after seeing yingvie live, Eric Johnson, Dream Theater (John Petrucci), Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani, i will safely say Joe Satriani is by far the most talented guitarist because unlike yingvie who excels at one or two t things: shredding and arpeggios; Steve vai: speed & bends; Joe Satriani excels at all those things plus he will make a song with a held back guitar, (echo), or he will write a speedy groovy song like Satch Boogie but follow it with a beautiful Always with me, Always with you. He also explores new sounds and continuously trys out new styles of guitar playing much like his more recent endevers: "Searching" anyone??? When you loook at Vai what did he do? he decided to keep his same style of guitar since the days of zappa but instead add his own voice for vocals to get a fresh feeling for fans to hopefully enjoy. I think that versitility and a good ear are key in a guitarist because with guitarists like these, they aren't just players they are composers, and i feel safe to say this that while Yingvie can compose an orchastrial guitar shredding album he definatley has no ability to write beatiful slow songs like satch. The closest guitarist vitruoso i see to satch is Petrucci. However, petrucci is dream theater and will always be.
by the way if you dont believe that satch is an all around better composer and writer, then think about this: all these guitarists (besides vai) studied with teachers of guitar. Satch on the other hand studied with a jazz guitarist but quickly after that studied for the frest of his days with reclusive jazz pianist Lennie Tristano. P.S. Satriani taught Steve Vai.....
oh and just incase anyone wants to know, after meeting Yingvie during a talk at berkley auditorium in boston, he was such a piece of shit. check out the vid on the net with a confrentation between him and dimebag darrel when dimebag offered him a doughnut.... what a prick.
