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Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien - Guitar Lesson

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Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien - Guitar Lesson

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Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Surfing with the Alien album cover
Surfing with the Alien
1987 4:24
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Joe Satriani Instrumental Rock 1987 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Surfing With The Alien

Surfing With The Alien is a landmark instrumental rock album by American guitarist Joe Satriani, released on October 15, 1987, through Relativity Records. It became one of Satriani's most successful works and helped cement his reputation as a leading figure in rock guitar. For electric guitarists, the album is essential study material, showcasing advanced techniques including legato runs, whammy bar use, and melodic phrasing across a range of tempos and styles.

  • Released in 1987, Surfing With The Alien is Joe Satriani's second studio album and a milestone in instrumental rock guitar.
  • The album features no vocals, making every musical idea entirely guitar-driven, a challenge and inspiration for lead guitarists.
  • Satriani's work on this album helped establish instrumental guitar as a commercially viable genre in mainstream rock.
Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Satriani's early foundation amp, the JCM800 delivered the aggressive crunch and natural tube breakup essential to his 1980s instrumental rock sound on classics like 'Surfing with the Alien.' Its responsive gain structure shaped his initial lead tone before transitioning to higher-wattage rigs.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

The SLO-100's tight, articulate distortion and supreme headroom allowed Satriani to achieve singing lead tones with exceptional clarity and note definition during his early touring years. This amp's transparency made every nuance of his phrasing and vibrato audible at stadium volumes.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Pedal

Boss DS-1 Distortion

Satriani's modded DS-1 stacks with his amp's natural saturation to add aggressive midrange punch and sustain for fluid lead passages and shredding sections. The pedal's simplicity lets him focus on dynamics and technique rather than dialing in tone.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

The Whammy enables Satriani's signature harmonic effects and pitch-shifted lead lines, creating otherworldly textures that complement his ambient, melodic approach to instrumental composition. It's essential for his arsenal of experimental soloing techniques.

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