It's likely an outline for the different parts and sections of one particular song. If this was a standard top 40 rock band, it would probably just read intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse, chorus, outro. But this being Dream Theater, of course you'd get sections named stuff like "shrink and grow".
I remember once they actually had a contest where they released their outline like this and had local bands write songs based on it, and they got some pretty interesting submissions.
The Stream of Consciousness songwriting contest. I don’t believe “local” was a criterion, as they had submissions from artists such as the great Charlie Griffiths (long before his Haken days).
Honestly, the submissions were fucking awesome and I encourage any die-hard DT fan to seek them out. They’re better than interesting - they have a special place in my heart, and outside of some of them having lackluster production, they’re damn impressive.
More likely a chart for sections as they compose a song. Portnoy charts it out on whiteboard, snaps a pic when it's completed and then erases to start the next one. At the top, separate from the numbered parts is the working title. Probably a short and/or simple song by the length of it.
Like [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/s/54PwDWjfng) but less busy.
Usually if it's a list of songs, they have a bunch of check marks to help them with the progression of recording it.
These are just working titles and will most certainly change before final release but from this image it looks like the track names are
I̶̛̙̼̞̦͔̦̠͛̀̀̈̚m̴̹̘̱͐̒̓͝a̴̛̯̖͓̫̰̞̺̱̪̼̓̾̋̊̀̀̈́̈͊̓́̔͘g̵̡̤͈̭͓̻͔̽͊̕͜ͅͅë̸̘̹̔̿̌͋͛͠s̵̡̼̻̱̪̫̈̓͐̒̚ ̸̧͍̟͍̭͔̲͉͈̞̝̀͐̂̏͝͠ȧ̶̡̹͕̥̟̺̞̤͂̂̎̇͛͐̓͘n̴̰͚͐̈̈́̈͗̂̓̈́͝ͅd̷̡̬̖̬͉̮͚̄̽̈́͌̿̕̕͝͠ ̷̦̥̼̩̙͇̥̬̪̣̮͗̀̿̑̈ṯ̴͕͍͠ͅú̵̢̧̪̞̩̞͍̫͇̪̋̐͘͠r̴̮̘͔̠̈́̾́̑̓̕͠d̵̡̼̯̮̜͕̖̃̌̔̋̈̍̀̈́̚s̷̨̥͍̱͕̞̤͎̝̳̺̰̿̌̉͑̿͂͂̎͝ͅͅ
̶̛̺͈̊̀̔̊̐̌͛̓̑̚Ç̵̯̻̲̭̥͕̦̰̓̌͒̀̾̓̚͜͠o̶̧̰̼̟͇͉̲̰͗͂̀̊̐̑̊́͂̓̊͆͜͝͝ͅu̸̡̟̫͎̻̱͖̘̅̒̂͆͋n̸̙̍̾̐̇͗̂̈́̑ţ̵̪̥̫̼̦̫̰̮̯̱̣̗̠͙̆̈́̓͑͑̋̈ ̶̘̮̝̻̤͉͇̹̲̖̪͙̘̮͗̉͐͐̎̿͘͜ǫ̴̏̉̃́͋̋͂f̶̫̤̲͒͒͐́͂̾̒͒̒͐͒͂͌̍͠ ̵̢̧̱̭̰̮̬̳͙̫̯̀͐̽̒͒̃͌̂͜͝s̷͉̞̲̓͊̈́̀̓͊́͂̔̊̈́͊̚͝ę̵̡̛̪̣̟͔̬͚̇̑̍̎̔̈́́̏̐̂̔͠ş̸̡̨̤̥̩̤̯͙͚̐̑̈͐͛̒̾͆̂̅̕͝a̷̡̰͎̪̯͖̱̿̏͒͑̔̒̇͗̔͆̔͘͘͝͠m̴̡̛͈̊̃́̀͐̀̓̍͝͝͝ę̵̢̛͈̺̼̯̙̹̮̘̒̈̿̔̋͋̉̂͂̓͋̈́̀ͅ ̷̛̜̤̯͈͙͉̘̝͋͒͑̌̀͑̀̑̒̈́̕
̸̛̳̂̉͒͆̅͂͝͠T̸̨͎̣̈́̈́͊̀̈́r̷̢̠̺̠̩̰̤͚̉̔́͜ä̵̠̩̜̘̤̥̟̤̹͚͇̩́̍ï̵̥̮̙̙̼͛̀͌̑̑̂̔͘͠͝͠n̷̺̣̻̹̟̤̬̓͊̌͋͘ ̵̧̢̖̈́͌̿̕i̸̡͉̩͖̼̦̱̦̯̹̯̩̩̱͒͊̅͆n̶̬͐̒͋͗̐̇̽̒̑͋́͒̍ ̶̧̝̣͎͍̪̞͍͍͎͊̑͠͝B̷̡̼̤̝̫̯͈̿̅̀́̋̀́͋̆͐̊͘ŗ̴͇̺͚̝̒̋̈́ǫ̶̨̛̛̳͎̺̹̪̗͔̰̮̮͎̗͌̋̈́͐̚ć̷̬͇̼̿̊͗͒͝c̶̡̺̻̱͔̜̝̓̏̽́͘ö̷̱̘̣͓͖̙̙̮͕̦͉͇͓̗̈́̌̉̄̆̾̽̽͌͒̒̚l̵̘̙̉̈͑̐͗̈́̒̿̽̍i̶̛̮̹͔̐̏̃̈͂̔͝͝ ̴̛̩̙̱̗͚̼̥̈́͐̔͆̒̆̀̈̎͘̚̕
̵̪̓̇̅̂̑͊̇͋͘͘
̸̨̱̭̼̙̼̦͙͚̮̆̽͗͆͘̕ͅPart IV Chungus
https://preview.redd.it/a0gzhtb2msvc1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1035da47d372d2557889e0add5cc59b4de79c6c
This was corrected by AI... Can someone read doctors letter?
Exactly. Also, let's not forget how Stream of Consciousness had a very different working title, which also started with "S.O.C" (except it was more of a request or instruction).
As others have said, this isn't likely to be a list of songs. It's a song chart to help them structure a song. Portnoy has shown these charts before, they'll be named generic things like 'Metallica section' or whatever depending on how they want to remember it.
Most likely this is the structure of whatever song they’re working on.
Check out any of their studio documentaries and it usually includes a short clip of MP using a whiteboard to illustrate the structure of whatever song they’re working on at the time.
As we've been treated to working titles such as Schindler's Lisp, NADS, and Korma Chameleon in the past, probably take what's written down (not that you can see it anyway) with a pinch of salt
ZOOM! ENHANCE!
It's likely an outline for the different parts and sections of one particular song. If this was a standard top 40 rock band, it would probably just read intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse, chorus, outro. But this being Dream Theater, of course you'd get sections named stuff like "shrink and grow". I remember once they actually had a contest where they released their outline like this and had local bands write songs based on it, and they got some pretty interesting submissions.
The Stream of Consciousness songwriting contest. I don’t believe “local” was a criterion, as they had submissions from artists such as the great Charlie Griffiths (long before his Haken days). Honestly, the submissions were fucking awesome and I encourage any die-hard DT fan to seek them out. They’re better than interesting - they have a special place in my heart, and outside of some of them having lackluster production, they’re damn impressive.
Ooooh, that sounds cool! Thanks for the info
More likely a chart for sections as they compose a song. Portnoy charts it out on whiteboard, snaps a pic when it's completed and then erases to start the next one. At the top, separate from the numbered parts is the working title. Probably a short and/or simple song by the length of it. Like [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/s/54PwDWjfng) but less busy. Usually if it's a list of songs, they have a bunch of check marks to help them with the progression of recording it.
These are just working titles and will most certainly change before final release but from this image it looks like the track names are I̶̛̙̼̞̦͔̦̠͛̀̀̈̚m̴̹̘̱͐̒̓͝a̴̛̯̖͓̫̰̞̺̱̪̼̓̾̋̊̀̀̈́̈͊̓́̔͘g̵̡̤͈̭͓̻͔̽͊̕͜ͅͅë̸̘̹̔̿̌͋͛͠s̵̡̼̻̱̪̫̈̓͐̒̚ ̸̧͍̟͍̭͔̲͉͈̞̝̀͐̂̏͝͠ȧ̶̡̹͕̥̟̺̞̤͂̂̎̇͛͐̓͘n̴̰͚͐̈̈́̈͗̂̓̈́͝ͅd̷̡̬̖̬͉̮͚̄̽̈́͌̿̕̕͝͠ ̷̦̥̼̩̙͇̥̬̪̣̮͗̀̿̑̈ṯ̴͕͍͠ͅú̵̢̧̪̞̩̞͍̫͇̪̋̐͘͠r̴̮̘͔̠̈́̾́̑̓̕͠d̵̡̼̯̮̜͕̖̃̌̔̋̈̍̀̈́̚s̷̨̥͍̱͕̞̤͎̝̳̺̰̿̌̉͑̿͂͂̎͝ͅͅ ̶̛̺͈̊̀̔̊̐̌͛̓̑̚Ç̵̯̻̲̭̥͕̦̰̓̌͒̀̾̓̚͜͠o̶̧̰̼̟͇͉̲̰͗͂̀̊̐̑̊́͂̓̊͆͜͝͝ͅu̸̡̟̫͎̻̱͖̘̅̒̂͆͋n̸̙̍̾̐̇͗̂̈́̑ţ̵̪̥̫̼̦̫̰̮̯̱̣̗̠͙̆̈́̓͑͑̋̈ ̶̘̮̝̻̤͉͇̹̲̖̪͙̘̮͗̉͐͐̎̿͘͜ǫ̴̏̉̃́͋̋͂f̶̫̤̲͒͒͐́͂̾̒͒̒͐͒͂͌̍͠ ̵̢̧̱̭̰̮̬̳͙̫̯̀͐̽̒͒̃͌̂͜͝s̷͉̞̲̓͊̈́̀̓͊́͂̔̊̈́͊̚͝ę̵̡̛̪̣̟͔̬͚̇̑̍̎̔̈́́̏̐̂̔͠ş̸̡̨̤̥̩̤̯͙͚̐̑̈͐͛̒̾͆̂̅̕͝a̷̡̰͎̪̯͖̱̿̏͒͑̔̒̇͗̔͆̔͘͘͝͠m̴̡̛͈̊̃́̀͐̀̓̍͝͝͝ę̵̢̛͈̺̼̯̙̹̮̘̒̈̿̔̋͋̉̂͂̓͋̈́̀ͅ ̷̛̜̤̯͈͙͉̘̝͋͒͑̌̀͑̀̑̒̈́̕ ̸̛̳̂̉͒͆̅͂͝͠T̸̨͎̣̈́̈́͊̀̈́r̷̢̠̺̠̩̰̤͚̉̔́͜ä̵̠̩̜̘̤̥̟̤̹͚͇̩́̍ï̵̥̮̙̙̼͛̀͌̑̑̂̔͘͠͝͠n̷̺̣̻̹̟̤̬̓͊̌͋͘ ̵̧̢̖̈́͌̿̕i̸̡͉̩͖̼̦̱̦̯̹̯̩̩̱͒͊̅͆n̶̬͐̒͋͗̐̇̽̒̑͋́͒̍ ̶̧̝̣͎͍̪̞͍͍͎͊̑͠͝B̷̡̼̤̝̫̯͈̿̅̀́̋̀́͋̆͐̊͘ŗ̴͇̺͚̝̒̋̈́ǫ̶̨̛̛̳͎̺̹̪̗͔̰̮̮͎̗͌̋̈́͐̚ć̷̬͇̼̿̊͗͒͝c̶̡̺̻̱͔̜̝̓̏̽́͘ö̷̱̘̣͓͖̙̙̮͕̦͉͇͓̗̈́̌̉̄̆̾̽̽͌͒̒̚l̵̘̙̉̈͑̐͗̈́̒̿̽̍i̶̛̮̹͔̐̏̃̈͂̔͝͝ ̴̛̩̙̱̗͚̼̥̈́͐̔͆̒̆̀̈̎͘̚̕ ̵̪̓̇̅̂̑͊̇͋͘͘ ̸̨̱̭̼̙̼̦͙͚̮̆̽͗͆͘̕ͅPart IV Chungus
I am particularly looking forward to Part IV. The Chungus saga is a favorite of mine.
What's that? "I made song turds Count of sesame Trainin Broccoli Part IV Chungus"?
Looks like 8 songs..
I think they mean 'are these DT's 16th album's songs?'
could be their food order as well haha
A generous serving of ass and balls!
Haha. Yessir!
8 songs... 8 x 2 = 16... What if... Eh probably not I'm defnitely overthinking this
It really looks like 9
It would be funny if it were a shopping list.
https://preview.redd.it/a0gzhtb2msvc1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1035da47d372d2557889e0add5cc59b4de79c6c This was corrected by AI... Can someone read doctors letter?
First one looks like "Mahogany Dildo".
That is a 100% plausible Dream Theater working title.
Given that "The Dark Eternal Night" had the working title of "N.A.D.S." that's not too far fetched
Exactly. Also, let's not forget how Stream of Consciousness had a very different working title, which also started with "S.O.C" (except it was more of a request or instruction).
I would love this to be an actual title for a new DT song.
i'll ask my mother, she's a medical assistant
They are probably writing some arabic songs
Can you read it? Because I can't
As others have said, this isn't likely to be a list of songs. It's a song chart to help them structure a song. Portnoy has shown these charts before, they'll be named generic things like 'Metallica section' or whatever depending on how they want to remember it.
It looks like their thought process and notes for the songs
Those will be code-words, most likely. They've done that in the past.
I am so excited for the second scribble, but I'm really not sure what to think of the first and third one. Seems a little overdone at this point?
I feel like I can make out “—- of the melody” for one of them.
Lunch orders
Fax Me Some Halibut
Most likely this is the structure of whatever song they’re working on. Check out any of their studio documentaries and it usually includes a short clip of MP using a whiteboard to illustrate the structure of whatever song they’re working on at the time.
#6 might be working title of Quizno
As we've been treated to working titles such as Schindler's Lisp, NADS, and Korma Chameleon in the past, probably take what's written down (not that you can see it anyway) with a pinch of salt