Dream Theater’s John Petrucci Weighs in on When It’s Okay + Not Okay to Use Backing Tracks

The use of backing tracks by rock and metal bands has been at the forefront of plenty of social media discourse in recent weeks, with Falling in Reverse's Ronnie Radke, SiriusXM radio host Eddie Trunk, Sebastian Bach and Edsel Dope all weighing in on the discussion online. Now, during a recent Guitar World interview, Dream Theater's John Petrucci has offered his thoughts on using backing tracks live, explaining when he feels it is and isn't acceptable.

Petrucci was asked about his contemporaries using backing tracks in the live setting, and his answer wasn't one that was black and white. “It depends on what people are doing because some people don't tour with their whole bands, so they have sound effects and things going on. If they're up there playing their asses off, and they have some sound effects backing that up while they're doing it, that doesn't really bother me," offered the Dream Theater guitarist.

But he also qualified that response by stating, “Having said that, I think that if anybody's up there faking it or pretending, that's a whole different thing."

"I think things have changed a lot," says Petrucci. "You'll have a lot of bands that just go out with two guys now, maybe it's just a guitar player and a drummer, so they need a pre-recorded bass player. If that's the case, then I guess they have to do what they have to do to keep the show going. So, while I am not for people fake playing, it really depends on the situation.”

John Petrucci has been out playing live of late supporting his Terminal Velocity solo album. The tour finds him joined onstage by former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and bassist Dave LaRue. You can get tickets for the run here.