The world of guitar playing may be oversaturated, but a few stand out as its most powerful forces. One of these is Joe Satriani, the sunglasses-wearing Ibanez player who has achieved enormous success with his recordings. He left an indelible mark on the world of the six-string through a slew of notable students.
Satriani is highly distinguished for fusing blues, hard rock, and metal. He lifts these forms with his astounding technical grasp. It employs everything from volume swells to sweep picking, as well as a dedication to the overarching refinement of a legato performance style. Satriani’s ability to push the ideas of earlier masters like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Allan Holdsworth into new, more cerebral areas is one of his greatest accomplishments.
Satriani’s talent is so legendary that he has a long list of fretboard masters among his students. These include Steve Vai, one of the other most well-known virtuosos, Primus’ innovator Larry LaLone, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Alex Skolnick, and, Third Eye Blind’s Kevin Cadogan. These players all work in different fields and demonstrate how deeply Satriani’s influence has permeated the cultural fabric.
Satriani is an expert on the six-string guitar. Even if his ornamental style isn’t for everyone, his musical ability is top-notch. He is also acutely aware when his peers are musicology experts. Dire Straits leader and guitarist Mark Knopfler is a technically proficient player who has expertly covered everything from country to hard rock. He has received high praise from him and many of his peers.
When speaking to Guitar Player in 2021 Satriani provided insight into the Geordie’s efforts, saying that his “touch is unmistakable”. He explained, “I was sitting down making bracelets at the Liquid Bracelet Factory in Berkeley, California when I first heard Mark’s guitar on the radio. It was 1978, and Dire Straits had recently released their debut album.
He continued, “His sound was so pure, fresh, and personal. It felt like he was sitting right in front of me, singing and playing. Fantastic! I love how you can hear and almost feel his fingers on the strings while he plays. His touch is unmistakable, regardless of the amp tone he has set. “And the vibrato is entirely his.”
