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Steve Vai Guitar Techniques (Course)

The Steve Vai Guitar Techniques course is a credited or non-credited guitar course taught via Berklee College of Music’s online entity, BerkleeMusic . The class features the world-renowned guitarist, Steve Vai.

About the Class

The objective of the class is to gain a deeper understanding of the playing styles, repertoire, technique, and musical concepts of Steve Vai. Vai, a three-time Grammy award winner and 1979 Berklee alumnus , co-authors the course. He is featured as a guest instructor and appears in pre-recorded videos during each week’s assignments. The class currently has two primary moderators, Scotty Johnson and Robin Stone , both of whom are on the Berklee College of Music guitar faculty and are guitar virtuosos in their own rights.

Class Curriculum

The class curriculum is divided into twelve weeklong sessions. Each week, Vai features a different original song in which he teaches one or more techniques used to achieve his sound. These techniques include soloing, rhythm playing, scales, bending, tapping, sweep-picking, sliding, time feel, tone, articulation, and use of the whammy bar . Below is the class curriculum, detailing the discussions held each week.

Lesson 1: "For the Love of God"

• The Melody Section

• Mental Warm-Up: Music Meditation

• Intention/Build Confidence

• Singing Melodies Over Chords

• Tone

• Vibrato: Circular, Multi-Note, and More

• Phrasing

• Slides/The Bridge Section

• Discovering, Setting, and Achieving Your Goals

• The E Aeolian and F Lydian Scales

• The Importance of Reading Music

Lesson 2: "Jibboom"

• A Break-Down of "Jibboom"

• The E Minor and E Major Pentatonic Scales

• Bending

• Pull-offs

• The Head to "Jibboom"

• Identifying, Playing, and Listening to Intervals on the Guitar

• The Power of Visualization

Lesson 3: "Sisters"

• Playing with a Clean Tone

• Major and Minor Triads/Inversions

• Sus2 and Sus4 Triads

•Chord Embellishment

Lesson 4: "Tender Surrender"

• Playing with Emotion

• The Melody: Playing with Octaves

• Diatonic Chord Progressions

• Pull-Off Technique: Flutters and Trills

Lesson 5: "Die to Live"

• Power Chord Variations and Articulations

• Diatonic Slides and Approaches

• The Melody Statement

• The Chord Progression

Lesson 6: "The Attitude Song"

• Artificial (Pinch) and Natural Harmonics

• Speed Picking Techniques

• The Melody Statement

• Odd Meter Time Signatures

Lesson 7: "Juice"

• Locking to a Boogie Groove

• Doing Something That You Haven't Done

• Hammer Tapping Techniques

• Major and Minor 6th Ideas

• Making an Exercise Out of a Technique

Lesson 8: "Frank"

• Thoughts on Frank Zappa

• The Intro Verse Fills

• The Verse/Melody Statement

• Using Harmonics and the Whammy Bar

• The Solo

• Creating Cluster Chords

Lesson 9: "The Animal"

• Following and Accomplishing Your True Desires

• The Melody

• Playing with a Whammy Pedal and Wah-Wah

• The Solo Section

• Building a Dynamic Solo

• Learning to Relax

Lesson 10: "Building the Church"

• The Story Behind "Building the Church"

• Two-Handed Tapping

• Solo Breakdown

• The Melody and Chorus

• Sustain

• The E Phrygian Mode

• Groove Playing

Lesson 11: Guitar Tips, Tricks, and Secrets

• The Horse Sound from "Bad Horsie"

• Steve's Favorite Whammy Bar Licks

• Steve's Favorite Sweep Picking Licks

• More Tapping

Lesson 12: Finding Your Voice

• Ear Training

• Time Management

• Taking Care of "Business"

• The Importance of Performing with Other People

• Improving without an Instrument

Although Berklee faculty members moderate the class, Vai teaches it. Every week, Vai has a new set of videos that each student watches. In these videos he discusses the week’s song, unveils his techniques, talks about inspiration, and recalls the compositional processes. At the end of the week, each student must submit an MP3 of his or her playing over a backing track of a specific portion of that week’s song . Also, at the end of the week, the course’s moderator holds a group video chat between him/her and the students. During this time, the students can ask any questions they have or discuss any topics talked about during the week.