I went straight out of high school, and when I was 17, all I wanted to do was play guitar. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
If you can't play as good or as fast as me, just give up, sell your guitar on eBay and kill yourself. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
When I think of a lot of the players I admire, they could always play their parts without hiding behind distortion and… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
When you watch your favorite guitarists play, notice how little their hands and fingers move sometimes. The economy of motion can't be… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Music is a communication. It's a two-way street. You need people to play to in order to make that connection complete. That's… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
You can go on YouTube now and see young kids with massive technique. There's literally eight and nine year olds who can… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
I used to have these reoccurring dreams that I played guitar, which I thought was so bizarre. It all sort of fit… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Songs like "Spirit Carries On" really gets the audience moved and on the same page. It's challenging and all so much fun… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
The good thing about playing this style that we play, you know, the progressive element of it, is that we can add… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
You're about to walk on stage and play together for the next few hours so you want to feel connected and make… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
First and foremost, with everybody we wanted to see if they can pull off the songs, play them correctly, and that they… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
I have seen Tommy Emanuel play; my wife and I went to see him and he just melted my face off. How… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Once you've developed some technical facility on the guitar, the musical side (which entails theory, harmony, chord structure, ear training, sight-reading, composition… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
When I think of a lot of the players I admire, they could always play their parts without hiding behind distortion and… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
I've listened to musicians who say that using a metronone makes you robotic, that it decreases your 'feel.' That's ridiculous. Either you… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
We used to rehearse and that's where the roots of Dream Theater formed. Y'know, we used to play cover songs and jam… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Jordan [Ruddes], he learned that way, and that's what he knows how to do. That's how he kind of approaches all music,… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
We are very, very fortunate to have built a career based on playing the kind of music we play. In a lot… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
The Majesty guitar symbolizes the very reason why I am so proud to be a Music Man artist. I had the idea… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
A violin neck is much smaller than the guitar's, so it's much easier to play wide intervals on one violin string. On… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
To play sweep arpeggios correctly, you have to mute each note with the left hand immediately after picking it. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
When I was younger, and Iron Maiden and Def Leppard and all that stuff was coming out, I was learning all those… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
When we first started and started hitting new places for the first time, you kinda didn't know, because we were new. Sometimes… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
I know we play a part in the story of progressive music, but for us those influences are the real fathers, the… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
Guitarists use downstrokes and upstrokes to play fast patterns, but doubling up on down- or upstrokes might be essential to the sound… — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
By adding open strings to even the simplest chords, you can create voicings that sound sophisticated, but are really easy (and fun)… — 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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
Definitely an important aspect of my playing is keeping my hands in sync. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
I have to say that our fans have been absolutely wonderful all across the world. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
I really rely a lot more on memory. I'm definitely not as good of a sight reader. — John Petrucci Copy Share Image
![“First and foremost, with everybody we wanted to see if they can pull off the songs, play them correctly, and that they it felt right musically. That's something Mike [Mangini] did, it felt like the band. He really gets the style and delivers in a powerful metal way.” quote by John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ef6/john-petrucci-2141_band_first-and-foremost-with-everybody-we-wan_2198459.jpg)
![“We used to rehearse and that's where the roots of Dream Theater formed. Y'know, we used to play cover songs and jam to [Iron] Maiden and stuff but we were writing songs and it was this metal, loud style and we'd constantly get knocks on our door, because the rehearsal rooms were right next door to…” quote by John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3df/john-petrucci-2141_cover-songs_we-used-to-rehearse-and-that-s-where-the_2493514.jpg)
![“Jordan [Ruddes], he learned that way, and that's what he knows how to do. That's how he kind of approaches all music, whether it's to learn a cover song that we're going to play, or to review Dream Theater music - he always uses charts. That's what he knows. I really rely a lot more on memory.” quote by John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4c8/john-petrucci-2141_approach_jordan-ruddes-he-learned-that-way-and-th_645451.jpg)
