Guitar On YouTube: Perfect Pedal Order With Steve Vai

Steve Vai is a guitarist, composer, singer, songwriter, and producer, as well as a three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee. He began his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, and later played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983.

Since releasing a self-released solo album called "Flex-Able" in 1984, Vai has continued to release new music under his own name, from 1990's incredible "Passion and Warfare" through to 2016's "Modern Primitive".

Over the past ten years, Vai has been increasingly generous with his time in the video world, giving lessons, tips, tricks and techniques in order to help fellow guitarists take what he has done and go beyond what they may have thought possible.

This video (sponsored by BOSS and Musician's Friend) features Vai discussing three different pedalboards, and how the order of the pedals ultimately affects the final tone. He recommends the use of pedals for creative sparks, and how they can help you play in ways that help you get outside your typical comfort zones.

As an extra bonus - the question-and-answer portion at the end of the video contain some of Vai's great insights into practicing and developing unique lines and riffs.