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lead guitar from “another day” by dream theater | ToneDB

another day

dream theater

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

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.

Gear

Ibanez JPM100instrument
Reverb$35Sweetwater
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+amp
ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
TC Electronic Chorus/Flangerprocessing
Reverb$285Sweetwater
TC Electronic 2290 Dynamic Digital Delayprocessing
Reverb$55Sweetwater

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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

Instrument: Ibanez JPM100

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: TC Electronic Chorus/Flanger, TC Electronic 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay

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

  • Ibanez JPM100(guitar)
  • Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • TC Electronic Chorus/Flanger(pedal)
  • TC Electronic 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Mesa/Boogie Mark VII Head$2500-$2800

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

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Archetype Petrucci$120-$150

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

ReverbSweetwater
Ibanez John Petrucci JP15$2400-$2700

Alternative to: Ibanez JPM100

Current signature model with similar DiMarzio Liquifire/Crunch Lab pickup configuration and mahogany construction for comparable sustain and harmonic response

ReverbSweetwater
TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay$180-$220

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

ReverbSweetwater
Boss CE-2W Chorus$200-$230

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

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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