Ok before there is any anger here I know this is a Joe forum, but I just wanted to see what people really think and why.

I personally think Joe is definately the music lovers guitar player, he writes songs that will appeal to most anyone while steve vai seems to be writing songs for other guitar virtuosos (except for a few good ones like whispering a prayer and tender surrender).

But alltogether when it comes to acctual playing, I think Steve Vai just may have surpassed Joe. Needless to say he is technically better, but sometimes the sheer quality of his playing is just out of this world. :o

My vote goes with Joe, but I`m sure there are some different opinions here :hunger:

Interesting thread choice! Just a couple of comments :happy:

Re technical - Joe's motto as a guitarist is "play what you want to play"... for me his playing surpasses terms like "technically", IMHO of course!!

And - get G3 Denver and watch the cover of Little Wing ... Steve and Yngwie are just playing guitar, but Joe is making music. ^_^

ron thal is my answer

I have the G3 live in Denver DVD but I never really sat down and watched the whole little wing jam. Im sure Satch takes the cake there because he should understand hendrix better than vai and CERTAINLY better than Yngwie. Steve`s tone for the intro to that song is really cool though

Best overall?

Satch hands down IMHO. For me I can pick up any of Joe's CDs and happily listen to them. Can't say the same about Vai, and before anyone slates me for that, I'm a big Vai fan.

As far as technical terms. Vai has gone to a level that is just pure genius (again IMHO!!!). When I went to the G3 gig last year, Fripp was shite (very, very shite), Joe was awesome and Vai just completely blew me (and my bro) away with his guitar playing.

Acctually it`s funny you should mention that because when I was talking about the sheer quality of Vai`s playing, his first tune on the triple neck off the G3 dvd in Denver is exactly what I had in mind

I'm going to have to stick with Joe here. Joe taught Vai, you can't really compete with that one. Joe's variety of music spreads out among all styles, whereas Vai is more so shred (but don't get me wrong, a heck of a guitarist). And I have to agree with Satch Boogie, I can pick up any Satch album and listen to it, but not so much for Vai, I really have to be in the mood for some of his stuff. Those are just my thoughts.

js 1200 ca i agree with you that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to vai's music.you can listen to joe in any mood.he has a song for any mood.thats what makes joe the best.

well in Vai's defense i think the man does try to create a different mood for every song, subtle as they may be in difference. take a listen to the whole of Real Illusions - every song has a different feel to it - Lotus Feet is just so grand, majestic and spiritual, I'm Your Secrets is entrancingly slow but capturing, Freak Show Excess is the virtuoso song but it has an exotic theme to it, K'm-Pee-Du-Wee is simplistically beautiful... the other songs are all good of course but am not sure what kind of mood they convey. well but then again mood is really subjective based on the individual listener

And thats the beauty of music folks! cheers

I think Joe has it over Steve. I love Steve too, but he is a little bit too experimental for my tastes. Having said that, I think Vai actually pushes the instrument a little further stylistically.

D.

Joe writes feel-happy songs, at least to me. Vai has really weird tonalities that make you go nuts and tap your foot on the train. I think I'd prefer to see Joe play more.

I would have to say in Vai's defense for his style is that I believe he trys to sound different than Joe too. I mean you can definately tell that Vai has the Satriani influence in his songs, but if he doesn't try to be different, he will just be considered a "lick stealer" instead of guitar virtuoso (and hands down he fits that category). They need to put out an album together in the future!

In my opinion, Vai is technically better than Satch, but Satch writes better stuff. And since (in my opinion), it's all about the music, Satch wins. Saying that, Vai writes some amazing stuff, and of course, Satch is an amazing player.

It's funny, Sometimes depending on the day, I think Vai has surpassed Satch but I think Satch's sense of melody is more appealing to me. :)

You guys have to understand that Joe and Vai play two different type of music. VERY different!
Joe's very influensed by blues and his tone is dirrty and cruncy and he speeks in more appiling way than Vai bevcause his base music is blues and some jazz.
Vai takes music in a different direction because his talen is so big he himself can't handle it. I think Vai's feel for music and phrases are more complex than Joe's wtich can only make him "higher" musitian than Joe.
Thay are like ying/yang - Joe's effect is simple and straight while Vai ... well he's playing something not form this earth. Just listen to the Thender surrender ... there is nothing so powerfull like that song and that mellody.
I personaly like Joe better because I can say that I totaly understand what he plays. Vai's music can really trip me out but I can't stand much of it.
I guess my mental capasity ain't that big :)

Well, although both are phenomenal guitarists in their own way..... from a guitar players' standpoint, I would say that Steve plays some virtually mind-blowing music. I agree with AxeMan, particularly for his intro to "I know you're here" off of the G3 Live in Denver DVD. For me, it's quite easier to replicate Joe's work than it is to play Steve's. After seeing both of their
'05 tours this year. I would say that Steve also wins for showmanship
on stage. But this is merely my opinion. No lost love for Joe though....
Don't get me wrong. I will never pass up an opportunity to see either of them live!!!!! :rolleyes:

Well, for me, joe is always the best. His music is plain and simple, but beautiful. I think the true essence of music is to attract people and bring out the echoes from them. Joe's talent makes him so easy to grasp a listener's heart. Straight, no excessive tricks.

As for the technique aspect, no doubt vai will surpass joe perceived from a more overall angle. However, joe's songs are not that easy to truly handle, especially in some minor details. For example, "love thing", a simple and beautiful song, no quick phrases and hard tricks, produces such an undescribable ambience that makes it very difficult to grasp. It looks easy, but only a couple of bends will make your cover sound horrible and unacceptable.

I always think slow stuff is much harder to learn and perfect than quick stuff. Much slower, more difficult.

Sorry for my poor english.

+1

Good point. ;)

I'm glad you've understood what I've said with all those spelling misstakes :D

cheers!

2 great musicians, 2 impressive technicians ... the choice is about feeling ...
I feel Joe's music more appealing to me ...
I vote Joe !

Joe, because he makes wonderful music from the heart. His melody and his songwriting capability is just outstanding. I can listen to every song and enjoy it unlike I can for vai.

this is difficult...
but id vote for Satch..
oh i mean vai...
oops im with joe..
ahh vai...

they are both great!both have their own distinctive styles and they are good friends... no point comparing!lets just all unite to get guitar music alive and well instead.

I have to say Joe is easier to listen to all the time. Steve you have to be in the right mood to listen to some of his stuff. Both are super guitarist either way.

I vote Joe


Joe ROCKS!

I'd have to say Joe is my favorite, but they are both great. There's something about Joe that I just like more that I can relate to. But I don't think either is better than the other.

Joe>Vai...

i think Vai has some cool tricks up his sleeve but he doesnt have... 'the thing'.
his guitar playing makes me want to hear the end of the song faster... and sometimes i feel so sick when vai rediscovers the vibrato... he just uses it toooo much!! cranky... <_<
while in joe's case he makes me want the song to just carry on!! :)

PS: i still like Petrucci the best... :D

I think you shouldn't see it as a compitition on their levels, they're both amazing guitarists and trying to compare who's best would be childish. It all comes down to personal preference. I'm gonna see Vai live tomorrow and I know I'll be blown away. I stopped compairing guitar players since about 2 years; I think it's useless, just listen to music you love and respect all players.


my .50€

Hi there,

I would go for neither because they essentially walk different tracks with the same instruments. I haven't seen Satch live yet, but I saw Vai, and that kicked my balls. That guy can play live. I have heard some Satch boots and musically that was brilliant as well. IMHO, just two delicious types of cake for our enjoyment! First I thouhgt Satch was the more sensitive from the heart player than Vai, but after hearing Lotus Feet en Still My Bleeding Heart, I doubt again.... Serve me up another piece!

Rob

joe! cos i don't like vai's music

There 2 of my favourite guitarists, i think Steve has the edge though, not by much.
I listen to Joe more then Steve, but Vai is just the ultimate showman, a born entertainer, which gives him the edge on stage in my opinion.
Techinically, not alot between them (also imo), but Steve just edge's best All-rounder i think.

Very well put... I want to like Steve's music but I just can't get into it. Maybe it just goes over my head but for some reason I only hear technique and emotion not composition or melody. For that reason I will pick Joe every time. I always hear so many positive comments about Steve that whenever he puts out a new CD I go out and buy it hoping that something will finally click in my pea sized brain but it never does. Oh well, may when his next one comes out. :rolleyes:

Well put tschommer, i agree 100%.

........maybe satch can play like vai ???? but i think he wants to play music !!vai can play MUSIC .......but i think most of the time he shows how good or fast he is !
but i like vai and buy the cds.and i enjoy what is possibel with a guitar .
maybe vai comes down to earth someday and he plays only music !
so satch rules :rock2:

satch by far

Isn't it nice to live in a world where we can listen to both? ;-)

i dont know if its fair to say Steve Vai just shows off or anything. like lots of other people say its just different- i actually usually prefer Steve cause his music just grabs my attention more, but they are just different. Also if you look at the Astoria dvd he doesnt really show off any more than any other guitarist. I lent the dvd to my guitar teacher and he commented that it was far less show offy than he thought it would be.

I think maybe Steve has the edge slightly as far as technical ability goes but who really cares when youre as good as those guys?

I love the music they both write equally. They're different, but that's good. Contrasting and complimentary, you might say.

It's unfair to say one is better than the other, because they're striving for different things.

Very, very interesting discusssion!
It's all got to do with you're own sense of musicstyle... I would choose Joe for sure, altough I like (some!) of Vai's work either. Songs like Blue Powder or Whispering a Prayer, the more 'softer' songs. Songs like Down Deep Into The Pain ain't do me nothing, just show-off songs. "Oh hooray I can tap".
I think Whispering a Prayer is an absolutely masterpiece, because I can feel there's a lot feeling and emotion of the writer in it hidden. I think that's why "For the Love of God" was such an enormous hit, too.
In case of Joe, he puts in all of his songs alot emotion! AWYAWM, Love Thing, Rubina, Until We Say Goodbye for example. Besides that, I think Joe's style, rock, appeals to me the most.

I'd say Joe gets 75% of my vote and Steve 25% :D

Like lot`s of you i think it`s hard to compare this two guys.
But for myself i like the music of Joe much more than the music of steve.
Sure, Tender Surrender, e.g., is great, but there are lot`s of songs from steve, which i don`t like. With the songs from Satriani it`s totally different. I haven`t found one single song until yet, which i don`t like.

It's wierd, most of you that like Satriani don't like Vai's heavier songs. I love all of them, especially the heavier songs. Rock was always my first love, it's my 'home' when I'm playing, everything else is sort of an extension of that. Maybe that's why I like them both, they both play rock, but expand on it in different ways.