No. 2421994·progressive-metal·5 blocks

6:00

Awake is the only Dream Theater record Petrucci quadruple-tracked, and he has described exactly how: 'if it was a rhythm part or figure, I played two tracks, left and right, of the IIC+, and two tracks, left and right, of the Dual Rectifier.' That is the whole secret of this rhythm sound. The Mark IIC+ supplies focus and the saturated midrange bark; the Recto underneath supplies the low-end weight the Mark will not give you. Neither amp alone gets there, which is why single-amp attempts at this tone always land either too nasal or too loose.

Awake coverAwake
Settings for
Signal path · input → output · 9 blocksLive values · Line 6 Helix
Guitar
Ibanez JPM (signature, Awake era)
Pickups
HH
Tuning
bridge
Strings
standard
Noise Gate
Deluxe Comp
Scream 808
Cali 2C+ Lead
Cali Q Graphic
4x12 Recto V30
Simple Delay
Plate
Noise Gate
← Gain-structure housekeeping
Cab
Threshold
-58dB
Decay
28s
Deluxe Comp
← Studio compression
Dynamics
Threshold
-20dB
Ratio
2:1
Knee
6dB
Attack
14ms
Release
120ms
Mix
20
Level
0dB
Scream 808
← Inferred tightening boost
Distortion
Gain
1
Tone
6.5
Level
7
Cali 2C+ Lead
← Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (lead channel)
Amp
Drive
7
Bass
3
Mid
3
Treble
7
Presence
4
ChVol
6
Master
8
Bias
5
BiasX
5
Sag
4
Hum
3
Ripple
3
Cali Q Graphic
← Mesa Mark five-band graphic EQ
EQ
80Hz
3dB
240Hz
-2dB
750Hz
-4dB
2.2kHz
2
6.6kHz
3
4x12 Recto V30
← Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Standard 4x12
Cab
LowCut85Hz
HighCut5800Hz
Resonance
7
Level
0dB
Pan
0.5
Delay
0
Simple Delay
← TC Electronic 2290
Delay
LowCut300Hz
HighCut4000Hz
Time
320ms
Feedback
6
Mix
5
Level
0
Plate
← Lexicon PCM 70
Reverb
LowCut200Hz
HighCut6500Hz
Mix
10
Decay
1.2s
Predelay
24ms
Level
0

What we checked

Computed by a program, on this recipe, every time this page is built. How this works

Preset files — 0 of 3 complete
  • Helix 2 blocks missing from the file
    Which ones

    Not in the file: Cali Q Graphic, 4x12 Recto V30. The recipe calls for these blocks, but we have no verified model ID for them on this platform, so the preset is written without them. Add them by hand using the settings above.

  • Quad Cortex 5 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
    Which ones

    Replaced with a stand-in: Gate, Studio Comp, Green Scream, CA MkIIC+ Lead, 4x12 Recto V30. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.

  • Katana 1 block missing from the file; 4 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
    Which ones

    Not in the file: Reverb. The recipe calls for this block, but we have no verified model ID for it on this platform, so the preset is written without it. Add it by hand using the settings above.

    Replaced with a stand-in: Lead, Booster, Delay, Reverb. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.

Helix DSP
25.3% of one chip — fits (1 block has no published cost and is counted as zero)
Sources
3 cited, 0 from publications that do original gear reporting — every source here is an aggregator, tab site, video, or wiki. Treat the gear list as less settled than usual.
Attribution
Not yet rated — This recipe predates the attribution-confidence field and hasn't been reviewed for it.
What we didn't check
  • Nobody played this through a real amp. There is no human listening test behind any number on this page.
  • The settings are reasoned from the sources below, not measured off the record.
  • No audio has been rendered for this recipe yet, so you cannot hear it before you load it.
  • 3 platforms on this page (TONEX, Kemper, Fractal) get a model pointer, not a preset file — nothing was built or checked for them.
The mic in this chain

Shure SM57

Still made, still the studio default. The cheapest part of this chain to get right.

Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The mic is listed because the chain uses it, not because anyone paid for the placement.

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