Before Dream Theater took off I used to teach a lot, and one of the things my students often asked me was how to apply the chromatic scale to practical playing situations. You see, their other teachers would give them… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Before you can apply chromatic ideas to scales and arpeggios, you have to get the chromatic scale itself under your fingers. You should learn it up and down the neck, and become comfortable with the fingerings. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
If you practice in a focused, concentrated manner and make efficient use of your time, you will progress a lot faster than if you… — John Petrucci Copy Share
In my touring rig, there's a pedal drawer, where I'm able to switch pedals in and out, going into the front of the amp. — John Petrucci Copy Share
Before Dream Theater took off I used to teach a lot, and one of the things my students often asked me was how to… — John Petrucci Copy Share
I listen to somebody like Shawn Lane, and unfortunately he is no longer with us, but I hear him playing and I am like,… — John Petrucci Copy Share
By adding open strings to even the simplest chords, you can create voicings that sound sophisticated, but are really easy (and fun) to play.… — John Petrucci Copy Share
Sometimes just allowing yourself to noodle without any structure will enable you to stumble upon great new ideas, culminating in creating your own distinct… — John Petrucci Copy Share
Songs come alive every night and can be a new experience for someone. You might have someone in the audience who has never seen… — John Petrucci Copy Share
I'm from the school of putting a lot of hours of practice into playing. But at the same time you have to write original… — John Petrucci Copy Share
I have to say that our fans have been absolutely wonderful all across the world. — John Petrucci Copy Share
I really rely a lot more on memory. I'm definitely not as good of a sight reader. — John Petrucci Copy Share
A violin neck is much smaller than the guitar's, so it's much easier to play wide intervals on one violin string. On the guitar,… — John Petrucci Copy Share
Using open strings is a great way to add texture and atmosphere to any chord progression. — John Petrucci Copy Share
We are very, very fortunate to have built a career based on playing the kind of music we play. In a lot of ways,… — John Petrucci Copy Share
