I'd say that in general steve vai is much more well rounded and can do more then eddie van halen.. but half his tricks he got from eddie and eddies playing is so much more powerful... he can knock anyone out in a guitar battle with an insane riff using the whole neck in les than 10 seconds... so i'd say eddie
Um, are we talking who's more skilled? Vai attended Berklee, knows a TON about composition and theory, and technique-wise is lightyears ahead of EVH. In terms of influence, obviously Ed, as well as for songwriting and popularity.
You know, they are both great guitarists. Neither of them compare to Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page. I think Yngwei Malmsteen is better them both of them, as well.
I think I saw things in both performers that I had not noticed before, thanks for posting it. I'm not confortable choosing one over the other as they are both essential listening in my upbringing and are endless wells of inspiration.
Both are great but I would have to give it to eddie. Steve has incredible technical ability but I can't say I ever could listen to anything from Steve. Eddie has the best of both worlds (no pun intended) He can play some pretty sick technical stuff and also can put together a great song with good hooks and melodies.
Ed had better tone, better solos in the songs, better songs , better phrasing , a more musical ear, better stage moves,more inovative he was better. Hands down. To bad hes now a a walking 1/3 filled stale beer bottle half full of cigarette butts. Vais playing comes off fruity but hes still in the game. Ill give him that.
eddie is the godfather of shred he pioneered it and wrote good songs, vai is a good technical player and that's pretty much all his songs are you cant rock out to vai at a party or a concert and you can to van halen bottom line isn't what your fingers are doing (because aside from anal guitar players no1 gives a shit) it's what music you make and eddie wins by far in this department, vai is good in his own right musically but ask anyone what they'd rather listen to betcha 2 to 1 it's van halen
eddie van halen wins because he started the whole shred thing back in the mid 70,s and without van halen vai wouldnt be able to do half of his stuff on guitar remember eddie advanced two handed tapping to an unheard of level at the time and wrote some great songs along the way
Steve Vai is better technically, but I don't really like any of his stuff. Van Halen is still really really really good and his witting is much better IMO
This is not objectif, it's like comparing apples and oranges, other then being fruits they are sooooo different, Eddy is a zillion time a better song writer and has a «feel» that no one can get near, Vai is just a flashy player with inhumain skills.....VH wins by far
@gittahfiend Rad, Yes. Eddie has much more flavor. I do love Vai and his talent but can't I name one song besides off of flexible. not really. Eddie is one of my favorites and I do love Vai but if I had to choose. Its like Bonham or Peart. I'm a Bonham man.
Please listen to me. Look at my birthdate and I will tell you a tale of when I first heard of sSteve Vai - Guitar Player circa 1981 " My little Italian virtuoso". And I also thought thay Vai on DLR's 1st album was unbelievable... BUT ------ Van Halen had already released everything up to 1984 and Randy was already dead. In the 6/84 issue of GP Vai ( still just a transcriptionist for Zappa) transcribed "Eruption" ... to give Vai credit w/out his sonic influences is a retarted folly.
Eddie has one style that is very cool, and upbeat, a super groove with class, remember, he comes from the late 1970's era, where music had to have it's own groove, a classier time! Steve, he also has his unique style, although not as "bebopish" and "cheeky" as the Van Halen stuff was, which was SO appealing to most kids,, Steve played for Zappa for years, and that's NOT what most kids homed-in on! Both guys are great, and deserve honors! Just remember,, it's not you and I on that video, is it?!?
If this is contest, well then Van Halen wins 101 times out of 100 because Van Halen writes music. He doesn't just wank off so that guitar players will like him.
@vitor68 ... except for when anyone wants to show how great of a guitarist Eddie is, they always point to him wanking off so that guitarists will like him.
In part, I agree - Eddie has written some truly timeless and great songs, but so has Steve, in his own way. He's more of a composer, and in that realm his song-writing is just as good as Eddie's is in the rock/pop realm.
I like 'em both. Steve plays with incredible passion and feel. Eddie has an awesome groove to his playing. Steve seems like a great guy and very sane. Eddie is freakin' out of his mind.
I love EVH but Vai is so technically superior "and can play anything" that Eddie can't even wear Vai's jockstrap. He needs to move away from that stupid ass Eruption, and use that magical improv that he is so good at doing, THAT IS WHERE HE SHINES!!!!!
I LOVE VAI BUT I LOVE EDDIE ALSO ! I HONESTLY THINK VAI IS A BETTER GUITAR PLAYER BUT HE DOESNT RUN CHILLS UP MY SPINE LIKE EDDIE DOES... BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR PRIME ID LOVE TO SEE A HEAD CUTTIN CONTEST..
you cant really compare guitarist because music is a art form, its a way to express things so i dont how you can compare guitarists like ya you can have a favorite but no one is ever going to be the best. You cant be the best at music
With all Vai's "Education" why didn't he become as successful as EVH. Eddie freakin killed the rock industry and then some. Just sayin if Vai is so much better, why the fuck did he suck at being successful? Most people in 50 years will have no clue who Steve Vai is.
@ddcrowley hey,, you're as wrong as rain,, Vai has been very successful, and for YEARS! You forget who Frank Zappa had as lead guitarist along with himself,, non other than Vai, Steve Vai took what EVH started and vamped it up quite a bit, if you asked Eddie himself,, he'd ditto that!
When VH hit, the landscape of great players was sparse. Now in the Vai era, the world is saturated with great players. It's harder to stand out now. VH would have a MUCH harder time if he were just emerging today.
That said, Vai could play VH into the ground. Period. Vai can do it live, perfect, every show, every time. Because, he's THAT good.
He is also a fantastic guitarist like Eddie Van Halen... but a totally different style of playing in that he is more of a mode player. Where he shreds alot more than Eddie... and uses his Floyd Rose in ways like no other... he is more of a technical player. I like how he brings fresh new ideas to the table giving the listeners something new and exciting to hear. Personally I feel he is far more skilled than Eddie... but both are great to listen to!
O.K. in all fairness... from a guitarist view point...
Eddie Van Halen brought alot of new and exciting stuff to the world of music. He was fresh and and inspiring for his time... but that has long since past. Every video I see of him he is always reverting back to his old eruption solo parts... with nothing really new brought to the table. Where I really like his sound and playing... it is simply the same thing reheated from years gone by.
Iv been a EVH fan since day one, But theres a glearing difference between him and Vai.
and you can hear it in thier playing, Steve knows how to read and transcribe music,
Eddie dont and that limits his ablility. On VanHalens first 2 albums, Eddies playing was ground breaking, but after that, it was Tapping revisited. And later albums, it sounds like he was just making it up at the moment and getting stuck. I know ill get alot if junk mail for this but i just go by what i hear.
Eddie Van Halen are better,Steve Vai are more simple with her great harmony solos,but which Eddie is faster it's TRUE,is REAL!!! Sorry for the bad english,I'm Brazilian...=D
@vegetabudokai549 eddie van halen better than steve vai? steve vai's solos are simple? you have no ear for music all van halen ever does is makes alot of noise with the distortion and does flashy crap like tapping the same 4 notes over and over! he cant even play a single note without squeaking it!
@joelakastud123 How did I know you would be on this vid? With about 5 different posts. Steve Vai is an EVH ripoff. Who Fucking cares how educated/technical he is. There's always a bigger fish. EVH influenced a whole generation of guitarists and was very original. If you watch EVH through a whole concert you will see him shine he can rip the shit out of the guitar, has way cooler riffs, plus hes having fun. He's not a second rate knock off, who played for DLR after he left? Vai.
@KOTHVETTE406 not a fair comparison - for Vai, it was just a paying gig. He'd already played for someone far more important than Van Halen: Frank Zappa. Vai has had his own direction (granted, a bit on the weird side) for a long time, and playing a paid spot in Roth's band hardly makes him a "knock-off". I'm an EVH fan, too - but giving credit where credit is due is only honest, and Vai is a technically superior player, and with musical/compositional brilliance in his own right.
@mattsamudio I realize that there were people before him to tap. What I was insinuating is it is all amp. He made his amp make those sounds without pedals or other devices to do it. Try taking a stock 1968/69 Marshall Superlead and getting that tone out of it. All i'm saying is he's by far more innovative and clearly a larger milestone in rock music. Technically superior in what way? Watch EVH's bootleg live videos he can play a wide vatiety of different music styles also.
@KOTHVETTE406 ah, I get ya on the amp deal - yeah Eddie was innovative, especially with his tone, and the savage nature of his riffs that were perfect with that tone. I say Vai is technically superior from a dexterity, speed, fluidity, tonality (use of complex scale/harmony/melody combinations), and variety of technique. A good example is sweep-picking, which Eddie doesn't seem to do at all.
@KOTHVETTE406 Of course he's more innovative, but technically superior? EVH never ventured into the realm of sweep-picking, eight-finger (piano) tapping, and when it comes to music theory, Vai completely destroys him (attending Berklee vs. self-taught musician? Lol). Not to be a dick or anything, EVH has had a greater influence on me as a player too, but credit where it's due - Vai's skill/knowledge of the instrument is far beyond that of EVH's.
@JoshuaZiner Eddie studied classical piano before he played guitar,that is why he was able to self teach himself so well. Also having a greater theory knowledge, doesn't make you a better player. Vai may also be more technically superior, but in terms of writing peices, Eddie all day. Just look at what happend to Dave when he choose Vai over Eddie lol enough said
@JoshuaZiner I don't personally don't care how "technically superior" Vai may be. It's all for nothing because he writes shit music, and yes I've tried to listen to it. You rarely hear Vai on the radio and if you do it's a DLR song. Good artists attract fans that aren’t musicians themselves. Typically only guitar players listen to Vai. I'm sure he makes good living at it because there are a lot of wanne be guitar heroes. Even so, he's a failure as an artist in my book.
@joelakastud123 EVH didn't use distortion in the early day it's all his natural amp tweaked to spec. Listen to Shawn Lane in technicality and studied terms he's more practiced than any Metal/Rock and roll guitarist. He absorbed all of the riff making of EVH and the guitarists of his era and made it more than his own. his solos are mind blowing also. He doesnt tap either. Anyone who taps after EVH in the same era, can anyone take seriously? Might as well put i'm a second rate EVH on their guitar.
@KOTHVETTE406 me and my brother have come to the conclusion that mentioning shawn lane in a discussion about guitarists is not only un fair but also unsportsman like.
@KOTHVETTE406 ... not sure what you mean by "didn't use distortion" - overdriving an amp's built-in preamp section to produce distortion counts, and that's what EVH (as most people) did early on because "fuzz boxes" kinda sucked then. Also, he didn't invent tapping, he merely popularized it in rock music. Jazz players like Barney Kessel did it in the 50's and 60's, Roy Smeck did it on the Ukulele in a 1932 movie, and Paganini even did it on the violin in the 1800's.
half the shit steve does is finger tapping and if u did that on a acoustic guitar it would sound like fucking shit... eddie van halen.... listen to spanish fly nuf said
eddie was just the first to do a lot of tapping and he made erruption which was pretty ahead of its time.. but come on.. vai is atleast 3 times the guitarist eddie was. just look at all the masterpieces vai has written
Technically, Steve Vai is significantly better than Eddie. However, for me Eddie Van Halen is much more pleasant to listen to. Also, without Eddie Van Halen, who knows if Steve Vai would be the player he is. Hard to tell. Eddie changed guitar in a way that Vai has not and never will. Both are fantastic players, but for me, but I prefer to listen to Eddie. I'm not taking anything away from Vai, though. He's an amazing player as well.
Useless comparation. Eddie was part of the new era of the guitar, and open the path for guitarrist like Vai. These two are amazing, and talk about " who is the best" is bullshit. Without Eddie, maybe Steve doesn't exists.
@AndreLeaoGuedes2 here here sir!! As you say, maybe Satch and Vai and others wouldnt be, or wouldnt be who they are. It would be interesting to see where guitar would have gone if EVH hadn't come along. Otherwise, they all have their own flavor and tone, it's all a matter what you like. Personally, I favor the hot-rodded blues feel of Ed, but I have and would go to a G3 tour anytime, I dig Ed/Satch/Vai/Schenker/Malmsteen/Robben Ford/Eric Sardinas, etc. its all good!
@AndreLeaoGuedes2 First off, you dumb. If it wasn't for Frank Zappa is more like it. I don't blame you though. Just like a lot of these silly asses who think you can't compare the two. They're a lot more similar than you think.
@cheagan of course he did. Eruption is EVH's signiture solo. He played it on every Van Halen Tour. The thing is that he added and subtracted other stuff for every new tour and his solo never soundednthe same each night.
The major difference between Steve and Eddie is that Eddie is more of a slacker. In a good way. You can tell by watching and listen that every freaking solo he have ever played is improvised. Look at the solo starting at 6:20. He is like a kid finding out that the cookie jar sounds if you hit it. He is inventing and exploring live on stage. What looks like a hard thing is actually children's play for him. The whole Beat It solo was recorded in ONE session. He walked in unprepared. Amazing!
Steve is a master technician, whereas Ed was an innovator, pure brilliance. That being said, the fact that he still played "Eruption" in concert in '86 says something about his inability to really change and grow as a musician. I saw him in 84, 86, and 87, and I will swear he played the same solo all three times.
EVH is the winner. By 100 tmes over. The way he plays is unconventional, and it is interesting to watch and hear. Vai is too strict to the "book". He is like any other guitarist. Talented, but conventional. EVH is talented and creative.
we should all be grateful that WE have been able to Experience the both of them in our Life Time... there will not be any 1 else like them... Even now, there is not 1 like Steve Vai an Eddie Van Halen... be safe all and love every 1...
Steve Vai vs. Ralph Macchio from the movie Crossroads...now that was a duel lol. I agree with the comments...you can't compare Vai and EVH...they are Both great!
I will have another go at this ... the electric guitar as invented by Les Paul was innovated by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, and refined by Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Blackmore, Gary Moore and others. Along came Eddie Van Halen, who pushed the boundaries, and was copied faithfully by Steve Vai, etc. Many will prove me wrong.
Eddie is a better musician period. Ed's a better song writer and a better rhythm player. As far as leads go, Vai or any of the "similar" guitarist all got their ideas from Ed. Eddie started a whole new way of playing guitar. No one has reinvented the way the guitar is played since. So Eddie will always be the King of Guitar!
Vai... LOVES guitar.. stop being silly. According to VAI (yes the man himself) he got into guitar because of Hendrix, particularly the album "Axis is Bold as Love", of which he also has a tattoo. LOL, he looks like he LOVES to play guitar and he looks like he is AMAZED by what he can do with the guitar. EVH is also a great player and it is silly to compare the two GREAT PLAYERS, who obviously both LOVE to play. Bejeezez, some people are painfully rude in their ignorance.
Addendum: Total respect to other revolutionary guitar players like, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Tony Iomi, Eric Clapton, going backwards to guys like Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, backwards to the roots, Robert Johnson and a slew of blues guys. Help me here, I know there are plenty I am missing.
Steve can't write a rock and roll song. That's just the way it is. plus, I just can't stand his tone. There can also be a case made that if it wasn't for Eddie, Steve would probably not play the way he does now. I have met steve also, and he's an arrogant prick.
@TAZ4169 yeah steve vai is all about looking cool and im not sure he loves guitar as much as some people, hes a little bit more in it for the money so he got good so that he could make money.. that probly sounds really dumb it sounded better in my head
@IStrengthInSolitudeI You don't just "get that good" because you want money. Steve has a gift that no-one in this generation, or previous ones, can match. It will be decades until there is another like him....if ever.
@timzers7447 sorry that was my friend haha, I do somewhat agree though he clearly loves music and im sure he practiced non stop as a kid and still now but he does a lot of pointless, showy stuff to try and gain a bigger fan base. and by this generation im assuming you mean the current teenagers/ up and coming musicians.. yes your probly right but you never know until you see them. and if you mean this generation of current professional musicians your wrong
@lieut89 Steve Vai is one of the most emotional guitarist, he learned guitar because he wanted to. It was nobody's decision, and there is no point in comparing guitarist THEY are ALL unique and great in their own ways. To many hypocrites in this fucking world, it's pathetic.
@gatler05 I wasn't the genius that put this piece on the tube. Now go and cry to your mommy about all of the hypocrites in this fucking world, for I could really give a gnarly shit!
@gatler05 a What? Because in my opinion, it looks like Vai is getting fucked in the ass by a 3 year old colt, while Van Halen looks like he is having Valerie lightly licking the underside of his sack?
U don't know what your talking about, Eddie just got off tour with David Lee Roth,he is not sick in fact he and Dave are working on a new album.....duh
Please stop comparing two great players who changed modern electric guitar. The great EVH is basically in retirement and should be considered ill. Fortunately Vai is still playing and evolving. Hopefully we'll hear more from both.
Those who speak of the two men as opponents are not fully evolved as human beings.
@ClassofEighty2 I agree 100% with your post!! people should realise that one style doesnt always make one better then another.. makes each of them unique..different styles just appeal different too different people..just enjoy thier music!
@ClassofEighty2 Thank you classof802, Couldn't have said it better myself. I will never understand the that drives the listener to ignore the music for the right to say "my favorite guitarist has a bigger dick than yours" Stop the bullshit and enjoy the music
Steve Vai is consumate. But at times superficial, effeminate; and like E. Johnson: Loses it with the extraterrestrial B.S. and over-polished production. That's my take, what say you, America?
@TheWassuppable I will bet you most people commenting here play guitar. People still disagree so I'm not sure why you think that answer is obvious. In fact since you didn't say so, I don't even know who you think is better.
Vai played with diamond Dave on a few albums. I saw skyscraper live and Vai played eruption with his guitar backwards. They said it took him a day to learn all of eddie's licks.
EVH is better than Vai...no question. I like Vai; I have several of his solo CDs. But his tone is repetitive and boring. I can only tolerate his playing for so long. Eddie keeps me on the edge of my seat...guessing. Eddie's live solos are unparalleled--distortion, feedback, tapping... he does it all.
All of peoples in the earth can tell the contrary but in fact Steve vai is better than Eddie because he plays more quickly than eddie and Steve Vai is a virtuoso . Eddie plays with a band and steve he mades his own music and he mades his band .
@mcwaddle Vai is more technical, and know what he is playing. EVH don't, even himself said he didn't know any scale when he was in VH. And he didn't invent shredding... you're talking about tapping, and I don't think thats true...I mean.. you can't "invent" something every kid with his guitar would do even without knowing what tapping is...
@Miscio94 I'm sorry you made some good points but I still think EVH is better. He didn't invent shredding but he did revolutionise guitar playing. And just because you don't know scales and aren't technical doesn't mean you still can't be great. The reason EVH is so good is because he didn't get taught, so he taught himself and created amazing riffs and solos that helped Van Halen become superstars and Legends
@Miscio94 You're right about tapping being a generic thing anyone 'might' do. The thing is, Eddie did something with his guitar, i mean when he first came out, using a tapping technique, that was utterly revolutionary for its time. Breakthrough guitar playing on a level very few others of his era could achieve. Any rock guitar soloist, even the ones who hate him, are influenced by Eddie Van Halen, if not directly, then surely indirectly. I'm old. I lived it. Trust me.
I love both guitarists, and yes Eddie predates Steve, but just as things evolve in every part of life, Steve is in a different league to Eddie. Theres videos on Youtube of 10 year olds playing Eruption etc now, Eddies playing isnt that hard to copy, technically its not that difficult, where as, Vai's playing is incredible. Ive only been learning the guitar a few months, this is just my view on it
Steve Vai does not even come close to the Tone and Skill level of Eddie Van Halen. Eddie is the master with tone and technique not to mention his innovation and his ability to create feeling with this playing. EVH is the true master period.
@montanabuffalo That's just not true. I can understand the sentimental attachment to Eddie but we simply must give credit to where it is due. Steve Vai is a superior guitar player in just about ever category
personally, I like both EVH and Steve Vai. Reason being is that while the base shredding is there, they have two different styles of music. Eddie had vocals in his music ala David Lee Roth(because we all know DLR kicked ass) and had riffs that he followed in order to make it a rock/hair metal song. Vai *with a few exceptions* did not have vocals and his playing was structured around his technical ability. So, while comparing two "shredders" You're still looking at two different types of music.
Steve Vai and thousands of other guitarist befor him and after him owe Master Eddie there guitar playing lives. No one will ever take the guitar any further than what King Edward has already done and 34 years later still continues to do. Eddie VH #1
Vai is technically brilliant but after listening to him for 5 mnutes I get bored. A bit too much musical wanking for my tsate, but I can see his appeal, especially amongst guitar players.
Eddie has a high degree of technical ability also, but what makes his playing standout and more memborable for me is his great melodic sence. Even when shredding fast, you can typically humm or sing Eddies best parts, he plays for the song. Melody is king, so for me, it is EVH for the win.
Without eddie rock wouldn't be what it is today period! But Steve just took it to a whole new level no comparison Steve is the long time king!
craig1h 1 month ago
Alvin Lee vs. SRV? That would make a nice video too.
DexterHaven49 1 month ago
Don't know man, think Stevie hits the note one above Eddie. Man gotta love the 2 of them. Epic guitar playing
zedosix 1 month ago
Holy fuck
zedosix 1 month ago
I'd say that in general steve vai is much more well rounded and can do more then eddie van halen.. but half his tricks he got from eddie and eddies playing is so much more powerful... he can knock anyone out in a guitar battle with an insane riff using the whole neck in les than 10 seconds... so i'd say eddie
TheDilligan 1 month ago
Steve is a great guitar player, so is Ed, they both have their own style...I say it's a draw.
Nexstar100 1 month ago
what's the 2nd song of Steve Vai?
kanapuh 1 month ago
Jimi Hendrix and EVH Was the 2 better Guitar players ever. Steve Vai words
TheMartinRNR 1 month ago
Um, are we talking who's more skilled? Vai attended Berklee, knows a TON about composition and theory, and technique-wise is lightyears ahead of EVH. In terms of influence, obviously Ed, as well as for songwriting and popularity.
JoshuaZiner 1 month ago
Eruption solo it's a Masterpiece.
Josif47 1 month ago
i say the bass player wins with his 8 string bass
GuitarPlayerTimm07 1 month ago
wow is awesome view my chanel and my steve vai solo cover: bekas98moe
bekas98moe 1 month ago
those who voted for van halen chose like, those who voted for steve vai chose the dislike bar
superboertje12 1 month ago
You know, they are both great guitarists. Neither of them compare to Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page. I think Yngwei Malmsteen is better them both of them, as well.
fiddygalic 1 month ago
I think I saw things in both performers that I had not noticed before, thanks for posting it. I'm not confortable choosing one over the other as they are both essential listening in my upbringing and are endless wells of inspiration.
brattazenyatta 1 month ago
steve vai is wayy better in my opinion lol i didnt even listen to half of eddie's part before i got bored and i listened to all of steve vai's part.
phatmank 1 month ago
both shite! who are they? (giggling to self)
5teady 1 month ago
Both are great but I would have to give it to eddie. Steve has incredible technical ability but I can't say I ever could listen to anything from Steve. Eddie has the best of both worlds (no pun intended) He can play some pretty sick technical stuff and also can put together a great song with good hooks and melodies.
acdc933ty 1 month ago
Ed had better tone, better solos in the songs, better songs , better phrasing , a more musical ear, better stage moves,more inovative he was better. Hands down. To bad hes now a a walking 1/3 filled stale beer bottle half full of cigarette butts. Vais playing comes off fruity but hes still in the game. Ill give him that.
cobias 1 month ago
eddie is the godfather of shred he pioneered it and wrote good songs, vai is a good technical player and that's pretty much all his songs are you cant rock out to vai at a party or a concert and you can to van halen bottom line isn't what your fingers are doing (because aside from anal guitar players no1 gives a shit) it's what music you make and eddie wins by far in this department, vai is good in his own right musically but ask anyone what they'd rather listen to betcha 2 to 1 it's van halen
TheThorguitar 1 month ago
eddie van halen wins because he started the whole shred thing back in the mid 70,s and without van halen vai wouldnt be able to do half of his stuff on guitar remember eddie advanced two handed tapping to an unheard of level at the time and wrote some great songs along the way
shredmaster100 1 month ago
Steve Vai is better technically, but I don't really like any of his stuff. Van Halen is still really really really good and his witting is much better IMO
ATLMember 1 month ago
Vote Eddie (vote up if you vote ED)
Maxthefatcat23 1 month ago 21
This is not objectif, it's like comparing apples and oranges, other then being fruits they are sooooo different, Eddy is a zillion time a better song writer and has a «feel» that no one can get near, Vai is just a flashy player with inhumain skills.....VH wins by far
fuzzingaround 1 month ago
Ed by knockout.
gittahfiend 1 month ago 11
@gittahfiend Rad, Yes. Eddie has much more flavor. I do love Vai and his talent but can't I name one song besides off of flexible. not really. Eddie is one of my favorites and I do love Vai but if I had to choose. Its like Bonham or Peart. I'm a Bonham man.
ridgley8 1 month ago
Please listen to me. Look at my birthdate and I will tell you a tale of when I first heard of sSteve Vai - Guitar Player circa 1981 " My little Italian virtuoso". And I also thought thay Vai on DLR's 1st album was unbelievable... BUT ------ Van Halen had already released everything up to 1984 and Randy was already dead. In the 6/84 issue of GP Vai ( still just a transcriptionist for Zappa) transcribed "Eruption" ... to give Vai credit w/out his sonic influences is a retarted folly.
1966LookOut 1 month ago
@1966LookOut
lol, someone has a crush on Eddie
CletusColtrane 1 month ago
Eddie has one style that is very cool, and upbeat, a super groove with class, remember, he comes from the late 1970's era, where music had to have it's own groove, a classier time! Steve, he also has his unique style, although not as "bebopish" and "cheeky" as the Van Halen stuff was, which was SO appealing to most kids,, Steve played for Zappa for years, and that's NOT what most kids homed-in on! Both guys are great, and deserve honors! Just remember,, it's not you and I on that video, is it?!?
geetarnut 1 month ago
EVH is a billion times better. Vai couldn't write a song that would save his soul. EVH eats Vai for breakfast. Easy win period.
nortonsign 1 month ago
If this is contest, well then Van Halen wins 101 times out of 100 because Van Halen writes music. He doesn't just wank off so that guitar players will like him.
vitor68 1 month ago
@vitor68 ... except for when anyone wants to show how great of a guitarist Eddie is, they always point to him wanking off so that guitarists will like him.
In part, I agree - Eddie has written some truly timeless and great songs, but so has Steve, in his own way. He's more of a composer, and in that realm his song-writing is just as good as Eddie's is in the rock/pop realm.
mattsamudio 1 month ago
I gotta say after seeing this that Steve Vai is better
SubWalkthrough 1 month ago
Fuck hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahaahahaha. A copy will never outshine the original.
KOTHVETTE406 1 month ago
I like 'em both. Steve plays with incredible passion and feel. Eddie has an awesome groove to his playing. Steve seems like a great guy and very sane. Eddie is freakin' out of his mind.
ajaxsf 1 month ago
I love EVH but Vai is so technically superior "and can play anything" that Eddie can't even wear Vai's jockstrap. He needs to move away from that stupid ass Eruption, and use that magical improv that he is so good at doing, THAT IS WHERE HE SHINES!!!!!
Bigb11371 1 month ago
4:20-8:53 Damn!
zipcounty 1 month ago
I LOVE VAI BUT I LOVE EDDIE ALSO ! I HONESTLY THINK VAI IS A BETTER GUITAR PLAYER BUT HE DOESNT RUN CHILLS UP MY SPINE LIKE EDDIE DOES... BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR PRIME ID LOVE TO SEE A HEAD CUTTIN CONTEST..
ffrgtm5150 1 month ago
i think van halen should be one of the greatest inspirations for the guitarists from '80
jimihumhumnukuapua 1 month ago
you cant really compare guitarist because music is a art form, its a way to express things so i dont how you can compare guitarists like ya you can have a favorite but no one is ever going to be the best. You cant be the best at music
stinkyfatchick1000 1 month ago 2
@stinkyfatchick1000
couldn't have said it better
TheGreginohio 1 month ago
EDDIE!
tx4life14 1 month ago
With all Vai's "Education" why didn't he become as successful as EVH. Eddie freakin killed the rock industry and then some. Just sayin if Vai is so much better, why the fuck did he suck at being successful? Most people in 50 years will have no clue who Steve Vai is.
ddcrowley 1 month ago
@ddcrowley
Vai was known more as a studio musician...probably made more money thatn EVH, if that's how you measure success.
TheGreginohio 1 month ago
@ddcrowley hey,, you're as wrong as rain,, Vai has been very successful, and for YEARS! You forget who Frank Zappa had as lead guitarist along with himself,, non other than Vai, Steve Vai took what EVH started and vamped it up quite a bit, if you asked Eddie himself,, he'd ditto that!
geetarnut 1 month ago
comparing steve fuckin vai one of the g3 greats to an overrated flashy guitarist like van halen is a fuckin joke is this even a serious vid?
joelakastud123 1 month ago
Steve Vai wins automatically. Both are great guitarists, but Vai has much more technicality in his songs.
Bigddy763 1 month ago
I have an idea to make this performance even better next time. Lets put a fan in from of Steve and blow that hair back!
audiopro316 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
When VH hit, the landscape of great players was sparse. Now in the Vai era, the world is saturated with great players. It's harder to stand out now. VH would have a MUCH harder time if he were just emerging today.
That said, Vai could play VH into the ground. Period. Vai can do it live, perfect, every show, every time. Because, he's THAT good.
MrDarinWarren 1 month ago
Comment removed
MrDarinWarren 1 month ago
Now on the subject of Steve Vai...
He is also a fantastic guitarist like Eddie Van Halen... but a totally different style of playing in that he is more of a mode player. Where he shreds alot more than Eddie... and uses his Floyd Rose in ways like no other... he is more of a technical player. I like how he brings fresh new ideas to the table giving the listeners something new and exciting to hear. Personally I feel he is far more skilled than Eddie... but both are great to listen to!
SandpiperN121PP 1 month ago
O.K. in all fairness... from a guitarist view point...
Eddie Van Halen brought alot of new and exciting stuff to the world of music. He was fresh and and inspiring for his time... but that has long since past. Every video I see of him he is always reverting back to his old eruption solo parts... with nothing really new brought to the table. Where I really like his sound and playing... it is simply the same thing reheated from years gone by.
SandpiperN121PP 1 month ago
LMAO 2:50
Slaugthermen666 1 month ago
Comment removed
JeremyTHaskell 1 month ago
Iv been a EVH fan since day one, But theres a glearing difference between him and Vai.
and you can hear it in thier playing, Steve knows how to read and transcribe music,
Eddie dont and that limits his ablility. On VanHalens first 2 albums, Eddies playing was ground breaking, but after that, it was Tapping revisited. And later albums, it sounds like he was just making it up at the moment and getting stuck. I know ill get alot if junk mail for this but i just go by what i hear.
maxquad21 1 month ago
getting stuck haha Eddie could have been greater if he had educated himself a little more
stratosphere240 1 month ago
Eddie Van Halen are better,Steve Vai are more simple with her great harmony solos,but which Eddie is faster it's TRUE,is REAL!!! Sorry for the bad english,I'm Brazilian...=D
vegetabudokai549 1 month ago
@vegetabudokai549 eddie van halen better than steve vai? steve vai's solos are simple? you have no ear for music all van halen ever does is makes alot of noise with the distortion and does flashy crap like tapping the same 4 notes over and over! he cant even play a single note without squeaking it!
joelakastud123 1 month ago
@joelakastud123 How did I know you would be on this vid? With about 5 different posts. Steve Vai is an EVH ripoff. Who Fucking cares how educated/technical he is. There's always a bigger fish. EVH influenced a whole generation of guitarists and was very original. If you watch EVH through a whole concert you will see him shine he can rip the shit out of the guitar, has way cooler riffs, plus hes having fun. He's not a second rate knock off, who played for DLR after he left? Vai.
KOTHVETTE406 1 month ago
@KOTHVETTE406 not a fair comparison - for Vai, it was just a paying gig. He'd already played for someone far more important than Van Halen: Frank Zappa. Vai has had his own direction (granted, a bit on the weird side) for a long time, and playing a paid spot in Roth's band hardly makes him a "knock-off". I'm an EVH fan, too - but giving credit where credit is due is only honest, and Vai is a technically superior player, and with musical/compositional brilliance in his own right.
mattsamudio 1 month ago
@mattsamudio I realize that there were people before him to tap. What I was insinuating is it is all amp. He made his amp make those sounds without pedals or other devices to do it. Try taking a stock 1968/69 Marshall Superlead and getting that tone out of it. All i'm saying is he's by far more innovative and clearly a larger milestone in rock music. Technically superior in what way? Watch EVH's bootleg live videos he can play a wide vatiety of different music styles also.
KOTHVETTE406 1 month ago
@KOTHVETTE406 ah, I get ya on the amp deal - yeah Eddie was innovative, especially with his tone, and the savage nature of his riffs that were perfect with that tone. I say Vai is technically superior from a dexterity, speed, fluidity, tonality (use of complex scale/harmony/melody combinations), and variety of technique. A good example is sweep-picking, which Eddie doesn't seem to do at all.
mattsamudio 1 month ago
@KOTHVETTE406 Of course he's more innovative, but technically superior? EVH never ventured into the realm of sweep-picking, eight-finger (piano) tapping, and when it comes to music theory, Vai completely destroys him (attending Berklee vs. self-taught musician? Lol). Not to be a dick or anything, EVH has had a greater influence on me as a player too, but credit where it's due - Vai's skill/knowledge of the instrument is far beyond that of EVH's.
JoshuaZiner 1 month ago
@JoshuaZiner Eddie studied classical piano before he played guitar,that is why he was able to self teach himself so well. Also having a greater theory knowledge, doesn't make you a better player. Vai may also be more technically superior, but in terms of writing peices, Eddie all day. Just look at what happend to Dave when he choose Vai over Eddie lol enough said
AssassinSteven 1 month ago
@JoshuaZiner I don't personally don't care how "technically superior" Vai may be. It's all for nothing because he writes shit music, and yes I've tried to listen to it. You rarely hear Vai on the radio and if you do it's a DLR song. Good artists attract fans that aren’t musicians themselves. Typically only guitar players listen to Vai. I'm sure he makes good living at it because there are a lot of wanne be guitar heroes. Even so, he's a failure as an artist in my book.
jabberwock11 1 month ago
@joelakastud123 EVH didn't use distortion in the early day it's all his natural amp tweaked to spec. Listen to Shawn Lane in technicality and studied terms he's more practiced than any Metal/Rock and roll guitarist. He absorbed all of the riff making of EVH and the guitarists of his era and made it more than his own. his solos are mind blowing also. He doesnt tap either. Anyone who taps after EVH in the same era, can anyone take seriously? Might as well put i'm a second rate EVH on their guitar.
KOTHVETTE406 1 month ago
@KOTHVETTE406 me and my brother have come to the conclusion that mentioning shawn lane in a discussion about guitarists is not only un fair but also unsportsman like.
joelakastud123 1 month ago
@KOTHVETTE406 ... not sure what you mean by "didn't use distortion" - overdriving an amp's built-in preamp section to produce distortion counts, and that's what EVH (as most people) did early on because "fuzz boxes" kinda sucked then. Also, he didn't invent tapping, he merely popularized it in rock music. Jazz players like Barney Kessel did it in the 50's and 60's, Roy Smeck did it on the Ukulele in a 1932 movie, and Paganini even did it on the violin in the 1800's.
mattsamudio 1 month ago
2:33 wtf with steve's eyes?
jaimelaylasalas 1 month ago
half the shit steve does is finger tapping and if u did that on a acoustic guitar it would sound like fucking shit... eddie van halen.... listen to spanish fly nuf said
Mrdouche96 1 month ago
eddie was just the first to do a lot of tapping and he made erruption which was pretty ahead of its time.. but come on.. vai is atleast 3 times the guitarist eddie was. just look at all the masterpieces vai has written
rootbound420 1 month ago
@rootbound420 exactly
im no saying there arent any famous guitarists on tv that are worse
but when it really comes down to it all he was was flashy tricks that were not even that technical
joelakastud123 1 month ago
@zzaldoushuxleyzz Says Who??
XanaduFan98 1 month ago
no contest,
Vai all day long
MrGOTAMA420 1 month ago
Technically, Steve Vai is significantly better than Eddie. However, for me Eddie Van Halen is much more pleasant to listen to. Also, without Eddie Van Halen, who knows if Steve Vai would be the player he is. Hard to tell. Eddie changed guitar in a way that Vai has not and never will. Both are fantastic players, but for me, but I prefer to listen to Eddie. I'm not taking anything away from Vai, though. He's an amazing player as well.
vanhalen1975 1 month ago
Plz stop comparing we all no that Herman Li is the best guitar player in the world now
mrskillfulz 1 month ago
@mrskillfulz I would like to counter that with Guthrie Govan.
tastybacon16 1 month ago
Unfortunatelly (because he's one of the greatest musicians around) Vai tends to make it sound like it's too much.
Van Halen makes his stuff fit in a song.
I think that's the main difference between the two.
Both are great though.
Mottahead 1 month ago
Useless comparation. Eddie was part of the new era of the guitar, and open the path for guitarrist like Vai. These two are amazing, and talk about " who is the best" is bullshit. Without Eddie, maybe Steve doesn't exists.
AndreLeaoGuedes2 1 month ago
@AndreLeaoGuedes2 here here sir!! As you say, maybe Satch and Vai and others wouldnt be, or wouldnt be who they are. It would be interesting to see where guitar would have gone if EVH hadn't come along. Otherwise, they all have their own flavor and tone, it's all a matter what you like. Personally, I favor the hot-rodded blues feel of Ed, but I have and would go to a G3 tour anytime, I dig Ed/Satch/Vai/Schenker/Malmsteen/Robben Ford/Eric Sardinas, etc. its all good!
wayguitar69 1 month ago
@AndreLeaoGuedes2 First off, you dumb. If it wasn't for Frank Zappa is more like it. I don't blame you though. Just like a lot of these silly asses who think you can't compare the two. They're a lot more similar than you think.
jemofgin 1 month ago
Steve vai vs vem Halen
SystemOfAway 1 month ago
Loved Eddie first, but love Steve the best.
hagbardceline05 1 month ago
@cheagan of course he did. Eruption is EVH's signiture solo. He played it on every Van Halen Tour. The thing is that he added and subtracted other stuff for every new tour and his solo never soundednthe same each night.
nikyliz14 1 month ago
The major difference between Steve and Eddie is that Eddie is more of a slacker. In a good way. You can tell by watching and listen that every freaking solo he have ever played is improvised. Look at the solo starting at 6:20. He is like a kid finding out that the cookie jar sounds if you hit it. He is inventing and exploring live on stage. What looks like a hard thing is actually children's play for him. The whole Beat It solo was recorded in ONE session. He walked in unprepared. Amazing!
TiipX 1 month ago
TBH I'd pick Steve Halen or Eddie Vai. I love them too much to choose over these two greats.
Hellboy2468ify 1 month ago
Eddie is more famous than Vai, therefore people thinks he's a better player. That's a sad fact.
Guitarmanblue 1 month ago
Hate Vai's sound, but technically he is the better player. That being said, I'd take Ed any day.
Jwestcott5000 1 month ago
Beautiful truly, beautiful
TheLatinGuitarist 1 month ago
van halem
robfm21 1 month ago
name of the song plz 5:03
bertthefirst26 1 month ago 2
@bertthefirst26 cathedral
trucoalaparda 1 month ago
I'm sorry both are great but I have to go with Vai
fedup74107 1 month ago
Steve is a master technician, whereas Ed was an innovator, pure brilliance. That being said, the fact that he still played "Eruption" in concert in '86 says something about his inability to really change and grow as a musician. I saw him in 84, 86, and 87, and I will swear he played the same solo all three times.
cheagan 1 month ago
EVH is the winner. By 100 tmes over. The way he plays is unconventional, and it is interesting to watch and hear. Vai is too strict to the "book". He is like any other guitarist. Talented, but conventional. EVH is talented and creative.
Gcon957 1 month ago
@Gcon957 Yeah, But it's the opposite.
Guitarmanblue 1 month ago
everytime i see vai i think of crossroads...
TheBarryNoVa 1 month ago
stupide video, music is not a competition, and so many stupides comments
DevaXfish 1 month ago
we should all be grateful that WE have been able to Experience the both of them in our Life Time... there will not be any 1 else like them... Even now, there is not 1 like Steve Vai an Eddie Van Halen... be safe all and love every 1...
drtool23 1 month ago
CARALHO!!!! SEM COMENTÁRIOS, O CARA É FODAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
JKDINIZ1 1 month ago
Steve Vai vs. Ralph Macchio from the movie Crossroads...now that was a duel lol. I agree with the comments...you can't compare Vai and EVH...they are Both great!
shogunkato 1 month ago
EVH. Defenetly.
AVH5000ultimate 1 month ago
I will have another go at this ... the electric guitar as invented by Les Paul was innovated by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, and refined by Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Blackmore, Gary Moore and others. Along came Eddie Van Halen, who pushed the boundaries, and was copied faithfully by Steve Vai, etc. Many will prove me wrong.
achtsieben87 1 month ago
what is the first song's name?
konosxatz1 1 month ago
i am going to be honest. as much as i like eddie. steve wins
pizzadeliveryguy1984 1 month ago
Eddie is a better musician period. Ed's a better song writer and a better rhythm player. As far as leads go, Vai or any of the "similar" guitarist all got their ideas from Ed. Eddie started a whole new way of playing guitar. No one has reinvented the way the guitar is played since. So Eddie will always be the King of Guitar!
hinson5150 1 month ago
@hinson5150 the guys who reinvented the guitar was Jimi Hendricks & Tommi Iommi, Eddie Van Halen & Steve Vai followed
ColdCarress 1 month ago
slash
MsGuitarman1 1 month ago
@MsGuitarman1 sucks
Jordan2000son 1 month ago
@Jordan2000son Nope, You suck. Balls.
MrRC1992 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@MrRC1992 Nope, You suck. Dick
Jordan2000son 1 month ago
First Song?
F0xRafaDH 1 month ago
Vai... LOVES guitar.. stop being silly. According to VAI (yes the man himself) he got into guitar because of Hendrix, particularly the album "Axis is Bold as Love", of which he also has a tattoo. LOL, he looks like he LOVES to play guitar and he looks like he is AMAZED by what he can do with the guitar. EVH is also a great player and it is silly to compare the two GREAT PLAYERS, who obviously both LOVE to play. Bejeezez, some people are painfully rude in their ignorance.
KingPooOnYou 1 month ago
STEVE VAI
ctrlaltsupr01 1 month ago
While both are great at least Vai is still around. EVH hasn't done anything in almost 10 years. Vai wins. Gotta be in it to win it.
TheInamanica 1 month ago
Addendum: Total respect to other revolutionary guitar players like, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Tony Iomi, Eric Clapton, going backwards to guys like Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, backwards to the roots, Robert Johnson and a slew of blues guys. Help me here, I know there are plenty I am missing.
JohnsonSocrates 1 month ago
Steve can't write a rock and roll song. That's just the way it is. plus, I just can't stand his tone. There can also be a case made that if it wasn't for Eddie, Steve would probably not play the way he does now. I have met steve also, and he's an arrogant prick.
TAZ4169 1 month ago
@TAZ4169 thats too much fail comment steve vai and evh are both great!and steve vai the only thing he isnt is arogant ok???
konosxatz1 1 month ago
@TAZ4169 yeah steve vai is all about looking cool and im not sure he loves guitar as much as some people, hes a little bit more in it for the money so he got good so that he could make money.. that probly sounds really dumb it sounded better in my head
IStrengthInSolitudeI 1 month ago
@IStrengthInSolitudeI You don't just "get that good" because you want money. Steve has a gift that no-one in this generation, or previous ones, can match. It will be decades until there is another like him....if ever.
timzers7447 1 month ago
@timzers7447 sorry that was my friend haha, I do somewhat agree though he clearly loves music and im sure he practiced non stop as a kid and still now but he does a lot of pointless, showy stuff to try and gain a bigger fan base. and by this generation im assuming you mean the current teenagers/ up and coming musicians.. yes your probly right but you never know until you see them. and if you mean this generation of current professional musicians your wrong
IStrengthInSolitudeI 1 month ago
what is the first song called 0:00 1:09
mOj0dude 1 month ago
if there was no ed van halen there would be no steve via
GUITARPLAYER467 1 month ago
Two incredible guitarists, period.
GoodGuitarSolos 2 months ago
Can't compare the two Both are the best at what they do. Two totally different approaches.
gorethem 2 months ago
Put Vai back in the closet where he belongs,EVH forever!!!!!
cast390 2 months ago
Van Halen looks happy when he plays. Vai looks like his mother made him learn how to play guitar when he was three.
lieut89 2 months ago 16
@lieut89 Only problem with that is that Vai was better than the teacher even at 3! EVH sucks, it shouldn't take 20 years to figure that out
timzers7447 1 month ago
@lieut89 LOL, seems like you haven't got to see Vai much eh ? His facial expressions are PHENOMENAL.
Mofozofo 1 month ago
@Mofozofo Saw him at the Hendrix Experience last year, and he ruined the show. It was a huge disappointment to say the least.
lieut89 1 month ago
@lieut89 Steve Vai is one of the most emotional guitarist, he learned guitar because he wanted to. It was nobody's decision, and there is no point in comparing guitarist THEY are ALL unique and great in their own ways. To many hypocrites in this fucking world, it's pathetic.
gatler05 1 month ago
@gatler05 I wasn't the genius that put this piece on the tube. Now go and cry to your mommy about all of the hypocrites in this fucking world, for I could really give a gnarly shit!
lieut89 1 month ago
@lieut89 You're right, you are just the piece of shit who set a invalid opinion. Stupid bitch
gatler05 1 month ago
@gatler05 a What? Because in my opinion, it looks like Vai is getting fucked in the ass by a 3 year old colt, while Van Halen looks like he is having Valerie lightly licking the underside of his sack?
lieut89 1 month ago
@lieut89 Your opinion is invalid, you don't know enough about either to make a point on them. Emotions
gatler05 1 month ago
STOP comparing the gods!
sufeelgood 2 months ago
U don't know what your talking about, Eddie just got off tour with David Lee Roth,he is not sick in fact he and Dave are working on a new album.....duh
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
Without Eddie Vai would have sucked. 'Nuff said.
valleyarts1992 2 months ago
Please stop comparing two great players who changed modern electric guitar. The great EVH is basically in retirement and should be considered ill. Fortunately Vai is still playing and evolving. Hopefully we'll hear more from both.
Those who speak of the two men as opponents are not fully evolved as human beings.
ClassofEighty2 2 months ago 23
@ClassofEighty2 I agree 100% with your post!! people should realise that one style doesnt always make one better then another.. makes each of them unique..different styles just appeal different too different people..just enjoy thier music!
demonspeedin70 1 month ago
@ClassofEighty2 eddie is not in retirement! The new van halen CD is suppossed to be out next month!
zzaldoushuxleyzz 1 month ago
@ClassofEighty2 Thank you classof802, Couldn't have said it better myself. I will never understand the that drives the listener to ignore the music for the right to say "my favorite guitarist has a bigger dick than yours" Stop the bullshit and enjoy the music
freddlyo 1 month ago
Steve Vai is better as musican and player, and he didn´t sell himself to Michael Jackson
maurizs97music 2 months ago 2
ED van halen won easily
Who is Steve Vai
kevincfc0725 2 months ago
you use big words...you must be very stupid
z71dustin 2 months ago
Steve Vai is consumate. But at times superficial, effeminate; and like E. Johnson: Loses it with the extraterrestrial B.S. and over-polished production. That's my take, what say you, America?
bugietube 2 months ago 3
VH1: Because it changed the world;
VHII: Fun affirmation of the aforementioned;
Women and Children First: A Heavy Metal Toast
Fair Warning: Piece De' Resistance (Ed's Finest Hour...or 45 minutes)
Diver Down: Americana Diversified
1984: A Farewell to Kings
Everything since: Ma'am; do you have any idea how much chorus is on your husband's guitar tone? (Some high points in the riffola but...)
bugietube 2 months ago
@bugietube Some very accurate and succinct albums reviews right there. :-)
edshift 2 months ago
Ed invented the carburetor; Steve: The Turbo charger, Intercooler, Afterburner and the Cupholder.
bugietube 2 months ago
Vai probably smokes Ed after sex and coffee....
bugietube 2 months ago
Steve
machanation 2 months ago
Eddie was aewsome when he came out but he never got better, VAI did
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
If anyone played guitar there would be no question aS to who is better, it would be obvious
TheWassuppable 2 months ago 2
@TheWassuppable I will bet you most people commenting here play guitar. People still disagree so I'm not sure why you think that answer is obvious. In fact since you didn't say so, I don't even know who you think is better.
jabberwock11 1 month ago
Are you kidding me? Vai kicks the shit out of EVH.
Dessyman18 2 months ago
@Dessyman18 totally agree'd
ProIntervention 2 months ago
4:50 is the very seldom used intro to everybody wants some
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
Vai played with diamond Dave on a few albums. I saw skyscraper live and Vai played eruption with his guitar backwards. They said it took him a day to learn all of eddie's licks.
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
Anybody can tell me what song is in 4:50?
TheLeon8308 2 months ago
EVH is better than Vai...no question. I like Vai; I have several of his solo CDs. But his tone is repetitive and boring. I can only tolerate his playing for so long. Eddie keeps me on the edge of my seat...guessing. Eddie's live solos are unparalleled--distortion, feedback, tapping... he does it all.
49johnnyblaze 2 months ago
@49johnnyblaze SORRY NO COMPARISION....LONG LIVE SRV
jakski 2 months ago
All of peoples in the earth can tell the contrary but in fact Steve vai is better than Eddie because he plays more quickly than eddie and Steve Vai is a virtuoso . Eddie plays with a band and steve he mades his own music and he mades his band .
BruteGOW3 2 months ago
@BruteGOW3 Just cause you play faster doesn't mean your better. Besides EVH invented shredding.
mcwaddle 2 months ago
@mcwaddle Vai is more technical, and know what he is playing. EVH don't, even himself said he didn't know any scale when he was in VH. And he didn't invent shredding... you're talking about tapping, and I don't think thats true...I mean.. you can't "invent" something every kid with his guitar would do even without knowing what tapping is...
Miscio94 2 months ago
@Miscio94 I'm sorry you made some good points but I still think EVH is better. He didn't invent shredding but he did revolutionise guitar playing. And just because you don't know scales and aren't technical doesn't mean you still can't be great. The reason EVH is so good is because he didn't get taught, so he taught himself and created amazing riffs and solos that helped Van Halen become superstars and Legends
mcwaddle 2 months ago
@Miscio94 You're right about tapping being a generic thing anyone 'might' do. The thing is, Eddie did something with his guitar, i mean when he first came out, using a tapping technique, that was utterly revolutionary for its time. Breakthrough guitar playing on a level very few others of his era could achieve. Any rock guitar soloist, even the ones who hate him, are influenced by Eddie Van Halen, if not directly, then surely indirectly. I'm old. I lived it. Trust me.
JohnsonSocrates 1 month ago
I love both guitarists, and yes Eddie predates Steve, but just as things evolve in every part of life, Steve is in a different league to Eddie. Theres videos on Youtube of 10 year olds playing Eruption etc now, Eddies playing isnt that hard to copy, technically its not that difficult, where as, Vai's playing is incredible. Ive only been learning the guitar a few months, this is just my view on it
sauser123 2 months ago
Steve Vai does not even come close to the Tone and Skill level of Eddie Van Halen. Eddie is the master with tone and technique not to mention his innovation and his ability to create feeling with this playing. EVH is the true master period.
montanabuffalo 2 months ago
@montanabuffalo That's just not true. I can understand the sentimental attachment to Eddie but we simply must give credit to where it is due. Steve Vai is a superior guitar player in just about ever category
mlmr11 2 months ago
personally, I like both EVH and Steve Vai. Reason being is that while the base shredding is there, they have two different styles of music. Eddie had vocals in his music ala David Lee Roth(because we all know DLR kicked ass) and had riffs that he followed in order to make it a rock/hair metal song. Vai *with a few exceptions* did not have vocals and his playing was structured around his technical ability. So, while comparing two "shredders" You're still looking at two different types of music.
JPGuitarGuyFutrell 2 months ago
Van motha fookin Halen!
thejoshbrockmanshow 2 months ago
Steve Vai and thousands of other guitarist befor him and after him owe Master Eddie there guitar playing lives. No one will ever take the guitar any further than what King Edward has already done and 34 years later still continues to do. Eddie VH #1
EPI6fingers 2 months ago
Vai is technically brilliant but after listening to him for 5 mnutes I get bored. A bit too much musical wanking for my tsate, but I can see his appeal, especially amongst guitar players.
Eddie has a high degree of technical ability also, but what makes his playing standout and more memborable for me is his great melodic sence. Even when shredding fast, you can typically humm or sing Eddies best parts, he plays for the song. Melody is king, so for me, it is EVH for the win.
CCRider100 2 months ago 2
Tech
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
Whoever was van halen's guitar yech on the last Tour sucked he sounded terrible
TheWassuppable 2 months ago
XD at 2:50 vai looks so pissed at his guitar
successfulbuisnezman 2 months ago