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I started my musical journey around the year 2000 or so. I started out as a lead singer/songwriter (lyrics and musical input). I soon realized that I loved the guitar and songwriting...and also felt I had/have more of a backup vocalists voice. And once I picked up the guitar I fell in love. First I began learning Ozzy, Metallica, Megadeth, some pop songs and cheesy musical classics (ie yankee doodle, twinkle twinkle little star, etc., etc.,) just for S and Gs. Next I focused a lot on practicing...anything from scales, chords, licks, runs, theory, etc., etc. And also started gravitating towards classical (Bach, Beethoven) classic rock/metal (Kansas, Iron Maiden, 80's hair bands) and speed metal (Slayer, Dark Shift). I did this all starting slow and gradually building up.brbr brbr I hit a fork in the road when I ended up getting tendonitis in my left hand/fret hand and couldn't play for almost 3 months when I went every day with playing.
As I made a slow recovery/return I decided not to take it so seriously as far as robotic exercises and a super strict practice routine ( I was shedding 7 hours a day every day for almost a year!!). So my plan was so simple yet complex...a contradiction of sorts. Play/improvise to anything you hear. Anything from music on the radio or TV to the electrical hum of a refrigerator.brbr About this time I thought Kirk Hammett (Metallica) was the best there ever was on a guitar. Boy was I in for a big suprise. I ended up finding/researching/studying guitarist like John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Paul Gilbert (Racer X), Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Al DiMeola, this list goes on. I was blown away. Dream Theater became almost instantly my favorite band. They are each just so well rounded and are a force to be reckoned with alone nonetheless together. But...I like James Labrie don't get me wrong he fits Dream Theater nicely...and he's always getting better...but sometimes I just can't listen to him sing on the cds and dvds. But for some reason for all the crap he gets he is by far the most amazing vocalist I have seen live...props. brbr I'm pretty much self taught. I take lessons from everybody (even non musicians) and they might not even know it. But if you mean formal lessons I took some sight reading lessons in college, had a handful of lessons with a brilliant, genious musician named Andy Mckee right as he got famous (in fact thats why we had to stop lessons because now he's got more on his plate than Jabba the Hutt). I also took a couple of lessons from another amazing musician but I can't remember his name. Overall I think everybody should have a formal teacher of some sort because it unlocks new doors. But I understand that its hard for some people to do this...I'm in the same boat right now. brbr As far as groups I've been with or collaborated with...I'll try and go in chronological order if I can remember them all...Scatter Blind (Rock), Bleeding Halo(Metal), The Jamie Brummell Project (Rock/Metal), A Semester of College Jazz Band, The Jazz Trio (Myself, a bari-sax player and a tuba player), Skin (Cover Band), Whoracle (Death Metal), The Resin Reactors (More of an oriental/tribal/industrial duo), Speak EZ (Rap/Rock/Hip Rock), Beazt Mode (Rap/Hip Hop/R & B), and other unnamed individual colaborations. I feel like I'm missing some but you get the point...I like to be very well rounded but there's suspiciously a lot of rock/metal groups in there. I'll have to work on that. Right now, as far as groups, other than the occasional collabrative jam sessions, I want to start my own group with my vision that I can adapt with other like minded musicians. A sort of start from the ground up project if you will. brbr As far as my playing at the present... I still love all the old stuff I've learned and constantly play and practice it but I've recently been getting more into bands like All That Remains, Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Kilswitch Engage, etc., etc. I've also been playing a cheap Dean 7-string Vandetta since December '09 and I love it but I miss my Jackson Professional's jumbo frets and ease of play (ie no truss rod issues and intunation problems that hamper the quality of my recordings.)brbr But neways drop me a line if you want to collaborate or show me your music or hell even just to say whats up. LatersbrbrHere's a link to a video of me playing my original song "Without Warning pt.1"brvids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=61926103
youtube.com/user/johnpetrucci42 ...for videos of me playing.
johnpetrucci42@hotmail.com
Artist Mission
Make all types of music with and without collaboration. From Progressive-Metal (Dream Theater)...to Hip-Rock...to World/Tribal. And my mentality is to be heard and represent my fan base who I believe feels the same way about music, whats going on in the world and have visions of life with accomplishments each and every day.
Music Influences
Dream Theater, Cacophony, Incubus, Tool, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Rustey Cooley, Metallica, Megadeth, Andy Mckee, Racer X, Antoine Dufour, Erick Turnbull, Children of Bodom, Slipknot, Slayer, Dark Shift, and many more...in fact you could be one.
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