Steve Vai Interview Part 2 | MI Conversation Series

MI students attended this intimate conversation with Guitar legend, Steve Vai. Steve delves into the perils of ego, the addiction of monogamy and why he always avoids drugs. He also shares some inspiring insight into his creativity and playing methods. Only at MI.
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[@kubrickinho]

Besides being a great musician, Steve is also a very wise man.

[@jaybreen1010]

Like others have said, Steve is a great model for how to live, entirely beyond his vocation or anything to do with it. His outlook on what he can and cannot change in the world around him is so highly developed, and he seems to have cultivated one of the best outlooks and healthy states of mental health I've seen in an adult anywhere. It's something I have found myself seeking out interviews with Steve in order to hear. You know how sometimes Hollywood-level celebrities will have a certain game they work with respect to how enlightened they are? They have a bunch of catchphrases or keywords that they throw out there to kind of posture like they have wisdom or peace - but listen to a couple of interviews and you realize its just a veneer - a couple of millimeters deep. With Steve, he can apply the principles of acceptance to any question you throw at him, and it shows that it comprises the core of his outlook on living. Very refreshing and inspiring.

[@Chozal]

Not the biggest fan of his music, but it's always a great pleasure to listen to him.

[@JohnStraussmusic]

***** absolutely

[@eitanlitner7207]

precious human being.. apart of being a great musician

[@TwistedIdentity]

I woke up feeling like shit. Watched part 1 and 2 of this. Pretty much made my day and put me into a new mindset about my own music. :D

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

peace, bruh :)

[@commentfreely5443]

i have 9500 songs on my ipod. a vai song just came on [random shuffle]

[@NoName-fo7mz]

That sucks for you bro

[@dantanadingo]

Steve is my all time favorite guitarist. It has been very cool for me to all the sudden realize that I respect him as much as a person as I do as a player. I hope to be as comfortable in my own skin as he is one day. The perfect guy to mentor younger players.

[@geraldagen5640]

ce mec est vraiment un sage en plus d'être un musicien talentueux ! il a raison : savoir écouter sa voix intérieure, avoir une attitude et une réflexion constructive et être dans le lâcher-prise...

The best of all times. Sure he is. Never a waste of time to hear him, always great!!

[@nathanhuffines]

Not only has this guy mastered music, he has embraced the mental rollercoaster of creativity and has the ability to explain it as if he were a musical phycaiatrist. Amazing.

[@lynchsmith2310]

This dude is full of common sense

[@ImSylla]

Wisdom of his words is the best inspiration!!

[@RoccoPezzin]

amazing interview

[@Vailover4ever]

I wish I was as wise as Steve.

[@nickybareau3639]

Vailover4ever you are, you just don't know it!

[@CountryHouseGent]

Take out the 'wish I was' bit and just say 'I as wise as Steve.'

[@TCRGuitar]

The most motivational guitarist on the planet, imo. Its great how he tries to put feel and logic into words...with music, thats a hard thing to do.

[@EDRISSALEXIS21]

Steve, even more than your great music, your words have inspired me since I was in my early twenties and the late 80s. I realize now that you are very much in tune to the teachings of people like Dr Wayne Dyer, the late Bob Proctor, and others in that field. It's inspirational to hear the technical teachings from those two and then to transfer to listening to you and hear you lay out how it can be applied in our musical journeys but more importantly, in everyday life. Can't thank you enough for being such a positive influence in my life.

[@richardrejmer8721]

This guy is a philosopher. . . . and then a musician. . .

[@enriquelopezleon4191]

10:55 "Practice your scales and use a condom!!!" Best advice ever Great interview! Hope to see more videos like this. Wish there was a part 3.

[@saatwikkatiha]

I was almost in tears at 8:20. Damn. He just HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD with that observation.

[@MickeHasselqvist]

"Practice your scales and use a condom!" - Steve Vai, 2015

[@dennisjohndreher7258]

Love it, I often imagine and write things I can't play. I literally have to take weeks or months to finally finish the thought and piece of music. I then have to play it until it becomes natural. Very rewarding when finished.

[@arsenaultgilles4557]

In as much as I have not met with Steve Vai he has managed to coach me on my guitar playing,on you tube when guitar playing means so much to me .back in the day when Covid 19 was doing its thing ,there was Steve in his harmony hut pouring out his heart to his listeners treating us like friends.and has managed to continue do so .Steve Vai has helped me get over a seriously mountain that I had generated in my mind and has helped me to bulldoze it right down .prayers being answered from a most genuine person ❤ prayers for a most genuine friend blessings 5:09 Steve Vai

[@jeannf4101]

Just ran across this two part series. Impressed with his clean lifestyle while having an envious career as a guitar player. What a pleasure to hear someone as "grounded" as Steve Vai share his outlook on life and our passion - guitar. He's eat up with common sense - what a great role model and spiritual example.

[@J3unG]

This is brilliant. Steve Vai really is 'connected' to his creative process. Amazing. I will share this with everyone I know. Great post!

[@michaelmattice4986]

An inspiring talk from an inspiring musician...Thanks MI and thanks Steve Vai!:)

[@knucklesprayer]

Steve Vai Guru Master. Imagine what you want to play, that's the simply advice that great composer masters did in the past. Imagine, dream, catch sounds! and make it real.

[@andyreasoner5289]

I like to listen Steve, very nice, modest and intelligent man. He is very articulate and with sense of humor. He has much to say about music, life, a lttle bit philosophical. Of cours, not saying that brilliant guitarist.

[@HEADBANGRR]

I AGREE W/ "EVERYTHING" STEVE SAID. I too have personally experienced what he was talking about. AWESOME interview! Thanx for the upload!

[@picardoi8742]

At 8.20.. that small voice used to be my dad.. for 25yrs , thats why drugs are better.. reward without having to try cos youre proabably no good anyway and will fail like everything you do, thanks dad

[@kennethhacker1341]

Stay positive bud! Fuck them negative people!

[@johncassar2923]

what an amazing human being. he get's the A O Kay from me!

[@SebastianBluschke]

Vai: *"The good stuff comes from your inner ear. It comes from the inspiration of your soul."* (19:04)

[@kayokk-]

Truly a wonderful gift to life and music itself. Dear, Vai. Amen🙏

[@LeeGee]

Thanks for this - super stuff. Love this old Buddha :)

[@RolfEgilBolle]

Amazing man and musician,a lot to learn from this interview.

[@sleepingdogkungfu9326]

Think 'Red' and look around - you'll notice all these reds popping out and showing themselves to you. Realizing that what you 'set as parameters' are attracted TO YOU! - I like how he helps with explaining what it takes to get there (realize the inspiration). Explaining it to people helps. Thanks Vai. 'hear what you want yourself to play' - it's like what Hank Williams Jr. said about 'trying to remember the words to songs nobody wrote'. - Great message.

[@robynpollock9910]

I love this guy speaking like this more than I like him playing the guitar. He would would have excelled in any field he chose because he is a higher thinker. I take from this that music and ability is in the brain/head/mind and the need to have an instrument in your hand to further your understanding of insight and creativity is superfluous. An amazing human being. If, as humans, we are an infantesimaly small fragment of existance, then thank the universe that you're timeline coincided with Steve Via, David Bowie, Prince, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Ella Fitzgerald, et al. How awesome are our lifes?

[@bobbyberetta4206]

Steve needs to make one of those "I'm a good person, People like me" tapes. I would be a great way to start my day!

[@drinoyoutubechannel9757]

We all love you GREAT Steve! ❤🍂😎 🤟

[@eroticblack]

he is deeper than all the oceans of the world combined!

[@nickx1754]

Well, look's like I can put off therapy for another week. Lol Man, between his music, his kindness and his wisdom, what a blessing Steve Vai is.

[@guitargalaxy333]

Great stuff !!!

[@gavinsnyder5627]

I really like that part about listening to yourself play. (especially while improvising) I've been playing guitar for 17+years an I'd say only in more recent years have I really done this to where I feel I'm doing it more practically an efficiently. When your playing over a progression, it's easy to just implement little licks and runs from memory an such. I think it's very helpful to give space in between phrases in a sense to allow yourself time to internalize where you wanna go with something. In otherwords say you're playing over a 4 chord progression. Practice little phrases measure by measure. Sometimes leaving full measures fairly if not entirely empty. This is where I think having a good ear helps a ton. You can more or less know what kind of sound you want in contrast to different chords an such. Another useful was to do this is rhythmically. Meaning, come up with little rhythmic subdivisions and incorporate them into your phrases. Taking into account things like staccato, legato and dynamics.

[@venkatraman5280]

Awesome!!!

[@iaku2227]

This man is a guitar god and a poet!

[@koho]

Agree with many comments here about how interesting Mr. Vai is, even if you respect but may not be the biggest fan of his music. I like the part of about "I have no discipline" yet he had to practice 9+ hours a day or he wasn't happy. Can't decide if I feel better now that I don't want to practice much (and so, don't), or not since I don't have "the calling" the way Mr. Vai does.

[@OursDéplumé]

Great guy, great musician.... I would like to have as a friend

[@Servantofthegenerous]

What a wonderful human being!

[@NoName-fo7mz]

Nope total loser

[@ayushmanbhalla8737]

this man is so deep

[@kennethhacker1341]

When Steve's 80 you will find em at a university or high school teaching music theory lol,hes awesome!

[@droposite]

"I don't have discipline, I can only do what I want" - Vai 2015

[@lote0278]

I actually know what Steve is talking abut, cause when im high i play so slow and i pick the notes even though im not that good,yet! But when im sober my technicque i good and i can play wicked fast, i play classical guitar but blues and rock, so when i smoke some weed, man its a diferent world i feel so humble, and i can hear what i want to play, its a real high state. By the way if you never listened to little wing while high, you are missing out a lot!

[@conlee_1164]

💜

[@areannarichardson5065]

Memerlukan lebih ramai orang jadi sebarkan video ini lebih banyak

[@TiagoFrancomusic]

wow

[@laurahastings3140]

Golden, priceless,nugs of good $#!+💥Thanks Sir. You=so much >than 🎵 Only & I(🙋‍♀️)that's me,appriciate that I got to hear +listen 2what you had to *say* on this day.

[@piotrhobbysta5614]

I like very much interviews with Steve. I can't understand why he got so many hate? He was in 90s adult and fully professional guitarist with good CV, being already part of very respected Frank Zappa group etc., so why this hatress? I don't live in US and can't understand? BTW I don't know if he is Christian, but what he tells about wife, family, drugs makes him very good man respecting in fact some fundamental Christian values, even if he would be atheist.

[@deltafour1212]

9 hours of guitar practice!?!? GOOD GOD!

[@MadMax_1984]

One COOL Cat. Wonder if he played that night which amp he would plug into on that stage....

[@Aroncare]

What kinde of boots is steve wearing?

[@tonyfield5294]

The ego puts madness into music.

[@megamountainman5230]

Car or 263 guitars. Definitely guitars.

[@sokushinbutsu2877]

ME VAI IS THE TRUE LORD

[@Revoltmetal420]

Steve Vai is an awesome guitar God,but when it comes to "drugs" especially for guitar players the trick is not do any addictive drugs, instead do inspirational drugs like mushrooms,LSD, marijuana, and DMT. As a listener I personally can hear when a player creates music while sober than while on an altered state or from a memory of an altered state of mind. 🔥💨💨

[@Kapricorn]

the point he doesnt talk about is the moment when he decided to take passion and warfare on the road, touring is not cheap it is an expensive mistress, i dont care what anyone says......

[@Gregorypeckory]

Daniel Miller True, but the fact that it shocked him by going gold in a week had to provide a bit of confidence and obviously, a bankroll. I remember when it came out; record stores had huge displays for it in their windows. Steve as an economic entity, was a very hot commodity, in spite of the fact that he had no expectations of success for his solo stuff. I'm surprised he spoke of Passion And Warfare the way he did, thinking it would have no audience because it was so far removed from the rock star stuff he'd done before, and never mentioned Flexable, which preceded it, and was far more left of center. Compared to Flexable, Passion was like a mainstream heavy rock album. That's why I prefer Flex; it was far more unique, and had such a strange and wonderful variety of styles, and also, I think, was more directly influenced by Zappa. But that's just me; Vai's penchant for ideas that are strange and different is what I resonate with, a lot more than the guitar hero stuff.

[@AnabolicFarmer]

I don't believe a word he said about drugs. Sure he didn't wanna pay for it just like any intelligent human but drugs were a big part of the industry just like sex and rock. He probably didn't use drugs most of his career but with David Lee Roth absolutely, only way to get along with that clown. Anyways I think Vai is one of the most humble and friendly characters in the industry.

[@koho]

Skedaran - funny thought about DLR, but then again he started with Zappa, who hated drugs. Maybe that stuck.

[@stitcha123]

what car does he drive though!!!

[@aandc2005]

+stitcha123 Maserati Quattroporte GTS

[@blacktapes3475]

A 300zx Nissan, in green and black. And he really has owned it for years! facebook.com/stevevai/photos/pcb.10154526703174026/10154526702974026/?type=3&theater

[@daviclar867]

Too bad this guitar genius didn't write any cool memorable songs with killer riffs. Jimmy Page, Hendrix, Evh, David Gilmore, George Lynch, Mick Mars.....

[@nathanhuffines]

Idk man. How can u practice 26 hours a day, unleash groundbreaking guitar albums and not understand that you are great? Strange.