Virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani recently reflected on his experience sharing the stage with Sammy Hagar in the Best of All Worlds band. He discussed what he admires most about Hagar’s musical style during a conversation on Thinking About Guitar. The discussion highlighted the contrasting approaches between the two legendary musicians.
“I’ll play too many notes, but he won’t,” Satriani said. “I always ask him, ‘Well, what is that?’ And of course, he doesn’t think about it. It’s totally natural to him. But he somehow plays the right notes with the right kind of vibrato. And that still fascinates me, as it did when I was a young kid growing up.”
Satriani attributed Hagar’s restraint to his background as a lead vocalist. “I always thought that one of the coolest things about his guitar playing was that he somehow took the knowledge of being a really good lead vocalist and applied it to the way he played guitar,” he explained. Hagar’s editorial instincts set him apart in the rock music landscape. Few American guitar players are known for restraint, a quality Satriani associates with British and Irish musicians like Eric Clapton and Brian May. These players focus on perfect note selection rather than excessive technical display. Hagar’s approach demonstrates how vocal training can enhance instrumental performance.
Hagar’s editorial instincts set him apart in the rock music landscape. Few American guitar players are known for restraint, a quality Satriani associates with British and Irish musicians like Eric Clapton and Brian May. These players focus on perfect note selection rather than excessive technical display. Hagar’s approach demonstrates how vocal training can enhance instrumental performance.
“He’s kind of a crazy shred guitar player on the one hand. But on the other hand, he’s got this editorial process that I personally recognize as being a lead singer.”
Satriani expanded on why Hagar’s playing continues to impress him after all these years. While many guitarists are eager to push their technique to the limit, he believes Hagar knows exactly when to hold back. That sense of control, rather than speed alone, is what gives Hagar’s playing its unique character.
“There aren’t many American guitar players who are well known for restraint. I always saw that as something that would come from the U.K. or Ireland. You have these players like Eric Clapton or Brian May who just play the perfect notes. They don’t turn the amp up to eleven.”
According to Satriani, Hagar naturally avoids overplaying because he approaches the guitar the same way he approaches singing. Instead of filling every space with notes, he focuses on delivering the melody in the most effective way. Satriani admitted that this instinct is something he continues to admire whenever they perform together.
“I think [Hagar] would take that one step back from the edge of the cliff and make sure that he could pull it off. I hear it over and over again as a thing that really good lead vocalists have. And they apply it to their guitar playing.”
Satriani’s comments offer a rare look into the musical chemistry between the two longtime rock veterans. As members of the Best of All Worlds band, they continue to perform together, with Satriani’s technical precision complementing Hagar’s instinctive and melodic guitar style. Their partnership highlights how different musical approaches can come together to create a stronger performance.
