“Another Day” solo

General Music Discussion
#1

I’m trying to learn the solo for “Another Day” by Dream Theater. There’s a very fast run after the initial part of the solo that I have a question about if anyone has ever tackled it.

Is it all alternate picking or is he throwing in a mix of economy/alternate/hammer ons? It starts with a 3 note per string scalar sequence on the D to G strings and moves up a position back to the D and then follows the scale on a three note per string pattern up to the E. Seems like it would lend itself to pure economy but it’s so fast and I’m so terrible it’s hard to pick out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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Becoming a virtuoso
#2

Check this one out. I believe this is correct, although if you slow down the original Petrucci version he doesn’t play it this clean. But he definitely is playing it all alternate picking. I have never seen him playing scales using sweeping motions.

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#3

Blasphemy! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

But I know what you mean, sometimes Petrucci goes into a hyper-picking/tremolo mode where left and right hand are not fully in sync. These passages are very difficult to study actually, because it’s not clear how to subdivide the beat etc.

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#4

clearly alt picked here. then again its 25 years later and it live so its probably a simplified version

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#5

Nice. @qwertygitarr I just used one of those Dave Escobar videos to learn the “No More Tears” solo. I guess I should have delved deeper.
@tommo It’s funny you guys mention JP’s accuracy. I was just listening to “Pull Me Under” and I was thinking the pre-chorus solos seem to suffer from the same ever so slight lack of synchronization. Just when he flies into light speed though.
Thanks all

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#6

Just to clarify, he is a super-accurate player most of the time.
These super fast tremolos are kind of a stylistic choice in most cases (kind of a Jimmy Page on steroids if you know what I mean :slight_smile: )

In fact, for these tremolo passages there is probably more value in coming up with our own versions of the lick (e.g. by keeping the target notes the same), as compared to trying to reproduce the exact thing!

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#7

When I come across a difficult fast passage I just concentrate on getting the first note of each beat correct and I dont worry about the other notes in between so much.

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#8

Maybe try this one, just to quit guitar once and for all :laughing:

Sorry for the off topic, good luck on the solo, it’s an amazing one!

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Andre Nieri's incredible technique
Guitar Solo Covers You Think are Better than the Originals
#9

He’s also behind the beat a bunch. The timing of the preceding phrases is being intentionally played with, forcing him to kind of catch up when that scalar phrase comes along.

That purple sparkle, though. And fretboard binding. If it only continued around the headstock. Otherwise, nahce. Vera nahce. Too bad the Majesty itself is just so damned ugly.

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#10

yeah, in the bigger picture its basically just some fast notes leading up to a target bent note

but if the Escobar tab is correct then at least its very logical and should be easy to work on: a 6 note pattern repeated and then another 6 note pattern where the notes r different but same picking

id be interested to know how a real hardcore legalistic militant vegan type of economy picker would pick that. if its DUD on the D string leading to DUD on the G string, after the D on the G how do they get back to the D? are they going to outside pick or is there some magical way that only militant eco pickers know? or do they just avoid such phrases?

This is why i always chuckle at the ‘eco vs alt’ picking arguments. In reality you either do alt picking or you do eco plus alt picking lol

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#11

Listening to JP’s studio recording again I had the impression that the run is quite clean, but there is a mini pause between the first 2 groups of 6 notes and the last one (I’m trusting David Escobar on the transcription). Could it be a sort of hiccup due to the inside-picking passage? (the first 3 string changes are all outside picking).

Edit: the run is so fast that I wouldn’t be surprised if a bit of elbow made its appearance. This would imply a preference for escaped downstrokes and might explain the difficulty in the G to B string change.

Edit2: let’s have the solo here for convenience :slight_smile:

#12

I agree there is a pause between the first and second section. That would allow economy picking. I keep thinking it must be. Is there any history of JP using economy picking? Also if the Escobar video is in fact using the studio cut as the template then the written tab is wrong. Pretty sure the run starts on D# not E as he has it written. As a matter of fact the whole tab is pushed up a position. Although it looks and sounds like he’s actually playing it in the right spot. The tab really doesn’t make a difference execution wise anyway. I’m running with the econ picking. It may not be right but when I attempt it that way it’s easier and has that same frantic free fall sound.

#13

Yes, there is a little hickup and if you listen att slowest speed you can hear that the fourth note of the run is played twice. I could be intentional but probably not.

Don’t get me wrong now, musically there is NOTHING wrong with the original version. Is sounds absolutely amazing and I could never play it that good! One of my favourite licks! Probably due to perfect timing, authority and consistent picking attack.

I looked a bit closer though at the Dave Escobar video I posted earlier and, although it really doesn’t matter, it’s not exactly what I think the lick really is. Here is what I THINK Petruccis original line was written to be. And before the hate… I know I’m being a complete jerk now. Who am I to correct a legendary solo? But since we’re really digging into this particular lick, this is my guess:

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#14

Here’s the isolated guitar track:

Solo starts at around 3 minutes.

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#15

Just go to say, WOW this solo was fantastic! What a beautiful style and tone this guy has! Got to look into him more.

#16

Thanks Lars! Well I have to regretfully confess, Escobars version was right. :woozy_face:

#17

@qwertygitarr I like your version of the run, definitely does the job! Also you are a beast :open_mouth: what guitar is that? I started getting GAS just by looking at the video thumbnail.
Edit: in fact even before you posted this I was gonna suggest that your primary dwps form would be perfect for this run - and for a lot (if not all) of Petrucci’s playing!

@lars wow cool thank you so much for the track! How did you manage to find this? Or is there any way to (approximately) isolate tracks from a mix? (It would seem a formidable computational task)

#18

If you just google for stem files or like ‘guitar karaoke’ you’ll find stuff like this for all kinds of songs.

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#19

Thanks! And yes the UXS (I’m hope I’m using the right term now) I’m using here seem to work fo a lot of Petrucci stuff. But I finally understood now what you mean by some of the difficulties in string changes in the original version, and I agree. That should be caused by DXS.

The guitar is a Yamaha 120SD, a budget Yamaha from the 90s. It has, as most of my guitars, a Gilbert volume knob set up. When I switched over to a UXS hand setup the volume control was always in the way and the tone control I never use. Hence the setup.

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#20

@qwertygitarr I’m sorry I’m still getting used to the terminology around here. What exactly is USX? What you’re playing sounds awesome btw.