Vai is just such a great guy. I'm not even the biggest fan of his music, although of course he's an absolute icon, but i just find he has a lot of very interesting things to say about creativity, finding your own voice, and ultimately finding your way as an artist. Seems just very honest and supportive. Must have been awesome to talk to him, happy for you.

Nicely done R.J!!! You asked questions and let him answer. I could see the excitement on your face. You let him speak and didn't interrupt him once! It's been a long time since I've seen a "No interruption interview." Well done!!

Steve Vai always makes so much sense

Steve nails it! I’ve been playing since 1990 and there are times when I’m overwhelmed by all the gear. I have a pretty simple approach and just trust my own ears and focus more on playing and writing music.

What a nice guy Steve is.

That was so interesting. His music is not to my taste, but he's very intelligent, relatable and coherent. A pleasure to listen to, and very down to earth about gear intimidation. Your choice of t-shirt was also fun!😉

@climber7565

4 жыл бұрын

I agree, was a pleasure to listen to!

Vai seems to be a really humble guy, always nice to hear him, he speaks about advanced knowledge in a very simple language, a real and blessed Master.

Transcribing Zappa tunes must be great ear training 🤘🏽 Momma Mia love that Pia! Thanks to this interview I’m making a vision board for my ideal tone 🤘🏽😀

I’m pretty sure he’s the equivalent of yoda, in the guitar world. He explains music amazingly in a very psychological way.

Words from the master, thank you so much.I always told myself that if I ever found a top name guitar I could afford I would buy it. I found a left handed Fender acoustic I could afford and I bought it for 300: 00 bucks ,I was so excited and brought it home only to realize I loved my first acoustic so much more, it has great sound and I bought it for 150.00 bucks and had to switch it over for a lefty. A Montaya and it is 50 years old and still sounds amazing.

another great video brother! besides his playing and tone, how he shares his experience and wisdom is what really what loudly resonates with me. So concise and humble. Thank you R.J., thank you Steve!.

Such a fantastic video! It must have been an amazing experience for you to be able to sit and talk with him, Just an absolute legend and musical genius on so many levels.

Priceless information that is 100% true.

Dude ! This is so awesome ! Killer interview RJ ! 🎸 ❤️🔥 🔊

Great interview RJ. I really enjoyed this one!

What a great conversation. He’s a treasure and wealth of info.

Thnx RJ for bringing this to us! Steve..always the gentleman, an absolute gem of a guy.. his playing needs kno discussion., supreme, a true great! 🙏🏼

Great interview.Always a big fan of master Vai, kudos!

so touching for an excellent video

... now i want the Steve Vai module Synergy :) Great video!

Thank you RJ and mr. Vai . You are a Jedi sir , like the yoda of tone

wow. Did not expect such an illuminating answer. Thx Vai!

Nice one, RJ. Congrats on a great chat with little Stevie 😎

Great video R.J. I have always loved Steve's intellectual analysis of guitar.

My god, two of my guitar idols in one room 😍 I love the way Steve Vai explains his view on things. I couldn’t imagine sitting in the same room and talking with him 🙌🏻

@stiffmata

4 жыл бұрын

could watch hours of just Steve Vai talking. R.J. interacting with him is a bonus.

What a great lesson! Totally goes against the grain of most and I totally agree

Cool interview!

He is such a spiritual guy in life and in tone great advise great interview R J

There ya go ... real talk! Really appreciate that.

Wow nice!!

MAESTRO! Period.

R.J you rock!!!

Your facial expression when Vai mentioned that 25k strat is priceless. Great video by the way.

All the _"his music isn't my taste, but..."_ comments are kind of silly. Especially considering, like him or not, Vai is easily one of the most influential _guitarists guitarist_ of the last few decades. Only someone really ignorant would judge you for liking his (or any other musician's) music anyway.

Steve is a foxy tone master....lovely guy...

Nice interview,and again congrats Ronquillo,I loooove your signature pedal demos 🌚

Thanks Steve. I've been trying to say this to gear heads for years haha. Gear makes it easier to get your sound, perhaps, but it doesn't mean your sound is based around the gear... .

you arelegend!

So true...

Steve Vai himself!

7:38 Like how we shape our tongues to for vowels and consonants.

Watching this video just after having decided not to go towards a Custom Shop Strat but insteand hunting for some hidden jem (no pun intended) under 1000$... Steve's 500$ MIJ Strat that sounded better than any vintage Strat was the nail in the coffin to the custom shop option. :)

@MusicFed

4 жыл бұрын

David RF so true. But some people love buying vintage and it’s ok 👍

@aylbdrmadison1051

4 жыл бұрын

You kinda missed the point honestly. The whole thing was to trust *your own ears* over anything else. So instead you're really gonna make such a wild assumption before even listening to them? That's so the opposite of what Vai was trying to impart to people here. A friend of mine played 50 Squire Strats one day and found one that sounded every bit as good as an American made Strat. *But the other 49 did not.* Trust your ears, not your assumptions.

@DavidRFIT

4 жыл бұрын

@@aylbdrmadison1051 what part of "hunting for a hidden gem" you did not get? :)

Hi RJ you did a good job interviewing steve Val hope you got to jam with steve Val.

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

Not this time, but maybe in the future!

@mattdelahunt301

4 жыл бұрын

@@RJRonquillo It will be worth the wait R.J.

He is kinda like zappa. Incredible musician who likes to explore unusual territories. So hes well respected but not realky enjoyed by many. Despite that he is def up there in the top 3 ever in ability

Listening to The Boy From Seattle now

so one of my first takes is : PROTECT YOUR (G)EARS! super discusssion.

Man those hands are HUGE!

I played a place a week ago and there was no imagining a good tone at that place. Some places is almost impossible to get a good sound. You just work with what you have and go for it. Which sucks because I am very tone dependent.

👏

I really like vai though. Seems like a really good dude

Friends, If you get a chance to visit Ochanimizu a.k.a. Guitar Street in Tokyo- Japan, or any guitar stores around Shibuya /Shinjuku.. You can get an incredible Japanese strat or Tele from 300 - 500 USD. I'm not surprised at all Steve decided on a 500 dollar Japanese Strat.

I'm not high enough for this! I'll come back.

RJ. I have struggled all year to capture the Mike landau tone. I have the pedals, maxon sd9, blue hippo, roger Mayer Voodoo1 etc..but can not afford a custom audio amp or dumble... Sometimes I justwant to give up hope

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

Landau is a hard tone to cop, plus he's changed his gear over the years. I've seen him play through old Plexi's and Super Reverbs.

@chrislestermusic

4 жыл бұрын

I know you don’t want to hear it but, Landau is so much about touch. The way he touches the strings with his right hand. He goes back and forth between pick and fingers constantly and he is always working his volume and tone knobs. Guys like him and Robben Ford use their right hand fingers a lot and really change how hard they pick the strings. That’s my two cents. I think you’ll find quite a bit of tone comes from that.

@physiciansassist1

4 жыл бұрын

@@chrislestermusic I agree totally. See him live 4 to 5 times a year. He's pure genius

@chrislestermusic

4 жыл бұрын

Richard Luis He is one of my favorites, along with Tom Bukovac and...well, too many others to name. I lived in LA for 10 years and never saw him play. Talk about blowing it. 🤦🏼‍♂️

@physiciansassist1

4 жыл бұрын

@@chrislestermusic Tom is legend! And yes you blew it lol..

Vai is right. The difference between a crunching power chord progression and a sensitive subtle jazz progression is not so much your gear as it is how you play. As an aside, my favorite demonstration of Vai’s playing is the guitar duel between the Devil (Vai) and Ralph Macchio in the movie ”Crossroads”.

Is that a rigs of dad shirt!?

RJ fanboying so hard right here... I get it. :-)

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

I was so nervous.

So may sound like a dumb question, but Steve's main point contribution pointed out to the skill of listening, hearing. How do you manage that when you play so loud? Through how many ways do you protect your hearing when you play? And please don't answer with the obvious: Volume Control! Is it me or did you actually cut him off at the end of this recording? so a strange way to finish the video! I was enjoying his input!

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

I had a time limit with him, and we were going over, so we had to cut it.

@climber7565

4 жыл бұрын

Hi RJ! oh no wonder! Thanks for the reply! I hope you have an awesome day dear friend!

Holy cow, whats it like to talk to Steve Vai???

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

I was so nervous.

I heard a guy at a sound check who played with distorsion on 10 no low end or mids or what so ever and the sound guy asked him is that realy how you want to sound he said yes.. So you can't realy apply that " if it sounds good to you thats how you should sound.

@Ganbakodon

4 жыл бұрын

But the thing is, if he likes that sound, that is great for him. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean he can't nor has to change it.

Last time I saw Steve Vai guitar model it had 1 hole. 2 look a bit weird😀

His name is Stevie Vai, and he is quite a guy...,🎼 Thanks Stevie thanks RJ ( no last name) 😄

Probably a question on many of our minds is: What's the Japanese strat he thinks has such wonderful tone? 😁

@overtonesnteatime198

4 жыл бұрын

Lol that's not a strat dummy

@benevans8250

4 жыл бұрын

I would guess that it's a Tokai

@BoltRM

4 жыл бұрын

@@overtonesnteatime198 _strat-type_ 🙃

@BoltRM

4 жыл бұрын

*A Strat By Any Other Name: The Tokai Springy Sound* reverb.com/news/a-strat-by-any-other-name-the-tokai-springy-sound via @reverb

@AritraDasgupta

4 жыл бұрын

'Made in Japan' Strat issues.

I’m on such a Vai kick- his thoughts, not his music. Great content here, thank you.

what's the name of the 500$ Japanese Strat? Tokai???

@freestylefingerstyle470

4 жыл бұрын

'On 'The Boy From Seattle' I used a Strat tuned down two frets - it's the only non-Ibanez guitar on the record. The song is a tribute to Hendrix so I wanted to get an authentic Hendrix-type sound and the best way to do that is to use a Strat. I went through all different Strats, everywhere from '57, a '55 even, right up to new ones. And finally I just found this cheap Japanese Strat from '93 or '94 that sounded the best.' - well we know at least it's not an Ibanez and it's from the early 90s.

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

I'm assuming it was a MIJ Fender, but i'm not sure.

Steve vai is Little brother of my grandfather, I hope..

Love the vids but, if I can make a suggestion, the choppy editing during talking is distracting

I’ve always thought Rj’s playing and tone are far superior than any of the gutless shredder boys

I like Vai because he was student of Joe haha

I hate when people talk about hearing. I am tone deaf. No one seems to be able to teach how to hear. so frustrating..

@RJRonquillo

4 жыл бұрын

Are you talking about hearing pitches accurately or attenuation in your hearing?

@mykneeshurt8393

4 жыл бұрын

@@RJRonquillo I can't match tones. I can play a chord progression, loop it and come back 20 minutes later and not figure out what key I played in. I've taken a lot of lessons to try and fix this issue.

Looks skinny, more than usual... should we worrie? ☹️