As Herman Li points out, being able to left hand fret that guitar... while disconnecting years worth of muscle memory and simultaneously play the bass line with the right... is just amazing. Talk about pushing boundaries. Wow.
I love that Steve has been able to stay free of the constraints of the music business and what's "popular". Hes pushed the boundaries his entire career and has been super popular despite being totally unconventional. I think Frank Zappa deserves a lot of credit for instilling those virtues in him. I wonder what Vai would sound like if he'd never met him.
Well, it is a laughing matter after all. Vai could hire any top tier studio musician he wants, and the music would be played the same. Point being, this is a circus act.
@@dr.juerdotitsgo5119 It can be both entertainer and musician. Vai's approach to music is more of using the guitar as a means of self expression and self extension. He had so many sounds to choose from and he wrote an impressive song that was visually and audibly entertaining. Seems like good music to me.
Steve's custom Hydra guitar has the following: a bass neck w/o frets on the first two strings, a 12-string that has no frets on the second half of the neck, a 7-string with Floyd, and 13 harp strings. The electronics and controls are too crazy to comprehend, but they look fucking cool. Strap in everyone, for the ride is soon to come.
Btw, your pronunciation of Ibanez may be different to how most people in the US pronounce it , but it is actually a good homage to the brand’s origin since the name came from the Spanish Guitar manufacturer Ibañez, from Spain [i-BA-ñeth].
I've been playing Ibanez guitars for 25 years and had never heard it pronounced that way but wondered immediately if I had been wrong all of these years because of the Spanish guitar history.
@@bentcountershaft that was the name of the company when it was bought. The Eye Ban Nez name we know is under the Japanese ownership. Played them since 94.
I guess he wasn't satisfied with being one of the best guitarists on the planet. Now he's saying, "hey, watch this. I'll play three guitars at once." I can't blame him. If I could do that I would never stop talking about it. 😂😂😂😂🤘😎🤘
I’m a big fan of Steve Vai and love his music. With April being international guitar month, has anyone suggested music from The Mahavishnu Orchestra or the late great Alan Holdsworth? Truly amazing in their own right!
In case no one mentioned it, luthier is the craftsman that makes guitars. And violas da gamba. And lutes. The lute also added more and more strings, untill we hit the baroque theorbo.
That chord mean that you are playing lydian mode. The only chord of a tonality that could have #11 and it is mayor third, and yes it has also the major7. Now if you are playing Cmaj7 #11 that is E minor natural eolic tonality scale or G major tonality natural major or ionic mode in wiche the 4grade is C and it began the lydian scale, (in C).
Very insightful observation about the relationship of this to the trap set. I didn't think of that but that's exactly what it is. Always dig your commentary, Doug.
Steve Vai breaks down the hardest thing he's ever played - A great interview with Steve Vai about the Hydra guitar. Link - ua-cam.com/video/0UJIvAhz4Y8/v-deo.html
Steve is a really cool guy y’all. Had the pleasure in November of seeing the inviolate tour with the vip meet and greet. Had several pictures taken with Steve and got to chat for a few. A humble friendly dude. 🙂
Doug, while your pronunciation of Ibanez is close to what it originally was, the name has since been anglicized and is pronounced "eye- bin- ezz" Either way, glad you picked this. I remember the guitar being announced but hadn't seen him performing on it.
By their current Japanese spelling (アイバニーズ, formerly イバニェス to imitate the Spanish pronunciation) it'd rather be "eye-bun-knees". I guess they couldn't decide on it themselves lol
Damn, I can't believe it’s coming up on 40 years since I bought his debut album Flex-Able. Thanks Steve. Thanks Doug. BTW, Ibanez is commonly pronounced _eye•ben•nez_
very good comment, in English language people say Eye banez, with the accent at the beggining,(EYE or i or in spanish ai) in central america and south america eeba NÉS(Ibanés) and the oriiginal creatoer last name ee Bá ñez (like the word california califorña the ñ sound eñe in spanish, or like in onion Oñion)so the original inventor was Salvador Ibañez from Spain
Doug. . You would be pleased to know that Steve Vai played in Frank Zappa's band - but BEFORE that, when Steve was just a TEENAGER, he would listen to Frank's records then transcribe Frank's music and send it to him. . Frank thought "This kid seems to know a thing or two!" but when he found out Steve was like, only 16 or 17 - he waited. When Steve was old enough to be on tour with an 'adult' band, Frank auditioned him. . Got him to do stuff like "Play . . 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' . . . in 7/8 - but with a Country feel". . etc. (I made that up - but it's not far from what he actually did) P.S. The guitar manufacturer's name is pronounced "EYE-ban- ezz"
FYI, a luthier is someone who builds or repairs stringed instruments. Vai said the hydra was very heavy and he uses a waist strap that puts the weight on his hips instead of his shoulders. He also said it is hard to move while playing it and has fallen over a few times trying to get the hang of it. The dragonizer switch turns on the connection to the control unit for the hydra, which was the box shown near the beginning after he flips that switch. To my knowledge, he hasn't said what the seducer and other switches/knobs actually do.
If you are interested, Steve Vai had an exclusive interview about this video with Tyler on his YT channel, Music is Win. I think you will find it very interesting.
In terms of being restricted by key when he turns that knob about half way through you hear the pitch shift, the Hydra must have a circuit akin to a Boss Pitch Shifter effect pedal built in...
Doug fun video to watch, but did anyone notice there was no guitar strap? It appears to me that there was something else holding it which wasn't visible. When he was playing the song his guitar didn't move in the normal way either. Also there was good editing from when he picked up the guitar and put it down, you never see him put on or take off a guitar strap. Anyone else notice his? It probably weighs too much to have it hang by a strap. I would love to know how was propped up.
It's a special harness that hooks around Steve's waist and over his back. It weighs 41 pounds, so it's a heavy beast... a normal guitar strap just wouldn't cut it.
I thought about watching it today, and then you come with a video about it. Steve Vai is mental. I can not even dream of doing something like that. I'll keep practicing... Thank you!
Hello Doug, If you enjoyed this video, in your spare time of course - check out a live Steve Vai "I Know You're Here". Another triple-neck guitar masterpiece from his younger days in his career!
Steve Vai worked and was influenced by Frank Zapa (who Doug reviewed a while back see Zapa, "Inca Roads") Zapa had this weird sounding cosmic dreamy kind of way of playing music and Vai has now passed that on to us later generations...
Would really love you to review Steve's entire album "Passion and Warfare". Considered by many to be his masterpiece. For a future extended play episode. The concept and creation alone is extremely interesting and the music stands the test of time.
One of the things I love in this track, and many others, is when Steve holds a note and the chord beneath it changes, thereby changing the relationship between chord and note. Simple but always effective.
Not so simple when it comes to the analyzation of the the theory he’s using and freely expressing, using notes that are relative to another chord or scale while completely changing the harmonic structure in different phrases, it really shows his incredible genius, good catch man! You really caught something important that a lot of people don’t realize or hear
@@Arnoldcardon haha thanks man. I suppose in terms of playing it it's simple as he just holds the note but yeah the paperwork accompanying it is rather in depth 😂
Hi Doug, if you enjoy seeing a great guitarist and composer on a multi-neck guitar I really recommend ‘Into the dream’ (preferably a live version) by Pat Metheny. His playing, arrangements and compositions are breathtaking!
Your analogy regarding the 'trap'/drum set was brilliant and quite applicable.. Steve is a living master of beauty.. I contacted him once regarding spiritual matters and his response was not only beautiful but it put the fuel in my tank that I needed at that time to go forward.. The word avatar is appropriate regarding this genius.. take it or leave it but do listen with heart and not mind and perhaps the word will dawn on you.. Wonderful presentation thank you.
I'm extremely happy that you came across the likes of Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Satriani... I couldn't imagine a life with out their display of talent. 🤘🏼 Guthrie Govan and Paul Gilbert not far behind
Love some Steve Vai, been a fan since ce the 80's , he is a beast . If this is guitar appreciation month , please you have to do a reaction to marcin patrzalek playing his arrangement of Paganini's caprice #24 on one guitar .
Many of Vai's detractors claim he has no soul and that he is all sound, fury and technical flash. He clearly is NOT just that. When it comes to *his* music, he's extremely thoughtful and in complete control. Eye-BAH-nez. The contemporary pronunciation. The more Spanish pronunciation refers back to the original Luthier whom Hoshino Gakki emulated early on in their history building acoustic knock-offs.
the rumour that Steve has no soul in his playing and just shredding is such a big joke. He has literally the most soulful play style amon all of those virtuosos and he barely even uses sweep picking, only when it's needed.
EYE-buh-nez is how I’ve always heard it said. As for Vai having no soul: He’s certainly not a master of emotive playing, but to say he brings no emotion to his music is going too far. Is his music cheesy? Yes, undoubtedly in my opinion, but not totally soulless.
Lol I’m all about regulating my climax….vai is genius and continues to be a inspiration since the first time I heard him in Zappa’s band. I really enjoyed listening to you react to this one 🤘🐻🤘
I think this is simply the proof that Steve Vai has left the realms of the mortals. He is creating sounds that are simply impossble for any mortal to play, All Hail Steve Vai 🙌
I saw him play with DLR & without a doubt he is the most amazing guitarist I have ever seen - and OMG I've seen a LOT of Legends. The only person I can think of who was as natural was Hendrix. That guitar is a real work of art! It's a bloody good album and it's sooo good to see Steve back to good health. He had me worried for a while!
OPETH!!! Doug, it's been too long long since you've done an Opeth song. I highly recommend Bleak from the album Blackwater Park. Steven Wilson does some vocals in Bleak. It's amazing!
After seeing you do this and Relayer (Yes), it would be interesting to see your pov on fusion jazz from the 70’s and one of Steve’s childhood idols, Al DiMeola. He has a few numbers, specifically from his first three albums that would expand your musical exploration.
Not so much the selection of key but the manner in which each neck is tuned - in that manner he can use the open strings without having to move his fretting hand as much - seems like the harp, bass and 12 string are specifically tuned to allow for open strums in the key of the song allowing his fretting hand to remain (mostly) on the 7 string neck... there is a video from years ago with him doing something similar with a 3 neck guitar and a looper - G3 live in Denver...
They were going to come out with one for orchestras, but they couldn't find a piece of wood irregular enough to make a violin, a cello, and an upright bass with. They were also finding it hard to rosin up a bow that goes in two directions.
Spot on about the drum set comment. Bozzio for one. Some people just hear the music in there head different and need to options to get it out. Whether or not we can understand or appreciate it . I definitely do.
Doug, I'm thinking Steve knows of Jamie Dupuis and his harp guitar. Maybe got inspiration from there. Jamie plays beautifully. You should check out his videos. Also, the singer/guitarist of the Canadian band The Tea Party apparently invented a similar instrument. Check out their song "Sister Awake".
Tyler Larson (AKA "Music is Win" on UA-cam) just did fantastic interview with Steve about how he went about actually playing this piece, along with a few other nuggets about the instrument itself.
Luca Stricgnoli has an acoustic version of two guitars and a bass and does a nice version of Now We Are Free from Gladiator movie. He even does drums by tapping by hand as acoustic players do. - I'm not trying to underrate Steve Vai. This song is awesome.
Luthier A luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers of lutes, but it came to be used already in French for makers of most bowed and plucked stringed instruments such as members of the violin family and guitars. (wikipedia)
the concept almost had to come from the arrangement already in progress. dare i say, and most likely will eat my words that as insane of a performance as that is- he makes it look logical and easy which is even more insane, but it probably has to be somewhat of a one trick pony. the tuning and key and all. surely he could compose other things with it, but they would be similar. he'd need 2 or 3 copies of it to really stretch it out. i imagine it weighs 30 lbs and probably cost somewhere in the realm of 30k to build give or take. i'm glad he did it. :D One of the coolest things i've ever seen, or ever put on youtube by one person. This is like Devon Townsends EMG TV Kingdom performance. You could just watch it and watch it and still just be amazed.
He's become a one man band with that beast. It's got a beautiful sound, but I want to watch him play that more than I want to listen to it. I enjoyed that very much. Thank you.
If you’re curious, he broke down the video and shared some details about the instrument and the recording of this video in an interview with Tyler Lawson from Music Is Win.
Imagine him using a shuriken variax setup and be able to change the string tuning with the press of a button. 12 foot ninja does a pretty good job with it
6:10 fun fact: Steve said that originally he was supposed to play it blindfolded, but since the guitar is so heavy and has such a weird weight centre, he kept losing his balance
Hey daily doug. You should check out Steve Vai’s Bangkok/Fire garden suite from the album Fire Garden. Bangkok is kinda intro for that song Fire Garden suite so thats why both together. They are truly a masterpiece!
this may help: Luthier A luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute.
it takes a lot of brain function to switch from one to the other ,sometimes you hear people play and it may sound a little choppy.because they spent a second to think what they were playing note for note.steve will always impress
Ive seen your reactioned of the live Steve vai for the love of god,that reaction was seemingly like the first time youve saw ,the great steve vai..(how cud you did not know steve in the past years of his solo albums plus his contributions in many popular bands as guitarist like frank zapa alcatras,whitesnake ,david lee roths band etc..) and his the most succesful in the Ibanez artist guitar endorsesment for so many years until now..plus who used the first 7 strings guitar..and if im not wrong his signature guitar wid be the best seller among Ibanez artist..wandering how many steve gem and many model signature guitar wud be sold around the world
I've been a Vai fan since I started playing, glad you enjoyed his video. The guitar-instrument thing probably doesn't weigh a lot, I have an Ibanez RG560 '96 made in Japan (so a proper one!) which weighs about as much as a Steve Vai Jem sig model and I'd guess weighs a lot less than a Les Paul 6 + 12 string neck. If you wan't some really cool Vai, go back to the beginning with Zappa stuff and the first Vai album 'Flexable'. Vai is a great guitar player
As Herman Li points out, being able to left hand fret that guitar... while disconnecting years worth of muscle memory and simultaneously play the bass line with the right... is just amazing. Talk about pushing boundaries. Wow.
What I like about Steve Vai is he doesn't only shred, but also put emotions through his playing.
The internet: "I wish I wasn't so full of songs that are covered by other people again and again".
Steve Vai: "Hold my beer..."
I love that Steve has been able to stay free of the constraints of the music business and what's "popular". Hes pushed the boundaries his entire career and has been super popular despite being totally unconventional. I think Frank Zappa deserves a lot of credit for instilling those virtues in him. I wonder what Vai would sound like if he'd never met him.
"It regulates your climax" I can't stop laughing.
Well, it is a laughing matter after all. Vai could hire any top tier studio musician he wants, and the music would be played the same. Point being, this is a circus act.
@@dr.juerdotitsgo5119 Lots of people dig the circus, point pointless...
@@stanzaloan3454 So you're saying Vai is appreciated as an entertainer, not as a musician? Fair enough, didn't know that.
@@dr.juerdotitsgo5119 It can be both entertainer and musician.
Vai's approach to music is more of using the guitar as a means of self expression and self extension. He had so many sounds to choose from and he wrote an impressive song that was visually and audibly entertaining.
Seems like good music to me.
this got me dude 😂😂😂😂
One of Steves best albums in my opinion. Right up there with Passion and Warfare.
One thing I've always loved about Vai is that he pushes not only the music of the instrument, but the theatre too 🙂
Steve's custom Hydra guitar has the following: a bass neck w/o frets on the first two strings, a 12-string that has no frets on the second half of the neck, a 7-string with Floyd, and 13 harp strings. The electronics and controls are too crazy to comprehend, but they look fucking cool. Strap in everyone, for the ride is soon to come.
There is something called the Dragonizer.
Btw, your pronunciation of Ibanez may be different to how most people in the US pronounce it , but it is actually a good homage to the brand’s origin since the name came from the Spanish Guitar manufacturer Ibañez, from Spain [i-BA-ñeth].
Ahh, a true Ibanez man. Cheers
Made in Japan. :)
@@stevemarshall3986 And all are made not only in Japan but all of them are made in the same facility too :)
I've been playing Ibanez guitars for 25 years and had never heard it pronounced that way but wondered immediately if I had been wrong all of these years because of the Spanish guitar history.
@@bentcountershaft that was the name of the company when it was bought. The Eye Ban Nez name we know is under the Japanese ownership. Played them since 94.
That may be the most creative pronunciation of Ibanez I have ever heard 😂
I know, I had to laugh when I heard Doug's pronoucation 😂
My dad says it that way
Ibañez 🌮
Look up the baseball player Raul Ibanez. That's how it is pronounced originally
Well it’s the correct way.
I guess he wasn't satisfied with being one of the best guitarists on the planet. Now he's saying, "hey, watch this. I'll play three guitars at once."
I can't blame him. If I could do that I would never stop talking about it. 😂😂😂😂🤘😎🤘
Actually, if you watch closely, you can see that he used the harp strings throughout the song, not just at the end.
Ibanez: "So, what kind of guitar would you like, Mr Vai?" Steve: "Yes."
🤣🤣🤣
Wat does that mean!
@@Sudhirchoudhary2788 It means "make me something that I will willfully like" lmao >.
“All of them”
YOU'RE THE MAN, DOUG! This is going to be righteous!
Thanks for showing this guitar. Pronounced - Eye-ban-ez (Ibanez). Luthier - one who makes string instruments.
He’s ascended. One guitar is not enough to channel his power.
I learn as much as possible from Satch's monster. Always and forever a student. God speed.
I’m a big fan of Steve Vai and love his music. With April being international guitar month, has anyone suggested music from The Mahavishnu Orchestra or the late great Alan Holdsworth? Truly amazing in their own right!
In case no one mentioned it, luthier is the craftsman that makes guitars. And violas da gamba. And lutes.
The lute also added more and more strings, untill we hit the baroque theorbo.
One of Steve's favourite chords is the Cmaj7#11. You find it in a lot of his songs!
That chord mean that you are playing lydian mode. The only chord of a tonality that could have #11 and it is mayor third, and yes it has also the major7. Now if you are playing Cmaj7 #11 that is E minor natural eolic tonality scale or G major tonality natural major or ionic mode in wiche the 4grade is C and it began the lydian scale, (in C).
Very insightful observation about the relationship of this to the trap set. I didn't think of that but that's exactly what it is. Always dig your commentary, Doug.
Steve Vai breaks down the hardest thing he's ever played - A great interview with Steve Vai about the Hydra guitar. Link - ua-cam.com/video/0UJIvAhz4Y8/v-deo.html
Thanks for sharing the link Mark it was very interesting.
Steve is a really cool guy y’all. Had the pleasure in November of seeing the inviolate tour with the vip meet and greet. Had several pictures taken with Steve and got to chat for a few. A humble friendly dude. 🙂
I got to meet him on the Sex And Religion tour and yeah, he was simply gracious.
Doug, while your pronunciation of Ibanez is close to what it originally was, the name has since been anglicized and is pronounced "eye- bin- ezz" Either way, glad you picked this. I remember the guitar being announced but hadn't seen him performing on it.
By their current Japanese spelling (アイバニーズ, formerly イバニェス to imitate the Spanish pronunciation) it'd rather be "eye-bun-knees". I guess they couldn't decide on it themselves lol
Thank you. I've seen him live. He is an amazing man and player
"Eye-ben-ez" 😁👍
well..the original name is Ibañez, as he pronounced, its a spanish surname, from the company hoshino bought if i remember correctly
@@Crovax Refer to my OP
A luthier is a guitar builder (can also do repairs and general maintenance). And Ibanez is just pronounced eye-ba-nez 😉
Thank you for saving me the trouble, on two points. :D
One of my favorite guitar players ever. I got to meet him in person. Really nice man. I have to give this cd more of a listen
Damn, I can't believe it’s coming up on 40 years since I bought his debut album Flex-Able. Thanks Steve. Thanks Doug.
BTW, Ibanez is commonly pronounced _eye•ben•nez_
very good comment, in English language people say Eye banez, with the accent at the beggining,(EYE or i or in spanish ai) in central america and south america eeba NÉS(Ibanés) and the oriiginal creatoer last name ee Bá ñez (like the word california califorña the ñ sound eñe in spanish, or like in onion Oñion)so the original inventor was Salvador Ibañez from Spain
Doug. . You would be pleased to know that Steve Vai played in Frank Zappa's band - but BEFORE that, when Steve was just a TEENAGER, he would listen to Frank's records then transcribe Frank's music and send it to him. .
Frank thought "This kid seems to know a thing or two!" but when he found out Steve was like, only 16 or 17 - he waited.
When Steve was old enough to be on tour with an 'adult' band, Frank auditioned him. .
Got him to do stuff like "Play . . 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' . . . in 7/8 - but with a Country feel". . etc. (I made that up - but it's not far from what he actually did)
P.S. The guitar manufacturer's name is pronounced "EYE-ban- ezz"
If he hits 55 notes per second, it really does travel through time.
"i bahn yez" cracked me up!
“You need your eyes to see, Steve”
He said he tried to learn the song blindfold, but it was too difficult.
FYI, a luthier is someone who builds or repairs stringed instruments. Vai said the hydra was very heavy and he uses a waist strap that puts the weight on his hips instead of his shoulders. He also said it is hard to move while playing it and has fallen over a few times trying to get the hang of it. The dragonizer switch turns on the connection to the control unit for the hydra, which was the box shown near the beginning after he flips that switch. To my knowledge, he hasn't said what the seducer and other switches/knobs actually do.
If you are interested, Steve Vai had an exclusive interview about this video with Tyler on his YT channel, Music is Win. I think you will find it very interesting.
In terms of being restricted by key when he turns that knob about half way through you hear the pitch shift, the Hydra must have a circuit akin to a Boss Pitch Shifter effect pedal built in...
If you’re interested in seeing more Cliff Burton, I suggest listening to his live performance of Anesthesia in Chicago in ‘83. Love the content!
Never realized how much Vai influenced Devin Townsend's guitar playing but you can definitely hear it here
You'd think an 18 year-old Devin who sang on Vai's Sex & Religion album might have picked up a few things.
Doug fun video to watch, but did anyone notice there was no guitar strap? It appears to me that there was something else holding it which wasn't visible. When he was playing the song his guitar didn't move in the normal way either. Also there was good editing from when he picked up the guitar and put it down, you never see him put on or take off a guitar strap. Anyone else notice his? It probably weighs too much to have it hang by a strap. I would love to know how was propped up.
It's a special harness that hooks around Steve's waist and over his back. It weighs 41 pounds, so it's a heavy beast... a normal guitar strap just wouldn't cut it.
I thought about watching it today, and then you come with a video about it. Steve Vai is mental. I can not even dream of doing something like that. I'll keep practicing... Thank you!
Had fun watching this with you describing ! Thanks
Hello Doug, If you enjoyed this video, in your spare time of course - check out a live Steve Vai "I Know You're Here". Another triple-neck guitar masterpiece from his younger days in his career!
Yeah, it is a "must see"
it's like harnessed to his hips
It is a privilege seeing him playing it live and an honor to stand behind that beast. It is even more impressive up close.
Steve Vai worked and was influenced by Frank Zapa (who Doug reviewed a while back see Zapa, "Inca Roads") Zapa had this weird sounding cosmic dreamy kind of way of playing music and Vai has now passed that on to us later generations...
Only Steve Vai could not only come up with something like this, but play something like this
Would really love you to review Steve's entire album "Passion and Warfare". Considered by many to be his masterpiece. For a future extended play episode. The concept and creation alone is extremely interesting and the music stands the test of time.
One of the things I love in this track, and many others, is when Steve holds a note and the chord beneath it changes, thereby changing the relationship between chord and note. Simple but always effective.
Not so simple when it comes to the analyzation of the the theory he’s using and freely expressing, using notes that are relative to another chord or scale while completely changing the harmonic structure in different phrases, it really shows his incredible genius, good catch man! You really caught something important that a lot of people don’t realize or hear
@@Arnoldcardon haha thanks man. I suppose in terms of playing it it's simple as he just holds the note but yeah the paperwork accompanying it is rather in depth 😂
Hi Doug, Interest piece of music. Always enjoy clicking on your channel. Thanks. Tucson, AZ.
Hi Doug, if you enjoy seeing a great guitarist and composer on a multi-neck guitar I really recommend ‘Into the dream’ (preferably a live version) by Pat Metheny. His playing, arrangements and compositions are breathtaking!
is that with Pat's 42 string guitar?
@@katskillz yep! The Pikasso guitar, built by Linda Manzer
Your analogy regarding the 'trap'/drum set was brilliant and quite applicable.. Steve is a living master of beauty.. I contacted him once regarding spiritual matters and his response was not only beautiful but it put the fuel in my tank that I needed at that time to go forward.. The word avatar is appropriate regarding this genius.. take it or leave it but do listen with heart and not mind and perhaps the word will dawn on you.. Wonderful presentation thank you.
It doesn’t have a traditional strap it uses a hip strap if I remember correctly it is around 26 pounds.
I’m going to see him in concert in the fall. I hope he plays this song and instrument.
I think you can count on it Jim.. I hope to see him in Boston
12 string: standard 440. 6 String: drop A. Bass: AEAD. Harp strings: B Harmonic Minor scale
I'm extremely happy that you came across the likes of Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Satriani... I couldn't imagine a life with out their display of talent. 🤘🏼
Guthrie Govan and Paul Gilbert not far behind
Add Tony MacAlpine, Eric Johnson, Joey Tafolla, and Blues Saraceno to that .
Let's not forget Billy Sheehan, Jaco Pastorius, John Pattituci, Marcus Miller, Cliff Burton...Bassists matter too!
@@scottking7260 Agreed
Govan is in a league of his own,with Bumblefoot and
Alex Hutchings knocking on the door.
Buckethead > all
Love some Steve Vai, been a fan since ce the 80's , he is a beast . If this is guitar appreciation month , please you have to do a reaction to marcin patrzalek playing his arrangement of Paganini's caprice #24 on one guitar .
Many of Vai's detractors claim he has no soul and that he is all sound, fury and technical flash.
He clearly is NOT just that. When it comes to *his* music, he's extremely thoughtful and in complete control.
Eye-BAH-nez. The contemporary pronunciation. The more Spanish pronunciation refers back to the original Luthier whom Hoshino Gakki emulated early on in their history building acoustic knock-offs.
Old 80s guitar store joke... Ibanez.. more like ive been had... ya i own 3... and they are wonderful!
the rumour that Steve has no soul in his playing and just shredding is such a big joke. He has literally the most soulful play style amon all of those virtuosos and he barely even uses sweep picking, only when it's needed.
EYE-buh-nez is how I’ve always heard it said.
As for Vai having no soul: He’s certainly not a master of emotive playing, but to say he brings no emotion to his music is going too far.
Is his music cheesy? Yes, undoubtedly in my opinion, but not totally soulless.
Steve Vai is passion. Steve Vai is warfare. :)
@@xcreeperify my prized possession is a '91 RG 550 in Metallic Teal. Made in Japan.
Lol I’m all about regulating my climax….vai is genius and continues to be a inspiration since the first time I heard him in Zappa’s band. I really enjoyed listening to you react to this one 🤘🐻🤘
I think this is simply the proof that Steve Vai has left the realms of the mortals. He is creating sounds that are simply impossble for any mortal to play, All Hail Steve Vai 🙌
I've been away from he videos for a couple months. Absolutely love they hey y'all plaque/decor
I saw him play with DLR & without a doubt he is the most amazing guitarist I have ever seen - and OMG I've seen a LOT of Legends. The only person I can think of who was as natural was Hendrix.
That guitar is a real work of art! It's a bloody good album and it's sooo good to see Steve back to good health. He had me worried for a while!
OPETH!!! Doug, it's been too long long since you've done an Opeth song. I highly recommend Bleak from the album Blackwater Park. Steven Wilson does some vocals in Bleak. It's amazing!
Old Opeth is epic greatness. I and my friends even use it as a verb.
Awesome, I was hoping you would react to this. That guitar is EPIC! 🤘🤘
I just love your station
Seriously, it’s required viewing.
Steve's greatest trait is that he's always reinventing himself and the way he plays
After seeing you do this and Relayer (Yes), it would be interesting to see your pov on fusion jazz from the 70’s and one of Steve’s childhood idols, Al DiMeola. He has a few numbers, specifically from his first three albums that would expand your musical exploration.
Not so much the selection of key but the manner in which each neck is tuned - in that manner he can use the open strings without having to move his fretting hand as much - seems like the harp, bass and 12 string are specifically tuned to allow for open strums in the key of the song allowing his fretting hand to remain (mostly) on the 7 string neck... there is a video from years ago with him doing something similar with a 3 neck guitar and a looper - G3 live in Denver...
I've been waiting for this!
If you look up the lydian mode in a music theory book, Steve Vai's picture is listed next to it.
Man I've been pronouncing Ibanez like a fool, going with the classier Doug version now!
😂
No you won't!
Ibanez is a Guitar Company , Raul Ibanez is a former Philadelphia Phillies Left fielder !😉
Well... It's a Spanish company. So yeah: ee-bah nieth.
Not "aï-bah-nes"
But hey, what the fuck do I know, I'm french.
@@philouze1815 For the last 40 years everybody I know says it like I-Ba-nez so forget about it!
Steve Vai has always been the biggest freak in the room.... Now he's 3 of them. I love it.
They were going to come out with one for orchestras, but they couldn't find a piece of wood irregular enough to make a violin, a cello, and an upright bass with. They were also finding it hard to rosin up a bow that goes in two directions.
The remote box is connected via a CAT6 cable from the guitar that splits the audio into 4 signals. All the things you see are actually functional.
Spot on about the drum set comment. Bozzio for one. Some people just hear the music in there head different and need to options to get it out. Whether or not we can understand or appreciate it . I definitely do.
Steve Vai = Guitar genius.
Doug, I'm thinking Steve knows of Jamie Dupuis and his harp guitar. Maybe got inspiration from there. Jamie plays beautifully. You should check out his videos. Also, the singer/guitarist of the Canadian band The Tea Party apparently invented a similar instrument. Check out their song "Sister Awake".
OMG yeah, that is awesome!! LOL, I love that it's not just me who knows these tracks! 😍
The Hydra has a hip strap so it doesn't hurt his shoulder.
Tyler Larson (AKA "Music is Win" on UA-cam) just did fantastic interview with Steve about how he went about actually playing this piece, along with a few other nuggets about the instrument itself.
Luca Stricgnoli has an acoustic version of two guitars and a bass and does a nice version of Now We Are Free from Gladiator movie. He even does drums by tapping by hand as acoustic players do. - I'm not trying to underrate Steve Vai. This song is awesome.
Luthier
A luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers of lutes, but it came to be used already in French for makers of most bowed and plucked stringed instruments such as members of the violin family and guitars. (wikipedia)
the concept almost had to come from the arrangement already in progress. dare i say, and most likely will eat my words that as insane of a performance as that is- he makes it look logical and easy which is even more insane, but it probably has to be somewhat of a one trick pony. the tuning and key and all. surely he could compose other things with it, but they would be similar. he'd need 2 or 3 copies of it to really stretch it out. i imagine it weighs 30 lbs and probably cost somewhere in the realm of 30k to build give or take. i'm glad he did it. :D One of the coolest things i've ever seen, or ever put on youtube by one person. This is like Devon Townsends EMG TV Kingdom performance. You could just watch it and watch it and still just be amazed.
@Chickenbeek 3 capos! Unlimited possibilities. Think about it.
He's become a one man band with that beast. It's got a beautiful sound, but I want to watch him play that more than I want to listen to it. I enjoyed that very much. Thank you.
“What the hell is going on?”
I don’t know either Doug.
If you’re curious, he broke down the video and shared some details about the instrument and the recording of this video in an interview with Tyler Lawson from Music Is Win.
Amazing song and one hell of an instrement
The key is absolute essential, but I'd think tuning plays a massive role, also.
Imagine him using a shuriken variax setup and be able to change the string tuning with the press of a button. 12 foot ninja does a pretty good job with it
6:10 fun fact: Steve said that originally he was supposed to play it blindfolded, but since the guitar is so heavy and has such a weird weight centre, he kept losing his balance
I would expect nothing less from Mr Vai. The Guitar God himself.
This is awesome Doug!!!
Teeth of the Hydra is Steve Vai flexing on everyone else in rock music... it's simply amazing.
Hey daily doug. You should check out Steve Vai’s Bangkok/Fire garden suite from the album Fire Garden. Bangkok is kinda intro for that song Fire Garden suite so thats why both together. They are truly a masterpiece!
this may help: Luthier
A luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute.
it takes a lot of brain function to switch from one to the other ,sometimes you hear people play and it may sound a little choppy.because they spent a second to think what they were playing note for note.steve will always impress
Can't imagine tuning that thing never mind changing the strings. lol
My favorite, thanks!!! 😃
Ive seen your reactioned of the live Steve vai for the love of god,that reaction was seemingly like the first time youve saw ,the great steve vai..(how cud you did not know steve in the past years of his solo albums plus his contributions in many popular bands as guitarist like frank zapa alcatras,whitesnake ,david lee roths band etc..) and his the most succesful in
the Ibanez artist guitar endorsesment for so many years until now..plus who used the first 7 strings guitar..and if im not wrong his signature guitar wid be the best seller among Ibanez artist..wandering how many steve gem and many model signature guitar wud be sold around the world
Very nice and clean. Job well done.
I saw this live last year. It sounded identical to the studio version.
I've been a Vai fan since I started playing, glad you enjoyed his video. The guitar-instrument thing probably doesn't weigh a lot, I have an Ibanez RG560 '96 made in Japan (so a proper one!) which weighs about as much as a Steve Vai Jem sig model and I'd guess weighs a lot less than a Les Paul 6 + 12 string neck. If you wan't some really cool Vai, go back to the beginning with Zappa stuff and the first Vai album 'Flexable'.
Vai is a great guitar player
Back when Steve Vai played for David Lee Roth. He used his 5 neck Heart guitar. He even used it in the Yankee Rose video