ricoboc
Moderator   Posts: 278 Registered: 4/27/2004 Status: Offline
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 posted on 6/4/2004 at 13:22 |
What can I say about Steve...I cant even rate him as a player ...He's
off the charts!!!!...Whacky imagination...I guess it comes from jamming
with Frank Zappa in the past....some say he cant write songs....I say
Bull@#$#!.....he just dosent bend to the general public...he plays what he
feels....
He is not a radio friendly type of player....but thats fine by me....Steve
is a guitar players guitar player....When I set goals I look at Steve...and
say I want that ability in the next 2 or 3 years...it keeps me
motivated!!!!!!
[Edited on 6/4/2004 by ricoboc]
[Edited on 7/2/2004 by ricoboc]
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brian
Moderator  Posts: 1042 Registered: 12/22/2003 Status: Offline |
posted on 6/4/2004 at 15:01, Reply 1 |
Steve Vai well is Steve Vai the mad scientist of the instrumental guitar
world. Steve went to Berklee as I did and berklee loves this guy. The story
is Steve asked his arranging teacher how he could better his arranging
skills, and the teacher simply said arrange/transciribe your favorite
artists songs. Well, Steve the monster he was transcribed every Frank Zappa
song including all the drums,guitars,vocals etc.... Steve put all the
transcriptions together and mailed them to Zappa. Well the rest is
history.
I've seen the book that was eventually published in some record shop in TN.
Should have bought a copy........
Simply Amazing........
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Telefreak
Moderator  Posts: 440 Registered: 1/12/2004 Status: Offline |
posted on 6/4/2004 at 19:45, Reply 2 |
While I admit that he is an amazingly talented guitarist/virtuoso, he's not
my thing
Too many notes per second, I prefer my soloing a bit slower.
I do appreciate the talent of the man, but I find his playing too sterile
and technical.
5/5 as a guitarist and musician, but 3/5 for feeling ____________________
Technology, not technique
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schwim
Captain   Posts: 153 Registered: 5/19/2004 Status: Offline |
posted on 6/4/2004 at 21:06, Reply 3 |
quote:
...5/5 as a guitarist and
musician, but 3/5 for feeling
Man, I don't know, when I watch him play on vid or tv, I feel almost dirty
after watching him. It sort of looks like he's doing things to his guitar
that are illegal in all 50 states.
Love his playing, and enjoy listening to such precision at such a speed.
thanks,
json
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Enigmatic_minstrel
Second Lieutenant   Posts: 68 Registered: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline |
 posted on 6/5/2004 at 05:57, Reply 4 |
I dont think anyone has ever reached his level of ability.
When you watch him play, you see complete control not only with musical
notes, but noise as well. He has a way of making noise musical, much like
Hendrix.
His hands look like they were designed to play guitar.
He has also had one of the most varied careers in guitar- Playing with
Zappa, DLR and Whitesnake, His solo stuff, playing on Surinder Sandhu's
classical indian music album (amazing, check it out!), Playing Orchestra
scores with famous philaharmonic orchestras, guesting on albums as diverse
as Alice Cooper and 80's cheese pop.
For me, its the grace he plays with- his hands seem to be moving
effortlessly and full of flair.
Yes he plays fast(!), but why is playing slow seen as more valid musically?
As I read somewhere, speed is a by-product of accuracy.
My musical tastes have shifted in the last year, abandoning blues totally,
moving towards Jazz and various classical composers, but Steve Vai remains
someone I keep returning to. Why? Because he has the ability to convey a
mood, an atmosphere using his breathtaking skill and supreme musical
knowledge, much like the great Jazz and Classical masters.
Of course, I dont think that because I like him, everyone should. But I
wish people wouldnt judge him on the basis he plays fast. Compare him to
Yngwie Malmsteen and it is clear how musically talented he is.
Its interesting that in a classical context, speed isnt even noticed- the
piece of music is judged on its mucial value. How come electric guitar
music is different? ____________________
Cough cough jazz cough cough
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ricoboc
Moderator Posts: 278 Registered: 4/27/2004 Status: Offline |
posted on 6/5/2004 at 11:38, Reply 5 |
Minstrel,
Check out Al DiMeola,s " The Infinite Desire" Al and Steve do a duet on
"Race With The devil On Tukish Highway " It's a variation on an older song
by Al " Race With The Devil On Spanish Highway ".... Great Stuff!
Small note: Steve dosent play fast 100% of the time....he knows when to
burn and when to step it it down .... He's amazing...belive me " If Hendrix
had the ability Vai has he would have utilized it ...same with all the
others ....music is about expressing yourself...the more ways you can do it
the better....can you imagine only knowing how to speak 100 words and that
was the only way you could communicate....life would be very dull !!!!
[Edited on 6/5/2004 by ricoboc]
[Edited on 6/5/2004 by ricoboc]
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Enigmatic_minstrel
Second Lieutenant Posts: 68 Registered: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline |
 posted on 6/5/2004 at 18:37, Reply 6 |
Thanks Ricoboc, but I have almost everything Vai and Di Meola have
released, so I know the tracks well.
I even have the album by Shanka and Caroline (80's violin electro pop duo)
that Vai played guitar on. Very strange album. Very, Very strange. ____________________
Cough cough jazz cough cough
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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posted on 6/10/2004 at 00:01, Reply 7 |
quote:
I dont think anyone has
ever reached his level of ability.
When you watch him play, you see complete control not only with musical
notes, but noise as well. He has a way of making noise musical, much like
Hendrix.
His hands look like they were designed to play guitar.
He has also had one of the most varied careers in guitar- Playing with
Zappa, DLR and Whitesnake, His solo stuff, playing on Surinder Sandhu's
classical indian music album (amazing, check it out!), Playing Orchestra
scores with famous philaharmonic orchestras, guesting on albums as diverse
as Alice Cooper and 80's cheese pop.
For me, its the grace he plays with- his hands seem to be moving
effortlessly and full of flair.
Yes he plays fast(!), but why is playing slow seen as more valid musically?
As I read somewhere, speed is a by-product of accuracy.
My musical tastes have shifted in the last year, abandoning blues totally,
moving towards Jazz and various classical composers, but Steve Vai remains
someone I keep returning to. Why? Because he has the ability to convey a
mood, an atmosphere using his breathtaking skill and supreme musical
knowledge, much like the great Jazz and Classical masters.
Of course, I dont think that because I like him, everyone should. But I
wish people wouldnt judge him on the basis he plays fast. Compare him to
Yngwie Malmsteen and it is clear how musically talented he is.
Its interesting that in a classical context, speed isnt even noticed- the
piece of music is judged on its mucial value. How come electric guitar
music is different?
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ricoboc
Moderator Posts: 278 Registered: 4/27/2004 Status: Offline |
posted on 6/10/2004 at 01:34, Reply 8 |
Who's the wise guy???????/ :boxer:
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drk529
First Lieutenant   Posts: 18 Registered: 1/10/2007 Status: Offline |
posted on 1/14/2007 at 00:52, Reply 9 |
steve vai has to be one of my favorite guitarists, and i really don't
typically even like the genre he is in. he just breaks so many barriers.
Sure he is fast, as many are quick to point out, but his playing is so
melodic at the same time. every note means something. He is not your
typical shredder.
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