How to Find the Perfect Guitar Pedal Order with Steve Vai

[@8stringsofdeath72]

Steve Vai is still that ONE guitarist that simultaneously makes me want to give up playing AND inspires me to become a better guitar player.

[@brianborstein8456]

I thought that was just me

[@kemmylilmister1122]

You said it brother. Vai is truly a living legend.

[@robertholsman]

I agree. Him an Uli Roth have have the same effect on me ...

[@rockguitarist931]

Zappa was very impressed by his playing so you know he's good. I don't like his music, but damn it he can play!

[@saassoos9792]

Nice words, Dude !

[@Jayisafunkydude]

Vai can make that tuner sound great.

[@jay2xtremefy]

LOL

[@FurkatVakhabov]

#FEEDLEENYTHECAT2K16 hahah😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@FLORIDAERO]

LMFAO

[@delacruzneili]

lol

[@hjplant9292]

I find my playing sounds best with the tuner on

[@MetalLives5150]

Steve Vai is not only an incredible musician.... He is an incredible human being

[@billybobbobson5346]

MetalLives5150 oh, you know him?

[@sona3486]

Actually, I do know him, and he IS an extremely warm and genuinely friendly person. I spent many hours with him, his band(s), and his former personal assistant over the course of a couple tours; I never saw him treat anyone - especially his fans - with anything other than kindness and graciousness. What you see in all his instructional videos is how he is in real life.

[@MAGAMANPATRIOT]

I've brung him up in conversation talking to some younger players. One or two times one of em said "who" he's so good he's hard to explain so I direct them to watch that movie the ending he wrote both guitar parts.

[@VoodooDewey69]

Yea I hear you ,Pat Martino does the same to me .Makes want to throw it out the window .

[@VoodooDewey69]

@@sona3486 that's what makes good musicians great musicians.

[@DaveGera]

If Steve Vai walked into his bedroom and fell over his guitar it'd still be a great solo.

[@MarkWolfePA]

pretty sure he did that on Flexible :-)

[@thomaspick4123]

Do you mean when one gets up in the middle of the night to take a piss and you stub your toe?

[@dennislinares2582]

LMAO!

[@josed.vargas3961]

Check out Erotic Nightmares

[@blessed7927]

Haha right? Lol

[@jamesrogers9887]

I like Vai. He isn't here using his knowledge to tell you the "best" way, he's using his knowledge to explain how each one works and then allowing you to use that to change it as you see fit.

[@puertecitos6888]

+James Rogers and he looks incredibly uncomfortable too.

[@baymahardhika8563]

+Puertecitos68 You right. The host got me irritated too

[@jamesrogers9887]

Kevin I'm confused at the point you're trying to make. I clearly know that the "best" way is relative, hence the quotation marks...

[@shadowrequiem54]

+James Rogers I think he's agreeing with you lol

[@carljenkins7354]

I agree. Vai is like an evil genius/science teacher.

[@handwiredbyme]

Steve Vai is a legend and seems like such a great person.He is so positive and really makes a new guitar player believe greatness is achievable by anyone.such an inspiration

[@YouOriginal]

Can't believe I watched the whole video. The best part was at the end, thank you.

[@robertgreen9675]

Steve Vai is an excellent teacher, and a guitar legend.

[@JosephPescatello]

Mr. Vai and Mr. Satriani, have done more to unlock the secrets of guitar tone than anyone ever before. Bravo.

[@7James77]

Everyone has heard of Hendrix, but it's good to bring race into a conversation where it's not necessary, kudos to you.

[@mikecorey8370]

Listen to Pete Thorn.

[@mikecorey8370]

@@BillDerBerg That was kind of a stupid thing to say.

[@gutbucket260]

Not Link Wray ?

[@ottodrone6173]

Spoken like a true Italian.

[@juancarlosnunezf96]

Steve is someone who not only inspires you to become a better musician but also a better person, a true Master. God bless him.

[@zoommair]

Came for the pedal order video, stayed for ten minutes of gold at the end. Best 10 minutes of my guitar life.

[@skateborg]

LOVE Steve Vai's philosophy on practicing. Especially "being present" and "not criticizing yourself."

[@JIMJAMSC]

This is me. I have accumulated enough pedals and gear to open a store. I will do what Steve does around 29:00 for hours and hours. Kneeling on a hard wood floor turning,twisting,tweaking the settings until it happens! Tonal perfection. Then the next day I will power up the amps,strum the guitar and go "This sounds like crap!" Then 2 weeks later I will have the guitar plugged into maybe a OD and then straight into the amp and go,"PERFECT." Repeat procedure for another 30 years.

[@jjk8417]

I'm there with you buddy

[@Ron4roc]

You got that right man. We guitarists are never satisfied.

[@rowdybodine8585]

The tone is the same but your ear is different. Happens to everyone.

[@lordofthewoods]

Take close-up pics of the settings : )

[@masmachina803]

Can’t put your hand in the same river twice

[@looneyburgmusic]

I will never forget seeing Whitesnake back in the early 90's, when Steve Vai took over for the injured Adrian Vandenberg - he absolutely blew the roof off the arena with every note.

[@bluesdealer]

I didn't learn anything new about pedals (beginners will), but I learned a lot from Vai's mentality and philosophy, especially that bit at the end. Great vid!

[@ER_aka_RAM]

This is the greatest pedal demonstration of all-time! Thank you Steve Vai & Musician’s Friend for making it happen 🤘🏽

[@calebsj]

4:48 "kind of a decent kind of distortion" perfect description for that pedal id say

[@Moose_Hawkins]

The single most important thing I learned from this video: Steve Vai collects hot sauce.

[@MarcusMarchesoni]

we are 2

[@levieuxjurassien1665]

@@MarcusMarchesoni well... then you´re just some dumb geek...

[@richardperkins9748]

What I take from top musicians like Vai, I will play my way and dont give fuck who cares. Even all the mistakes. Makes me happy. Thank you, 4sure!!!!!

[@willieb3905]

Oh that little Stevie Vai, such a nice boy....

[@rogerfelez7478]

Willie B3 And you're going to play that nice song...

[@dave-m3tal]

Roger's guitars and stuff This is my Whammy Bar! And its gonna be loud!

[@user-zx1ir7jt4c]

I saw Steve Vai in concert a few months back and it was sooo badass! I've been to alot of shows in my time and I was shocked. This was one of the coolest shows I've ever witnessed, and VERY loud! If you ever get a chance to see this guy live, don't miss out!

[@george.kollaros]

The last minutes about creativity, inspiration, how to trick your ego and all that, apply to life as well !!! Thank you very much, Steve!!!

[@tacogladiator7503]

Was never a huge Vai fan ..but....his introspect and ability to explain tone in the simplest terms without sounding like a know-it-all, was refreshing..the things to with delays and putting them in the loop as apposed to the front of the amp were a learning for me..great video..

[@christopherduenas2695]

Interviewers should be like this guys, he has solid insight, makes intelligent questions, and most importantly, shuts up when he has to.

[@victorramsey5575]

Every time I listen to Vai talk about the "inner note" and "locking into the groove", just finding your sound, I gain another level of respect and appreciation for him. Its too bad that most people on Earth will never get it. Musicians are on a whole different spiritual level. There are few pro guitarists that can (or have) actually inspire the spirit inside you. Randy Rhoads, Cliff Burton (bass..but still), Mick Mars, Steve Clark, Dimebag, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani have inspired me everytime I hear them. I thank God for putting them in my path.

[@Snakefinger1000]

It's nice to hear comments from Steve Vai praising Jeff Beck when so many guitarists think that it's some sort of competition. a true gentleman.

[@MrTroy808]

it is always good to hear the insights and wisdom of a Master like Steve Vai. His knowledge and experience is so valuable.

[@rurzan]

From 57:45, people, I can't stress enough how valuable it is what Steve says there! I'm sure he got these ideas from meditation, because that's basically what good meditation teachers talk about all the time - being present, in the moment, turning off the voice in your head, not talking to yourself, not judging, just watching yourself. This works in all aspects of life, not only music. And good call Brian about tricking your ego :)

[@BrianBaggett]

Yes! What you said - "Being present, in the moment, turning off the voice in your head, not talking to yourself, not judging, just watching yourself. This works in all aspects of life, not only music."

[@nyguezz]

I came here to learn how to place my pedals, now I have gotten more than that, an useful way to see life, surroundings and myself. In the almost 30 years listening and following Steve's music career, he is always surprising me with something, not always related with music or guitar, but in life.

[@KrazyDirtWeed]

I love Steve Vai, what a great talent and a level head.... he's so genuine.

[@bastianmedinaver]

Guitar hero, composer, producer, businessman. Totally inspiring

[@foxsoxxband3917]

I've always respected Steve Vai just was never really a fan of his style but he is really well spoken and knows his stuff, really impressed with his speaking.

[@hotchow8766]

The real gold starts near 57:15. The foundation of Steve Vai and his growth as a musician. Anybody can buy a piece of equipment and get temporary joy, few dedicate time to mastery and the joy of pursuing getting better. Well done, Steve. It reminds me of your wisdom-dropping during the Anderton interview.

[@charvel111]

The last minutes of the interview, was deep and rich. Thanks Steve, for this and your music.

[@BrianBaggett]

charvel111 Totally agree. That was my favorite part of the event. Check out the book Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner. It's a life changer.

[@charvel111]

I will, thanks for the tip fellow youtuber!

[@charvel111]

Brian Baggett I just realize you're the one that did the interview! My bad man, that was rude of me.

[@BrianBaggett]

charvel111 No Man, not rude at all. I'm just a fan like everyone else. Take care and keep playing!

[@BrianBaggett]

***** Yes! Fantastic book! Read it multiple times!

[@chrisgreenwood8451]

It's so awesome to see an artist like Steve Vai just sit and share things like this. Not only do you get a chance to see how his mind works in creating the tones behind the beautiful music he has created, but it also shows you the simple love of playing guitar and the humble desire to share with others. Love this dude. Great video!

[@TheGeorgeH27]

The Boss mug is awesome.

[@SimonBorro]

Yeah i love !

[@slimbocker73]

Would love to have one of those!

[@susancorgi]

Steve Vai always has something to say about everthing in the universe and in very interesting way. I could just listen all day.

[@boonexy]

I think its kind of funny how the video title and description keep pressing "perfect" and all Steve says is there isn't really such thing. This guy isn't my cup of tea for guitar playing but he's highly influential and very smart.

[@ragnaroksangel]

This video has changed my life. That monitor situation on stage he talked about is genius. His explanation of everything has taught me a lot.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

I've found I sound the best when I connect my pedals in any random order, and leave one disconnected so no sound comes out.

[@tomcoryell]

Escape the Matrix LOL

[@stranger5088]

I sound best when mine is on the stand.

[@Super-Simo-B]

I sound the best when I sell all my gear for $1 reserve and sit on a stall in an empty room in complete silence.

[@mrnobodyinvr9762]

Hes just the sweetest, kindest, most down to Earth guy, guitar aside, just the nicest guy.

[@Sillysillystupidio]

Professor Vai does great and informative interviews..No doubt...

[@geoc3956]

I think this man is awesome in his advice. Thank you Steve. I wish someday I get to thank you in person for helping me keep the faith in myself.

[@Pharesm]

love the stuff Steve says... the first thing that actually worked for me was to keep my frontal lobe occupied with some slow, not too exciting movie and play. I suddenly realized I could play really well, if I just shut off the thought spigot by distracting it with something else. By now, I don't need a movie anymore. I just play and whatever it is, I never argue with myself over it. I read some place, that we all are searching for the sounds we were born without, in the overall vibrational pattern of our body.

[@dr05guitar]

I love how deep and philosophical Steve gets toward the end... always enjoy hearing him talk about concepts like this, he's quite articulate with such things. Much enjoyed!

[@alexg9222]

Great vid! Love to hear Steve talk openly and candidly, about his love for the instrument and music! Wish I saw this 5 years ago, it would have changed my own perspective towards making time for the instrument and investing in myself! Thank you, to you both! I really enjoyed this!

[@victoryatallcost]

Steve is such a cool and humble guy. He genuinely is trying to help you be you. First time I saw him live was mind blowing. I never seen anything like that!

[@musiciansfriend]

Are your guitar pedals in perfect order? Steve Vai helps you! Watch this video and subscribe to our KZbin channel for more interviews, prodcut reviews, and more. bit.ly/1lid2Xz

[@nickdangelo5564]

How can I get one of the boss coffee mugs? They are so cool! Thanks

[@VioletDeliriums]

What he says at 1:40 is all you need... The key is to maybe know the basics: (filters before distortions/gains before modulations before delays/reverbs) and then just put them on the board and move them around until you get what sounds the best... The only problem some people might have is a lack of willingness to experiment... 13:01 this is one of those experiments -- move the phaser or flanger in front of the distortion as opposed to in the effects loop and see what happens. A lot depends on how much noise the phaser or flanger makes. If it makes a lot of noise (like a Phase 90), then it usually works better before the distortion so you aren't phasering the gain pedal's white noise.

[@gonzalodiazgallardo9540]

Nick D'Angelo 1 for me too please

[@jeffreyp1855]

+Musician's Friend How could this guy hang out with Vai, and not have a big dumb grin on his face?

[@brunobailly7013]

+Jeffrey P Maybe the fact he doesn't have a big dumb grin on his face his why Steve Vai let's him hang out with him in the first place.

[@GeraldWilhelmBradenComposer]

When I was touring as a guitarist in the early 80's with Climax, a great guy named Craig Anderton from Guitar Player magazine helped me set up my rig and pedals. Everything was basically analog back then, so I added digital FX changes through time. I was using 2-100 watt Marshalls with slant front cabinets (miked up on 2 separate FOH channels), one clean and one over driven, with my guitar plugged into my Cry Baby wah, Boss pre-amp, and Boss compressor, and then to an A/B box, to choose the amp and FX set up for each amp. I had an FX loop installed in the rear of all of my Marshall heads (these are standard in many amps these days), so that I could cleanly insert my old Echo plex tape delay, Boss chorus, Fender tube reverb, and Eventide harmonizer. It's VERY important to insert all these "clean" type of FX through the rear FX loop, so that you are bypassing the pre-amp stage of your amp. If you plug all these clean type FX units into the front of your amp, it will sound VERY harsh, because as you turn your guitar volume knobs up, it will overdrive any effect, and raise the volume of the FX with the volume of the guitar. Though this is OK for a wah wah, pre-amp, or compressor pedal. This is all much the same, as when you are running FOH and separate monitor mixes on a mixer. You ALWAYS choose "Pre-fader" for your AUX monitor mixes, so that when your sound engineer brings up a fader in the FOH mix, that channel's volume doesn't also come up in any of the monitor mixes. As digital FX became better, I eventually bought 1 rack mount programmable digital FX unit, that would do 4-FX at the same time, and inserted it into my rear FX loop. I ALWAYS use the natural over drive or "distortion" from my amp, by setting the master volume at a lower level than my output volume, to give me that nice rock over drive for rock rhythms and solos, as I turned my guitar volume knobs up. This is how our "old school" greats such as Page, Clapton, Beck, and many other did it, and it is STILL the best method for achieving a REAL good over driven rock sound, that is controllable simply by turning your guitar volume knobs up and down. The pre-amp pedal right before the amps input, is what will give you that little extra drive. Around 1990, many amps started having switchable channels, one clean and one over driven, and that eliminated the need for me to have 2 separate amps on stage, with 2 separate FX set ups and an A/B box to choose amps. I switched to using a Peavey Heritage VTX, and had a great sound for all the rock and also more jazzy rock type Steely Dan,. Satriani, Eric Johnson...etc music I performed. These days, I'm not gigging much, and I am using a small Line 6 amp, with all the internal programmable FX patches, with a Line 6 foot pedal, and my 2 matching 35 year old Fender Stratocaster Elite guitars (one black, one white)...Peace!

[@WyattScott]

Steve is a smart guy. This was very enjoyable to watch and he's definitely a master of the guitar. Not into his stuff, didn't like his live show bored to tears, but this vid is fantastic. His ideas and philosophy on guitar and music is spot on.

[@johnraymond8498]

Wyatt Scott your a jester to the throne..... You still popping zits and waxing your carrot in your bedroom at your parents house ?

[@williamhunt4460]

I second that. He is a lot like Jeff Beck jr. Brilliant, unique talent, but needs support creating great songs that can really use his guitar magic. Check out out Jeffs albums over the years. some pure dynamite tracks surrounded by some boring fillers. Freeway Jam for example is great as a short version, but move on to other stuff next time.

[@donlawrence8810]

Steve is not only a great guitar player but is a really cool guy. He comes across as a real. Really enjoyed that video.

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

I think Zach Galifianakis did a fine job interviewing Steve here...! But where are the two ferns..?

[@mbrad51]

Steve command over tonality is amazing A legend ,and no doubt a tremendous human being willing to give knowledge like this is unheard of.The great don’t usually drop diamonds like this. Love you Steve and the best part I enjoy is the host didn’t interrupt your lessons

[@VNXiTrum]

Listening to Steve comments. I admire him more, not about the pedals order, but the dept in him as beautiful musician. Thanks.

[@MrAirblown2009]

One of the most informative Steve Vai interviews ever. I learned so much.

[@ChristianIce]

The very good thing in your sound is the way you play. 90% of the guitarists I know (me included) would sound like playing a toy guitar with that setup. :)

[@BluesLicks101]

+ChristianIce Agreed with those pedals maybe it might be a bit toy-like/weak (though Roland has some cool tones), but that is a NICE amp system he's playing through!

[@G4LCTC]

ChristianIce I remember reading some dude's account about meeting his idol Eric Clapton. The dude had an ultra cheap guitar and gear but Eric wanted to show him some lick and as he handed him his guitar he was extremely embarrassed and worried about the "bad" tone from his cheap gear. To his amazement Eric made that guitar scream. It was at that moment he realized the majority of the sound comes from the player not the gear. This was a big lesson for him and also for me. I have also experienced this effect in my life when good musicians use my gear.

[@TheDevice357]

first thing I learned as a kid was I needed to be able to play anything threw whatever sound I had. I would use really bad set ups but make it sound good bc of doing it enough. BUT, that set up he's using is extremely awsum. it's stereo, his guitar, BOSS pedals, and threw a great amp. the amp makes the difference. and for those who need the help, big change in using pedal is don't use the TONE knob more then half way, if that much. get the presence from the amp

[@nazarenkodenys]

G4LCTC well that is partially true Phrasing and guitar technique depends solely on player abilities While the audio characteristics are based on gear itself. You get different response for Les Paul vs Strat or valve vs transition The marketing thing used to manipulate customers is getting them believe certain brand name is the only way to get desired tone. The truth regarding Boss pedals is that pro players choose these pedals not because they could not allow themselves expensive custom boutique but because if your super custom pedal is dead on the road Boss pedal could be bought in every store. So if you base your setup on rare and expensive gear - be ready to spend tons for backup I could not tell how many pedals were bought - with no music produced.

[@steeevo0136]

"threw" ?? "awsum" ?? . . . . oh dear. Perhaps too much attention to guitar skills and not enough to basic language skills ?

[@keithlabonte2547]

The closing conversation to the video was clearly impressive and highlighted Steve’s true artistic success

[@chatreeo]

Steve Vai tone is superb

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

yea he is awesome!

[@user-qo6vj6pf6k]

I've played for 40 years - believe me, there is some truly great advice here. What a nice bloke.

[@IainFrame]

Vai's legato is smoother than James Bond at the roulette table in white tie.

[@LEUNN_]

+Iain Frame with a dry martini

[@kevinalzate9177]

3 ice cubes

[@steveforwarduk]

I agree.. smoother than Des Lynham in a vat of honey.

[@panama1942]

Its bond james bond, shaken not stirred huehue

[@marcandrelegermusic]

I had watched ¾ of the video about a year ago and then had to go do something. It is packed full of great tips on pedal usage. Just finished the video finally and wow! Whatever you do, if you don’t have the time to watch the whole thing, watch the last 12 minutes! Thank you for your insight Mr Vai!

[@GazMoz78]

I play a BOSS DS1 it sounds awful, Steve Vai plays it and it sounds awesome!

[@SufferDYT]

You clearly need a carvin legacy.

[@danielxaviermusic]

You need an amp that has quite a lot of mid to compensate with the scooped sound of the DS-1. No matter what setting you put the DS-1 in, you'll always get a very scooped sound because of the natural eq of the pedal. My advice for you is to typically crank the mids up with your amp, keep the treble and presence no higher than 1 o' clock, and don't let the bass go beyond 11 or 12 o clock. I think part of the reason why Steve Vai has a very thick and rounded distorted sound is because I believe that most of his tone is coming from the distorted signal of the Carvin Legacy and is boosting it with an overdrive. Even with Steve's setup, the DS-1 retains a scooped sound, so other than re-adjusting the eq of your amp, I'd suggest that you use the DS-1 on a slightly distorted sound so that the DS-1 will tighten up the sound of the amp, Joe Satriani used to do that before.

[@GazMoz78]

Daniel Xavier Whow! A well detailed and informative response, thanks but i sold my DS1 years ago, I just couldn't get on with it, but thanks for taking the time.

[@danielxaviermusic]

I hear ya, buddy. I personally haven't owned a real DS-1 but I own a Jemini and a Satchurator, and their both based off of the DS-1. They both have a very harsh sound overall because of their inherently scooped eq. I'm getting rid of the Satchurator but I'm keeping the Jemini, not because it sounds better but the saving grace of the Jemini is that the OD side of it is pretty sweet, and makes for a great boost.

[@SufferDYT]

Have you had a chance to play the jemini with a carvin legacy?

[@amirranjbar1995]

I like how steve vai is not only an inspiration, but also a good teacher

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Steve wearing his matching Legacy pants today I notice

[@iswadikassim4896]

I went to all the comments and you sir are the only person who mention his matching pants and amp head... got to have matching pants and amp heads.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

iswadi kassim One wonders why people do not more broadly consider it a mandatory thing. The pants/amp nexus is such an obvious platform for a fashion statement

[@iswadikassim4896]

Oh yeah i can see it already. Paris or milan will be crawling with people carrying matching amp heads and pants. Its called fashion. Hahaha

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

iswadi kassim Never mind no frillsy Gucci handbags, I wanna see Kate Moss with a 200 watt orange head and matching heels and summer dress. However - you won't be seeing me on stage with no Helena Christensen anniversary amp. Its not gonna be that much of a two way street.

[@ppmguire]

Aw man, that means I have to wear grey carpet to match my RGT100ES. *sigh* I must do what humanity needs!

[@ArnoGoldfinger]

The post it notes on his guitar are reminders of how to play Am C and G chords.

[@TomPark1986]

Vai's playing is very sunny and optimistic sounding.

[@theothertroll]

I love depressing rainy days with lots of fucking thunder ~

[@shaterproofblosm]

I love a good almond milk based thick health shake with blueberries, lecithin and everything else healthy in my fridge in the morning :D}~

[@TomPark1986]

Rammstein guitar then? HA.

[@CuriousKitchen]

I have been using the same DS-1 since 1995. Truly a great distortion if you know how to dial it. You have to be very conservative on the tone in this pedal. If you put a compressor in front, it will sing like Vai's tone without a Keeley mode.

[@LuxeXx]

I want to do it all wrong so Steve Vai comes and yells at me.

[@DARRENC910]

LuxeXx he's like the Gordon Ramsay of guitarists

[@lennykrainie1903]

Darren Fenyyx Callaghan WHERE’S THE WHAM SAUCE !??

[@warrenjg4598]

I'm sure he got that from being schooled by Mr Zappa@@DARRENC910

[@blackangle4677]

I'm you big fan from Thailand. I firstly intend to learn you technique about paddle stuff, but you also give me a nice perspective as a good artist. I love what you said "art is an inspiration" "you need an inspiration to express your technique". That's so true. Art always makes the difference that why we are different. Thank you very much.

[@MauFerrusca]

"Are you flanging a delayed signal or delaying a flanged signal?" That's almost philosophical.

[@ralphbello5292]

Thank you Steve Vai for sharing so much of your, not only musical techniques, but your musical soul.....much appreciated!!

[@marsattacks7071]

Great deep interview ! Steve Vai is humble and passionnate as usual. Great man . Thanks !

[@DMTAKAB]

Wow, Steve Vai is a genius. The answers to the questions in the end regarding creating music is just brilliant! ✨👌🏻🤩

[@kitemanmusic]

I think Steve is talking about getting to the Alpha state of mind. One needs to eliminate the background noise of everyday living, because creativity is a very quiet sound, but it can come through if you let it. It's a question of knowing how to open the door. It's all there waiting. I was intrigued when he said that he was not a natural guitar player. I'm sure many people would find this hard to believe, but it shows how humble he is. He has worked very hard and achieved fantastic ability. He is very philosophical, and understands what is going on. Great stuff!

[@tomjones2348]

Steve is able to articulate his points like few other musicians. This is the best video I've seen on the subject.

[@Delphinixa]

Thanks for this very inspirational video :) I started playing stereo 2 years ago which opened up the clarity of my guitar tone. Using multiple stereo delays and reverbs i always routed them serial, but now after watching this i'm intrigued to split my signal and experiment with parallel routing and maybe even combined combinations. Using a stereo chorus feeding the mono signal into 2 stereo delays would do the trick, as seen in this video, but are there signal splitters like 1 in / 4 out on the market ??

[@Delphinixa]

I need a patchbay :)

[@azbababooey]

It never ceases to amaze me how effortless Vai’s playing is. He moves up and down the neck like it’s part of his body. The accuracy and tone in his fingers is amazing!!

[@91945punx]

Damn... Steve did open pandora's box with the suggestion of one effect going into one amp, another into another. That sounds fun.

[@baatkarlo]

91945punx try using a roland vg-99, it has two guitars, fx chains and amps plus dry signal on l,r output.

[@JohnRidersoldoutforjesus]

I want one of those BOSS cups. It would go great with my BOSS pedals.

[@proc007]

He is NOT using his delay pedals in front of his other pedals. The reason why his rig is difficult to explain is because of the way his amp functions. Most guitarists (especially those who are just starting out) will set up their signal path in a basic way like this: guitar > pedals > front of the amp. Steve wanted to set up his rig so that it sounds cleaner, more like a guitar going directly into an amp. Since lot of his driven sound comes directly from the dirty channel on his amp, he's not going to want the modulations/delays affecting the clarity of his guitar alone. Basically, his signal path works something like this: Guitar > wah > distortion > front of the amp THEN in the back of the amp there is an FX Loop, which responds to the pedals that were plugged into the FRONT of the amp. This way his chorus and delays are not going to sound like crap when he switches to the EQed/dirty channel on his amp. So, the signal path for the FX Loop would look something like this: Back of the amp (FX Loop) > volume pedal > chorus splits the signal into stereo > delay 1 returns to the back of amp 1 and delay 2 returns to the back of amp 2. So, as you can see, this can be quite complicated to someone who is not familiar with this type of amp set up.

[@davecarsley8773]

You don't seem to understand what an effects loop is

[@Atomiclord1]

@@davecarsley8773 A Proc perfectly describes the second setup that Steve demonstrated.

[@willb3698]

A Proc, er...that is what he said mate, I understood what he said perfectly. Did you not listen that you needed to repeat it?

[@-Pol-]

The excellent interview Steve gave Lee Anderton was mind blowing. I came to see Steve in a new light as a very wise rockstar and Lee did a great job of letting the interview flow without interrupting and then asking questions pertinent to what had just been said Consequently the conversation developed in a direction I don't think anyone expected - I came away inspired by what Steve had shared and with heightened respect for them both.

[@siriusfun]

4:36 - Steve Vai is officially one of us. I don't know how I feel about that yet.

[@RasCuban33]

As a fellow New Yorker I love hearing Steve's accent when he says tuner lol He's so Looonngg Island lol Absolutely love the Public Image Limited "Album" he plays on. Love you for life Steve Vai!

[@kickyourmum]

Like a lost episode of "Between Two Ferns".

[@JacobawSnow]

smorrebrod LOL. This guy interviewing has very little personality. Definitely uncomfortable to watch. Vai is funny though. Silly and corny sometimes. But he has a good vibe.

[@golf-freq]

Hilarious! The thing most people don't realize about Vai is that even though he sometimes comes off as extremely New-Agey he is actually fundamentally grounded and rationally guided in and by his own spiritual beliefs. However, it is also true that he is drawn to corniness like a moth to the flame. I mean, you look at Steve and you think "This is the coolest and probably most dangerous snake-like man I've ever seen" and then he opens his mouth and then you hear that not only is he respectful, well-mannered, compassionate and generally tenderhearted he's also more than just a bit of a cornball. It is for all of these reasons that he is instantly likable and adored around the world -- and we haven't even taken into consideration his prodigious guitar virtuousity yet! Extraordinary!

[@garethconway8717]

Between Two Flangers...

[@christinahinton4538]

exactly. dude is cringe worthy

[@RogerBarraud]

Yeah I spotted the Zach G vibe instantly - it's in the eyes! :-)

[@rickmoore52]

So cool. Like having Steve Vai in my living room explaining pedals to me. Great stuff.

[@sknowmann]

Now to the important question: where can one get those coffee mugs??

[@Quimerateck]

ik those are nice mugs

[@erics7004]

I ask myself the same thing! They're so cool!

[@josiahgarza7093]

I know right those are pretty cool looking mugs

[@vshopskater]

I concur, those liquid vessels are indeed copacetic

[@JRP3music]

I also liked the Waza pedals. Hearing the Waza Delays in stereo. It would be cool to see a stereo version with stereo inputs and outputs!

[@SIRINI100]

tHERE IS SOOO MUCH MORE IN THIS INTERVIEW THAN I EVER EXPECTED!!! THANK YOU GUYS BOTH FOR SHOWING US STUFF WE NEED TO KNOW! gREETINGS FROM ATHENS GREECE !!

[@obedrodriguez4966]

"This guy has played with Zappa and Roth"...like if that was the greatest thing MR STEVE VAI has done. You are in the presence of greatness young man. Is not cool to introduce one of the greatest guitarist of all time as if he was a hired gun.

[@Steven-jq2yz]

When he played with Zappa all those years ago, that's what he was. Nothing wrong with being a hired gun. Matter of fact it's a compliment.

[@shawnpa]

What a coup getting an interview with Steve Vai. Thank you for getting his take on pedals. Very informative and interesting.

[@travisriedmusic]

So my question is this, does he run out of the effects loop of one amp into volume - chorus - split out to the two delays and then run one delay out to the return of first amp and one out to the input of the second amp?

[@Tommytotally]

I've been trying to figure this out as well.

[@lindapietro4750]

Steve is very kind to share his knowledge and experience. These principals are very important in a studio signal chain too while tracking and mixing.

[@pavotibio]

It's sad to learn how many of the comments here come out of some sort of envy rather than from a person that is really willing to learn something they have the chance to take or leave. To me, this kind of video tutorials are like food. I do not think whether they're good or bad, I just store them and wait to see when they'll become useful. That being said I´ll keep on enjoying this cool lesson.

[@billybobbobson5346]

pavotibio that food analogy is terrible.

[@BrothaManFromDa5thFl]

Wow...that's my phenomenal guitar teacher, Brian, chatting with the great Steve Vai!! This was an informative and inspirational session...good job Brian!!

[@otakurocklee]

So Steve runs the delays through the loop (back of the amp)... but the distortion goes from guitar->pedal->front of amp right?

[@billybobbobson5346]

otakurocklee didn’t you watch the video?

[@raysmetaltracks6782]

I've watched this video a handful of times over the years. What I like about Vai is how he always speaks to his audience from a fairly "beginners" perspective. He has a keen attention for the details. He seems like he would be a great teacher.

[@danycowwashere]

I love how he can't even finish a sentence with real words. Everything is "And then it goes BRBRBRBBBRBRBR, and then BRIIRIRIRBRIRIRIBRBRUUU," "but if you....brbrbrbbrbrfiiiiiiiiiiuuuuuu....you see?" "or you can BOBOBOBIBIBOOBOBYBBRBRBRBRBBRBRUIIIAUAUUYYYYY....see?" XD. Steve is awesome.

[@clydebonnie8828]

I have never laughed so hard in all my life!!! Thanx,Man!! Lmmfaoooo

[@yoadmaimon2007]

He's like the complete opposite of john petrucci

[@Elem40]

Once after some months I watch this video and it inspires me every single time.

[@zodiacbluesbaby]

Any number of boutique makers would kill to have Steve use their pedals, but he uses stock(?) Boss delays and the DS-1 is his go-to box. Shows what a lot of stupid snobbery there is about gear.

[@mrmapegothe13th]

You should see the premier guitar rig rundown for him. All his stuff is really high end custom made and boutique gear that all together likely costed over $10,000. He is using boss In this because they sponsor the video.

[@zodiacbluesbaby]

Jimmy Gilmour He probably has all kinds of rigs. I've seen pictures where he's used pretty much this exact setup plus a Digitech Whammy. I don't think Steve Vai needs to plug any gear he doesn't actually like.

[@mrmapegothe13th]

zodiacbluesbaby I'm sure he does. In the rig rundown he literally had giant cabinets filled with pedals he wasn't using. I'm certain the rig they showed is what he uses in his studio but i'm not certain what he uses on stage. He probably uses the simple boss rig on quicker or smaller gigs and whips out the giant one for the more important ones.

[@Ps1504]

he got a lot of gear man worth thousands but in this video it says they teamed up with Boss, so it shows Boss pedals

[@Thirdgen83]

His DS-1 is modified by Keeley...

[@guitagrip8913]

With all the gear that's out there, with all the types of music we can play, with all the musicians I was able to see I am so happy to be alive during these times.

[@siriusfun]

PRO TIP: If you're looking for the perfect ambient set up, basically flip the order of these pedals and add another delay and vibrato: Delay ----> modulation ------> delay (different time than 1st) --------> overdrive for the win.

[@UnproductiveHours]

This one hour seems like just few minutes. I grew up listening to Mr Vai and last few minutes of this video gave a whole new insight into life in broader sense. He unknowingly is speaking of some basic philosophies of Vedic life : 1) like be in present moment 2) don’t expect result of any deed (shri Krishna in Gita) I heard it many times, but when you hear from a legend whom you always have been inspired from it makes more sense Long live the Legend and keep enlightening the world sir !!’