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Did you attend this special 3 day Alien Music Secrets workshop at Kripalu in Stockbridge, MA?

Steve loves reading your reviews.

Mikey
vai.com

Hi Everyone,

I'll give a quick summary of the retreat as much as I can. It was such a great experience I don't really know where to start... I've been listening to Steve since I was a young guitar player and this happened to be held nearby my home at a time I had vacation from work so it was a total no-brainer and I was really glad I went.

The week started off with me bumping into Steve coming in at the same time from a miserable snowy/rainy drive we had both just braved. I went up and got settled in my room and came down to the main room where Steve was soundchecking and getting ready. In the beginning, I almost felt bad for Steve because we were all so quiet/nervous and not sure what these days held in store. Steve was very friendly and gave an overview of what he was going to talk about and played a song and we all gave a quick blurb about who we were and what we were looking to get out of the experience. I think it was very well said when Steve threw out, "In a day, we'll be past our perceptions of one another and we'll just be people talking about life and playing guitar". That isn't exactly what he said, but the general gist and it turned out to be true. Over the next few days, I gradually weaned out the idea of "Satan's guitar player" from all the posters and C.D's and got to know the person a lot more and understand him as a human being which was really nice.

The following days we covered a lot of information, ranging from singing your melodies as you play them to views on life and everything in-between. Steve is a really giving and empathetic teacher and never withheld any information or refused to answer a question posed to him. The class was full of great players as well so we stayed on-message with relevant questions and I have a pile of notes I kept typing into my phone.

The end of day 3 was one of the best experiences of my life because Steve asked, "you guys want to jam tonight?"... This was an unbelievable experience. By this point, we were all getting to know one another and the vibe was great. As I said, people were great, great players and one of the things I noticed and that Steve commented on was how supportive everyone was of one another. I also noticed that they were really applying a lot of what Steve was talking to us about when they played.

When it came time for my turn to jam with Steve, I had the montra "listen and be respectful" going over and over in my head. I did my best to really listen to him play and try to work as a team and I think our jam turned out really cool in many parts. I started out with a trippy kind of riff which Steve latched onto right away and started in. From there, we turned on the drum machine and we traded solos. In case you're reading this Steve, I'm the tall, left handed, curly haired guy from Berklee, Britt who was maybe... the 3'rd or 4'th person up. Thanks so much for letting me play with you. One more really cool thing is that while we were playing, a bunch of the Kripalu folk came in and danced along. It was a "shoes off" kind of night.

This was a unique experience as far as I can tell because it was "jam night" and anyone who wanted got up to play. There was even a guy who hadn't played before and got up to make some noise with Steve. It cracked everyone up because Steve turned his guitar left handed to jam with him. I thought the guy playing had a great attitude and it was memorable, funny and fun and what the hell?... why not play for the first time with Steve Vai if you're going to do it. That was just the spirit of the week. There were a ton of great players, ranging from a 16 year old chops monster to a 40 something jazz influenced player and they all brought their own to the jams. I wish I had them on tape, but respected Steve's wishes to keep the session private. I have to say that I do feel badly for those who did not have the courage to play with Steve. It DID take a lot of courage, but I would have had serious regret if I hadn't done this and I spoke with a few who expressed this the following day.

It was overall a great time even our time outside of class. Kripalu is a wonderful place and a great get-away. I shared a room with five other guys and we all got on quite well with jams every night. The food was fantastic, but caused a bit of... anyways...

Thanks again to Steve for doing this, but get back to work on a new album for all of us! No more workshops because we need new music!!! Seriously though... the guy was very, very memorable and wonderful to be around as a person and a teacher. I got everything I could have hoped for out of the workshop and am still on a high from the experience. There was a woman who wasn't a musician but is training to be a police officer and I understand why she was there and what she got out of it. I think that Steve's guitar playing is just a symptom of a very disciplined and searching mind which really what this week was about. That sort of experience and thought process can be applied to anything and I'm convinced that Steve's success would have happened in any area he had chosen in his life after spending a week with him. Personally, I work as a video game artist and college professor and I feel I can directly apply everything he was teaching to that as well as some serious gee-tar!

So, that's a very brief overview in comparison to what I got out of the experience. I felt that we got very lucky because Steve had some family connections Kripalu and I'm not sure he had ever done anything quite like it or will again. One direct thing I would like to say to Steve is that I'm very grateful you made yourself so vulnerable and allowed us to spend time with you like this. As big of a fan as I am of what you have done with your life, I feel that I misunderstood you until this week. From the things that you were talking about, I think you're about to hit your stride as a musician in a way that might surprise many and I'm looking forward to hearing the new music you need to make. As was evidenced by how long everyone took to thank you and how emotional many of us were, I would feel very good about what you were able to do at Kripalu. I'll always remember that amazing young kid who said "I have to be a musician now" and you responded with "you have a lot of potential" which he did (super chops!). This week will really make a difference for someone like that. Thanks again for your generous time and I had a fantastic time the whole session. I hope we didn't make you miss your flight.

I was there too. I feel so lucky to have been a part of it. What an amazing time! And because of it… my own musical voice has never been stronger. Steve's discussions cleared-up a lot of blockages. Not only did I learn a great deal about music and the business, but I also left feeling motivated and inspired on personal and professional levels. I never expected it to resonate into so many areas of my life. I savored every moment that I was there not wanting it to end and only wished there were more time to meet and talk to more people. It was one of the most enriching, exciting and fun experiences of my life.

Thank you Steve. Your discussions were so heartfelt and you were tireless in your attention and sharing. You are a remarkable individual and you touched a lot of people!

I was there. I'd thought about it for months but only signed up the week before, at my wife's encouragement.

What an awesome event. Steve is THE most gracious person I have ever met. He spent so much time with us and gave so much of himself. Always forthcoming with life lessons, information, patient with every question, open and genuine. He played several pieces to his backing tracks: "Building the Church", "Tender Surrender", "Whispering A Prayer"......, 10 feet away from me. Unreal.

I learned so much about composition, the industry, finding the groove, Steve and about myself. While confident in my profession, I have a lot of self doubt and insecurity when it comes to my playing and music abilities and Steve validated many things that I've felt or thought but never had anyone to confirm for me. I now have the self confidence and insight to really write.

Jamming with him was surreal, terrifying, an accomplishment for me just to overcome my fear and get up there and the support of all the others there was truly uplifting. Musicians (guitar players especially) can be a tough audience but not this group. Support, encouragement and great times all the way.

What was really nice was how comfortable he made us all feel. I asked plenty of questions and got great, informative answers. It got really "normal" being around him and I appreciated every minute of it.

Thanks Steve for that event, I will not only treasure the memory, but apply the lessons. My 8 year old son said he's looking forward to seeing you soon too! I framed the note for him.

Take care,

- Ken

My sister Nicole and I were lucky enough to attend Steve's masterclass at Kriaplu. I really don't think words can do any justice to what we experienced over those four days spent with Steve.
Listening to Steve, and his advice on setting goals, and taking things one step at a time has helped me a lot with my job. Having the courage to take those extra steps, and most of all, believing in myself.
These classes were motivating and inspiring. I encourage anyone and everyone to attend one of his masterclasses if it comes to your area.
Thank you Steve! Not only for teaching us, but for touching us. It was a wonderful time had by all, and I can guarantee you that if you come back to Kripalu, you will see a lot of familiar faces.
Thanks again...for everything
c

Anybody know if that email list of the Kripalu Group ever happened? Someone was kind enough to gather all the addresses (was that YOU Britt?) but I never heard anything. I know typing all that in must be a lot of work but it would be cool to keep in touch. I would be happy to lend a hand.

I attended the Kripalu Alien Music Secrets Master Class and it was really a 'peak experience' for me in so many ways.

Not even really sure how I found out about this...but somehow knew that there aren't many chances to spend meaningful time with somebody at Steve's level and somehow everything lined up and I got to go. I really didn't know what to expect, but any expectations I did have were definitely exceeded. Steve seemed to truly enjoy the opportunity to teach and shared great insights into his creative process, the music biz and his own personal 'philosophy' - he was very eloquent and able to clearly express abstract ideas in a way that all could relate to. Despite some of the twists and turns the conversation took, he always was focused and able to tie things together very effectively. He was down to earth, very intelligent and, best of all, a real inspiration.

The opportunities to play with a true master and have him offer suggestions and encouragement were enormously valuable and I will definitely treasure those experiences for the rest of my life.

The entire atmosphere/vibe of the class at Kripalu was so positive...I didn't really know how these two seemingly opposite worlds would mesh, but it really turned out to be a perfect match. It was great to see the 'buzz' among the 'regular' clientele and staff at Kripalu and the group for the class was just a fantastic bunch of people. Great jams at night and the start of some great friendships, too.

I would go back again and again and am hoping that he returns to Kripalu often.

Hi to everyone that was there and look forward to keeping in touch.

All the best!

Hey,

Yeah... it's Britt. My username is Snasitra is "artisans" backwards and I needed a login for gameartisans.org and then it stuck...

Feel free to add me to any mailing list of the people who went and I'd be happy to stay in touch and help with that list. My contact is www.brittsnyder.com with my e-mail being info@brittsnyder.com. I'm on facebook like everyone else on the planet too.

I'm still finding the value in the workshop weeks later and looking forward to seeing what Steve comes out with next. I just picked up Where the Wild things Are and am loving it. The violin players really add a new element to Steve's music. Anne Marie has the greatest phrasing and tone. I especially loved her final solo on the DVD. The portable drumset is great too and I've decided that this summer I'm making one for myself... The only funny thing is that now I'm so used to seeing "real Steve Vai" in the flesh that it's strange seeing him back on DVD. Real Steve is funny and goofy and DVD/photo-shoot Steve scares me with crazy costumes and serious looking guitar poses. It will be awhile until I can transition my favorite guitar player safely back into the person from my posters and magazines.

Great meeting everyone there at Kripalu. Next time let's encourage Steve to make a "non-stop jam with Steve" weekend. Don't tell me you all wouldn't love that! How great was that night?!