There are countless ways to play the guitar, and if you compare the styles of Steve Vai and David Gilmour, you can clearly see how different approaches can still lead to incredible music. Both of these guitarists have unique ways of expressing themselves through their instruments — and both share a deep admiration for one man who changed everything: Jimi Hendrix.
Steve Vai: The Guitar as a Journey
Steve Vai’s guitar playing is like an adventure. Every song feels like it’s taking you somewhere new. He uses many techniques — tapping, complex chords, fast solos, and intricate melodies — to create instrumental tracks that feel like stories told through music.
In songs like Tender Surrender, Vai divides his music into different sections that build emotion and tension as the track moves forward. You can hear how much thought goes into every note and every sound. He doesn’t just play the guitar; he uses it to take listeners on a journey.
Vai has often spoken about how Jimi Hendrix inspired him. He said that when he first heard Hendrix, he didn’t realize how difficult his playing was — he just knew it sounded magical and full of innovation. For Vai, Hendrix was the starting point that showed what was possible with a guitar.
David Gilmour: The Guitar as Emotion
David Gilmour, on the other hand, is not about showing off speed or technique. His strength lies in emotion, tone, and atmosphere. Every note he plays carries feeling, and his use of effects like delay, reverb, and sustain gives his sound a dreamlike quality.
Gilmour’s work with Pink Floyd turned the guitar into something almost cinematic. Albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall are proof of how powerful a well-placed solo can be. His playing feels like a voice — gentle, expressive, and deeply human.
Gilmour also admired Jimi Hendrix. He once recalled seeing Hendrix perform live in London before the world even knew who he was. Gilmour described how the entire room was stunned when Hendrix started playing his guitar upside down, creating sounds no one had ever heard before.
Jimi Hendrix: The Foundation of Modern Guitar
Both Vai and Gilmour owe much of their inspiration to Jimi Hendrix — the man who redefined what a guitar could do. His album Electric Ladyland is often called one of the greatest guitar records ever made.
Hendrix didn’t just play songs — he created new sounds. He mixed blues, rock, and psychedelia with feedback, distortion, and effects in ways that no one else had tried. He treated his guitar like an extension of himself, pouring every bit of emotion and creativity into his music.
What made Hendrix so special was his fearless experimentation. He broke boundaries and inspired generations of players to see the guitar not just as an instrument, but as a way to express their soul.
Three Different Styles, One Shared Spirit
Steve Vai shows us the guitar as a technical and musical journey.
David Gilmour reminds us that the guitar can speak with emotion and tone.
And Jimi Hendrix taught both of them — and all of us — that music has no limits.
Even though their styles are different, they’re all connected by one thing: passion. Whether you prefer fast solos or slow, soulful melodies, the guitar remains one of the most expressive instruments in the world. And as long as players keep experimenting like Vai, feeling like Gilmour, and innovating like Hendrix, the spirit of the guitar will always live on.