Dream Theater

Sauron

it's easy to call someone who is really flashy talented ( not that Im implying Mike is flashy) but a huge part of the talent comes in keeping it simple and letting the song breath and leaving space for the other musicians.....Ive had so many teachers beat that into me that I could give you a whole lecture on it so I better stop..but he is talented.

Bazz

Originally posted by Sauron
it's easy to call someone who is really flashy talented ( not that Im implying Mike is flashy) but a huge part of the talent comes in keeping it simple and letting the song breath and leaving space for the other musicians.....Ive had so many teachers beat that into me that I could give you a whole lecture on it so I better stop..but he is talented.

What do you play yourself?

Töpher

He's good, and doesn't overdo it in the songs (well, he does alot, but it works!), but there's better out there...

Cue,,,Baggio,,,and,,,,,,,,random,,,wafflings,,,bout,,,,Neil,,,PEART,,,

Doctor J

Originally posted by Sauron
a huge part of the talent comes in keeping it simple

Amen to that. Keeping it simple is one of the hardest skills you'll ever learn and the most valuable.

dabhoys

I'm slowly but surely learning the ways of the simpleness

As the doc says :

'No one grooves like AC/DC'

Rock on man...

Bazz

Ok, ok, but what's special about Dream Theater is that they are so well schooled that they want to challenge themselves. It's all well and good keeping it simple and sticking to conventional structures and techniques but that's what everybody does. It's refreshing to hear a band use their heads and their talents in such a spectacular way..

Sauron

What do you play yourself?

why yes, yes I do

Bazz

Originally posted by Sauron
why yes, yes I do

What instrument do you play?

Sauron

well...drums....I...kinda woulda thought that would've been guessed...talking about drums and mike Portney and such....meh

Bazz

Originally posted by Sauron
well...drums....I...kinda woulda thought that would've been guessed...talking about drums and mike Portney and such....meh

Yeah but I was just making sure ..

Doctor J

Originally posted by Bazz
It's all well and good keeping it simple and sticking to conventional structures and techniques but that's what everybody does. It's refreshing to hear a band use their heads and their talents in such a spectacular way..

I dig technical players as much as the next guy, but sometimes Dream Theater leave me a bit cold, just because they've murdered a potentially great tune by overdoing the fretboard and drum wizardry. No-one's saying you have to keep it simple all the time and have verse-chorus-verse all in 4/4, but sometimes... sometimes it is the right thing to do and this is where Dream Theater let themselves down, for me anyway. I think it's the sign of a truly great player who has their chops down but is humble enough to play it straight when the songs requires it. I'd point to Billy Sheehan on Eat 'Em And Smile as an example. A lot of that album is just peddling along, but the man has chops to burn when needed. Especially from a rhythm section player, you've really got to know when to nail the groove rather than getting your rocks off.

Oriel

Originally posted by feylya
The intro to Endless Sacrifice does sound like a Micheal Jackson Song....

That song being "Give In To Me". Good song actually.