Steve Vai
Latest about Steve Vai

Joe Bonamassa called him his new favorite player and Steve Vai hailed him as the evolution of guitar: how Matteo Mancuso developed a technique like no other
By Matt Owen published
The Italian virtuoso unpicks the inspiration behind his eye-opening approach, and explains why he never wanted to become a lead guitarist in the first place

Steve Vai rocks up to Mexico gig to find street performer playing For the Love of God… on two guitars
By Matt Owen published
Rafael Flores spent three years working on his hypnotic arrangement, and finally had the chance to flex his two-hand tapping chops in front of Vai himself

Meet Dante Frisiello, Steve Vai's new guitar sideman who went from law school to playing with his hero
By Andrew Daly published
The guitarist reflects on his disastrous solo on the first night of his new gig, the hardest part about playing with one of the world's leading virtuosos, and why the Abasi Larada is his favorite guitar he's ever played

Nuno Bettencourt says one of the new Extreme songs made Steve Vai and Tom Morello cry
By Matt Owen published
Spoiler alert: it wasn't Rise – a track that Bettencourt says has become so popular because he didn't play it sitting down

Why Steve Vai’s new rhythm guitarist says he almost got fired on his first night
By Matt Parker published
Dante Frisiello formerly teched with the band but that didn’t stop him from having a nightmarish first show

Steve Vai leads 7,968 guitarists in a world record-breaking performance of Jimi Hendrix classic Hey Joe
By Matt Parker published
Fellow shred icon Michael Angelo Batio was also among the massive lineup of guitar players in Wrocław, Poland

NAMM 2023: Ibanez announces bumper signature guitar drop, introducing new models for Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Lari Basilio, Paul Stanley, Martin Miller and Ichika Nito
By Matt Owen published
Finishing techniques never before used on Ibanez models, revived retro classics, new-look iterations of famed favorites and celebratory models headline the standard and limited-edition collection

Steve Vai’s prototype Hamer JEM – one of many models built before the virtuoso partnered with Ibanez – goes up for auction
By Matt Owen published
Before the JEM777 was launched in 1987, Vai was approached by numerous brands to build the model of his dreams. Hamer's own valiant attempt is estimated to sell for $60,000

Seven-note groupings can add some serious spice to your solos – just ask Steve Vai
By Andy G Jones published
Looking to add the unexpected to your improv? Septuplets might be the answer, challenging the audience and yourself

Steve Vai's childhood home practice rig is up for sale – but it's not what you think
By Jackson Maxwell published
In the setting where he first learned guitar, Vai practiced – many years later – for New York-area shows with a rig far more impressive than the one he used as a young beginner
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