Guitar legend Steve Vai is featured in Ultimate Guitar's latest installment of their On The Record series. Check it out below, preceeded by an excerpt from the conversation.
UG: Did you foresee the success of the seven-string? How did it feel for you years after developing that seven-string Universe and then seeing what it did to the music industry? I mean, it created whole new genres.
Vai: "Yeah, well, it's really nice to be a part of that, to be able to make a contribution that grew legs and ran. When I originally designed it, it took 30 seconds. I was sitting with an Ibanez rep, and we were talking about multi-stringed instruments, and he said, 'I have an eight-string guitar.' And I said, 'Eight-string?' I'm trying to envision it because I know if I tune that low string down, it's gonna start chugging. Now, at the time, tuning down wasn't even a thing. Tuning down a six-string was rare, as far as I know. So I just thought, let's add another string."
"And in my mind's eye, the moment I thought of it, the first thing that came to me was, this is something you're interested in, you want to play around with, so here, get it for you. But then, in the back of my mind, of course, there was the thought about the potential. And what ran through my mind was — I know there's going to be kids that are listening to this, and they're not popular yet, and it's going to inspire them, and they're going to see that the potential for the use of the heaviness."
"So, I used it on the Whitesnake record, but I'm not a djent type player. I'm not heavy, like Meshuggah. I love that stuff. I love heavy stuff, but I'm an older guy, so..."
"Sure enough, the seven-string came out, and I also thought, if you're a jazz player, this would be an excellent instrument because you can do walking bass lines. And if you're a classical player, not that it's the tone you're looking for, but you could do counterpoints that you just can't do with a six-string. So I thought in my mind's eye back then, I'm sure some people will fool around with that."
"I thought, if anything happens if it transcends just being what most people might see as a novelty, I think it'll have some teeth. Sure enough, the seven-string came out, and it was a bit of a novelty, and it was selling, and then it started to die down. Ibanez was considering discontinuing it, and I said, 'Just wait a little while, give it another few years, even if you have to make ten per year or something because somebody's gonna get it.' And sure enough, not long after that, I was driving down the street, and I heard this incredible heavy music on the radio, and I knew it was a seven-string. I pulled the car over, and I listened, and it was what I was expecting, in a way."
"The band that was playing was Korn, and it was brilliant. It was like, yeah, that's the use of the seven-string that I didn't do, that I was hoping somebody would do, and they certainly did. Then, from there, it just took off. So, I may be the godfather of the production model seven-string because they existed before I did that, but bands like Korn, Fear Factory, and a bunch of those bands from that period gave it the kick that it needed to start the subculture."
Vai recently checked in with the following update:
"We wrapped up our glorious 27 year G3 anniversary tour this weekend in LA. The whole tour was an exceptional life experience. Being on the road with this entourage was like touring in a warm float tank. It was a pleasure beyond measure. Eric and Joe never cease to amaze and inspire me with their brilliance and innovation. And to feel them on stage every night trading riffs in our jams was uplifting and exhilarating! On top of all that, they are solid good people and cherished friends.
Big time thanks to our crew and management that worked so hard to make it the exceptional experience that it was, and to all the folks that came to enjoy the shows. Your support is humbling."
Fan-filmed video of the entire G3 show The Elsinore Theatre in Salem, OR on February 1st has been shared via YouTube and can be veiwed below
Setlist:
Steve Vai
"Avalancha"
"Little Pretty"
"Tender Surrender"
"Zeus In Chains"
"Teeth of the Hydra"
"For The Love of God"
Eric Johnson (45:58)
"Land of a 1000 Dances"
"Righteous"
"Trail of Tears"
"Impressions" (John Coltrane)
"Here With You Again"
"Desert Rose"
"Cliffs of Dover"
"Venus Reprise"
Joe Satriani (1:30:40)
"Raspberry Jam Delta-V"
"Surfing With The Alien"
"Satch Boogie"
"Sahara"
"Nineteen Eighty"
"Big Bad Moon"
"Always With Me, Always With You"
"Summer Song"
G3 Jam (2:15:12)
"Crossroads" (Cream)
"Spanish Castle Magic" (Jimi Hendrix)
"Born To Be Wild" (Steppenwolf)
