Was Dream Theater taking influences from dubestep on this performance?

[Chlysm]

I've been getting into some dubstep lately and I recently heard the live version of "Home" from Dream Theater and I couldn't help but notice how much it kinda reminded me of dubstep during the intro.

The song was released in 1999 and this was performed in 2000 so dubstep would have been around but ultra obscure. This album also introduced their new (now current) keyboardist; Jordan Rudess who introduced some electronica elements into their future songs.

However the dubstep-esque sound mostly comes from the guitar played by Petrucci.

Full Track

Guitar riff layered with keys and srping loaded wah wah.

http://youtu.be/hXIHPOV2yl8?t=1m58s

Nasty digital synth (this is mixed alot higher in both the live and non live CD versions of this track.

http://youtu.be/hXIHPOV2yl8?t=3m16s

same part in studio version.

http://youtu.be/GqHSrJ2mLo0?t=3m2s

I guess it wouldn't be that hard to believe considering how experimental Dream Theater are with their music. It's mostly interesting that they would have taken influence or even known about something that was so obscure at the time.

[AngelCityOutlaw]

That sort of "Wub" sound has been around a long time. It's just that Dubstep abuses the crap out of it.

In that link the drums have a rhythm like you'd hear in dubstep, but honestly heavy metal songs have had wah, synths and this kinda of half-time rhythm drums since the genre's beginnings.

It definitely is similar, but I highly doubt they were drawing influence from dance music when they composed this song.

[timaeus222]

Nah. If anything, they would be taking loads of middle-eastern influence in this with the sitar emulation and the Mohammedan scales. Wah guitar is nice and all, but it doesn't remind me enough of dubstep here. That's like saying using a filter LFO with distortion = dubstep, because that's basically what's happening to that guitar (though yes, there is more to it than that). Still retaining the metal quality here IMO. Cool song though. One of my favorite artists, actually.

Edited August 24, 2014 by timaeus222

[SystemsReady]

Yeah, wubs have been around before dubstep. They were in "jungle" drum & bass first, if I recall correctly...

[Chlysm]

Nah. If anything, they would be taking loads of middle-eastern influence in this with the sitar emulation and the Mohammedan scales. Wah guitar is nice and all, but it doesn't remind me enough of dubstep here. That's like saying using a filter LFO with distortion = dubstep, because that's basically what's happening to that guitar (though yes, there is more to it than that). Still retaining the metal quality here IMO. Cool song though. One of my favorite artists, actually.

Mohammedan scale? I've never heard anyone refer to harmonic minor scales like that.

They are one of my favs too. It just always struck me as odd in regards to how much heavier, raw and gritty the live version sound over the studio. TBH I've always preferred it for that reason.

[Brandon Strader]

Mohammedan scale? I've never heard anyone refer to harmonic minor scales like that.

Nobody ever talks about the Mohammedan scale out of fear, it's a lot like if you published a drawing of Mohammad. But it's allowed during Ramadan.

[Chlysm]

Lol. Muslims gonna come and get me if I play the Mohammedan scale, but they;re perfectly cool if I play a harmonic minor scale.

Nobody ever talks about the Mohammedan scale out of fear, it's a lot like if you published a drawing of Mohammad. But it's allowed during Ramadan.

[Brandon Strader]

Lol. Muslims gonna come and get me if I play the Mohammedan scale, but they;re perfectly cool if I play a harmonic minor scale.

True story actually, they tried to put Mohammedan scales in an episode of South Park, but it was censored by the network.

[Chlysm]

True story actually, they tried to put Mohammedan scales in an episode of South Park, but it was censored by the network.

So did they just end up dubbing it over with some harmonic minors then?

[lazygecko]

That kind of guitar tone and playing was rather common in metal at the time. Hell, it's featured prominently in the Quake 2 soundtrack IIRC.

[timaeus222]

Lol. Muslims gonna come and get me if I play the Mohammedan scale, but they;re perfectly cool if I play a harmonic minor scale.

Hehe, I just recalled the name from Ravenspiral's music theory guide.

[AngelCityOutlaw]

If you really wanna charm some snakes, the phrygian dominant of the harmonic minor is the way to go.