Easy-ish Dream Theater tunes?

[Malkav]

Er... It's not exactly their most popular stuff, but Peruvian Skies is extremely doable.

I sort of agree with that, but at the same time the solo is quite difficult if you can't use a wah reasonably, one of my pet peeves in this world is people who step on wahs and can't use them properly, if I ever see one of these people playing that solo and screwing up all the beauty and finesse of Petrucci's phrasing with the wah I will bitch slap that ...............

 

[CD1221]

A problem with the DT stuff is Petrucci uses at least 6 different tunings between 6s and 7s when you sit down and think about it.

If you REALLY want to give your tuner a workout, learn The Tea Party's entire catalogue. Jeff Martin uses a different tuning pretty much every track. His guitar tech must hate life.


/off topic

JP rocks

 

[JustMac]

Panic Attack from Octavarium isn't so bad until Petrucci's rent-a-solo service begins somewhere in the middle. I say try em, even if you can barely play a few seconds of it, it's like speeding up the metronome, it makes everything else a doddle when you go back to playing easier stuff. Sure, it's the guitar equivalent of going go-karting once and then entering the formula one gran prix, but hell, it'll make you much sharper than the dude sitting around riffing out to In Bloom all day, eh?

 

[wespaul]

Believe it or not, Under A Glass Moon isn't too bad. There are a couple of hard runs/licks in the solo, but for the most part it's very easy.

Did you just come into a thread asking for easy DT songs to play and recommend "Under a Glass Moon"?

 

[Xiphos68]

I cannot really say any Dream Theater song is "easy."

All of them have different challenges to overcome. Pull Me Under has an easy rhythm section but some difficult unison's and solo.

 

[Dayn]

Root of All Evil is pretty dang easy. The solo's not too hard either. Also, fun wah!

 

[rikomaru]

As mentioned before, These Walls is a rather simple cut. One of my personal favorites, Disappear, is probably the easiest. That's from the first disc of Six Degrees. I Walk Beside You from Octavarium. Let's see........the riffs from Honor Thy Father are easy enough AND have attitude.

 

[Given To Fly]

Wither and Burning My Soul are easy and fun. Through Her Eyes is easy/fun to play (and sing). Constant Motion is a good medium difficulty one to go after if you have a guitar in E standard, good picking hand workout as it never really stops (hence the title).

Root of All Evil is easy, its in Eb. The leads are not that tough. Stream of Consciousness as well, its just long. Again, easier solos and fun riffs.

D standard more your style? A Rite of Passage is my favorite DT tune to play along with.

Got a 7? In the Name of God is easy, has some great riffs, and no solo. The Dark Eternal Night has some sick riffs as well that aren't that tough.

Like C Standard? As I Am is really easy as far as the riffs are concerned. The solo is just speed, there is nothing overly difficult. It's all standard 3nps patterns. If you research the story behind that song and how it was conceived, you'll know why JP plays that solo in that specific way.

A problem with the DT stuff is Petrucci uses at least 6 different tunings between 6s and 7s when you sit down and think about it.

I'd like to know why Petrucci plays the As I Am solo the way he does? All I can find is the song is about their experience touring with Queensrÿche.

 

[Osorio]

[regarding Peruvian Skies]
I sort of agree with that, but at the same time the solo is quite difficult if you can't use a wah reasonably, one of my pet peeves in this world is people who step on wahs and can't use them properly, if I ever see one of these people playing that solo and screwing up all the beauty and finesse of Petrucci's phrasing with the wah I will bitch slap that ...............

You would hate me endlessly as I simply ignore the Wah's existence altogether on this and pretty much any other song that features it. The only one I have ever tried to do properly was in the solo of Voices, but I've given up on it as well. Wah is just not my thing.

Aside that... Some people in this thread have some really questionable definitions of what "easy" means. Or I terribly suck at playing guitar. Probably both.
My coffee almost went straight into the screen when I saw mention of "In The Name of God". At least it was an honest mistake.

But to enjoy the Train of Thought: "Endless Sacrifice" is also pretty doable (as is the already mentioned and previously mixed up "Honor Thy Father").

 

[Given To Fly]

Probably a useless question but was wondering if there was any straight forward DT songs to practice? Getting into their stuff but everything I'm hearing is crazy shred or complex riffage.

Honestly, I would find the music to your favorite DT song and try it. It might turn out to be way above your ability or it might turn out to be surprisingly doable. Its amazing what you can do without the burden of preconceived notions.

 

[Given To Fly]

You would hate me endlessly as I simply ignore the Wah's existence altogether on this and pretty much any other song that features it. The only one I have ever tried to do properly was in the solo of Voices, but I've given up on it as well. Wah is just not my thing.

Aside that... Some people in this thread have some really questionable definitions of what "easy" means. Or I terribly suck at playing guitar. Probably both.
My coffee almost went straight into the screen when I saw mention of "In The Name of God". At least it was an honest mistake.

But to enjoy the Train of Thought: "Endless Sacrifice" is also pretty doable (as is the already mentioned and previously mixed up "Honor Thy Father").

Speaking of wah's, I think the best "wah sound" I have ever heard is at the end of the Caught in a Web solo.

I agree with your assessment on what is being considered "easy." There seems to be a mix of good suggestions with a few of the hardest songs Dream Theater has ever written.

 

[farren]

Yeah thought that, Easy DT is like asking MJ to stop touching kids, Impossibru!!!

This may have been slightly amusing in 1997.

 

[tyler_faith_08]

I think it's amusing now. But that's just I.

 

[Dani2901]

!!! Innocence Faded !!!! This would be a nice song to start with.

Playing Dream Theater songs is never easy and takes much time. In 99.9% of their songs is one lick which f****s me up....

Innocence Faded is not as long as The Count Of Tuscany or many others. The solo is possible as far as you are not a bloody beginner and its standart E tuning...
I don't like to tune a guitar just for one song....

 

[Osorio]

I can't believe Strange Deja-Vu hasn't already been mentioned. That is one really really really easy song...

 

[Malkav]

There's also Space Dye Vest - The guitar part is super easy You just need an E-Bow for that one melody

Hollow years is also quite doable if you're playing the recorded version, the version from live at Budokan has one ............ of a solo, again with a use of wah that just leaves me speechless

Also Home, it has some crazy moments, but at least that first intro theme and heavy na-ni-na-ni-poo-poo part is doable

Trial of Tears is also pretty reasonable.

Most of Lie is okay as well, but the solo is a little intense, and if you're learning the album version then that end bit is also a challenging.

As I Am is also something you could tackle, the solo is pretty intense though.

These Walls is also quite easy, and the chorus chords are pretty much the same intervals as Linkin Park's Crawling (Two birds one stone right there )

Lifting Shadows Off A Dream is also pretty chilled.

Through Her Eyes is another one that's easy, and there's a nice melodic part

 

[oneblackened]

Did you just come into a thread asking for easy DT songs to play and recommend "Under a Glass Moon"?

I did. There's nothing absurdly difficult in that song save for some parts of the solo.

 

[The Mirror]

I did. There's nothing absurdly difficult in that song save for some parts of the solo.

Except the rest of the song.

 

[meteor685]

easier dream theater tunes are definately not easy tunes, i would say their easier stuff is intermediate/early advanced, but imo here are some of there less difficult stuff.


Silent Man(prolly their easiest song).
Another Day(aside from the solo)
Change of seasons intro
Overture 1920
Innocence faded(aside from the end solo)
Take the time isnt too bad if u take ur time with it.
Surrounded.
Spirit carried on
Wither
Count of tuscany(isnt too bad aside from when he alternate picks fast)
Pull me Under intro riff
Root of all evil (never learned it, but it doesnt sound too hard, correct me if im wrong though haha)
About to crash isnt bad either.
Under a glass moons riffs aren't too bad.

Either way Dream Theater songs aren't "easy", they take practice to get right. but you can learn so much from each of their songs =)

 

[Lokasenna]

"Home" is pretty straightforward, and the bits that aren't are easy enough to fake your way through until it gets easy again. Also, the main riff = instant headbang.