I smile when people think that Vai is just a shredder. While he can shred like a ...., he's also very old school when he chooses. One of my all time faves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bczh5geYYs In a world where cliche guitar is well, exists alot, this guy is a madman and doesn't know the meaning of the word cliche. Seeing Scott Henderson live, even tho this is live, is something you've got to do before you die. What surrealism is to painting ...!
Satriani is just unbelievable. The man gets better and better with age. He's most famous for shredding at light-speed, but IMO some of his best stuff is made up of the slower-paced blues and jazz numbers like Chords of Life, New Blues, Come on Baby, etc.
Love Come On Baby. Great use of blues scale and major, weaving in and out of each. Shreding is a joke. Guys like Satriani, Schon, Vai can shred with the best but there are kids noodling at a Guitar Center that play as fast. There are times in a solo when playing a run fast is whats called for but to do it from beginning to end just doesn't get my attention. Taste, exploration what Jeff Beck has blazed for decades is whats cool. Its why ( assuming a defensive posture after this statement) I'm not crazy about SRV. ....I"m outta here.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8xxDzkMEMMY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8xxDzkMEMMY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Just cannot deny how good this guy is at flying around the neck, effortless!
Anybody who's been playing over 25 serious years flys around the neck effortlessly. I dunno what it is, maybe its the hat. He's okay, just not in my favorites list. I could force myself to say, yea he's great but I'd be lying involuntarily. You can't force yourself to like something like that. You can't be held accountable for your tastes, they just sort of happen to you to be honest.
One of Satriani's mellower numbers. Soulful, tasteful, melodic... Rubina (live): <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a5xzSjgatP8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a5xzSjgatP8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
how about a ukulele surprise... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/puSkP3uym5k&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/puSkP3uym5k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>