Steve Vai and Joe Satriani Used Guitar Plugins for The Sea of Emotion

Steve Vai and Joe Satriani relied extensively on guitar plugins while recording The Sea of Emotion, their first studio album together. Details from a new interview with both guitarists were published on October 16, 2026. The album arrives in November.

From microphones to plugins

Vai changed his view of plugin based recording after Satriani revealed that he had used plugins on his 2022 album The Elephants of Mars. Vai had previously believed that recording guitar required amplifiers, cabinets and microphones, but experimenting with SansAmp changed his approach. Satriani had options from SansAmp, Tonex, Brainworx and Neural DSP available during the new sessions. Vai now works mostly with Neural DSP software, although he combined a Carvin Legacy 3 amplifier with a Synergy module on a couple of parts. His earlier setups could include two stereo cabinets, several close microphones and stereo AKG 414 room microphones, which required considerable setup work. Satriani recorded with Ibanez JS models, including Chrome Boy, a gold version and a Paisley finish prototype, as well as a Taylor nylon string guitar. Vai used Ibanez PIA and JEM guitars, including Evo and Flo III. The sessions also featured sitars, including a custom seven string sitar made by Sterling Ball. The Sea of Emotion is available to preorder and will be released through earMUSIC on November 6, 2026.

What guitar players can take from the sessions

The sessions document how two players long associated with distinctive amplifier sounds used plugins as their main recording tools. Vai still brought an amplifier and module into selected parts, so the album combines software with limited hardware rather than removing amplifiers entirely. The varied Ibanez models, Taylor nylon string and custom sitar also show that their instrument choices remained broad while the recording setup became more software focused.

(Compiled)