i'll take the vai side...

[pinkjimiphoton]

[video:youtube]

 

hmmmm....to me, vai's got it...

but you may differ...

discuss!

 

[Caevan O'Shite]

Naaa, I love 'em both! Why should there be one side or 'nother?

[pinkjimiphoton]

dude, this is one of the reasons ya rock so damn hard...lol!!

to me, evh doesn't do anything...don't like vai's songs too much, but damn, he's smokin' like nobody's business...with less finger taps, no echoplex to fill in the gaps...

tough call! i kinda took the vai side on the youtube video, i mean, there's wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy better examples of eddie's work than in this video...but i look at it like this...

i can probably do about 1% of what vai does...and about 70% of eddie's (if i cared to, which i don't...neither is my style at all).

but i agree...both are great at what they do...so there's room for both!

 

ps...i'll take fz, brian may, steve howe and a lot of other cats over these guys any day of the week...

 

[Guitarzan]

a point i would like to bring up is neither example show cases the rhythm aspect of their playing or song writing.

i like them both but please remember there is more to guitar than soloing.

i really dig Ed's playing because of his cool rhythm work. Not saying Vai isn't any good but EVH hammered so many of my favorite songs and riffs.

i love Vai but i get tired of instrumental stuff after awhile.

[Zephyr]

I never really liked those versus videos as they were all made by the same 14 y/o who doesn't know anything.

 

But I do like Ed more. For me, I don't care about the notes, the gear or the style, but what draws me to Ed is his sound, stuff like this:

[video:youtube]

 

I have heard very few people who can come close to that level of intensity and sonic destruction (save Hendrix). The long instrumentals that Vai does puts me to sleep, it's not a knock, it's just a natural brain response that happens to me after 4+ minutes.

[SEHpicker]

Luv em both... they are both fantastic. I don't like getting in to the "who's best" discussion. There is no resolution because it is all subjective... like chasing your own tail.

 

[pinkjimiphoton]

 

+1!

[desertbluesman]

No question about it Steve Vai is one spectacular guitarist, his articulation is superb, no one plays faster or more musically intelligent. Vai is an educated musician as well.

 

Van Halen on the other hand is self taught, he created a whole original style.

 

I think Vai is the better player of course as far as skill is concerned.

 

But I have Van Halen CD's and not a single one by Vai. I guess that says it. I put my money on the one who's music I like best and ignored the other completely.

 

As a guitarist I have to admire the skill and work that went into Vai's guitar abilities, but as a music listener, I can't listen to him for very long because I don't like the flavor of his music. However I can listen to Eddies work all day long.

 

So there...... I praise them both equally but I put my money where my musical taste lay.....

[pinkjimiphoton]

let's put it this way.... i LOVE vai with fz!

 

but i don't own albums by either one of these guys..

 

BUT i can listen to vai alot longer than evh...

 

i mean...that's a long-ass 30 seconds or so..

[desertbluesman]

Just personal taste, nothing more, I prefer EVH you prefer Vai.

 

Differnt Strokes

[pinkjimiphoton]

nah, i prefer zappa, hendrix, howe, etc...

 

don't really care for the "shredder" thang...just me.

 

i'm kinda indifferent to that whole scene. to me, as an outsider, it seems to me vai's got better chops...

 

but again, peeps preferences are all good!

 

i'll take johnny winter over any of them guys that shred 9 days a week!

[Lokair]

I like Vai more just because he has played at higher skill level for longer period of time. FZ to now with all those bands and jams in between, amazing. Last time I saw VH he was still milking his 80s stuff, with very little or new to bring to the table worth wild. IMHO. But a whos better competition of guitarist is like who is a better artist, Vincent van Gogh or Leonardo da Vinci, its all subjective.

 

Lok

 

Oh yea my guitar hero can kick your guitar heroes butt

[GreySeraph]

Vai's been my hero since the beginning. First song I ever learned was Eugene's Trick Bag, and he inspired me to practice 8-12 hours a day in an efficient manner to get my technique up. Sadly, lately I havent been able to do much electric guitar stuff, only because all my time gets dedicated to classical guitar (which isn't a bad thing haha )

 

I would agree. Vai > EVH.

 

That being said, someone above stated that EVH was totally self taught, but dont forget that he was well into piano and had lessons and stuff before all his guitar days happened. Music lessons are music lessons; as musicians, our ears are our instruments, not necessarily the guitars themselves (theyre only a physically-limiting factor).

[picker]

Vai's talent and accomplishment can't be denied. I like the sense of humor that comes out in his music. But I don't wanna play like him.

[pinkjimiphoton]

like i said, gimme johnny winter any day of the week..

[TuskBuffer]

Personally, I wouldn't challenge either one of 'em! This is really an apples and oranges comparison. EVH is primarily mainstream and Vai is, well, Vai. While I lean toward Vai for sheer genius, some of his stuff is a bit out there. His "Fire Garden" CD is a definite winner, though--first half all instrumental, second half singing, with Steve doing the vocals.

[desertbluesman]

I like George Thorougoods music as much an any shredder, And he only knows 2 licks. http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/artists/just_cuz/JC-hysterical.gif But his music is fun to listen to. In fact I have Georges CD's and none from Vai, although Vai's skill and articulation is unsurpassed as far as I have seen. Yeah he is a great player composer, I just don't "feel" it from him.

[dvuksanovich]

I love Ed, but Vai is a ****ing freak of nature... he's so comfortable with the guitar that at times it actually looks like part of his body.

 

I say Vai, but that's not a slap at Ed, or anyone else for that matter.

[Dane Brammage]

When I hear VH, the little devil on my shoulder (you know the one) says, "Party on dude! You should totally get a Camaro and a hairpiece, go hang out at the bar and meet chicks!"

 

When I hear Vai, the little angel on the other shoulder says, "My, that sounds difficult. Very difficult indeed. What is that, Bbdom7b5#9 swept arpeggios at 215 beats per minute? Can YOU do that? I think not. Here's a metronome and a copy of Guitar For The Complete Idiot. Run along now."

 

I probably have more Vai records than VH records, but for some reason VH gets more play.

[Winston Psmith]

Saw Vai live with Zappa Plays Zappa - during "Trouble Comin' Every Day" he launched into a wanking Wah solo that beat the tune to death. I really didn't get it.

 

I'm not saying that's all there is to his music, but, man . . .

[Griffinator]

like i said, gimme johnny winter any day of the week..

 

Or Joe Walsh

[pinkjimiphoton]

yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RocketRobinson]

I's all in what you are looking for. No question, they both have great hair. Do you go with the "big hair" 80's look of VH, or the classic cut of Vai? Personally, I am a traditionist, and go with Vai, tho I get how swinging a full head of long locks gets the ladies attention. It's a personal decision.

[desertbluesman]

Steve Vai is simply an awesome player. His skill and dexterity are of the highest order. I have to admire his dedication to his craft, however I don't have to subject myself to his recordings. Although when he restrains himself to fit the genera like he did on the CD I have of him with Satriani and Eric Johnson, he plays very interesting and listen-able stuff.