“They used to lock me in a little room and go, ‘Play fast!’”: How Eddie Van Halen developed his incredible guitar skills
With his impassioned solos and timeless riffs, Eddie Van Halen has gone down in history as one of the finest guitarists of all time. In a recently unearthed 1980 Guitar Player interview, the Van Halen legend divulged his secret to his versatile playing style.
Originally trained as a classical pianist, Eddie was taught that gruelling commitment was the only way to master your instrument. “I had this Russian teacher who couldn’t speak a word of English, and he would just sit there with a ruler ready to slap my face if I made a mistake,” he recalled.
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He initially jokes that his shredding abilities were because “they used to lock me in a little room and go, ‘Play fast!’” However, it’s clear that his skills were a result of strict teaching.
“This started in Holland, and both my brother and I took lessons,” he continued. “Then when we got to the US my dad found another good teacher. Basically, that’s where I got my ears developed, learned my theory, and got my fingers moving.”
Bands like Dave Clark Five really got Eddie excited about rock. “When those bands came out, I wanted to go… [he pauses to play a snippet of You Really Got Me.] I didn’t want to go clink, clink, clink,” he explained. “[But] I still play piano, and I also play violin.”
Despite being very different instruments, Eddie would carry some of his classical piano training over to the guitar. While he never “actually [sat] down at a piano and [tried] to apply it to guitar,” the influence came out “psychologically.” He pointed to Spanish Fly as an example, noting the continuous left-hand tremolo.
If you’re eager to riff like Eddie, his biggest tip is that you should listen to your gut. Eddie explained that the core of his performance was always rooted in feeling. “I don’t care if it’s melodic or spontaneous – if it’s melodic and has no feeling, it’s screwed,” he said.
He also always tried to keep things spontaneous and fresh when performing live. “I rarely repeat,” he said. “Sometimes I remember the way I did it on the record and kind of follow it. Unless they are melodic solos like in Runnin’ With The Devil and Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love. You know, if I start noodling around, kids go, ‘Hey, that ain’t the same song!’”
A fresh mini-documentary, The Journey of Frankenstein has been released in celebration of Eddie’s musical journey through his guitars. Beginning with his first-ever guitar, a $40 Teisco Del Rey purchased at the age of 12, the documentary later traces the development of Eddie’s majorly modified Fender Strat, Frankie.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
