Tone library / Dream theater / The looking glass

The looking glass amp settings — Amplitube Amplitube 5

The Dream theater guitar tone for “The looking glass”, dialed in for a Amplitube Amplitube 5 with a Yamaha ERG121. Studio cut, Dream Theater self-titled (2013) — iconic opening Rush-style arena rock riff

Original rig

Ernie Ball Music Man Axis (custom routed Floyd) + Mesa/Boogie Royal Atlantic RA-100 (Hi mode) into 4x12 Recto Traditional Cab (SM57/MD421) + Roland Dimension D chorus on leads

Compressed, grinding EL34 British-style rock crunch with smooth high-end and tight percussive punch

Amp settings — Amplitube Amplitube 5

CHANNELBritish Tube Lead 1 or British Tube Lead 2 (Hi / Red mode) + 4x12 Closed Modern CabBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	6
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	2
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

Petrucci famously departed from his signature JP model and Mark V for this track, tracking the main riff with an EBMM Axis into an EL34-powered Mesa Royal Atlantic. In AmpliTube 5, load the British Tube Lead 1 or 2 (Mesa British EL34 voicing) on the Hi channel; to match the lower-output ceramic humbuckers on your Yamaha ERG121, keep the gain at 7 and push the upper-mids to 6 to restore the articulate pick snap. Clean pre-chorus: switch AmpliTube to a clean American tube preamp block with a subtle dimension chorus.

PRO TIPPetrucci uses very heavy, firm downpicking right up against the bridge saddles with a 1.5mm+ stiff pick to achieve that tight, percussive chug without bass flub.

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These settings are for a Amplitube Amplitube 5. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.