lead guitar from “another day” by dream theater | ToneDB
another day
dream theater
lead guitar
Tone Profile
This tone is a high-gain, smooth, and harmonically rich lead guitar sound, with a touch of chorus and delay for added dimension. It's designed for expressive playing and soaring solos.
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The Story
John Petrucci recorded this lead tone using his signature Ibanez JPM100 guitar equipped with DiMarzio pickups through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amplifier. The signal chain included TC Electronic chorus and delay processing to add dimension to the high-gain lead sound. The track was recorded at BearTracks Studios in Suffern, NY, with the guitar amp likely captured using a Shure SM57 microphone positioned close to the speaker cone.
Production Credits
Producer: David Prater
Engineer: Doug Oberkircher
Recorded at: BearTracks Studios, Suffern, NY
Signal Chain
Recreation Tips
- Start with a high-output humbucker-equipped guitar.
- Use a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ or similar high-gain amplifier. Dial in a tone with plenty of sustain and harmonics.
- Position an SM57 close to the speaker. Experiment with placement to find the sweet spot.
- Add a chorus effect with a subtle rate and depth.
- Use a digital delay with a short delay time (around 300-400ms) and moderate feedback.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+
The Mark VII includes the classic Mark IIC+ mode with the same high-gain cascade circuit and harmonic richness that defined Petrucci's early tone
Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+
Official Petrucci plugin modeled directly from his Mark IIC+ and includes the specific settings and processing chains used on early Dream Theater records
Alternative to: Ibanez JPM100
Current signature model with similar DiMarzio Liquifire/Crunch Lab pickup configuration and mahogany construction for comparable sustain and harmonic response
Alternative to: TC Electronic 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay
Includes a dedicated 2290 algorithm that recreates the vintage digital delay character with similar modulation and feedback response
Alternative to: TC Electronic Chorus/Flanger
Provides the subtle chorus modulation needed for lead dimensionality without overwhelming the high-gain signal like Petrucci used in this era
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