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The recording
“Metropolis Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper)” was recorded between October and December 1991 at Bear Tracks Studio in Suffern, NY, under producer David Prater. Petrucci’s guitar tracks were captured on analog tape, using his JEM guitar and a high‑gain Mesa/Boogie amp paired with a digital delay to give the clean intro its ambient depth and the heavy sections their tight, aggressive tone. The performance features rapid alternate‑picked riffs, soaring lead lines, and a clean arpeggiated intro, all played in standard tuning.
Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)·Strings D'Addario EXL120 .010‑.046
Signal chain
Original gear
Ibanez JEM (mid-1980s)
Guitar
Petrucci recorded the iconic riffs of 'Metropolis Pt. 1' using his Ibanez JEM, a neck‑through super‑strat with DiMarzio pickups, delivering the bright attack and sustain needed for the rapid alternate‑picked sections.
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Distortion
The DS‑1 provides the aggressive, mid‑range crunch heard on the verses and the thick rhythm tone throughout the track.
Boss DD-2 Digital Delay
Delay
The DD‑2 adds the subtle digital repeats that fill out the clean intro arpeggios and give depth to the lead lines.
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (1991)
Amp
The Mark IIC+ head supplied the high‑gain, tight low‑end and articulate mids that drive both the chunky rhythm sections and soaring lead passages.
Mesa/Boogie 4x12 Cabinet (1988)
Cabinet
Paired with Celestion V30 speakers, the 4×12 cabinet delivers the articulate mids and punchy low end heard throughout the mix.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Attack the fast alternate‑picked riffs with strict alternate‑picking and keep the pick angle low.
- 2.Use the bridge pickup for the high‑gain sections to maximize brightness and sustain.
- 3.Set the delay to a short 400 ms repeat with low feedback for the intro arpeggios.
- 4.Engage a moderate amount of gain on the Mark IIC+ and keep the DS‑1 level high to preserve mid‑range punch.
- 5.Practice the clean chord voicings slowly, using slight palm muting to tighten the rhythm.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Metropolis Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper) guitar tone?
The available research points to Ibanez JEM (mid-1980s) into Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (1991). The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Metropolis Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper) amp settings documented?
Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.
What tuning is Metropolis Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper) in?
The current research record lists Standard (E A D G B E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Metropolis Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper) tone on my own gear?
Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.
Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.
