🎸 Metal · 2000s

Stream of Consciousness by Dream Theater (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Dream Theater · riff

The Stream of Consciousness by Dream Theater guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Mark II C+, dialed in at gain 8/10, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 7, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

GAIN

BASS

5.5

MID

TREBLE

6.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 8 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 5.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Music Man John Petrucci Signature Model · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark II C+

Studio recording, 2003

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Mesa/Boogie songs & tones →🎚️ Tube Screamer songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →🎚️ MXR Phase 90 songs & tones →🎚️ Mesa/Boogie Mark Series songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Music Man John Petrucci Signature Model → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Boss DD-3 Digital Delay → MXR Phase 90 → Mesa/Boogie Mark II C+

Effects

overdrive, delay, phaser, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 3)

Tone character

tight and percussive, aggressive and articulate, sustained and melodic, complex and dynamic, rich harmonic content

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, aggressive dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Stream of Consciousness sound.

Worth knowing

Exact amp settings are estimated based on typical usage of the Mesa/Boogie Mark II C+ in similar contexts.
Specific pedal models and settings are inferred from common practices and may not reflect the exact equipment used in the recording.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Dream Theater's 'Stream of Consciousness' features a modern metal tone with high gain and balanced EQ settings to cut through the mix, typical of John Petrucci's style. The reverb is minimal to maintain clarity and tightness.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

Recognise famous songs from just the amp dials — a quick 10-round game. Beat your friends. Play free →

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Stream of Consciousness guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Stream of Consciousness guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 2. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Stream of Consciousness tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Music Man John Petrucci Signature Model · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark II C+; overdrive, delay, phaser, reverb.

Can I get the Stream of Consciousness tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Dream Theater on Stream of Consciousness — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 2), and overdrive, delay, phaser, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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More like this

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com