Riff Tone

Temple of Circadia

John Petrucci

Guitarmetal2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarErnie Ball Music Man JP Baritone BFR

AmpMesa/Boogie JP-2C Signature Head

PickupsDiMarzio Illuminator (humbucker set)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid6

treble7

reverb1.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

wahDunlop Dunlop JP95 John Petrucci Signature Cry Baby Wah

compressionTC Electronic TC Electronic HyperGravity Compressor

overdriveKeeley Keeley Red Dirt Overdrive

noise_gateUnknown Noise Gate (model unknown, likely Axe-FX II or rack-based)

chorusFractal Audio Chorus effect (Axe-FX II, model unknown)

Notes

Studio recording for 'Temple of Circadia' (2021/2022). Petrucci used his signature JP Baritone BFR with DiMarzio Illuminator pickups into a Mesa/Boogie JP-2C head. Effects are primarily run through a rack system with MIDI switching and a Fractal Axe-FX II in the effects loop for modulation and time-based effects. Pedals and effects are controlled via rack and MIDI, not a traditional pedalboard. Settings are estimated based on Petrucci's known studio workflow and verified rig rundowns for this album cycle.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingmodern high-gain saturationclear note separationarticulate attackcrushing low endslightly boosted mids and treblecontrolled, focused bassdynamic, punchy rhythmprecise, fast alternate picking

Difficulty

The main riff of 'Temple of Circadia' requires expert-level technique due to its rapid alternate picking, complex rhythms, and tight palm muting, demanding both speed and precision.

Sources

John Petrucci's Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps Dream Theater (John Petrucci) Amp Settings (gear and tone tips) - Guitar Chalk John Petrucci reveals his almighty live rig and the key to astonishing solos | MusicRadar Rig Rundown - Dream Theater's John Petrucci - Premier Guitar

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