Steve Vai tone

C

Chronotheory

Member
hi guys I was looking around and found some great Steve Vai presets, but I am looking for a one to use for his song The Animal from Passion and Warfare. Any ideas?
 
A couple of tips

1. First off back then he used real amps Jose modded marshalls. So try the JCM 800 mod or the Friedman BE with the SAT on.

2. The Eventide H3000 plays a big part in the song so for the Harmonizer set it to P1 500 P2 -700 the trick is too blend the low harmony with the high one.

3. Set the mix so you still get some string definition when the pitch block is on. This adds to a bigger sound.
 
eraserhead said:
A couple of tips

1. First off back then he used real amps Jose modded marshalls. So try the JCM 800 mod or the Friedman BE with the SAT on.

2. The Eventide H3000 plays a big part in the song so for the Harmonizer set it to P1 500 P2 -700 the trick is too blend the low harmony with the high one.

3. Set the mix so you still get some string definition when the pitch block is on. This adds to a bigger sound.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips I will try these tonight.
 
I agree to the things mentioned above - a few years earlier Steve borrowed an old (hot rodded) Marshall Plexi from Steve Stevens for the first David lee Roth Record in combination with a Boss Super Overdrive and 30W Celestions (G12H) - maybe that`s a good starting point - you can go on from there to use the 800 Marshalls..at least that`s what I did in the audio files to this Vai Tutorial/Workshop (sorry only german, but tabs and music is international language:)):

Play-Alike #63 - Steve Vai - Gitarren Workshop :: Bonedo
 
Heinzi said:
I agree to the things mentioned above - a few years earlier Steve borrowed an old (hot rodded) Marshall Plexi from Steve Stevens for the first David lee Roth Record in combination with a Boss Super Overdrive and 30W Celestions (G12H) - maybe that`s a good starting point - you can go on from there to use the 800 Marshalls..at least that`s what I did in the audio files to this Vai Tutorial/Workshop (sorry only german, but tabs and music is international language:)):

Play-Alike #63 - Steve Vai - Gitarren WorkshopÂ*::Â*Bonedo
Click to expand...

I enjoyed this. Good web browsers translate on the fly these days. Thanks for sharing.
 
There were some presets on the AxeChange that were pretty close to Vai's tone.

Here's one:
Axe-Change - Download Preset - VAI Lead 2 - by zangiamit91

If you go to the AxeChange website and type "Vai" in the search bar, you will get a bunch of decent places to start your tone search.

I actually got a decent Vai tone using the FASModern amp and moding one of the factory presets. It was the one on the Cooper Carter vid he did for G66 with his eight favorite presets. Can't remember the name. Haven't had enough coffee, yet lol.
 
I always thought his tone was pretty straight up and was more about the delay timing to make it sound thick. I'll admit though I never really studied his work outside of the David Lee Roth band era.
 
For Steve Vai tones of now yes. But for the 80's Vai sound that's a big no as the Mids on the Legacy VS the Modded Marshalls are completely different. I have 2 Modded Mashalls a 1980 JMP with Mike Fortin Cali mod (Jose Mod) and a Cameron Atomica with added mods from Friedman. I have a buddy that has a Legacy which I have played.
 
Unless you want to cut a recorded track, don't try to get the sound from a CD track... 'couse that isn't the sound of a guitar and an amp and cab.
In a CD track there are all the magics of the producer: mic positioning, the mic pre, and all the pre and post EQ, comp, reverb, multiband compressors... etc... and then the mastering post-production.
So... check an amp and a cab that is in the ball park, THAT kind of distinctive gain/distortion, THAT kind of distinctive FXs (harmonizer, delay and reverb)... and play your guitar!
If you can play a Vai's song... like Vai play that song... well... that is your Vai tone!

I mean, there are many videos and tutorial on YT showing great guitarist playing this or that song of an artist. And they don't use the same amp or cab or pedals... or even guitar of that artist. The tone is just "near"... but when they start playing correctly THAT song, well ... the overall sound is THAT sound!

And vice-versa... take an artist/song with an "easy tone"... say... SRV or Jimi... a good Strat... and with the Axe you have all the power to nail that tone.
BUT... if you play the song the wrong way... (chords or notes not in the right position or on the right strings)... well everything will sound wrong... even the overall tone.
 
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Any G3 people want to take a crack at this G3 superstar ? :D My favorite tone of his was definitely on Passion and Warfare.
 
Thanks guy for all the help. I guess I need to update my firmware I am still on 10 :grey: I just been to lazy to back up everything....I d have to say I love this forum everyone is so helpful!
 
Very nice tone- would fit my Ibanez JEM 10th Anniversary perfect - pls can you update it to fw 18? :eagerness:
 
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