Among all the EVH haters that are out there, Fil absolutely “gets it”. Whether you like Eddie or not, you canNOT deny that he changed the way guitar is played.
I’ll get onboard with this statement. For the record, I’m actually NOT an EVH fan boi... BUT it becomes abundantly clear in time that EVH is (IMO) one of (precisely) three individuals who transcended being, “one of the greatest players” and really OUGHT be seen as “changing the way we think about the modern electric guitar.” It wasn’t just the skill and talent-EVH changed the instrument, as it were. There are very few cats that have accomplished THAT in a career. And again, no matter whether you’re a “fan” or not. The kid was “other-worldly.”
Man, I love this channel. I know absolutely nothing about playing guitar, but Fil's analyses are so well done that even people who know nothing, like myself, can finally understand what these legendary musicians are doing when they play masterpieces like this Eruption solo.
Ed is one of THE most creative guitarists ever. I'd put him in some top FIVE list with Les Paul and another 3 people! whoever they are. Ed was the king of rock guitar for years. Now, he's a legend. nice vid!
I hate that they murdered rock music. So many generations will not realize how many hours are spend to master a instrument. Unheard of now! Eddie was so talented and will be missed. My teenage years would not be the same without VH. What a talent. Self taught legend! RIP Eddie.
You can look back on all the great bands in history - the Beatles, Zeppelin, the Stones, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Van Halen...... they all got started playing instruments in their homes all the time. And without much "formal" training or music education. They didn't go to music school to learn how to play guitar or drums the "proper" way. They started by just listening to other music and playing along with it. Then they got to really liking it and then really loving playing that instrument, so by the time they were teenagers they were playing their instruments all day and all night. Working and practicing non-stop, finding new and different ways to make sounds THEY liked. Then they met up with other like-minded guys, and formed bands just for fun. Just for the love of their music. And they played clubs, and parties, and dance halls, and high schools, and little bars and back yards where things got rough and they learned to develop on their own. So by the time they'd started writing their own music, they were already a well-oiled, well-developed machine. They worked, for little money, long before they became the legends we all know today. That's what's missing in music today. Putting in the hard work and dedication, and starting from scratch and working from nothing. Everyone wants to be an immediate star thanks to all the talent shows. Hell even Garth Brooks started out working the bars with just him and his acoustic guitar for a couple hundred bucks a week if he was lucky.
@@joe6096 It's not missing... hard work, dedication and mastery is still happening... just perhaps in other genres. Check out Billy Strings for example in bluegrass. All the members of the band are phenomenal. See also Marcus King in blues.
He played with such joy - he just plain had fun! Sometimes it seemed like he was a fan watching himself, and he realized " whoa I'M doing this ". And it sent him around the bend with delight and the best part was he invited everyone along for the ride. He seemed like such a nice guy - not a jerk. Bye Ed it was a swell ride!
My 20 favorite Van Halen songs 20. When It's Love 19. I'll Wait 18. Feels So Good 17. Somebody Get Me A Doctor 16. Drop Dead Legs 15. Ain't Talking About Love 14. Why Can't This Be Love 13. Dancing In The Street 12. Everybody Want's Some 11. Intruder/Pretty Woman 10. Mean Street 9. Dance The Night Away 8. Running With The Devil 7. Eruption/You Really Got Me 6. Beautiful Girls 5. Hot For Teacher 4. Panama 3. And The Cradle Will Rock 2. Atomic Punk 1. Jump
Dear Fil, Thank you so much for your analysis of Eddie Van Halen's "show off" solo Eruption which incorporated Cathedral and another composition. I'm a 61 yr old woman, so close in age to him, hence living in the same Rock age as this god! I don't play guitar, I did take luani, viola, theory abd I was an a avid ballet dancer. I consider myself musical astute with my ear and live of music. When my son was about 8 or 9 years old, I bought him his first record. My son wanted Hot For Teacher and we bought the single. I must confess I really only knee of Vav Halen' s guitar playing from the radio, so this video blew my mind. I just want to say, on the middle part of Eddie's solo in the way that you edited it, his tapping ? Almost sounded reminiscent of Bach or baroque music. Am I crazy or cab you hear it, too. On the first abaktdis, part one if Eruption solo, I thought Hus playing sounded like it was flirting with flamenco Agsin,/do you think you know what I'm listening to when I hear a flamenco rhythm? I wish you could answer me. Or other subscribers. I love your program Abe you are mightily talented yourself! Thank you Phil.... Barbara Anne
Eddie Van Halen is someone who kept guitar music alive in the 1980s. That is a good thing. I think he is like an orchestra on guitar. I do like many styles of music, including classical music. Eddie Van Halen puts so much depth in his guitar playing. It's so full of different textures and emotions. Great analysis video. Cheers!
While Eddie was self taught on guitar, it’s no secret that he was trained on piano.. One of my favorite quotes (paraphrasing) was the book is great to learn from, but if everyone is playing from the same book, it’s hard to come up something different. He is the master of that. I 1st heard him in 79. And even as a young guy... wow. That was different!
RIP Eddie 😔😪 I love your videos and I just heard Eddie passed away so had to come here and listen to a super cool guy tell explain to me how great Eddie was. Saddest day in the last 10 years of my life. Thanks mate! Hard to explain how much your video means to me right now.
Totally agree. VH did indeed sound just like their studio albums in concert - with the excerption of Dave who usually paraphrased his lyrics. Alot of VH songs aren't that easy to play but they would breeze through them so easily live. It's been over 3 weeks since Eddie passed but to me it still feels like it was yesterday. It's comforting to know that Eddie's music will live on forever and that he had a charmed life.
Eddie is not my favourite guitar player and Van Halen are not my favourite band; but I think he is the most ‘virtuoso’ guitarist I have ever seen, certainly on the electric guitar and in the rock genre. Simply for his mastery of different techniques and styles, and the sounds he generated. Also his shredding and show off solos are exciting to listen to- he understands the drama and dynamics in music; and melodies with shredding and harmonics. Many shredders don’t. This video is one of the examples of a great guitar player doing something that just blows the audience and listeners away, and it seems so cool and effortless too.
Brain Stormer What you said is completely true. There are so many other shredders out there that can sweep all over the fretboard and play more difficult stuff but just don’t have any sort of musical awareness and groove Eddie does! Eddie’s solos are so dynamic as you’ve mentioned and very musical.. Few years back all I cared about was shredding so I was into other players but I realised the more experienced and better you become, the more you care and will be aware about bends, vibrato and feel thus realise how much feel Eddie has. He is literally made of feel! His shredding is never just running scales up and down. However I really do believe his magic lies within his godly rhythm playing, even more so than his lead. His rhythm playing is just over the charts!
Another spot on analysis of one of the most influential guitarists of all time. Seeing him live was like seeing Jimi Hendrix. We are all praying for him.
Rest in Peace Eddie! Your First Album in 78 blew the world away! Your Genious Guitar Work will live on as long as we are all here alive to Enjoy it! God Speed my Brother!
He was the total package. Great rhythm player as well, great tone always, innovative musician. Was single handedly responsible for many guitar and amp innovations that are standards today
October 6,2020. A Legend has come to be. Eddie is on his way to Rock & Roll Valhalla, to take his place among the Gods of Guitars. R.I.P. my friend , you’ve earned it.
You can tell how much Eddie loves playing guitar because the passion is flowing out of his pores! When I saw him in 2015 his solo was spot on fabulous! He was playing at the top of his game! To me EVH is King! 🤘🏼♥️ i enjoyed this video and it definitely wasn’t too long IMO! Eddie is entertaining all the way through, mesmerizing!!
FYI: Notice the very short turn (1/4 turn at the most) of the volume pot he needs to get the on/offish swell effect of Cathedral. Typical linear pots need a large turn to get from low volume to high which makes it harder to do volume swells like this because of the more turning needed. He used a low friction audio taper type that gives quicker level adjustment with less rotation than that of a linear type.
Sounded great, sounds like you’re trying to explain how a magician uses his hands and fingers to create magic, outstanding work with his hands and his mind
When I first heard *Eruption* back in 1979 I seriously thought that tapping part was keyboards. I was already a guitar player and my tiny 8 year old brain couldn’t comprehend how he could possibly make that sound on a guitar.
Wings, can you please do another EVH vid, some of us need this..he was for sure the Jesus of Guitar players. Even watching you react to his playing is Gold.
One in a million. Many have copied, but none equaled this man and the group. They were to some like the Beatles were to me...life changing...sheer talent man!
When I lived in Los Angeles Alex stored some gear in a friends garage. It was wall to wall drums and that was only some of his gear. I wish I had gotten a autograph and pic. Oh I saw Van Halen twice at the Omni in Atlanta in the early 80’s. In those days you went to see them to see Eddie who was it when it came to guitarists. Nice analysis Fil.
I've seen this video (DVD) so many times I have this entire solo practically memorized (in my head...I CANNOT play it). After watching and listening to him for 40 years, he still blows me away. Just incredible.
I heard an interview with Eddie where he was asked a question of what musician he would like to play with. He said he would like to play with his dad who had passed.
He was awe inspiring, a virtuoso in the highest sense. He had a way of making the notes have extra mass, and gravity, that 99% percent of players have a hard time achieving. Having unbelievably soft phrasing, and a killer “pocket” of groove, he was a truly unique, and timeless player.
Eddie played leads rhythm guitarists could only dream of and rhythms lead guitarists would kill for. The absolute Best of Both Worlds. The man wrote the soundtrack to my youth. He will live forever through the gifts he gave us all. Truly one of a kind. We are all blessed to have videos such as this to remember him by.
As a kid he practised as a classical pianist. I read somewhere - many years ago - that he wanted to recreated the keyboard and the movements of a pianist on the guitar. He does (did?) exceptionally well, I'd say.
Exactly correct. Eddie sounded just as good live as on his studio albums. Which made up for Dave's constant f ups. Alex and Michael were tight as hell too. ☮️
Hey Fil, love your channel. You are always so upbeat and positive. Have you ever considered an analysis of Love Hurts by Nazareth. I like the video from a 1975 show. Not really a great shot of the guitar work but Dan McCafferty’s voice is awesome. Or...maybe a Uriah Heep tune like Easy Living (the 1972 video) or July Morning (Original 1973 video), love the old ‘70’s and 80’s classics. Rock On!
First time I saw Eddie was in Detroit We snuck into a sold-out show Cobo Hall I think 1978 I got right up front I'll never forget I went to school that night Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray to my favorites that I miss... thanks again for another great video
Thank you so much for breaking down this video and his solo I am not a musician I have no musical talent at all but I love music from Vivaldi to Van Halen I love watching Eddie play it looks like the music just flows out of his body like he’s not even trying but I know he’s working hard but he just makes it look so easy that man was born to play guitar thank you so much!!!!!
Great EVH double video!!! I think many people nowadays don't understand how amazing Eddie Van Halen was and still is. But it also happens with Jimi Hendrix, Malmsteen, and other innovators that made the rock electric guitar shine. In my opinion, its because a lot of people don't realize the time when these guitar players showed up. For example, I know a lot of people that say that Hendrix was overrated because y didn't have the technique of other guys or he didn't even sound that good. What they don't understand is that in the sixties there were no Van Halen's o Steve Vai's o anything like that. It was him and his resources. The same goes for EVH in 1978, and Malmsteen in 1982 and I can go on and on. At that time there was NO reference to the way they were playing and that was the reason they were so awesome.
Craig Gass, the comedian, lived with EVH for few months back in 2004. Eddie knew of him and thought he was a crackup and heard he needed a place to stay for a while. Eddie let him stay in a section of 5150 studio. HELLO!!!! Craig said he would listen to VH rehearse with Sammy for the Van Hagar reunion until 4am!! He said it was freakin' awesome!! He also said when he first met him and shook his hand, he said his hands were like vice grips! He'd never felt such a strong handshake!! But that explains Eddie's tone, it's all in his hands!! Thanks Fil, two Van Halen clips in a row!!!
I had the honor of meeting Eddie years ago and it’s true, the dude had hands of stone. My brother has hands like that from working on his own farm and building, it was interesting to see Eddie really had that crushing type of handshake for such a little guy. Eddie will always be the best in my book. When the first VH record came out I was just getting a grip on playing most of Claptons live stuff from the Wheels of Fire album. I hear Eruption and seriously thought about giving it all up for about an hour. Lol I then became inspired and obsessed...still am. Hope Eddie’s ok. 🙏
I love the Cathedral part where he's using the volume knob only. That is very tough to get the timing perfect with! Once false move and it's like a house of cards!
What amazes me is just how much intelligence and musicality it takes to put something like that solo together. In addition to planning it, then he had to practice it until it all fit together. It must be such a rush to develop and them perform something like that. I love to hear it, watch it, and be amazed and can tell he loves to amaze us! Thanks for the cues to watch how he holds the pick and how it plays into the tapping. What a great experience!
I appreciate your complete and balanced synopsis of each guitar players skills and abilities. And never taking it to the level of a contest between who is better than whom. Good job Fil!
People think Ed’s tapping made him a guitar god, and they’re right! But he has also mastered every harmonic on the fretboard and can play them in multiple ways up and down the neck. It’s like he’s got two completely different fretboards to choose from where us mere mortals only have one.
I was lucky enough to see Van Halen in concert as a teen in 1980, there are some things you are so glad you experienced when looking back, even though I'm a woman in my 50"s now, I still love metal and rock music, the music today is not bad it's just easy listening, boring, I hope to see metal/rock make a come back as mainstream, this world was a better place when it was.
I remember hearing Eruption on an AM radio station in 1978 in Red Deer, Alberta (Canada). I was about 10 years old. Why that DJ on that AM station had the balls to play that tune I'll never know. But I heard it. And my mind was frickn blown. I'm 52 now. 15 guitars around my house. A full-stack Marshall in the garage. A Mesa-Boogie in the bedroom. Many (many) thousands spent on software and plugins and mics and speakers and heads and cables and on and on and on. (and on!). And it's pure joy (and massive frustration, sure, but mostly joy) to attempt to create good music. I can point to that song that started my journey.
Eddie would be able to play pretty much anything and have it wind up being as seamless as an egg. He always seemed to love what he did. And there is no faking passion.
Hi Fil. Excellent and delightful analysis, as per the usual. 👍🏻 I’ve been reflecting a bit and it seems that Hendrix and Eddie may have been the most “revolutionary” guitarists in rock history. Not to say who was “best” (which I believe is extremely subjective), but those two may have raised the bar further above their respective status quo’s than any others. ???
As far as raising the bar, definitely. But as far as changing the landscape, I can't help but think of others that made their own original stamp on things with great technique and songwriting ability like Beck or Page. But I get what you're saying.
brovold72 Pauli's cool. To add one to make five could be,..Stevie Ray Vaughn, or Ritchie Blackmore, or Jimmy Page, or Ted Nugent. But definetly David Gilmore!
I believe it was 79' when I traveled with a group of my highschool friends to Winnipeg, Canada to see Van Halen in concert. We were stoked and the overall performance was high energy to the max with David Lee Roth prancing around and Eddie playing like nothing we had ever seen before! We were not disappointed and it will always be a fond memory. Thank you for posting such positive and insightful musical analysis of so many genres of guitar playing / vocals /musicians. How refreshing to be affirming and appreciative of talent no matter where it lay!
i love the way he could come up with tricks AND incorporate them into real songs. also, in his straight picking, i love the way he transcended the pentatonic scale by throwing in what seemed to me to be a third note on a string. there's probably a term or a scale named for that; but there always seemed to be an extra note in there that took the blues scale to a different level. especially when he was blazing away at 150 miles per hour, such as the solo in 'feel your love tonight' or 'so this is love'. the guy was just simply the most innovative player of all, in my opinion. but like all of my favorite players, there's plenty of material or other players/singers in the group that i don't care for. that's cool. makes the wow factor when you hear something great even better!
Great analysis. Eddie didnt just play guitar he made it sing. I liked how he threw in the intro to "Mean Streets" and went back to the riff. RIP Eddie.
Two things: 1) The Cathedral section is to sound like a violin - hence the 'bowing' of the technique of swelling up/down of the volume - most notable when towards the end as he start to descend down the frets. 2) You Tube makes hindsight much clearer. We now know there were many who experimented with tapping before Eddie Van Halen but when he hit, no one knew what the hell he was doing. Guitarists, engineers, producers were all mindblown and confounded - wonderig if he sped the tape up or was actually playing a keyboard. No one - and I repeat no one - thought he was tapping as no one could conceive of it. Not even those who were aware of Gibbons', Green's, May's or Hackett's forays so to all intents and purposes he did invent tapping as no one could understand what the hell was goign on and when they found out the truth, discovered a new way of playing.
I think the way he used distortion and effects gave his guitar a unique sound when paired with the tapping. There were others who tapped at the time, but didn't get the mainstream exposure. The difference was Van Halen took it further than the others and blew the roof of the technique. If George Lynch for example got the same exposure, people would have been impressed, but George spent a lot of time in other techniques and didn't focus as much on melody. Van Halen still would have stood out for the way he applied the technique musically.
Thanks, Fil! You really make the initially foreign to my rockabilly tuned ears, both understandable and aesthetically pleading. I enjoyed part 1 and will listen to them both again!
A sad day indeed for the passing of Eddie Van Halen words can only or be shy to describe what he meant to guitarists like myself and others, so much has been said the list goes on and on. Why me he say's I'm just a Dutch kid wanting to play music. The first show 1988 Monsters Of Rock Kansas City Arrow Head Stadium blew me away 5 people from stage what a day.
I think that Jimmy Page and Eddy Van Halen are the two best guitar players of all time. I love the sound of the guitar my most favourite instrument the drums are my second best. Thank you for this video, Fil. 🇨🇦🍁🇬🇧🇺🇸
I saw VanHalen in Charlotte NC in 1984...Diamond Dave came out in his ass less chaps, great show! But I only had eyes for Eddie!!! Beautiful, beautiful man!!! Rest in Peace Eddie🌹
Dude. I could listen to you talk about Van Halen for ages. I love your insights and appreciation of a man who some younger guitarists consider a gimmick guitarist. Those people need to be put on an island and separated from the rest of society. lol Back when Steve Vai was joining DLR's band after the VH break up, he did an interview in some guitar magazine where he only had good things to say about EVH, but he also noted that he (Steve Vai) was the first person to accurately transcribe Eruption from a technical point of view instead of simply using the provided sheet music from the Van Halen 1 sheet music book or playing by ear. He said (correctly) that since EVH created Eruption as a warm up exercise before he'd play live, it didn't "make sense" musically on paper and many players would "correct" the notes instead of transcribing exactly what their ears heard. Eruption was a radical departure and it took years for players to adapt to EVH's sloppiness masked by pure talent and imagination. EVH himself said he never bothered to transcribe Eruption since he knew it be heart and simply let the official sheet music stand even though it wasn't completely accurate.
I've already told you I have a love and appreciation for all music though I do have my personal preference. Country has always had a very strong influence in the lives of my family as we live simple lives in the country. But I've got to be honest. That ol boy can definitely bend em guitar strings. It's talent like this that has me leaving the light on in the parlor and a key under the welcome mat for something more than what one might hear down the road at the local watering hole.
I can tell you're a fan Fil, EVH is a pioneer and deserves all the credit due to him. Also thanks for showing some love for Dweezil, IMHO he's almost the equal of his father (note I said almost, they're 2 very different musicians but Dweez does an amazing rendition of Frank's playing) and that's really saying something.
Thank you again Fil! Loved watching your account and enjoying what was identical to his concert solo in Seattle when I saw him...shoot, maybe this was Seattle!! Love it Fil Thanks! You Rock!
My personal feeling is the two most influential electric guitarists ever are Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. The possibilities of the electric guitar paradigm change from before each of them and then after each of them. There are so many brilliant players out there but how many actually brought the music itself to heretofore never imagined places. RIP to Jimi and sadly now Eddie.
The influence of his classical training really comes out here in the details and the melody, I hear Mozart for sure, others I’m not educated enough to pick out the rest- beautiful!
This is one thing I love about Eddie’s solo playing, just how melodic he is! Everything he plays fits in perfectly! One of the true greatest of all time! An incredible musician who has inspired and influenced so many guitarist! Brilliant analysis Fil! Cheers Mario! 😎🤘🤘
You are correct, Eddie was always able to recreate his guitar riffs perfectly during his show-off solos. That is impressive and also something I really never thought about before. As impressive as his playing is, I still prefer a guitar that dances around the rest of the band to enhance an overall song...like Panama or Dance the Night Away. The only long solo I’ve ever heard that brought me great joy was Iron Butterfly’s In-a-Gada-da-vida 7 minute drum solo. The drummer did recreate the solo exactly like the album version of the song. It was heaven! I learn so much from your point-of-view. Thank you.
The sheer exuberance on Eddie's face. The guy loves to play.
And he cannot read music amazing ability .
Yes he really loved what he did.A fabulous showman
Among all the EVH haters that are out there, Fil absolutely “gets it”. Whether you like Eddie or not, you canNOT deny that he changed the way guitar is played.
I’ll get onboard with this statement. For the record, I’m actually NOT an EVH fan boi... BUT it becomes abundantly clear in time that EVH is (IMO) one of (precisely) three individuals who transcended being, “one of the greatest players” and really OUGHT be seen as “changing the way we think about the modern electric guitar.” It wasn’t just the skill and talent-EVH changed the instrument, as it were. There are very few cats that have accomplished THAT in a career. And again, no matter whether you’re a “fan” or not. The kid was “other-worldly.”
Man, I love this channel. I know absolutely nothing about playing guitar, but Fil's analyses are so well done that even people who know nothing, like myself, can finally understand what these legendary musicians are doing when they play masterpieces like this Eruption solo.
Ed is one of THE most creative guitarists ever. I'd put him in some top FIVE list with Les Paul and another 3 people! whoever they are. Ed was the king of rock guitar for years. Now, he's a legend.
nice vid!
I hate that they murdered rock music. So many generations will not realize how many hours are spend to master a instrument. Unheard of now! Eddie was so talented and will be missed. My teenage years would not be the same without VH. What a talent. Self taught legend! RIP Eddie.
You can look back on all the great bands in history - the Beatles, Zeppelin, the Stones, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Van Halen...... they all got started playing instruments in their homes all the time. And without much "formal" training or music education. They didn't go to music school to learn how to play guitar or drums the "proper" way. They started by just listening to other music and playing along with it. Then they got to really liking it and then really loving playing that instrument, so by the time they were teenagers they were playing their instruments all day and all night. Working and practicing non-stop, finding new and different ways to make sounds THEY liked. Then they met up with other like-minded guys, and formed bands just for fun. Just for the love of their music. And they played clubs, and parties, and dance halls, and high schools, and little bars and back yards where things got rough and they learned to develop on their own. So by the time they'd started writing their own music, they were already a well-oiled, well-developed machine. They worked, for little money, long before they became the legends we all know today. That's what's missing in music today. Putting in the hard work and dedication, and starting from scratch and working from nothing. Everyone wants to be an immediate star thanks to all the talent shows. Hell even Garth Brooks started out working the bars with just him and his acoustic guitar for a couple hundred bucks a week if he was lucky.
@@joe6096
Absolutely 100% correct!
@@joe6096 It's not missing... hard work, dedication and mastery is still happening... just perhaps in other genres. Check out Billy Strings for example in bluegrass. All the members of the band are phenomenal. See also Marcus King in blues.
Actually he took lessons from Glen Campbell.
He played with such joy - he just plain had fun! Sometimes it seemed like he was a fan watching himself, and he realized " whoa I'M doing this ". And it sent him around the bend with delight and the best part was he invited everyone along for the ride. He seemed like such a nice guy - not a jerk. Bye Ed it was a swell ride!
Eddie's guitar playing here is like watching a one man symphony. The guitar sounds like a symphony orchestra!!
I'll never understand half of what you just explained, but I appreciate that you took the time to explain it. Thanks again, Fil!
RIP Eddie. You will be missed. Damn you were special.
My 20 favorite Van Halen songs
20. When It's Love
19. I'll Wait
18. Feels So Good
17. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
16. Drop Dead Legs
15. Ain't Talking About Love
14. Why Can't This Be Love
13. Dancing In The Street
12. Everybody Want's Some
11. Intruder/Pretty Woman
10. Mean Street
9. Dance The Night Away
8. Running With The Devil
7. Eruption/You Really Got Me
6. Beautiful Girls
5. Hot For Teacher
4. Panama
3. And The Cradle Will Rock
2. Atomic Punk
1. Jump
Love the look on your face when you're observing Eddie's magic..thanks Fil
Dear Fil, Thank you so much for your analysis of Eddie Van Halen's "show off" solo Eruption which incorporated Cathedral and another composition. I'm a 61 yr old woman, so close in age to him, hence living in the same Rock age as this god! I don't play guitar, I did take luani, viola, theory abd I was an a avid ballet dancer. I consider myself musical astute with my ear and live of music. When my son was about 8 or 9 years old, I bought him his first record. My son wanted Hot For Teacher and we bought the single. I must confess I really only knee of Vav Halen' s guitar playing from the radio, so this video blew my mind. I just want to say, on the middle part of Eddie's solo in the way that you edited it, his tapping ? Almost sounded reminiscent of Bach or baroque music. Am I crazy or cab you hear it, too. On the first abaktdis, part one if Eruption solo, I thought Hus playing sounded like it was flirting with flamenco
Agsin,/do you think you know what I'm listening to when I hear a flamenco rhythm? I wish you could answer me. Or other subscribers. I love your program Abe you are mightily talented yourself! Thank you Phil.... Barbara Anne
Phil, don't worry about running too long, I could watch u all day 🤘🤘
Eddie Van Halen is someone who kept guitar music alive in the 1980s. That is a good thing. I think he is like an orchestra on guitar. I do like many styles of music, including classical music. Eddie Van Halen puts so much depth in his guitar playing. It's so full of different textures and emotions. Great analysis video. Cheers!
Dwayne Wladyka Eddie was great, but Randy Rhoads was phenomenal.
While Eddie was self taught on guitar, it’s no secret that he was trained on piano..
One of my favorite quotes (paraphrasing) was the book is great to learn from, but if everyone is playing from the same book, it’s hard to come up something different. He is the master of that. I 1st heard him in 79. And even as a young guy... wow. That was different!
RIP Eddie 😔😪 I love your videos and I just heard Eddie passed away so had to come here and listen to a super cool guy tell explain to me how great Eddie was. Saddest day in the last 10 years of my life. Thanks mate! Hard to explain how much your video means to me right now.
Totally agree. VH did indeed sound just like their studio albums in concert - with the excerption of Dave who usually paraphrased his lyrics. Alot of VH songs aren't that easy to play but they would breeze through them so easily live. It's been over 3 weeks since Eddie passed but to me it still feels like it was yesterday. It's comforting to know that Eddie's music will live on forever and that he had a charmed life.
👍👍Wow what an analysis!!"What seems random is very specific and always returns to the riff " You have given us such a gift of appreciation of music 💞
Thank you for doing this. It means a lot to me today.
Mind blowing what Eddie can do with a guitar!!!....✌❤🤘
Yelho, lol! What's shakin' darlin'
Eddie is not my favourite guitar player and Van Halen are not my favourite band; but I think he is the most ‘virtuoso’ guitarist I have ever seen, certainly on the electric guitar and in the rock genre. Simply for his mastery of different techniques and styles, and the sounds he generated. Also his shredding and show off solos are exciting to listen to- he understands the drama and dynamics in music; and melodies with shredding and harmonics. Many shredders don’t.
This video is one of the examples of a great guitar player doing something that just blows the audience and listeners away, and it seems so cool and effortless too.
Brain Stormer What you said is completely true. There are so many other shredders out there that can sweep all over the fretboard and play more difficult stuff but just don’t have any sort of musical awareness and groove Eddie does! Eddie’s solos are so dynamic as you’ve mentioned and very musical.. Few years back all I cared about was shredding so I was into other players but I realised the more experienced and better you become, the more you care and will be aware about bends, vibrato and feel thus realise how much feel Eddie has. He is literally made of feel! His shredding is never just running scales up and down. However I really do believe his magic lies within his godly rhythm playing, even more so than his lead. His rhythm playing is just over the charts!
Hey Lori how you been doin....
@@beerdrinker8514 Nailed it!
Another spot on analysis of one of the most influential guitarists of all time. Seeing him live was like seeing Jimi Hendrix. We are all praying for him.
It’s awesome how much he loved doing it too. Always smiling and playing to the crowd. Phenomenal artist.
Rest in Peace Eddie!
Your First Album in 78 blew the world away! Your Genious Guitar Work will live on as long as we are all here alive to Enjoy it!
God Speed my Brother!
He was the total package. Great rhythm player as well, great tone always, innovative musician. Was single handedly responsible for many guitar and amp innovations that are standards today
Eddie is so locked in here.. he is all about melody in his playing. Just killer
October 6,2020. A Legend has come to be. Eddie is on his way to Rock & Roll Valhalla, to take his place among the Gods of Guitars. R.I.P. my friend , you’ve earned it.
You can tell how much Eddie loves playing guitar because the passion is flowing out of his pores! When I saw him in 2015 his solo was spot on fabulous! He was playing at the top of his game! To me EVH is King! 🤘🏼♥️ i enjoyed this video and it definitely wasn’t too long IMO! Eddie is entertaining all the way through, mesmerizing!!
You said somethin right there.
Saw him in '06' at the Virginia Beach Amphitheatre. Truly Awesome.....🤘
FYI: Notice the very short turn (1/4 turn at the most) of the volume pot he needs to get the on/offish swell effect of Cathedral. Typical linear pots need a large turn to get from low volume to high which makes it harder to do volume swells like this because of the more turning needed. He used a low friction audio taper type that gives quicker level adjustment with less rotation than that of a linear type.
was lucky enough to see him perform up close at 5 different concerts.....Fair Warning, 1984, & 5150 tour
I like how He explains Eddie's playing . . . Thanks. Larry Hernandez
Sounded great, sounds like you’re trying to explain how a magician uses his hands and fingers to create magic, outstanding work with his hands and his mind
When I first heard *Eruption* back in 1979 I seriously thought that tapping part was keyboards. I was already a guitar player and my tiny 8 year old brain couldn’t comprehend how he could possibly make that sound on a guitar.
Wings, can you please do another EVH vid, some of us need this..he was for sure the Jesus of Guitar players. Even watching you react to his playing is Gold.
One in a million. Many have copied, but none equaled this man and the group. They were to some like the Beatles were to me...life changing...sheer talent man!
When I lived in Los Angeles Alex stored some gear in a friends garage. It was wall to wall drums and that was only some of his gear. I wish I had gotten a autograph and pic. Oh I saw Van Halen twice at the Omni in Atlanta in the early 80’s. In those days you went to see them to see Eddie who was it when it came to guitarists. Nice analysis Fil.
Saw Van Halen in '82. Yup, went to see Eddie play. Yes, there were three other guys on stage. lol
SouthernWonder Ahhh...the Omni...good memories..👍
I wish I would've seen Van Halen live !
Sadly I never have .
I've seen this video (DVD) so many times I have this entire solo practically memorized (in my head...I CANNOT play it). After watching and listening to him for 40 years, he still blows me away. Just incredible.
Thank you for the analysis from someone who can tell us how EVH goes through his solo. This never gets old watching a master of his trade.
I heard an interview with Eddie where he was asked a question of what musician he would like to play with. He said he would like to play with his dad who had passed.
Great pt2. No mention of the harmonic"Scream" @2:29-2:30 . That part always gives me chills.
As always, 2👍👍 F!L!!
Lol Eddie is a showman. He loves what he does. That broken down , battered and rebuilt guitar. Nothin sounds the same. Great breakdown.
He was awe inspiring, a virtuoso in the highest sense. He had a way of making the notes have extra mass, and gravity, that 99% percent of players have a hard time achieving. Having unbelievably soft phrasing, and a killer “pocket” of groove, he was a truly unique, and timeless player.
Eddie played leads rhythm guitarists could only dream of and rhythms lead guitarists would kill for. The absolute Best of Both Worlds. The man wrote the soundtrack to my youth. He will live forever through the gifts he gave us all. Truly one of a kind. We are all blessed to have videos such as this to remember him by.
As a kid he practised as a classical pianist. I read somewhere - many years ago - that he wanted to recreated the keyboard and the movements of a pianist on the guitar. He does (did?) exceptionally well, I'd say.
Eddie recorded the first album in 1977 and it and his guitar playing defined the 80s. Quite an accomplishment.
Whoever was working the sound board was pretty artful too. Thx Fil
Exactly correct. Eddie sounded just as good live as on his studio albums. Which made up for Dave's constant f ups. Alex and Michael were tight as hell too. ☮️
Hey Fil, love your channel. You are always so upbeat and positive. Have you ever considered an analysis of Love Hurts by Nazareth. I like the video from a 1975 show. Not really a great shot of the guitar work but Dan McCafferty’s voice is awesome. Or...maybe a Uriah Heep tune like Easy Living (the 1972 video) or July Morning (Original 1973 video), love the old ‘70’s and 80’s classics. Rock On!
First time I saw Eddie was in Detroit We snuck into a sold-out show Cobo Hall I think 1978 I got right up front I'll never forget I went to school that night Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray to my favorites that I miss... thanks again for another great video
He was one musician who could inspire and teach at the same time. A magical force and master.
Fantastic analysis of one of the greatest guitarists of them all.
Thank you so much for breaking down this video and his solo I am not a musician I have no musical talent at all but I love music from Vivaldi to Van Halen I love watching Eddie play it looks like the music just flows out of his body like he’s not even trying but I know he’s working hard but he just makes it look so easy that man was born to play guitar thank you so much!!!!!
Great EVH double video!!! I think many people nowadays don't understand how amazing Eddie Van Halen was and still is. But it also happens with Jimi Hendrix, Malmsteen, and other innovators that made the rock electric guitar shine. In my opinion, its because a lot of people don't realize the time when these guitar players showed up. For example, I know a lot of people that say that Hendrix was overrated because y didn't have the technique of other guys or he didn't even sound that good. What they don't understand is that in the sixties there were no Van Halen's o Steve Vai's o anything like that. It was him and his resources. The same goes for EVH in 1978, and Malmsteen in 1982 and I can go on and on. At that time there was NO reference to the way they were playing and that was the reason they were so awesome.
Eddie sounded BETTER than the records live in the 70's-80's, and he sounded great on the records!
Craig Gass, the comedian, lived with EVH for few months back in 2004. Eddie knew of him and thought he was a crackup and heard he needed a place to stay for a while. Eddie let him stay in a section of 5150 studio. HELLO!!!! Craig said he would listen to VH rehearse with Sammy for the Van Hagar reunion until 4am!! He said it was freakin' awesome!! He also said when he first met him and shook his hand, he said his hands were like vice grips! He'd never felt such a strong handshake!! But that explains Eddie's tone, it's all in his hands!! Thanks Fil, two Van Halen clips in a row!!!
I saw that. Shit was hilarious , can my friend Ed come along , lol ...met him at the bowling alley 🤘
I had the honor of meeting Eddie years ago and it’s true, the dude had hands of stone. My brother has hands like that from working on his own farm and building, it was interesting to see Eddie really had that crushing type of handshake for such a little guy. Eddie will always be the best in my book. When the first VH record came out I was just getting a grip on playing most of Claptons live stuff from the Wheels of Fire album. I hear Eruption and seriously thought about giving it all up for about an hour. Lol I then became inspired and obsessed...still am. Hope Eddie’s ok. 🙏
Guitar Player magazine would year after year award him guitarist of the year for good reason, he was the most innovative guitar player of his time!
I've been listening to his playing for years. I'm astonished. I had no idea what all he was doing. Thanks for opening up my eyes Professor!
Rip king eddie..sad day for the guitar world today..can't believe he's gone...
I love the Cathedral part where he's using the volume knob only. That is very tough to get the timing perfect with! Once false move and it's like a house of cards!
Dude we are never in a hurry when your checking out Eddie.
So happy i got to see Eddie Van Halen twice and witness how fantastic he really is.Thanks for this second half.🙏🤘🎸
What amazes me is just how much intelligence and musicality it takes to put something like that solo together. In addition to planning it, then he had to practice it until it all fit together. It must be such a rush to develop and them perform something like that. I love to hear it, watch it, and be amazed and can tell he loves to amaze us! Thanks for the cues to watch how he holds the pick and how it plays into the tapping. What a great experience!
I appreciate your complete and balanced synopsis of each guitar players skills and abilities. And never taking it to the level of a contest between who is better than whom. Good job Fil!
People think Ed’s tapping made him a guitar god, and they’re right! But he has also mastered every harmonic on the fretboard and can play them in multiple ways up and down the neck. It’s like he’s got two completely different fretboards to choose from where us mere mortals only have one.
Fil i saw ed in 88 and 04. Thanks for the awesome brake down.he is top notch and no one else compares.
Captivating! Eddie Van Halen just loves and is one with that musical instrument called a guitar.
I was lucky enough to see Van Halen in concert as a teen in 1980, there are some things you are so glad you experienced when looking back, even though I'm a woman in my 50"s now, I still love metal and rock music, the music today is not bad it's just easy listening, boring, I hope to see metal/rock make a come back as mainstream, this world was a better place when it was.
I remember hearing Eruption on an AM radio station in 1978 in Red Deer, Alberta (Canada). I was about 10 years old. Why that DJ on that AM station had the balls to play that tune I'll never know. But I heard it. And my mind was frickn blown. I'm 52 now. 15 guitars around my house. A full-stack Marshall in the garage. A Mesa-Boogie in the bedroom. Many (many) thousands spent on software and plugins and mics and speakers and heads and cables and on and on and on. (and on!). And it's pure joy (and massive frustration, sure, but mostly joy) to attempt to create good music. I can point to that song that started my journey.
Goosebumps, hearing Cathedral and knowing Eddie developed all new, unique and personal musical notes of his.
Youre description and the how you talk about the technic of Eddie Van Halen is the best by far. It's easy to understand. Thank 👍
Eddie would be able to play pretty much anything and have it wind up being as seamless as an egg. He always seemed to love what he did. And there is no faking passion.
Saw Van Halen in 2015.Im so glad I had the privilege of being there.
Very well explained Fil 👍
Hi Fil. Excellent and delightful analysis, as per the usual. 👍🏻
I’ve been reflecting a bit and it seems that Hendrix and Eddie may have been the most “revolutionary” guitarists in rock history. Not to say who was “best” (which I believe is extremely subjective), but those two may have raised the bar further above their respective status quo’s than any others. ???
Take a listen to Randy Rhoads, Stanley Jordan, Chet Atkins, and LOADS more.
Billy Strings .... just saying.
@@danbee998 you don't get it.
As far as raising the bar, definitely. But as far as changing the landscape, I can't help but think of others that made their own original stamp on things with great technique and songwriting ability like Beck or Page. But I get what you're saying.
❤Eddie Van Halen❤ I think he is in the Top 5. He's fabulous!!! Just Like Fil's analyses!!❤
I think I agree with Paul McCartney's list: Hendrix, Gilmour, Van Halen, and Clapton.
brovold72 Pauli's cool. To add one to make five could be,..Stevie Ray Vaughn, or Ritchie Blackmore, or Jimmy Page, or Ted Nugent. But definetly David Gilmore!
@@darlatidwell9995 Paul Probably mentioned George Harrison, to be polite.
@@darlatidwell9995 I'd put Alvin Lee or Terry Kath a little ahead of the Nuge for that style, but I feel ya.
brovold72 Agree. Take care! ✌
I believe it was 79' when I traveled with a group of my highschool friends to Winnipeg, Canada to see Van Halen in concert. We were stoked and the overall performance was high energy to the max with David Lee Roth prancing around and Eddie playing like nothing we had ever seen before! We were not disappointed and it will always be a fond memory. Thank you for posting such positive and insightful musical analysis of so many genres of guitar playing / vocals /musicians. How refreshing to be affirming and appreciative of talent no matter where it lay!
I'm glad a good memory for you.I loved this band and I loved David Lee Roth too.liked Sammy too.when music was music.
i love the way he could come up with tricks AND incorporate them into real songs. also, in his straight picking, i love the way he transcended the pentatonic scale by throwing in what seemed to me to be a third note on a string. there's probably a term or a scale named for that; but there always seemed to be an extra note in there that took the blues scale to a different level. especially when he was blazing away at 150 miles per hour, such as the solo in 'feel your love tonight' or 'so this is love'.
the guy was just simply the most innovative player of all, in my opinion. but like all of my favorite players, there's plenty of material or other players/singers in the group that i don't care for. that's cool. makes the wow factor when you hear something great even better!
Great analysis. Eddie didnt just play guitar he made it sing. I liked how he threw in the intro to "Mean Streets" and went back to the riff. RIP Eddie.
Two things:
1) The Cathedral section is to sound like a violin - hence the 'bowing' of the technique of swelling up/down of the volume - most notable when towards the end as he start to descend down the frets.
2) You Tube makes hindsight much clearer. We now know there were many who experimented with tapping before Eddie Van Halen but when he hit, no one knew what the hell he was doing. Guitarists, engineers, producers were all mindblown and confounded - wonderig if he sped the tape up or was actually playing a keyboard. No one - and I repeat no one - thought he was tapping as no one could conceive of it. Not even those who were aware of Gibbons', Green's, May's or Hackett's forays so to all intents and purposes he did invent tapping as no one could understand what the hell was goign on and when they found out the truth, discovered a new way of playing.
I think the way he used distortion and effects gave his guitar a unique sound when paired with the tapping. There were others who tapped at the time, but didn't get the mainstream exposure. The difference was Van Halen took it further than the others and blew the roof of the technique. If George Lynch for example got the same exposure, people would have been impressed, but George spent a lot of time in other techniques and didn't focus as much on melody. Van Halen still would have stood out for the way he applied the technique musically.
Dork
Thanks, Fil! You really make the initially foreign to my rockabilly tuned ears, both understandable and aesthetically pleading. I enjoyed part 1 and will listen to them both again!
A sad day indeed for the passing of Eddie Van Halen words can only or be shy to describe what he meant to guitarists like myself and others, so much has been said the list goes on and on. Why me he say's I'm just a Dutch kid wanting to play music. The first show 1988 Monsters Of Rock Kansas City Arrow Head Stadium blew me away 5 people from stage what a day.
I think that Jimmy Page and Eddy Van Halen are the two best guitar players of all time. I love the sound of the guitar my most favourite instrument the drums are my second best. Thank you for this video, Fil. 🇨🇦🍁🇬🇧🇺🇸
I saw VanHalen in Charlotte NC in 1984...Diamond Dave came out in his ass less chaps, great show! But I only had eyes for Eddie!!! Beautiful, beautiful man!!! Rest in Peace Eddie🌹
Dude. I could listen to you talk about Van Halen for ages. I love your insights and appreciation of a man who some younger guitarists consider a gimmick guitarist. Those people need to be put on an island and separated from the rest of society. lol
Back when Steve Vai was joining DLR's band after the VH break up, he did an interview in some guitar magazine where he only had good things to say about EVH, but he also noted that he (Steve Vai) was the first person to accurately transcribe Eruption from a technical point of view instead of simply using the provided sheet music from the Van Halen 1 sheet music book or playing by ear. He said (correctly) that since EVH created Eruption as a warm up exercise before he'd play live, it didn't "make sense" musically on paper and many players would "correct" the notes instead of transcribing exactly what their ears heard. Eruption was a radical departure and it took years for players to adapt to EVH's sloppiness masked by pure talent and imagination. EVH himself said he never bothered to transcribe Eruption since he knew it be heart and simply let the official sheet music stand even though it wasn't completely accurate.
One amazing analysis...I stuck with you through parts 1and 2. I watched Eddie live in 1981 and was riveted to his performance. Bravo Fil.
I've already told you I have a love and appreciation for all music though I do have my personal preference. Country has always had a very strong influence in the lives of my family as we live simple lives in the country. But I've got to be honest. That ol boy can definitely bend em guitar strings. It's talent like this that has me leaving the light on in the parlor and a key under the welcome mat for something more than what one might hear down the road at the local watering hole.
I also am a big fan of country music, as I'm originally from a very large farm. In my top 10 list of my favourite guitarists is Chet Atkins.
@@dwaynewladyka577
What are you talking about? Number 1 on the top 10 chart is Chad Adkins. Lol🌹
I can tell you're a fan Fil, EVH is a pioneer and deserves all the credit due to him. Also thanks for showing some love for Dweezil, IMHO he's almost the equal of his father (note I said almost, they're 2 very different musicians but Dweez does an amazing rendition of Frank's playing) and that's really saying something.
He inspired a lot of folks to play guitar 🎸 me one of them , Eddie was and is and will always be loved
That was amazing!! Thanks!!
Thank you again Fil! Loved watching your account and enjoying what was identical to his concert solo in Seattle when I saw him...shoot, maybe this was Seattle!! Love it Fil Thanks! You Rock!
My personal feeling is the two most influential electric guitarists ever are Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. The possibilities of the electric guitar paradigm change from before each of them and then after each of them. There are so many brilliant players out there but how many actually brought the music itself to heretofore never imagined places. RIP to Jimi and sadly now Eddie.
The influence of his classical training really comes out here in the details and the melody, I hear Mozart for sure, others I’m not educated enough to pick out the rest- beautiful!
This is one thing I love about Eddie’s solo playing, just how melodic he is! Everything he plays fits in perfectly! One of the true greatest of all time! An incredible musician who has inspired and influenced so many guitarist! Brilliant analysis Fil! Cheers Mario! 😎🤘🤘
You are correct, Eddie was always able to recreate his guitar riffs perfectly during his show-off solos. That is impressive and also something I really never thought about before. As impressive as his playing is, I still prefer a guitar that dances around the rest of the band to enhance an overall song...like Panama or Dance the Night Away. The only long solo I’ve ever heard that brought me great joy was Iron Butterfly’s In-a-Gada-da-vida 7 minute drum solo. The drummer did recreate the solo exactly like the album version of the song. It was heaven! I learn so much from your point-of-view. Thank you.
EVH's "rhythm" playing on "Little Dreamer" really blows me away.
I wish Eddie had done a couple of Bach organ solos on that guitar - he had the sound and the talent.
Eddie Van Halen cannot be duplicated!! He is the GOAT!
Wow! That’s some playing. Thanks, Fil, for your detailed breakdown which helps me appreciate Eddie’s playing even more!
Eddie Van Halen always rocks , and I am so sorry I missed you live yesterday, I hope to catch you next week for sure! 💕
I remember going to a stones show in 1980 and a camero drove blasting running with the Devil was hooked for life
RIP Eddie. You were greatly loved.
I truly agree with you annalist and love all your videos. You truly know music for such a young man. I'm hollering at you from Phoenix Arizona USA!
You LOVED what you did! Sweet, sweet man. R.I.P. Brokenhearted.