Guitarists: Most Difficult Petrucci Solo You've Ever Attempted?(Other Than UAGM)

[adamack]

I decided to learn the Repentance solo today...don't know why I never learned it as it is one of my fav of his less technical/more feel solos ever, and it is very learn-able compared to most of his other stuff.

It got me thinking about JP solos that I used to attempt to learn, but eventually gave up.

My personal vote would have to go to Fatal Tragedy.

At one point, I had parts of it up to speed, but I was never able to get that sweeping section down. I remember in the Scenes From NY DVD, even JP couldn't nail that part.

And even with some of the parts up to speed, that says nothing as nailing the whole thing perfectly is an extremely daunting task.

What do you guys think is the most difficult of his solos, other than UAGM? I figured most people would say UAGM, so I wanted to hear some others.

[JoeG]

I'm not a guitarist, but I've heard In The Name of God mentioned regularly on this subject.

[Kotowboy]

I can barely even play the intro riff to constant motion

[Mosh]

I don't know what the hardest is, but UAGM isn't actually too difficult for JP's standards. If you take it section by section slowly it won't be long before you can nail the whole thing in one go.

[adamack]

I don't know what the hardest is, but UAGM isn't actually too difficult for JP's standards. If you take it section by section slowly it won't be long before you can nail the whole thing in one go.

Awesome...def. good to know. I just remember his face on the Score DVD after he nailed it. He gave Portnoy this face like "THANK GOD!" I'll def. have to give it a shot. I love those whammy sections where he hits the bar with his hand and it vibrates. I wish he did that in more solos!

[adamack]

I'm not a guitarist, but I've heard In The Name of God mentioned regularly on this subject.

Ah, good call. That one legato part is pretty rough, although it's more just like one big long guitar exercise when practicing it. I'm trying to recall how the rest of the solo goes in my head. May as well just put it on and listen to it. Goosebumps time!

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

The guitar/keyboard unison in Blind Faith is up there as well. It's just all over the place and confusing as hell.

I'm not a guitarist, but I've heard In The Name of God mentioned regularly on this subject.

Nice avatar.

[rumborak]

Having played quite a few DT songs live, I have to agree, the ITNOG legato part is a nightmare.

[donniekak]

I learned images and words, and awake beginning to end. After those albums I learned probably an average of 2-3 songs off each album, except scenes, again whole album. For me personally the hardest part to play cleanly is the glass prison arpeggios. It's actually easier for me to use a mixture of the alternate picking, and sweep methods to play that section. I really expected that section to come easier to me, as I already knew how to play the entire Jason Becker perpetual burn album. Pretty much one huge arpeggio étude.

It's like anything else, some things that are harder for some, are easier for others, and vice versa.

The best advice I've heard on developing a unique style forcuses on that fact. Steve via said that as you are developing your technique, some things will come to you easily, and some will be difficult. He said to of course try to work on the difficulties, but more than that take the things that come natural to you, and accentuate them in your playing.

[Mosh]

I've been brushing up on my alternate picking this year specifically to nail those arpeggios. 

I'd really like to be able to alt pick on the level of JP and Steve Morse one day. It's a technique I've really neglected over the years.

[Aythesryche]

One of the challenging ones for me was learning "In the Moment" from the evening with JP/JR. I only have up to around 3:30 or so figured out properly. It was really fun figuring it out by ear, though. I even wrote out the score for it so I wouldn't forget any of it haha.

[7StringedBeast]

I actually was able to learn the UAGM solo.  I could play the entire thing up to speed until that one sweep tapping part.  That was always a little rough for me and I never did quite nail that part, but could play it in time, just a bit sloppy.

So I'd say I had it 90% nailed at one point.

I also learned some of the solos in Overture 1928 and the repentance solo.  I have long since forgotten how to play them all though.

[7StringedBeast]

I don't know what the hardest is, but UAGM isn't actually too difficult for JP's standards. If you take it section by section slowly it won't be long before you can nail the whole thing in one go.

Awesome...def. good to know. I just remember his face on the Score DVD after he nailed it. He gave Portnoy this face like "THANK GOD!" I'll def. have to give it a shot. I love those whammy sections where he hits the bar with his hand and it vibrates. I wish he did that in more solos!

Interesting about this... The reason he was probably making that face was because his amp actually cut out right before his solo.  They cut around it on the DVD and I think even overdubbed his guitar in for the recording.  But I was there and something went wrong with his amp right before his solo came up and they were able to get it working just as he was about to take it.

[wolfking]

The UAGM solo is pretty damn easy really, by JP standards.  I guess ITNOG would be one of the most difficult.  Another one that springs to mind is Endless Sacrifice, there's some crazy sweeping going on in there.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't know what the hardest is, but UAGM isn't actually too difficult for JP's standards. If you take it section by section slowly it won't be long before you can nail the whole thing in one go.

Awesome...def. good to know. I just remember his face on the Score DVD after he nailed it. He gave Portnoy this face like "THANK GOD!" I'll def. have to give it a shot. I love those whammy sections where he hits the bar with his hand and it vibrates. I wish he did that in more solos!

Interesting about this... The reason he was probably making that face was because his amp actually cut out right before his solo.  They cut around it on the DVD and I think even overdubbed his guitar in for the recording.  But I was there and something went wrong with his amp right before his solo came up and they were able to get it working just as he was about to take it.

Yeah, I was there too and I remember that very well.  It wasn't a look of relief for playing that solo (he can do it in his sleep) it was for his guitar and sound making it through the solo.

[Kotowboy]

3 years of a guitar degree has taught me that my fingers just WILL.NOT. do anything remotely fiddly.

It's really frustrating really. I just can't do anything involving fast legato AT ALL.

Especially not if it involves moving to different strings on the same fret.

  And yes - i've practiced until my hands hurt and i don't feel like playing again for a week...

[wolfking]

3 years of a guitar degree has taught me that my fingers just WILL.NOT. do anything remotely fiddly.

It's really frustrating really. I just can't do anything involving fast legato AT ALL.

Especially not if it involves moving to different strings on the same fret.

It's called practice man.

[Kotowboy]

haha. Nicely ignored my last sentence.

It's ok. I'm as good as I need to be to get my ideas out.

There's enough people who are flashy as fuck.

I understand scales and modes and all that - I've been to plenty of jam nights where there's that one guy who just faces his amp and just sweep picks all over everything. I don't want to be THAT guy.


Besides - i'd rather be better at Rhythm than solo. Playing in time is key. Lots of people have got crap rhythm and timing and i'd rather be good at that.

[eviljust]

The one on TSF is pretty cool to play as well and I found it a bit difficult but at the end I nailed it

[Elite]

The Glass Prison arpeggios and Blind Faith unison.

Can't play either up to full speed (but then again, my playing speed is almost always lacking for Petrucci solos)

My favourite Petrucci solo to play is the one in The Spirit Carries On.

[adamack]

The guitar/keyboard unison in Blind Faith is up there as well. It's just all over the place and confusing as hell.

Had to go back and revisit this one, as Blind Faith is one of those songs I haven't listened to quite as much as most of their other stuff. And yeah I can def seeing this one being really hard to memorize, as there are really none of the typical scalar run sections that usually comprise his speed sections. This one would be a headache to latch onto!

[Ruba]

The sweep-picking solo in The Glass Prison. Had to go with a half-speed.

But then again, I'm not a good soloist. I play rhythm much better.

[adamack]

I learned images and words, and awake beginning to end. After those albums I learned probably an average of 2-3 songs off each album, except scenes, again whole album. For me personally the hardest part to play cleanly is the glass prison arpeggios. It's actually easier for me to use a mixture of the alternate picking, and sweep methods to play that section. I really expected that section to come easier to me, as I already knew how to play the entire Jason Becker perpetual burn album. Pretty much one huge arpeggio étude.

It's like anything else, some things that are harder for some, are easier for others, and vice versa.

The best advice I've heard on developing a unique style forcuses on that fact. Steve via said that as you are developing your technique, some things will come to you easily, and some will be difficult. He said to of course try to work on the difficulties, but more than that take the things that come natural to you, and accentuate them in your playing.

Really cool to hear some feedback from someone who has learned a ton of JP's work! I've never given those arps a shot, but the fact that he is alternate picking them and not sweeping them is just ridiculous. And that is a testament to hear from someone who has learned Perpetual in its entirety.

That is great advice from Vai. I've heard so many guitar players hammer the idea that you should focus most of your time working on your difficulties into our heads. I mean, it is important to work on the things outside of your comfort zone, so you can always be pushing your limits and growing, but I'm really happy to hear that Vai praises working on your natural talents as well.

Interesting about this... The reason he was probably making that face was because his amp actually cut out right before his solo.  They cut around it on the DVD and I think even overdubbed his guitar in for the recording.  But I was there and something went wrong with his amp right before his solo came up and they were able to get it working just as he was about to take it.

Wow I never would have known that! That's gotta be an incredibly scary feeling, knowing you are recording a DVD. And that's awesome that you were there. Did James sound as good as he sounded on the DVD? I was always wondering if they dressed up his voice with Melodyne or something for the DVD, because it seemed like he hit most every note the entire 3 hours.

The Glass Prison arpeggios and Blind Faith unison.

Can't play either up to full speed (but then again, my playing speed is almost always lacking for Petrucci solos)

My favourite Petrucci solo to play is the one in The Spirit Carries On.

I'd have to agree with TSCO. Was the first JP solo I ever learned up to speed in its entirety.


Another piece that seems like it may be a bit of a headache to learn, more so because of the note sequence just being all over the place is that one long ass run in the beginning of Lost Not Forgotten. It really jumps around a lot. It's almost as if JP had a chip on his shoulder when he wrote it

That said, I guess I should give it a shot before commenting on it.

[hefdaddy42]

James's voice sounded just as good live as it does on the DVD.

[?]

I'm not the right person to answer this question because Another World is the only solo I've tried to play, but JP has said that the things Jordan comes up with are the hardest to play, like the arpeggio in The Glass Prison and the unison in Blind Faith.

[7StringedBeast]

Yeah James' voice sounded exactly the same way live as the DVD.  I remember distinctly my friend and I having a  discussion before the show about how James' had been struggling live for quite some time but we heard he was getting a lot better.  Then I think once we got to UAGM and heard him there we were just looking at each other in shock at how fucking good he was.

Seriously he was outstanding the entire night.  It was unreal.  He was definitely channeling something for that performance.

[Dellers]

I don't think it would be wise of me to even try. My fingers aren't made for speed. Slow solos and riffing is more my kind of thing. Not that I care anyway, none of my favorite solos in general have particularly many fast notes in them.

[maximumrocker]

Trail of Tears solo

The phrasing is weird

[JPX]

UAGM is most certainly not in the realm of his most difficult pieces.

And where's the sweeping in TGP? At the most he hybrid picks the intro and there's none later that I can think of.

Blind Prison is something that John has stated is the hardest for him to play (prior to the release of ADTOE)

Other than that you would probably want to add Fatal Tragedy, Lost Not Forgotten, The Dark Eternal Night , Stream of Consciousness, As I Am and In The Name Of God.

Essentially, John killed it back to back with 6D and ToT.

[Outcrier]

UAGM is most certainly not in the realm of his most difficult pieces.

And where's the sweeping in TGP? At the most he hybrid picks the intro and there's none later that I can think of.

Blind Prison is something that John has stated is the hardest for him to play (prior to the release of ADTOE)

Other than that you would probably want to add Fatal Tragedy, Lost Not Forgotten, The Dark Eternal Night , Stream of Consciousness, As I Am and In The Name Of God.

Essentially, John killed it back to back with 6D and ToT.

What about Glass Faith?

[Mosh]

Glass Prison isn't even hybrid picking AFAIK. It's straight up alternate picking, no sweeps at all.

[JPX]

UAGM is most certainly not in the realm of his most difficult pieces.

And where's the sweeping in TGP? At the most he hybrid picks the intro and there's none later that I can think of.

Blind Prison is something that John has stated is the hardest for him to play (prior to the release of ADTOE)

Other than that you would probably want to add Fatal Tragedy, Lost Not Forgotten, The Dark Eternal Night , Stream of Consciousness, As I Am and In The Name Of God.

Essentially, John killed it back to back with 6D and ToT.

What about Glass Faith?

  my bad

Glass Prison isn't even hybrid picking AFAIK. It's straight up alternate picking, no sweeps at all.

I thought it was all alt picking too but I double checked and the first video I clicked he's hybrid picking it.

[ReaperKK]

Glass Prison isn't even hybrid picking AFAIK. It's straight up alternate picking, no sweeps at all.

At a JP guitar clinic I went to he said it was alternate picked on the album. Live it will depends how fast MP would play the song, if it was faster that night he would sweep it.

[Mosh]

Ah, that explains it then. I don't hear any sweeps at all on the album. The only live video I've seen of it is from Gigantour but it's been awhile since I watched that.

[ddtonfire]

The Glass Prison arpeggios and Blind Faith unison.

For me, these.

Glass Prison isn't even hybrid picking AFAIK. It's straight up alternate picking, no sweeps at all.

At a JP guitar clinic I went to he said it was alternate picked on the album. Live it will depends how fast MP would play the song, if it was faster that night he would sweep it.

I've heard this too in a JP interview. He said he always dreaded that part.

UAGM isn't super difficult and if you tackle it the way Mosh mentions, you should be able to learn it. It's my favorite Petrucci solo to play.