Recreating Joe Satriani’s “Flying in a Blue Dream” Guitar Tone with Amplifikation 360 and Efektor Gainia TD

Joe Satriani is a highly respected and influential guitar player known for his virtuosic playing style and innovative approach to rock music. Born on July 15, 1956, in Westbury, New York, Satriani has established himself as one of the most valued guitarists of his generation.

Satriani’s early recordings boast a distinctive quality attributed to his skillful utilization of the Chandler Tube Driver. This guitar overdrive pedal, originally crafted in the late 1970s by engineer and technician Brent K. Butler has become an integral part of Satriani’s signature sound. It is known for its distinctive tube-driven tone and has become a staple in Satriani’s rig for many years.

When he recorded “Surfing with the Alien”, somewhere in the late 80s, Satriani used the Chandler Tube Driver for the first time. The unique tonal characteristics of the pedal, versatility, and ability to add a warm and dynamic overdrive to his sound at the same time, immediately caught Satriani’s attention. In addition to its use as a standalone overdrive pedal, Satriani has also incorporated the Chandler Tube Driver into his overall signal chain, often in combination with other pedals and amplifiers. The higher level of tonal complexity and expressiveness were easy to achieve, of course not without experimenting with various settings and stacking effects in this way.

Satriani explains that the Chandler Tube Driver injects a vibrant and versatile tube-driven overdrive into his music, enhancing the liveliness and flexibility of his playing.. He has shared insights into how this pedal enables him to explore a spectrum of tones, spanning from velvety and seamless overdrive to electrifying lead sounds.

Joe Satriani has included the Chandler Tube Driver into his setup on many songs throughout his career. While it is challenging to provide an exhaustive list, we present some famous songs in which Satriani has used the Chandler Tube Driver:

“Satch Boogie” – From the album “Surfing with the Alien” (1987)
“Summer Song” – From the album “The Extremist” (1992)
“Flying in a Blue Dream” – From the album “Flying in a Blue Dream” (1989)
“Always with Me, Always with You” – From the album “Surfing with the Alien” (1987)
“Surfing with the Alien” – From the album “Surfing with the Alien” (1987)
“Crushing Day” – From the album “Surfing with the Alien” (1987)
“The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing” – From the album “Flying in a Blue Dream” (1989)
“Cool #9” – From the album “Joe Satriani” (1995)
“The Extremist” – From the album “The Extremist” (1992)
“Circles” – From the album “Surfing with the Alien” (1987)

These are just a few examples, and Satriani’s vast discography showcases his use of the Chandler Tube Driver across various albums and songs.

When discussing specific albums or songs, Satriani has highlighted the use of the Chandler Tube Driver as a very important element in performing certain guitar tones. He has noted its presence in recordings such as “Surfing with the Alien” and “Flying in a Blue Dream,” among others.

“Flying in a Blue Dream” Guitar Tone recreation in Amplifikation 360 with Efektor Gainia TD

Joe Satriani’s instrumental track “Flying in a Blue Dream” was

released in 1989 as the title track of his third studio album. The song showcases Satriani’s exceptional guitar skills and melodic sensibilities.

So, in today’s article we will recreate the lead guitar tone with our freshly released Software Guitar Preamp Efektor Gainia TD in Amplifikation A360. We will use our Marshall inspired Amp Simulator Caliburn, with the help of the Efektor Chorus, delay and reverb. To be more true to the original, we will shape the signal with a fixed pedal position of our wah pedal filter CB mode.

Efektor Gainia TD
https://www.kuassa.com/products/efektor-gainia-td-preamp/

Amplifikation 360
https://www.kuassa.com/products/amplifikation-360/

The Wah Pedal with fixed pedal position for frequency tone shaping

The Gainia TD for boosting and adding more gain and sustain to the overall amp tone

The amp, followed by a chorus and then the cab

And the usual delay followed by the reverb module

Check it out, the chain we’ve got here is simple and straightforward. No need to complicate things. With the right tools, you can totally nail that same vibe and tone using our Amplifikation 360 software for guitarists.

Final Words:

Satriani’s accurate approach to crafting his tone is a legacy to his determined dedication. Every note, every chord, is meticulously shaped and sculpted, led by his expert hand. His mastery of tone shaping, helped by the mighty Tube Driver, showcases a sonic craftsmanship that leaves audiences in amazement and respect.

As you dive into the awesome guitar tones recreated in software amp simulators, we hope it fires up your creativity to create your own killer guitar sound, just like those mesmerizing Blue Dreams.

Here you can hear the tone. Audio Sample: