How Did Steve Vai Become So Good?

Рет қаралды 3,263

Elmo Karjalainen

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 67

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Check out my lesson channel here: www.youtube.com/@ElmoKarjalainensGuitarLe-rd5tb

@kazuyametsu 6 ай бұрын

you said he's quite good after saying he's so good you really are full of yourself bub

@JohnDoe-jc3cl 6 ай бұрын

Great advice Elmo. Wisdom. I listened twice and will review this again. I saw Satriani, Vai and Johnson on the 99 G3 tour; no one improvised. All 3 played right off the page 😐. I wonder if Vai is now taking his own advice here ?? Different genre, but the Greatful Dead could improvise; and they listened to each other Bad news: watch your guitar heros play in a jam, a benefit, a tribute, or a funeral memorial and you’ll see who can think on their feet, who’s got some ears, knows some theory. A lot of guys rehearse their solos until they can play it fast, but that’s it

@robertspreitzer8126 6 ай бұрын

It also helps when you have a teacher named Joe Satriani.

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Not a bad teacher to have 😀

@michaelm4464 6 ай бұрын

Came here for this comment.

@PooNinja 6 ай бұрын

Keep striving forward, keep learning! And have FUN!

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Indeed.

@CaptainBlackadder75 6 ай бұрын

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there - it’s so easy to use the excuse that we don’t have the time to invest in improving our playing, but any amount used in the right way will reap rewards. And I’m definitely guilty of the negative thinking trap. Thanks, as ever, for the encouragement Elmo.

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

And thank you :)

@gasparepellecchia 6 ай бұрын

Youre a good man good teacher good musician good guitarist

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much :)

@michaelolz 6 ай бұрын

Steve found his own path and became one of the most respected musicians of all time. Think about it. He’s one of the hardest working musicians out of every master out there. He’s proof that old-fashioned hard work and faith can accomplish world-wide acclaim.

@WansbeckBikecam 6 ай бұрын

Great video Elmo. Relative to all instruments, not just guitar of course. I'll show it to my 11 year old kids who are learning Saxophone and Marimba. All excellent points. Thank you.

@RickMichaelis63 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing Elmo! 🙏😎✌️👍🎵🎼🎶🎸

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

@vubear 6 ай бұрын

Visualisation is such an important way of leveraging the psychology of learning. The science is really clear, when we visualise the visual cortex engages other areas of the brain, resulting in the creation of new neurons that can speed our learning by over ten times. Five minutes spent visualising a task is equal to 50 minutes physically trying to power through it. When I was at college, the guys who did this ALL improved way beyond the other students, even if they started way behind them.

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Cool stuff :)

@skipneumann1 6 ай бұрын

Giant hands that work

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

They help.

@stormsonicspeed1 6 ай бұрын

I shook hands with him. His hand ate mine💀

@vubear 6 ай бұрын

If a little munchkin like Joe Satriani can play the chorus lick from the mystical potato groove thing, stretching a forth btw, persistence is far more important.

@daniellarson3068 6 ай бұрын

This was another good video from Elmo giving a pragmatic pep talk. Maybe it will sink in this time. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Like Steve Vai, I started after the age of 14. The difference is that I'm still starting. (Decades after 14) What did Elmo say? I have paraphrased. 1) 2) Do the work / Practice consistently 3) Follow your interests - This is supposed to be fun 4) Play what comes to you - noodle around - try new stuff 5) Set a goal; Have a direction; Prioritize 6) Learn to listen 7) Measure your results. "Visualize" what you are doing 8) Focus - Avoid distractions. Put the phone on airplane mode. 9) Attitude is everything - Avoid negative thoughts. Negative thoughts will defeat your efforts to succeed. I guess this can kind of be summed up by an old US Army enlistment commercial telling you to "Be what you can be." Thanks Elmo

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thanks :)

@johncollins5552 6 ай бұрын

Vai played crazy stuff with Frank Zappa on the mostly live album tinseltown rebellion.

@michelvondenhoff9673 6 ай бұрын

Zappa was a catalist for Vai I think. He was 20yo or so when he joined FZ band 😮 Frank Zappa was not kidding though he has funny lyrics 😎 Frank Zappa fan btw 😎😎😎

@WhoDaF0ok1sThatGuy 6 ай бұрын

Honestly when it comes to pure technique and skill, I haven’t seen anyone that can compare to John Petrucci, Steve Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen. John is definitely my favorite of the three but I’d say Vai is probably the most badass with Malmsteen just slightly behind.

@tymanngruter1808 6 ай бұрын

In Steve his youth he had a bad horsie, the sound that came out of this beast wanted little Stevie makes him play the guitar! Then it happened...... he met a guy named Joe, the rest is history (till yet)! 🤔

@chessrootslove9916 6 ай бұрын

Beautiful axe, Elmo! When I was young I always had music running in my head and I would try to get it to appear out of my acoustic guitar. But with only a couple of 'useless' lessons I ended up just noodling. Lots of great advice here that applies outside of guitar work too, Thanks, enjoy the day!

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thanks! You too :)

@hoosierdaddy2308 6 ай бұрын

Absolutely. Great video. I am the same age as Steve and he's a great player and very sharp. No one had to tell me it's time to practice, and I didn't start until I was about 15 or 16. I remember starting and being amazed when I was able to play barre chords, etc. It seems like you hit a plateau and then suddenly make gains all at once. I also walk away if I get stuck too long and take a break for a while. It seems to work for me. Not long, but a few days and then I can't wait to get back to the guitar. I used to record myself with a cassette machine and listen and listen until I got it right. I never played with a metronome, but I did play recordings and use them as backing tracks and match the guitar, etc. Great tips sir. Very cool.. Be well my friend .❤

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thanks! You too :)

@hoosierdaddy2308 6 ай бұрын

@@MrPolevaulter Thanks kind sir. Still recovering from a bad nasty fractured tibia and patella. It has been five months and I still have trouble walking without a cane. Getting old sucks. ,😜 I used to be young and handsome. Now, I'm just handsome. 😜🤘♥️🤘

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

@@hoosierdaddy2308 I sometimes say I used to be "young and handsome", now I'm just "and" 🤣

@TonyStir 6 ай бұрын

I fan of Vai i bought the Alcatraz album Disturbing the Preist thought that it still had Yngwie on it. In my experience Direction is good advice practice important also and the guitars of today are really good the junk of the 80ties the young ones of today have it. It's a lot easier to focus on playing and not worry about injuring there self trying to navigate the fretboard or Horrible pickups

@luisrios5703 6 ай бұрын

I think that one of the videos that you’re drawing off of is “guitar center sessions - steve vai: how to be successful”

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Yeah, I did watch that one.

@smiljanicn 6 ай бұрын

Improvisation wizard -Per Nilsson

@meljohnson5579 6 ай бұрын

Yep😊

@sigiligus 2 ай бұрын

I’ve always thought the old guard of 80’s shredlords were more skilled than the modern guys. It comes down to attitude. The old shredders didn’t just play, they rocked out, threw the guitar around, jumped around, moved their hips, and that insane music still came out effortlessly. Modern players are good, and they do play things as complex or even a little more complex. But they always seem to be trying. The guitar is higher up, they’re not moving around all that much, and it’s very “on the note” in a way that implies they don’t have the confidence to vary up the dynamics with a safe landing. Not saying they aren’t highly skilled, just that they seem a lot more mortal.

@MrPolevaulter 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely

@cygnus-studios 6 ай бұрын

Hanging around Zappa as a transcriptionist and band member certainly didn't hurt anything. 😉

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Indeed :)

@rrosato1667 6 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much :)

@knightphantom3346 6 ай бұрын

For the love of God, great advice. 🎸🎸👏👏😎😎

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Cheers!

@squirelova1815 6 ай бұрын

"...but it's Essential to spend Time NOT knowing what you are going to do..." Well, at least I have that part Mastered. But that telling my Wife "not to bother" me part? I'm not trying that one.

@christian-van-e 6 ай бұрын

Who wasn't impressed by his Passion and Warfare album back in the day? But for me, I lost my interest in his music around 10, 15 years ago. Too experimental. But the same counts for Mark Knopfler; one of my heroes, great melodies and playing, but the last 10 years he makes music that makes me fall asleep 😞

@MagisterTuomo 6 ай бұрын

Elmo, you hunk-a-beef. Not one gray hair in that beard 😍😁. Utmärkt diskussion 👌😊. Ha en fortsatt trevlig dag 🤘.

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Du med :)

@TheDarkmore 6 ай бұрын

He is living on the Edge, HAHAhahaha....

@supermashriq 6 ай бұрын

Allan Holdsworth didn't start playing till he was 17.

@chocolatecookie8571 6 ай бұрын

I am a guitarist. I hold my guitar but no no I don't play it. Why? Because it looks cool. 😂

@eddiejr540 6 ай бұрын

Steve Via is good…but he ain’t no Elmo K🤘

@daniellarson3068 6 ай бұрын

Yes - I don't see Steve Vai putting out videos to help me.

@MrPolevaulter 6 ай бұрын

Thanks :)

@philnicol8072 6 ай бұрын

The problem with Steve Vai is. He *plays the guitar too well* Always love his lead guitar intro - in 'Just Like Paradise' it just soars. 🎸 Nice harmonized lead guitar in the main solo also. Huge sound.