It’s John Petrucci’s birthday today (July 12) and the Dream Theater electric guitar icon has been celebrated by teasing the launch of Tone Mission – a new venture that looks very likely to be his own guitar software brand.
The guitarist took to Instagram earlier today to share a starry video clip, with an atmospheric voiceover that appears to have been recorded by Petrucci himself.
“For centuries, musicians have searched for the perfect tone, a sound that will transcend time, move the soul and stir the imagination,” said the guitarist.
“Our quest for tone is a relentless pursuit: sleepless nights, hours spent experimenting, crafting, feeding the unquenchable desire to reach new sonic heights.
“It’s a journey of discovery. A search for new levels of creativity and inspiration. It’s a mission. A Tone Mission. Join us.”
The guitarist also shares a URL in the clip: tonemission.com.
At present the site only offers the option of signing up to a mailing list, and does not reveal the nature of Tone Mission.
However, a search of the United States Patent and Trademark Office database shows a filing for the Tone Mission trademark in March of this year in relation to “Downloadable computer software for creating and editing music and sounds.”
The name of the applicant? One John Peter Petrucci.
It therefore seems safe to predict that the Dream Theater man is working on his own line of tone software. Indeed, back in December 2022, he used the name in an interview with Eddie Trunk (via Blabbermouth), telling the DJ he had some “some really cool John Petrucci and Tone Mission signature product coming” in 2023.
Interestingly, we also found a 2014 application for the Tone Mission trademark in relation to effects pedals and pickups. That trademark is now defunct. The name, however, appears to have stuck with the prog metal legend.
We’ll have to wait to find out the exact nature of Petrucci’s plans for the brand, but perhaps it will expand on the sounds found in his enduringly popular Archetype: John Petrucci plugin.
For now, though, head over to Tone Mission and sign up to the mailing list for further updates.