STEVE VAI – Transcript From First Ever Reddit AMA Session Available

On August 5th, guitar legend Steve Vai made his AMA (Ask Me Anything) debut on Reddit, featuring a Q&A session with his fans. An excerpt from the transcription is available below:

Q: What’s your favourite Joe Satriani track (no, you can’t pick all of em)?

Vai: “‘Cryin'”

Q: Why a handle in your guitar, Mr Vai? Surely it came with a case?

Vai: “Because I knew out of all the unique elements that were introduced when that guitar came out, the handle was one no one would copy.”

Q: If you could tell your 18 year old self anything what would it be ?

Vai: “‘You’re doing fine.’ And I would tell my 18 year old self that because that’s the one thing I really needed to hear when I was 18 that nobody said. On top of that, advice is seldom relished. Especially when you’re 18.”

Q: Do you ever find yourself lacking inspiration or motivation to pick up your guitar and play? And what do you do to re-inspire yourself?

Vai: “I’m usually never not inspired to pick up and play. But sometimes uninspired things come out. When that happens, I put my focus deeper into every note and that usually does the trick. Another cool thing I can recommend, is whenever you come up with something that feels inspired, even a little piece of music or riff, try to capture it on some sort of device, like an iPhone, etc. If you find you’re in a dry spell, if you go back and listen to something that felt inspired at the time, there’s a good chance it can ignite a flame within you in that moment.”

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Vai recently checked in with the following announcement:

“Hey Folks, Steve here. We are thrilled to be posting The Space Between The Notes one leg at a time (nine in total) once a week over the next nine weeks, in full resolution! This bonus footage was culled from multiple sources including pics and vids from fans, band, crew, family, and myself. It’s a chronological video diary that has bits from each of the 253 engagements and 52 countries we visited on the last tour, The Story Of Light tour. It was a glorious life experience for us and we are stoked that we can present it here for you. Enjoy!”

Story of Light Tour: The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief) runs down as follows:

Leg 1 (Rehearsals/USA)
Leg 2 (Europe/Eastern Europe)
Leg 3 (Vegas/Netherlands/Russia/Ukraine/Europe)
Leg 4 (Australia/NZ/Indonesia/China/S. Korea/Japan/Taiwan/Thailand)
Leg 5 (Europe…again)
Leg 6 (USA…again)
Leg 7 (Mexico/South America/China)
Leg 8 (Vegas/Singapore/Malaysia/Israel/Europe/Russia/Ukraine)
Leg 9 (USA/St. Barths/Japan/France/Poland)

Leg 1:

Leg 2:

Leg 3:

Leg 4:

Back in April, Vai released  a video for the song “The Story Of Light” from the Stillness In Motion DVD. This selection opens The Space Between The Notes – a fascinating tour diary and video montage of life on the road with Vai and the band.

Vai states: “This is the piece that took the most time and the one I’m most happy with.”

An exclusive full performance of Vai’s “Weeping China Doll” from the 2DVD release, Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. can be viewed below:

The double album and DVD, was released April 7 through Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, were recorded October 12, 2012, at L.A.’s Club Nokia. It was the 49th show from Vai’s Story of Light World Tour.