stronger song without it.

[Tom Bombadil]

The last few minutes of Misunderstood take so much away from what starts as a brilliant song.

That's the only one that comes to mind immediately that just feels so out of place that it detracts from the song.

I don't hate this part, but I definitely think Misunderstood would be a much stronger song without it.

I personally like that solo. It adds to the feeling of confusion that the lyrics portray. As for worst solo, I've never liked the guitar/keyboard tradeoff solos in Fatal Tragedy. I think they are way too over the top and don't fit the rest of the piece.

[TheGreatPretender]

Cover My Eyes... I mean, I wouldn't call it a bad solo, but it's just so... Uninteresting, especially by DT's standards. The whole song is just okay, which makes it my least favorite DT song, but it could have been something cool if it at least had a creative solo.

[Mosh]

Any solo on ANTR or Rite Of Passage. Worst solo sections in DT history. I still haven't forgiven them for those. Tacked on, out of place, uninspired. I'd really like to know what they were thinking.

[Zook]

Any solo on ANTR or Rite Of Passage. Worst solo sections in DT history. I still haven't forgiven them for those. Tacked on, out of place, uninspired. I'd really like to know what they were thinking.

"BALLS AND CHUNK BALLS AND CHUNK BALLS AND CHUNK"

[?]

The only DT solo I find downright awful is the Bebot solo in AROP.

[Mosh]

Any solo on ANTR or Rite Of Passage. Worst solo sections in DT history. I still haven't forgiven them for those. Tacked on, out of place, uninspired. I'd really like to know what they were thinking.

"BALLS AND CHUNK BALLS AND CHUNK BALLS AND CHUNK"

Shit, I don't even know if you could call it that. Like that whiny wah guitar solo in ANTR, that has no balls or chunk.

I'll give one thing to the AROP solo section. JP's phrasing is at least good. Too bad he couldn't use those ideas on a more worthy solo spot.

[MoraWintersoul]

The only DT solo I find downright awful is the Bebot solo in AROP.

[wasteland]

Mh. My least favourite DT solos tend to be clustered in the second half of ITNOG. And yeah, that bebot thing too. :puke.

[Kotowboy]

The only DT solo I find downright awful is the Bebot solo in AROP.

This is when i started to get a bit tired of JR. He redeemed himself on ADToE though.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of Jordan's AROP solo either.  JP's on the other hand is awesome.

[Elite]

Both solos in A Rite of Passage are terrible, I think. Also, the completely unnecessary keyboard solo that takes 2-3 minutes in The Shattered Fortress, over the same riffs, is something I really dislike.

Oh, and then there's the ridiculous last 2 minutes in This Dying Soul as well.

[wolfking]

Oh, and then there's the ridiculous last 2 minutes in This Dying Soul as well.

That's one of my fav DT moments.

[puppyonacid]

Any solo on ANTR or Rite Of Passage. Worst solo sections in DT history. I still haven't forgiven them for those. Tacked on, out of place, uninspired. I'd really like to know what they were thinking.

I.....I just don't even......

I think the first guitar solo proper on ANTR after the beautiful agony section is just jaw dropping. It's aggressive, dark......and I'm led to believe improvised. So must disgree with thee there!

But I'm with the general consensus the Jordans iPod touch solo on AROP is cringeworthy.

[MoraWintersoul]

general consensus - Jordans iPod touch solo on AROP is cringeworthy.

Jordan, we adore you, we really do, but please, never again.

[Elite]

Oh, and then there's the ridiculous last 2 minutes in This Dying Soul as well.

That's one of my fav DT moments.

I can see why, it's certainly funny and impressive, but I think it's completely uncalled for in the song, hence me calling it 'ridiculous'. I don't really dislike it though, nor do I think it's close to being one of DT's 'worst solos', but it's a part of the song that I don't really like.

Also, I actually find it very difficult when to call a solo 'bad'. Of course there's a melodic aspect to it and a solo should 'tell a story', but most of the Dream Theater solos do this, at least to an extent. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the fast unison run in In The Name of God. I have always thought the only purpose to that solo was to show-off skills.

[wasteland]

Yes, I agree. I never quite got the purpose behind that section, unfortunately. 

[PixelDream]

I will never, ever understand all the problems with the ending section of Misunderstood. It's basically a reprise of a section you've already heard, but this time the songs keeps hanging in that vibe. All the while, it segues wonderfully into TGD.

[ZKX-2099]

Yes, I agree. I never quite got the purpose behind that section, unfortunately. 

It's purpose?

What are certain sections supposed to provide clean renewable energy? Feed the poor?

It's music. What the hell are you doing looking for a "purpose?"

[wasteland]

Hey, calm down man! I mean the purpose in the economy of the song! It didn't strike me as a really necessary section, but that's just my opinion. Nothing worth heating up for.

[nicmos]

To be clear, you guys all mean just the last section in the AROP solo, right?  I think the first 20-25 seconds of the keyboard solo are great, and then after that is meh.

And yeah, This Dying Soul's end is just ridiculous, which is a shame because other than that it's a top 10 DT song.

[serrano]

Most of the solos in Train of Thought are a shred fest, but that was intentional.

[KevShmev]

The only solos I think of as being bad are:

-The keyboard solo in The Test That Stumped Them All.  It is so ugly-sounding. 
-Both the keyboard and bebot solos in A Rite of Passage.
-The keyboard solo in Constant Motion (especially the end of it where it speeds up..that is, um, not good).
-The keyboard solo in Honor Thy Father.  Whenever I hear the expression about how Rudess likes to try to bend notes into submission, this solo comes to mind.

[utopiarun]

I don't know if you would call it a "solo" but that volume swell section on TCOT just goes on and on and on and kills the momentum of the song (IMO). It would have been a marvelous 15 minute song if not for that large section of nothing in there. -ducks

[serrano]

I love the volume swell section in TCoT, for me it's one of the highlights of the song.

[Elite]

I don't know if you would call it a "solo" but that volume swell section on TCOT just goes on and on and on and kills the momentum of the song (IMO). It would have been a marvelous 15 minute song if not for that large section of nothing in there. -ducks

Agree.

[Joshin U]

I'm not a huge fan of the "improvised" instrumental section in TDEN. Granted, the rest of the song isn't exactly top tier, but whenever I find myself listening to that song I think, "I really need to edit out this section someday".

[namgalsipsclar]

The last few minutes of Misunderstood take so much away from what starts as a brilliant song.

That's the only one that comes to mind immediately that just feels so out of place that it detracts from the song.

I don't hate this part, but I definitely think Misunderstood would be a much stronger song without it.

I personally like that solo. It adds to the feeling of confusion that the lyrics portray. As for worst solo, I've never liked the guitar/keyboard tradeoff solos in Fatal Tragedy. I think they are way too over the top and don't fit the rest of the piece.

Interesting about Fatal Tragedy, because that's my favourite instrumental section in any DT song 
The ones I don't like tend to be on the more metal songs, such as most of Train of Thought. ItNOG stands out, as the unison is reaaally long and drags the song out a lot

[hefdaddy42]

The only thing that comes to mind is the bebot solo from AROP.

[SeRoX]

Exception some of SFAM and SDOIT songs I don't like any keyboard solo from Rudess. As many of you pointed out AROP solo is just bad.

[Lucidity]

I'm surprised to see people who don't like the In the Name of God and Nightmare to Remember solo/unison sections; I love every part of both songs, especially the solos. But yeah, the last section of This Dying Soul... completely unnecessary and ugly-sounding to me.

[?]

general consensus - Jordans iPod touch solo on AROP is cringeworthy.

Jordan, we adore you, we really do, but please, never again.

This. I also agree with those who think the unison at the end of TDS is pointless.