John Petrucci is one of the most technically gifted guitar players in the world and, as one of the founders of Dream Theater, has enjoyed enormous critical and commercial success selling around 8 million albums worldwide.

With a career spanning over two decades, the band has produced 10 albums and toured the world, becoming well known for their intense and spectacular instrumental skills and often playing mammoth three hour sets that vary hugely from night to night. With incredibly complex arrangements often gliding over odd time signatures throughout and fast unison lines between John and keyboard player Jordan Rudess and the other musicians on stage, these gigs have become occasions for fans to admire musicians at the peak of their game.

And because Dream Theater is very much a musician's band, with each member demonstrating playing of the utmost skill and passion, it's no surprise that Petrucci has been regularly voted Guitarist Of The Year (most recently in Total Guitar magazine). His incredible technique and alternate picking style have also earned him invites into the upper echelons of the guitar-playing world. G3 is Joe Satriani's touring concept where he invites two of the best guitarists in the world to tour with him. With half a dozen of these tours under his belt, Petrucci has now been invited on G3 more than any other player.

Petrucci has a huge international fan base among hardcore guitar players and rock fans and he is often cited as one of the top 5 'shredders' in the world. That being said, when asked in a recent interview with TC about the one piece of advice he would give to an up-coming guitarist, his answer was not about technique but simply to "be creative".

It's no surprise that there are even forums and websites dedicated to John, the gear he uses and how he gets his unique sound with lists showing which gear was used on each of the Dream Theater albums and Petrucci's solo output. While his sound is very much about his unique playing style, Petrucci also takes a great amount of interest in his gear - naturally, he only uses the very best guitars and effects to polish off his sound.

With his own signature guitar series, it's down to TC Electronic to provide him with much of the effects and pedal power that he needs. Included in his arsenal is a TC Electronic SCF pedal, a 1210, three M3000's and a C400XL.

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