Dream Theater | Guitar World

Jordan Rudess with his Druzkowski guitar keyboard prototype

This is Jordan Rudess’s latest project: a custom half-guitar, half-keyboard built by Druzkowski Guitars

By Matt Parker published 8 March 23

The Dream Theater keyboardist has been developing a technique to play both instruments at once – and soon he’ll have the custom axe to do it live…

John Petrucci reveals why he positions his guitar “high and nerdy”

By Matt Owen published 9 December 22

The Dream Theater virtuoso also offered his glowing opinion of the Instagram guitar scene, which he says has raised the bar for guitar players

John Petrucci shares his top 3 tips for better guitar tone

By Joe Bosso published 1 December 22

The Dream Theater prog-metal guitar kingpin might have a signature guitar with boost and piezo, but listen to the man when he says keep it simple – it might just save your tone

John Petrucci: “If a guitarist is onstage playing their ass off, backing tracks don't bother me. But if they're faking it or pretending, that's a whole different thing”

By Andrew Daly published 24 October 22

Dream Theater's shredder-in-chief weighs in on the use of pre-recorded elements in live shows, and discusses his first-ever headline solo tour, which sees him sharing the stage with Mike Portnoy for the first time since 2010

5 scorching shred skills you can learn from John Petrucci

By Charlie Griffiths last updated 4 October 22

Awaken your picking mastery with these prog metal techniques in the style of the virtuoso Dream Theater guitarist

John Petrucci talks buying and selling guitars: “I’m completely illiterate in the world of vintage guitars and Les Pauls and Strats and all that stuff”

By Jamie Dickson published 2 September 22

Dream Theater’s magus of the fretboard on the Les Paul copy that sparked his love of humbuckers and why he might give Django a run for his money…

John Petrucci performs with Dream Theater at Oslo Spektrum on May 19, 2022 in Oslo, Norway

Five practice tips from Dream Theater's John Petrucci

By John Petrucci published 12 July 22

In this classic GW lesson, the Dream Theater guitar great helps you get more out of your practice sessions

Guitarists Phil Collen (L) and John Petrucci perform as part of the G3 concert tour at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The Linq Promenade on January 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How John Petrucci revolutionized Phil Collen's guitar rig

By Jenna Scaramanga published 12 May 22

The Dream Theater shredder persuaded Def Leppard to go all digital following 2018's G3 tour

John Myung dishes on his new signature bass amp, practice regime and whether he ever screws up

By Ellen O'Reilly published 5 April 22

The Dream Theater bassist checks in to talk gear, tone and technique following the release of A View From the Top of the World

Foo Fighters sweep up three awards at the Grammys, Dream Theater scoop Best Metal Performance for The Alien

By Sam Roche last updated 4 April 22

The Recording Academy paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins in its In Memoriam segment, though notably excluded late Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison

Ashdown John Myung Double Drive review

By Joel McIver published 4 March 22

The Dream Theater bassist teams up with Ashdown for a tooled-up dual distortion perfectly voiced for bass guitar

[L-R] John Mayer, Samantha Fish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Joe Duplantier

The 20 best guitar albums of 2021

By Jonathan Horsley published 22 December 21

Records that stoked creative fires and set the guitar world alight this year, as voted for by you

Christian Andreu, Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti and Alexi Laiho

The 10 best guitar riffs of 2021

By Jonathan Horsley last updated 22 December 21

The riffs that induced the most involuntary – and voluntary – head-banging over the past 12 months, as voted for by you

Neural DSP teams up with John Petrucci for new Archetype: Petrucci plugin

By Sam Roche published 17 December 21

The Dream Theater shredder's signature software includes four amps, tons of pedal and rack effects, a comprehensive cab sim module and, yes, a metronome

(from left) Dave Grohl, H.E.R. and Wolfgang Van Halen

Foo Fighters, Mammoth WVH, AC/DC, Black Pumas, St. Vincent, H.E.R., Dream Theater nominated for Grammys

By Jackson Maxwell last updated 3 April 22

Chris Cornell, Deftones, Arlo Parks, Gojira, Mastodon, Weezer, Paul McCartney, Joe Bonamassa, Japanese Breakfast and Cedric Burnside were also among the nominees

John Petrucci: “When you solo, you’re the vocalist in the band... In that way, I’ve always been influenced by guys like David Gilmour, Neal Schon and Gary Moore”

By Joe Bosso published 3 November 21

Beard oil, bourbon, eight-string guitars and 20-minute songs – the Dream Theater virtuoso takes us inside his epic year

Sasami Ashworth of Sasami performs during FORM Arcosanti 2019 at Arcosanti Urban Laboratory on May 12, 2019 in Arcosanti, Arizona.

From awe-inspiring 8-string debuts to distorto-boogie: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche published 28 October 21

Close out October with high-powered guitar greatness from Sasami, Dream Theater, Spoon, Moon Tooth, Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and more

Hear John Petrucci play his new Ernie Ball 8-string Majesty for the first time on Dream Theater's none-more-prog new single, Awaken the Master

By Sam Roche published 26 October 21

The progressive titans released their 15th studio album A View From the Top of the World on Friday

Ashdown Engineering's new John Myung Double Drive pedal

Dream Theater's John Myung teams up with Ashdown for new signature Double Drive pedal

By Jackson Maxwell published 22 October 21

The Double Drive features two distortions – one subtle and one that can be turned up to "face-melting" levels – that can be stacked for intense levels of gain

John Petrucci: “I've always felt there's a connection between guitar playing and weight lifting”

By Sam Roche published 5 October 21

The Dream Theater shred wizard explains the link between his two great passions in life (other than his beard)