Steve Vai Tone?

[jemsite]

Steve could walk into guitar center, take *any* guitar with humbuckers off a rack, plug into a DS1 feeding any real amp and ABSOLUTELY sound like Steve Vai in seconds.

I don' t think this can really be debated

SRV could have done the same thing with any strat copy and amp with reverb.

I think sometimes it's too easy to *REALLY* caught up in gear... I am as guilty as the next guy! I just don't think musicians like Vai, Vaughan or whoever need gear to inspire them in any way... glen

[jem7vwh]

I think it's both. *I likened this idea to the question of a beautiful woman.

Take Cindy Crawford when she was 24. *Take off all the makeup and have her just wear a men's workshirt. *Does she still look hot? *Yes. *Does she still look like Cindy Crawford? *Yes. *Not how you normally expect to see her, but because you know her, you can still see the resemblance. *Now does she look better with all the makeup and designer duds she usually wears? *Sure. *


Now take your average Wal-Mart slob girl. *Give her a men's dress shirt. *Does she look like Cindy Crawford now? *Hell no. *Now give her all the makeup and clothes that Cindy wears. *Does she look like Cindy now? *No, but she looks a little closer.

That's about the best answer I can give. *If you don't come from the same place (spiritually, emotionally, physically) as an artist, you won't sound the same. *But using the correct gear might get you closer.

[jay ratkowski]

Okay... just to make my arguement easy to follow, just pretend you agree with me that "tone" is more the combination of your playing, feeling, emotion, phrasing, etc all combined into a general sound that reflects a person. *To me, it's kinda the entire personality of a player (like sound of voice, sense of humor, accent, etc in a person)....

So... you could say that Vai's tone come from his fingers, as well as his gear.

However, if you want to sound like him... as in have your noises from your amp sound like the noises from his amp in the sense of EQ, Compression, distortion, etc... then go to the link posted in Glen's first post and be prepared to spend a LOT of money.

Don't know if that helps, but maybe it will.

[ripl3y]

I'm sure most of you have heard the demo Vai did of the BSB through just a Crybaby, Boss OD1 and Laney LC15...no more no less.

The sounds he was coaxing out of it was astounding and still remains my favourite.

Judging just by this simple demo it's obviously not all in the gear, it's a happy marriage of both if you ask me.

Steve

[thepumpkinkid]

geez guys, i think you're confusing "style" with "tone" ..

you can make these comparisons with anybody, for example ...

if i went into a shop and played a jem through a marshall i'd still sound like ME because i have my own STYLE, however, my TONE would be different ...

[GuyCool]

Steve (Ripley) makes a great point. That demo from a 'Guitarist' cd sounds like quintessential Vai, with minimal gear. I also rate THAT tone as my holy grail. But give Vai a POS Squire or something and I think it would sound very different.



Guy

[johank]

I have never heard that demo.
Do you know anywhere that I can download it?

[rosskoss]

johank on 2:43 pm on Jan. 15, 2002
I have never heard that demo.
Do you know anywhere that I can download it?

Ditto

[ripl3y]

I'll upload it this weekend and post the links for ya's

Steve

[theblackpage]

in december of 2000 i had the chance to meet steve in backstage here in Argentina.
i asked him a lot of questions about his sounds and guitar and blalblabla and the guy just told me that it was important to have quality gear but then he said that the thing that i got to remember is that i got to play with the soul and listening to the amp...
great guy
great advice

[Skully]

C-mon "ripl3y"... send it in already!!!

What's the name of the demo song?!

[ripl3y]

Chill Winston!

Had a busy weekend, will sort tonight.

Steve

[ripl3y]

Here it is. (right click, save target as)

Enjoy

Steve

[Skully]

Thanx...

[rosskoss]

Thanks Steve!