The Influence of Jordan Rudess on Modern Music and Keyboardists

This essay delves into the significant influence of Jordan Rudess, an American virtuoso keyboardist, on modern music, particularly within the progressive rock genre. It explores Rudess's early training in classical piano and his subsequent embrace of progressive rock, which shaped his innovative approach to music composition. The essay highlights his use of advanced technologies, including synthesizers and various keyboard instruments, and his impact on bands such as Dream Theater. It also examines how Rudess has influenced contemporary keyboard players and the evolution of progressive rock. The essay emphasizes his role in reviving the genre and his contributions to the music industry, making him a key figure in modern music history.

Running head: JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
Jordan Rudess and his Influence
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1JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
“For me, music and life are all about style.”
The above quoted lines of Miles Davis may very well be said to form the entire lacuna
of not only the life but also of the artwork of Jordan Rudess. The genre of music has been
used by the human beings since the ancient times as a medium through which they could pass
their leisure time in a much more effective manner and it is a reflection of this particular fact
that the machinery of music since the traditional times had formed an integral part of the lives
of the human beings (Vail 2014). Thus, it was seen that during the ancient times various
bards used to take the help of diverse kinds of instruments to narrate the heroic deeds of the
warriors. However, in the present times the genre of music has undergone much
transformation and in addition to this modern music rather than narrating the deeds of valor
and deeds of heroic acts concerns itself more with the portray of the emotions of the human
heart (Scotto 2017). It is a reflection of this particular fact that not only diverse genres of
music has gained popularity in the recent times but at the same time the medium as well as
the instruments which are being used for the creation of music and the portray of the
emotions of the human heart has also undergone a pronounced transformation (Axford 2015).
One of the best known musicians of the modern era who is known for his verbose use of the
various modern instruments for the creation of music is Jordan Rudess. This essay will
analyze the contribution of Jordan Rudess towards the cannon of modern music and also the
manner in which he has influenced the modern day keyboard players.
Jordan Charles Rudes or more commonly called by his alias name of Jordan Rudess
was born on November 4, 1956 and is widely known all over the world as one of the
stalwarts of the modern cannon of music industry (Jordan Rudess 2018). He is commonly
known as an “American virtuoso keyboardist” and one of the major proponents of the
modern day “progressive rock music” (Jordan Rudess 2018). It is significant to note that
from a very early age Rudess received training in classical piano and this is one of the major

2JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
reasons for the thorough technical grasp which is being reflected in his major musical
composition (Axford 2015). However, he was soon influenced by the progressive rock music
which was gaining much popularity in the later part of the 20th century (Dream Theater 2018).
He started his rock music career with individual solo albums and various concerts and was
soon able to gain the attention of some of the major rock music bands of the 20th century like
Dream Theatre, The Dixie Dregs and others (Jordan Rudess 2018). It is significant to note
that during the 1990s he joined “The Dixie Dregs” and a powerful musical duo with the
famous drummer of this group Rod Morgenstein (Dream Theater 2018). Rudess claim to
fame for this band came during a technical glitch when the other musical instruments of the
band failed and Rudess along with Rod Morgenstein was able to continue the concert (Jordan
Rudess 2018). This lead to formation of the success musical association between the two
which ultimately culminated in the composition of several albums through the association of
both of them that was called by the name of “Rudess/Morgenstein Project” or RMP (Jordan
Rudess 2018). However, soon he soon moved on to the famous musical band “The Dream
Theatre” and this lead to the monumental rise in his professional career. It is significant to
note that his association with this particular rock band propelled his career to much greater
heights and lead to the creation of some of the most memorable musical compositions like
“1999's Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory”, “2002's Six Degrees of Inner
Turbulence, 2003's Train of Thought, 2005's Octavarium, 2007's Systematic Chaos,
2009's Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2011's A Dramatic Turn of Events, 2013's Dream
Theater, 2016's The Astonishing” and others (Jordan Rudess 2018). More importantly than
these, the association with “The Dream Theater” band provided the opportunity to Jordan
Rudess to experiment with rock music and also the keyboard which formed an essential entity
of the band (Dream Theater 2018).

3JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
One of the major influences of Jordan Rudess on the modern progressive music is
perhaps in the field of the use of technology for the composition of music (Dream Theater
2018). It is significant to note that from a very early time Rudess have been experimenting
with various new forms of technologies as well as new diversified kinds of keyboards for the
composition of his music. As a matter of fact it is this innovative use of the instrument of
keyboard, synthesizers and others that have not only propelled him to the pinnacle of the
music industry but at the same time has contributed in a significant manner towards his
association with “The Dream Theatre” and other top musical bands (Hollebeek, Malthouse
and Block 2016). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the “Keyboard Magazine” in
the year 1994 voted him as the “Best New Talent” and in the year 2011 the magazine
“MusicRadar” voted him as “the best keyboardist of all time” (Jordan Rudess 2018).
Furthermore, the magazine even went on to the extent of saying that “Jordan isn't just a
musician. He's a magician!” (Dream Theater 2018). In addition to this, many experts are of
the viewpoint that Rudess is one of the major reasons for not only the revival of the genre of
progressive rock metal music but also the immense popularity which it has gained in the
recent times.
The influence of Rudess is not only limited to the use of the keyboard instrument for
the composition of rock music. As a matter he takes the help of various kinds of instruments
for the composition of music with some of the most common ones being the synthesizers,
Radial Key-Largo, MIDI connectivity, PA connectivity and others (Jordan Rudess 2018).
As a matter of fact during the various stage concerts for “The Dream Theatre” and also for
the diverse individual performances he takes the help of a special kind of keyboard which
instead of being a conglomeration of various different instruments takes the help of a
complex mechanism wherein all the diverse sounds that he needs for the performance is
being stored in a single one and much facilitates the performance (Hollebeek, Malthouse and

4JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
Block 2016). As a matter of fact the instruments which he usually uses for the various stage
performances is being specially made by the company “Wizdom Music & moForte” that is
being owned by Rudess himself (Jordan Rudess 2018). In many ways, Rudess can be said to
be an original innovator and instead of just exploring the traditional bounds of the keyboard
he goes beyond it and takes the help of recent technology as well as innovations for the
composition of sounds which is being highly favored by the rock music lovers (Dream
Theater 2018).
Judess is not just one of the best keyboard players of the present generation but as a
matter of fact his contribution towards the genre of music is also evident in the manner in
which he has influenced the current keyboard players (Vail 2014). In his own words he says
that “I’m not an old-fashioned musician so much anymore” and this fact is evident in his
entire illustrious musical career and also the manner in which he not only uses the instrument
of keyboard but also the classical piano music for the creation of his progressive rock music
(Jordan Rudess 2018). His influence is clearly detected in the musical works of some of the
major rock music bands of the recent years like “HIM”, “Apocalyptica”, “Rammstein”,
“Killswitch Engage”, “Disturbed” and others. Furthermore, it is significant to note that the
influence of Rudess is not only limited to the keyboard rather it is seen that in the recent
times there are various musicians who have started to experiment with the piano as well
following the trend started by Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater 2018). Therefore, it would be
apt to say that Jordan Rudess’s musical work has not only contributed in a significant manner
towards the popularity gained by the progressive rock band but at the same time has lead the
various keyboard players to experiment with the instrument and also to take the help of the
recent innovations and technology for the composition of music.
To conclude, the genre of music is a very dynamic and it is generally that it keeps on
changing depending on the changing needs and the requirements of the people. It is a

5JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
reflection of this particular fact that the musical compositions of one generation are starkly
different from the musical compositions of the other generations. In this particular context,
the name of Jordan Rudess is one of the most important ones on the score of the contribution
which he has made towards the genre of progressive rock music in the recent times. He is
generally considered to be not only one of the best keyboard players but at the same time one
of the original innovators of the genre of music. Furthermore, it is generally seen that the
majority of his musical compositions take the help of various diverse technologies as well as
innovations that are available and this particular fact has contributed in a significant manner
towards the popularity gained by him in the genre of music and also the influence that he
wields.

6JORDAN RUDESS AND HIS INFLUENCE
References
Axford, E.C., 2015. Music Apps for Musicians and Music Teachers. Rowman & Littlefield.
Dream Theater. 2018. Jordan Rudess - Dream Theater. [online] Available at:
http://dreamtheater.net/band/jordan-rudess/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2018].
Hollebeek, L.D., Malthouse, E.C. and Block, M.P., 2016. Sounds of music: exploring
consumers’ musical engagement. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 33(6), pp.417-427.
Jordan Rudess. 2018. Jordan Rudess - Official Website. [online] Available at:
https://www.jordanrudess.com/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2018].
Scotto, C., 2017. The Structural Role of Distortion in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Music
Theory Spectrum, 38(2), pp.178-199.
Vail, M., 2014. The synthesizer: a comprehensive guide to understanding, programming,
playing, and recording the ultimate electronic music instrument. Oxford University Press.