 |
Eddie van Halen is, maybe, the most influential guitar player since Jimi Hendrix. Playing solos that are perfectly built to serve the song, Van Halen's techniques had a major impact over all rock guitarists. We'll take a look at some of them: |
Van Halen often uses fast scale patterns, played three notes per string (see 3 by 3 scales). An example from Jump:
The MIDI File
And another one from Girl Gone Bad:
The MIDI File
Repetitive intervals are another Van Halen trademark. From Finish What You Started:
The MIDI File
Van Halen often uses double-stops. The riff from Hot For Teacher:
The MIDI File
Thirds from The Full Bug:
The MIDI File
Tremolo picking is one of the most preferd Van Halen techniques. Here is a short example of thirds played with tremolo picking from Girl Gone Bad:
The MIDI File
Van Halen chooses carefully the sound of every note. Noone prior to Van Halen used the whammy bar and the pinched harmonics as powerful and frequently. From House Of Pain:
The MIDI File
Van Halen's use of arpeggios is complex and melodic. An example from Cathedral:
The MIDI File
There are also fast runs that are backed by free strings, like this one from Spanish Fly:
The MIDI File
And the same technique in Eruption:
The MIDI File
Again from Spanish Fly, the next lick where Van Halen uses tapping and free strings:
The MIDI File
And a more extended piece, the riff of Source Of Infection:
The MIDI File
Eruption was the piece of music where Van Halen and his tapping technique emerged:
The MIDI File
Van Halen also experienced with two fingers tapping. The right hand in the next example from Judgement Day is marked with T:
The MIDI File |
