Joe Satriani Says Guitar Is 'Harder' for Him Than It Is for Steve Vai

Virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani says he frequently worries that he "won't be able to play" guitar due to issues with muscle tightness in his hands.

Satch says every day, he wakes up wondering about the condition of his hands and fingers. 

“For the first couple of moments, I’ll flex my fingers and go, ‘Okay, how do they feel today?’ Satriani told Team Rock in a recent interview. "I have a harder time playing guitar than some of my best friends. If I’m hanging around with Steve Vai or John Petrucci, they don’t have the tightness issues that I seem to always be plagued with. That might just be my physiology, that I’m so tightly wound.”

The guitarist adds that he has generally poor dexterity away from his fretboard, saying he's only just "getting better" at using all of his fingers while typing. 

Much of his problems are just symptoms of getting older, Satriani says. Age is something that's dogged him for his entire career. 

“I’m much better now at harnessing my physical attributes," he said. "But on the other side, there’s gonna be stuff that breaks down. I kinda noticed that in my late twenties, just as my career started. I remember thinking it really would have helped if I was famous at 19, when my body was firing on all cylinders. Instead, success came when I was turning 30. And I thought, ‘Great, now I’m becoming old. My hair is falling out. This is bad timing.’ But those things are silly. If people connect with your music, they get used to how strange you look or the way you need to operate to make music.”

Satriani is on the road now with his G3 show. This year the guitar extravaganza tour features Satriani alongside Dream Theater's Petrucci and Def Leppard's Phil Collen. 

Satch's latest solo album, What Happens Next, features bassist Glenn Hughes and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. 

Get more information here. 

G3 U.S. Tour:

02.01.2018, FT. LAUDERDALE, FL — PARKER PLAYHOUSE

02.02.2018, FORT MYERS, FL — BARBARA B MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL

02.03.2018, ST PETERSBERG, FL — MAHAFFEY THEATER

02.06.2018, RALEIGH, NC — RALEIGH MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

02.07.2018, NEW YORK, NY — AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION WITH JOE, JOHN, & PHIL @ THE CUTTING ROOM NYC

02.08.2018, WALLINGFORD, CT — TOYOTA PRESENTS OAKDALE THEATRE

02.09.2018, SYRACUSE, NY — LANDMARK THEATRE

02.10.2018, ALBANY, NY — PALACE THEATRE

02.11.2018, GREENSBURG, PA — THE PALACE THEATRE

02.12.2018, DETROIT, MI — FILLMORE DETROIT

02.14.2018, WASHINGTON, DC — WARNER THEATRE

02.15.2018, BOSTON, MA — ORPHEUM THEATRE

02.16.2018, NEW YORK, NY — BEACON THEATRE

02.17.2018, PHILADELPHIA, PA — MERRIAM THEATER

02.18.2018, NEWARK, NJ — NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

02.20.2018, ROCHESTER, NY — AUDITORIUM THEATRE

02.21.2018, TORONTO, ON CA — MASSEY HALL

02.22.2018, NORTHFIELD, OH — HARD ROCK LIVE

02.23.2018, CHICAGO, IL — CHICAGO THEATRE

02.24.2018, MINNEAPOLIS, MN — STATE THEATRE

02.25.2018, MILWAUKEE, WI — RIVERSIDE THEATRE

Photo: Getty Images