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Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Surfing with the Alien album cover
Surfing with the Alien
1987 4:24
Listen on Spotify
Joe Satriani Instrumental Rock 1987 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Surfing With The Alien

Few guitar tracks announce themselves as boldly as this one: the opening riff locks into a galloping, palm-muted groove in E minor before the lead melody takes over and never lets up. Joe Satriani builds the whole piece around a driving pulse at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, which sits comfortable enough to play but demands serious right-hand stamina to keep the picking clean at full speed. The lead lines are the real challenge, combining legato hammer-ons and pull-offs with wide vibrato and precise bending, all of which need to land in tune and in time. The Instrumental Rock format means the guitar carries every melody and every piece of forward momentum, so sloppy phrasing has nowhere to hide. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the busier solo passages and loop them slowed down until the pick-hand and fret-hand sync up naturally. Getting the vibrato to match Satriani's controlled, vocal quality is what separates a note-accurate run-through from one that actually sounds musical.

  • The main riff uses aggressive palm muting in E Standard tuning, so right-hand consistency is essential before you attempt the lead sections.
  • Much of the lead work relies on legato technique, meaning hammer-ons and pull-offs do most of the work rather than picking every note.
  • Wide, controlled vibrato is central to the phrasing throughout, and nailing its depth and speed is the biggest expressive hurdle for most players.

How to Play Surfing With The Alien

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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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