Dream Theater

darkshade wrote: Ive known musicians who do NOT like Dream Theater, especially for their technicality. They'll say something like, "they have no soul in their music". And then I laugh in their face.

Edited by Snow Dog - May 06 2012 at 12:28

Ive known musicians who do NOT like Dream Theater, especially for their technicality. They'll say something like, "they have no soul in their music".

And then I laugh in their face.

Just for the record, I am only arguing the logic here. I don't think DT are flat out bad as songwriters and I like their early albums a lot.  I don't think they are also quite as technically fascinating as they are made out to be, it applies more in a rock/metal-specific context.  So, no, I don't think they are anywhere near as horrible as Aguilera, I just used that as an illustration.  

You're both making great points, I think you're both just arguing over 2 somewhat different things.

dtguitarfan wrote: Sure.  But you don't have to love them to respect them, and I firmly believe that anyone who plays Chopin would be able to hear how difficult DT's music is, and appreciate it at least for that aspect.  The original argument was "I don't see why people go so crazy over Dream Theater" so I explained it with a perfectly valid argument - it's why I personally go so crazy about them.

I am sorry but those again are only a reflection of your tastes and your priorities in music, you are generalizing.  Christina Aguilera can sing insane riffs...and absolutely murder a song beyond any connection with its original essence.  I absolutely dislike her singing, unconditionally.   I am not going to claim she can't sing (and I don't think even 'non musicians' claim Petrucci or Rudess can't play) but I don't respect what she does either.  It is horrible, to me.   I don't believe music is about what is more or less difficult.  If it is very impactful, then it's a bonus if it is also difficult and musicians only learn to perform difficult things so that they don't restrict their options.  If you write a great part, you want to also be able to play it.

tamijo wrote: dtguitarfan wrote: tamijo wrote: dtguitarfan wrote: Also, are you a musician?  It's harder to understand why people go crazy over DT if you don't actually play an instrument.  If you do...try to play one of their songs.  Go ahead, I dare ya. That is not a valid argument, there is no evidence that you have to be able to play a song, to understand it. Music is about so much more than just the handycraft of preforming it. This is a perfectly valid argument - I am not saying you have to be able to play an instrument to understand how hard it is to play a song, or how complex it is, etc., I said "it's HARDER to understand."  Sure, music is about more than the handycraft of performing it - that's why I AM crazy about DT but not so much about Behond the Arctopus.  If I ONLY cared about how hard it is to perform a song, my favorite band would be Behold the Arctopus or something crazy like that.  But DT combines talent of Olympic proportions with good song writing.  And I for one would rather listen to musicians that are better than I could ever hope to be than an artist whose songs I could learn in a week easily.  For the same reason, I like to watch movies with characters that are greater than I could ever possibly be - characters that are inhumanly amazing, like Thor, Captain America, etc. I still belive its beside the point. Think of all those skilled people playing chopin every day, im not sure that will make them love prog. or DT Its about taste, no more no less.

Sure.  But you don't have to love them to respect them, and I firmly believe that anyone who plays Chopin would be able to hear how difficult DT's music is, and appreciate it at least for that aspect.  The original argument was "I don't see why people go so crazy over Dream Theater" so I explained it with a perfectly valid argument - it's why I personally go so crazy about them.

tamijo wrote: dtguitarfan wrote: Also, are you a musician?  It's harder to understand why people go crazy over DT if you don't actually play an instrument.  If you do...try to play one of their songs.  Go ahead, I dare ya. That is not a valid argument, there is no evidence that you have to be able to play a song, to understand it. Music is about so much more than just the handycraft of preforming it.

This is a perfectly valid argument - I am not saying you have to be able to play an instrument to understand how hard it is to play a song, or how complex it is, etc., I said "it's HARDER to understand."  Sure, music is about more than the handycraft of performing it - that's why I AM crazy about DT but not so much about Behond the Arctopus.  If I ONLY cared about how hard it is to perform a song, my favorite band would be Behold the Arctopus or something crazy like that.  But DT combines talent of Olympic proportions with good song writing.  And I for one would rather listen to musicians that are better than I could ever hope to be than an artist whose songs I could learn in a week easily.  For the same reason, I like to watch movies with characters that are greater than I could ever possibly be - characters that are inhumanly amazing, like Thor, Captain America, etc.


Edited by dtguitarfan - May 06 2012 at 09:21

rogerthat wrote: dtguitarfan wrote: Have you seen them live?  If not, then you never will.... Also, are you a musician?  It's harder to understand why people go crazy over DT if you don't actually play an instrument.  If you do...try to play one of their songs.  Go ahead, I dare ya. I won't call myself a singer because it's not something I do for a living or am very good at, but I can sing and I am most definitely not crazy about LaBrie's singing.  I specifically felt the need to mention this because a lot of DT fans talk up his singing all the time and I cannot understand how anybody who sings would claim in all seriousness that he is the best or something like that.

Umm, I'm gonna go ahead and say that for most DT fans, LaBrie is not the main reason they like the band....

tamijo wrote: dtguitarfan wrote: Also, are you a musician?  It's harder to understand why people go crazy over DT if you don't actually play an instrument.  If you do...try to play one of their songs.  Go ahead, I dare ya. That is not a valid argument, there is no evidence that you have to be able to play a song, to understand it. Music is about so much more than just the handycraft of preforming it.

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - May 06 2012 at 01:41

The only song i know enough to actualy like with DT, is Wither.

Edited by tamijo - May 06 2012 at 01:16