Dream Theater onTHEoD (@ Tracks 15-16 Get those fingers warmed up, tendons nicely lubed as Charlie Griffiths transcribes the opening track of Dream Theater's seminal album - also their greatest hit. e Moderate/Advanced KEY: Eminor | Thshrifing ‘TEMPO: 102bpm | & Chord ingerng (CD: TRACKS 15-16 | a Fastalterate picking IT COULD BE argued that this song was the ‘opening track to the prog-metal movement that began back in the early'g0s. Its widely regarded as a classic and the band still going strong. As Dream Theater entersits 2grd year, the bands hard at work onits tenth album and the second for Roadrunner Records Dream Theater's popularity has steadily grown over the years as a result ofthe band’s ‘commitment to lifestyle ofrelentless ‘two-year album/toureycles and with Roadrunner’s recent injection of energy and investment creating a renewed buzz, the trend shows every sgn of continuing. The band has TECHNIQUE FOCUS CHORDAL PROGRESSION Anoverlockedaspect of Petruccssyleishis ‘creating of rich chordal textures atraitthathe attributesto Rushs Alex Lifeson. Pull Me Under IsinEminor(EF#GABCD) butJohn doesn't remain exclusive toa particular mode and ‘makes frequent use ofthe Ck which suggests Dorian(] 203456 7b}andtereare ints a Harmonicminor throughout the pre-chorus. “Theintio section sagreat example of the array cof diferent minor sounds that can be achieved witha couple of openstvingsanda fretted note.Inthiscoatext triads sometimes justont cuit so John will optforasuspended ‘sound, or adda sth on top, PullMelspre-chorus containsthe fullPetrucc chord ool kit, wthll hisfavourtechordembelishments on display such as:sus2 sued, add9 and add 1 been rewarded with over eight million albums sold and one of the most loyal fan bases ever. This was evidenced three years ago: they celebrated their first 20 years by selling out ‘the Radio City Music Hall in New York; and in +2007 they played a eareer lanclmark show at London's Wembley Arena, a farcry from their humble beginnings atthe Marquee club in 1993. Iflike me you were at that Marquee show (International readers please forgive my ‘UK-centriity), the chances are you were there because of Pall Me Under, an unbridled and asyet unmatched success, which in typical self-effacing manner isalluded to inthe ttle coflast year's compilation album, Greatest 66 Elements of the band’s signature sound have also been found creeping into the more mainstream world of Muse and Foo Fighters 99 Hit ‘And.21 Other Pretty Cool Songs. ‘Mike Portnoy, DT's drummer, concedes that the song's success was down to being “at the right place at the right time”. In the pre-Internet age of he ‘90s MTV was a prime vehicle for new music and Pull Me Under (albeit a more digestible five-minute edited version) found itselfon regular rotation, The song’s blend of chunky Metallica guitars with progressive keyboards, intellectual soundingliyries and asing-along chorus captured the zeitgeist and, fr the first time, successfully blurred the boundary ‘between prog and metal, Theirinfinence on ‘the prog-metal seene remains all ‘encompassing; elements of the band’s signature sound have not only been direetly lifted by legions of clone bands but have also ‘been found ereeping into the more ‘mainstream world of Muse and Foo Fighters. A massive contributing factorto the sound! in question is the focus on over-the {top musicianship, with each member being in ‘aclass of their own in their respective area: expertise. Ths ethie was no doubt instilled early in life asthe core band members jitarist John Petrueci, drummer Mike Portnoy and bassist John Myung) famously metas teenagers at the Berklee School of Music, while keyboardist Jordan Rudess attenced the prestigious Juilliard School at therripeold age of nine, Far from resting on theirlaurels, instrumental practice and improvement isan ongoing process forthe members and perhaps a necessity when peer pressureis considered. Bi GETTHETONE @ @ 6 6 @ eat oe Serena enero ect eer rey eer amp Sere peer erat etn een opie slithissignal into astere te ee - ee eee ey aera en ao a ee eats Send eat or es ‘TRACK REOORD Pull Me Under was originally released on the classic Images & Words (1992), but was beautifully remixed in 2008 for the ‘compilation Greatest Hit..and 21 Other Pretty Gool Songs, which demonstrates an excellent cross section ofthe band's career: A Change Of ‘Seasons (EP 1995) is for fans of the quintessential Dream Theator epic, which displays 25 minutes of diverse songwriting and playing, ‘32 GuitarTectniques May 2009Aaa onmueco @ reacns 1616 Ged [ars 1-24] Keep the whammy bar tucked intothe palm ofyourhand frthe [Bars 33-20] The inspiration heres clearly Puppets ea Metalica sim for uration ofthis section soa toavoid any jetky movements whichwauidruin 3 tightconsstetattackon all the nates, The best approach would beto use ‘theeffect. Don" gripthe bar allow itto loosely st between the palm andthe downstokes fo’ everything, with extra chunked tothe full ES power chords tutlof your fourth Inger Asyou wobbleyourhandiallony shhh move, hatcanbe achieved by dragging the lek hyough he tee tings so there 3 | tetngnasubse iat. Thesithand thd tings sholaringoucleany, lag between he notes vl probably fee morenataltopay the Mal ase butaltebitfstereodely withepthechorscverapunitheach othe.” oftetwo endings wth don-p-down ping pater Emit ens Ene ce os J=12 Grantone “SO a bat emit ra ems See Ems wee ore eaatt Emit me Emo ce os ce Fadagty Dletortion intro [=] cy econ cs: 2 cs Fs £5 As GSES Fis cs es cis cs es 1 “escsesos ll? asc es rs ; eee = despa an 2 oe 34 GuitarTechniques May 2009,ctaMsene Wamerchopost North ees UE oposued ‘epedueadby tnd pemison of ate Pubahing en A oh ved nteratonal Copyright Secsted. PULLME wwe | Ge Coors (Bars 41-51] With the change of dum feel comes achange of approach. Constant downstrokes sound abittoo regimented here s0ecommend alternate strummingin 16 nats yourhand should move down, then up, ght tes pe ban. [ars 52-59] Here Jon starts with his beloved add9 chord and goes onto explore various minor sounds whichall th the exception ofthe fal wo F ES AS Gees Fiscses [FGecses rs es Verge 1 Eeus2 PMe-) PM oy ee oy i aust * 7 * cae cave cae, Fadeoe Fame chords belong tthe Aeolian mode 2b3 45 b6b7).The technical chalenge here st switch between the open sounding tree-uing shapes andthe tight muted sngle-srngroatnte. Youll probably benefit from sowing right down and studying the mechanics af iting off nd dropping the sie of your ‘palm onto the stings atthe bridge whisteeping the pickin contact withthe strings: ‘ pscses os cisases Pie PMe= Mem | PM PMA PM) Pam emis Puan ee 3 1-16 ——1¢-1- ——1o-1¢ 10-19 Paes $910 — py — 919 — 1094 sues san ene PMs PMs Pie] 3 | 2 PMs PM PMs Pe 33 — 33 — Be ee Gtsuss Pie PM Pee Pe gg 13101104 suse Baar ‘May 2008 Guitar Techniques 35,eee ALTE {Bars 60-67] Snitch back to clean sound and select an in-between pickup ‘configuration fr that uta clean sparkle, Accuracylseveryehing with section lke this. so am tofully form each chord shape before youpickanyihing. Remember to arch hefretinghand fingers so 25 notoinadvertentiy mute anysttings. emacs Intertude widetorton aici im couse Pee ee ee ONTHECD (§) TRacKs15-16 {Bars 68-75) Backtoful hash mode here, wth some forearmbusting ‘owstrokesn fact, you ae using you forearm muscles to force thepiekinto ‘the strings, you wil probably get to about the thudbar before sees up. The ‘ovrect technique lst bounce the pick ff ofthe stings andlet gravity do the ‘est bile bouncing o basketball however take practice to leamnto 16 ar Eater 13 Oe ee tee ee ows ee omar or cers re ols ‘May 2009 GuitarTechniques 41eA te Pree Gros | {Bars 180-183) There unison bends are all played with stand tid fingess, and fourth strings by letng your thumb contactthe sings as you tum ‘withthe ater performing the acualbend Take the pressure off of yourthrd to produceasightpinched harmonic. Ths will ake the chord leap out in finger sharing the lad with the second finger which shouldbe bunched up contrat with theheavy palm-muted ES chords, which are payed inthe usual nextto onthe same sting ‘sa, Fnally nthe interest of saving you an eral the abrupt ending ofthe [Bare 186-endl This final stretch ‘balls anclchunk othe way! Aneffective _Songisintentional, nota CD manufacturing faut ‘approach wouldbe te exaggerate the tone ofthe doublestopson theft nat enone a owe [re] os es os es os es rs cs es Fis os es cus lar 42 Guitar Techniques May 2009PULLME UNDER Storrington, omits [Benge SSE sales@gjsguitars.co.uk ch elie Tun ue Cea tad [ ue a MUL eal Ny bo ty 4711 ee pened