Ernie Ball: String Theory featuring Shavo Odadjian of System Of A Down

[@skeletonseason]

it's cool hearing a pro musician talk about eye contact during shows.

[@abownee2136]

he talked about it in a dope as yola video too while talking about his cannabis company

[@abownee2136]

Nicholas Plusnin Asap Rocky looked at me once during a concert and i’d never forget that

[@thelardhana]

Abowknee was a a nice night out and athe is

[@MetalBaller83]

Most definitely. Tommy Lee gave me a point and a high five at the last Crüe show in Denver, and I got the horns from Corey Taylor back in 2001. Pretty awesome when good musicians truly remember why they do it. Shavo’s a pretty cool dude!

[@angrycapsicum6027]

@@abownee2136 damn, bro did seem like a bit of a stoner in this clip

[@PedroHenrique-ci8fy]

OMFG! At 5:19 Shavo says that when he is performing live he likes to look right in the eye of someone in the crowd to create a connection and he does this every show because this was what happened when he was a kid. In 2011, SOAD came for the first time to Brazil, and I was 15. I was in the first row and I remeber vividly the moment that he looked me right in the eye!!!! I kept telling this to my family and friends for weeks!! Good God Shavo, you're a wonderful human being!

[@pedrovicnt_]

Eu sempre quis ver ele

[@fatmf4699]

Same here !!! Shavo real artisr repect to him!

[@xRyuzakii]

@James Schultz * Est.1982 holy smokes that's a beautiful story man. I hope everyone that connects this way with the band feel that kind of energy flowing. rock on!

[@CrossedCollar]

I’ve tried explaining this to my girlfriend when in 2009 Matt Heafy from Trivium made eye contact with me it was mind blowing and she doesn’t get it lol

[@ericnightmare2695]

I will be seeing them for my first time 5-22-21. I'm a huge fan of SOAD and daron. He's the reason I play guitar and have 2 iceman guitars. I'm hoping I get a second where daron notices I'm there. Lol if not I'll go over to shavos side. Loll

[@krispittet5029]

Shavo is so underrated, he lays down the backbone for System. Shavo's playing gives Daron so much to work with. They sound so great together. Serj's vocals and John's beats mixed in makes System such an incredible band. Huge fan; always have been.

[@ErikForSOAD]

i thinks daron wrote most of the bass too :/

[@sopainstantanea4887]

Eri D i only heard that he didn't play the bass on mezmerise and hipnotize

[@yes-vt3uh]

Kris Pittet I love how every member of system seems so valued. They all know their role and each others, and they make it work so well together. No band is as special and raw as system, in my humble opinion

[@XMetalChefX]

Kris Pittet I can't agree more. Although Serj can mirror on comical, I was ALWAYS impressed with how tight and we'll orchestrated their sound was. Very synergistic. I gotta say these EB videos are really great. I play STRINGJOY now but EB will always warm my heart.

[@yes-vt3uh]

Shavos style is to follow the guitar pretty much. He is simple, as he said, and his talent may not be in his complexity but more in what he brings to the band. He understands how much a simple follow-the-guitarist bassist can add and he does a bloody good job of it.

[@benlooper5394]

2:29 Shavo catches himself before saying "hooked up with Daron" 😂

[@francescocarboni179]

Ben Looper do you know from what song is the bassline at the start?

[@benlooper5394]

@@francescocarboni179 its the song "Mr. Jack" from the album "Steal This Album!"

[@cyanthunder6215]

Hot

[@itsjustfrancely]

Who saw this right after watching Daron's string theory?

[@doofthegoof8402]

damn francely u made it

[@doofthegoof8402]

uve been spotte from the wild

[@covstriker6860]

reaperX and Sombra Wolf. LOL I AM E5 hahaha. What’s up lmao

[@doofthegoof8402]

What up noob

[@covstriker6860]

reaperX not bad noober boi

[@terasophe6205]

Shavo is a major influence in my playing. He knows his place and does it well. He also writes a lot of the guitar parts with Daron and is basically the manager of the band. He's more important than people think :)

[@EmbraceTheWorld1990]

Bryce Simpson hi buddy

[@BubbaBass_Official]

Same here I even did the same string setup for my bass it's amazing

[@agungandy836]

Correct, he's the main man is SOAD

[@VladPandele]

In my opinion, "Mind" has the creepiest opening bassline I've ever heard...

[@ajimsyamim]

agree

[@EarlTheSquirell]

Fun to play too. Love it!

[@roby.killjoy]

My favorite by far so eerie

[@naveenwilson-moola5570]

(4:31) Shavo checking to make sure Daron isn’t there to bust him for playing guitar.

[@timothymallonjr4659]

I had to laugh at this comment

[@BasedHorrigan]

What's the song of that riff?

[@undergroundnation6423]

@@BasedHorrigan kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpS1eHSnr6l3eJY

[@crazycucco6793]

I remember in an interview, daron said that shavo was the guitar player and daron took the guitar out of his hands and said be a bass player. He doesn't want daron to take his guitar.

[@LiamFrisbieMusic]

@@crazycucco6793that was a joke they were totally messing with the interview

[@rhinocore]

He has such a soft, kind voice. Never heard him speak before. Makes me love him all the more.

[@Griffinstorm09]

good to know i'm not the only one who plays mr jack and spiders as one

[@Mrdrowning245]

Such underrated songs!

[@DeepZeppelins]

Mr Jack is my favorite soad song! :)

[@addigill6095]

Val E my favorite is either soil pluck or dreaming

[@Mandibularmenace]

Soldier Side and Spiders

[@PavelPonomarev-l9z]

:D

[@chitoryu12]

The explanation about using a B string for a C string is actually really helpful!

[@rockereivanivan]

Yeap, was scrolling to see this comment, I always wondered about this, every band does it differently 😅 getting to C is key for a lot of music, some bands just have standard tuning and play C on the 5th string, some others tune down a whole step and then drop C and use heavier gauge.

[@eethantaylorr]

I can't like this video enough. Ernie ball needs to do MORE bass videos!

[@ernieballinc]

We just posted a new one this morning...

[@timozickel215]

More bass yeaah

[@backpackerway8533]

​@@ernieballinccould you invite some guyz from trivium ?? 🥰🥰🥰🥰 and what s about korn, slipknot ! Thanks for those video that amazing just discover , daron james hetfield slash ❤❤❤❤thanks !!

[@Robert-dt3is]

You don't have to be technical to be a really good bass player. You gotta put passion and heart INTO your playing. People can feel that.

[@alfalfabojengels5646]

He’s a wonderful soul isn’t he?! This guy’s bass lines never gets old. SOAD would have not sounded as wickedly head banging if it wasn’t for this guy’s creative chops. Some people were just born to play bass and he’s one of them. Hope he can convince the rest to record another album. So much more to offer with these talented badasses

[@Screamikoulas94]

Of course he's not Shavo, where is the rest of the beard

[@ventisette.]

Yolocrator It's there, he hasn't put the elastic bands in.

[@aim_charik0r887]

It's not him because he's wearing a t-shirt

[@andrewpappas9311]

He’s starting to look like Leo from Frog Leap Studios

[@mk_rexx]

The Ernieball Slinky 5string Regular are sustainably sourced from Shavo's beard

[@tzctlpc]

C.T.M. He always wore a shirt

[@5urg3x]

5:25 I'll never forget the time I was at a Deftones show and I yelled at Stefen Carpenter and he looked right back at me and gave me the \m/ It's exactly the same experience, I will always remember it, it was amazing

[@cloud_3nv]

Ernie Ball is cool, I was broke they were cheap, the color was nice, and I've always stuck with them.

[@flan.flan1]

Are we just going to ignore how smoothly Shavo switched from “War?” to “Sugar” at the end?

[@vluke1000]

Bass players play guitar in a very distinct way

[@KinkyNothing]

My experiences with bass players can confirm that too

[@SpaceAce1993]

Luke Varela yes true, but guitarists are virtuoso

[@jowanharvey1874]

It works similarly the other way round

[@isetta4083]

@@jowanharvey1874 absolutely, i can always tell when a bassist has technique more geared towards playing guitar, like how they fret and move around the fretboard

[@manifestgtr]

I love that he’s playing Spiders. That’s one of my favorite bass riffs from the late 90s…so mournful and relaxing

[@vladimirandreev5932]

Looking someone in the eyes while playing and sharing that moment... Was singing along to a Clawfinger song during a show and Zac the vocalist shot me a "fuck yes" look, ain't forgetting that any time soon - Shavo hit the nail on the head with that sentiment!

[@shimmyg6118]

He truly does connect with the crowd every chance he gets. I always stand on Shavo’s side of the venue when I go to a System concert and he’s always making gestures with different people from the crowd and his eyes almost never leave the fans’ side.

[@EduardoRodriguez-xl9jy]

Same here, doesn´t matter where I stand when they start playing, I manage to get to the right side of the pit, in front of Shavo.

[@ZenEnemy]

The spiders all in tuuuuuuuuuuuuunnne

[@Skilet7x]

The evening of thee mooooooonnn

[@DanneZzZ]

Dreams are made winding through my head

[@gagecain9320]

In my head.

[@DanneZzZ]

Fun game this... but is it not from Mr Jack? Listen close...

[@syedtassinari8656]

I think it's Mr. Jack ..

[@seanmcneil3375]

I remember seeing system live at rockfest . Shavo and my eyes connected for a solid minute. So I understand what he means when he says energy cycle

[@joao.motaps]

Good part of an excellent musician is not knowing how to play everything but to know when not to play at all.

[@notgluebert]

João Mota especially with a bass. Shavo has such a good understanding of the instrument. Great musical trait.

[@ChipmunkAsylum]

I miss this band so much. Please don’t leave me waiting forever.

[@devious.instinct]

I beg you to create the same vibe with Daron Malakian

[@Vulkanzed-117]

Anıl Batu Yıldırım I don't think daron plays ernie ball

[@thequietgamer1889]

He probably doesn’t use Ernie balls

[@devious.instinct]

equipboard.com/pros/daron-malakian/#strings

[@dinapramudianti3166]

Now you can watch him on KZbin. I just watched it, and it was awesome.

[@devious.instinct]

@@dinapramudianti3166 ... yes!

[@DemonRage90]

Met him in person and I was honored. One of the coolest people in the planet. Long live S.O.A.D

[@yorkrojas1452]

The connection is real. Thanks Shavo. Went to SOADs concert in Phoenix!!

[@jakesdrenched]

Shavo and John are such a fantastic, thick rhythm section. I can never pick a favorite member in SOAD. They're all fantastic and unique individuals.

[@ace-ofspades]

bro i love shavo so much idc what everyone else says hes the best bassist ever i rlly look up to him as a bassist myself.

[@wherebandshaman]

Shavo is my main inspiration as a bass player. He knew what he needed to make good music and he didn’t find it he became it.

[@johnl1686]

why am i craving steak and potato's?

[@ameerhamid89]

Are you sure you don't want Chic 'N' Stu instead?

[@Mandibularmenace]

Settle for some chop suey

[@phantomlord91]

Chew Your Good Food I just crave sugar!

[@danieldelsole4193]

Just have bread with some MARMALADE instead

[@kelseybayley6371]

Please stop this.

[@kumbrabeats1730]

Because of this guy I decided that I will play bass guitar.

[@brankokuridza8386]

@Boulder Pathways 10 yrs ago😁

[@shpoodyjr3506]

4:30 that riff though.

[@PanasonicTooth]

Shavo is the only SOAD member I've never really looked into or heard them speak. He's awesome.

[@jonnyterk]

Yes Shavo you created that moment for me a BDO and I'll never forget it!

[@gabrielpalma1687]

Shavo is one of the greatest bassist of the generation. Man, the bassline in Mr. Jack and Mind are so fucking sweet gaves me goosebumps

[@5urg3x]

I love Shavo and System!

[@kennethpalmer3766]

I love that Thunderbird bass and I love that drop c tuning he uses on it with the Ernie ball string

This series are AMAZING. One of the best things in the whole KZbin.

[@tivus]

i fucking love shavo he's one of the best bassists i have ever listened to , also he's very kind and down to earth guy too

[@ThatShikushi]

I've watched this video several times over a few years now. There's something very inspiring about Shavo's attitude for creating music and the live setting. He's the kinda musician I'd like to be.

[@darkySp]

I just noticed that he blended Spiders into Mr. Jack and then blended Mr. Jack back after Spiders seamlessly!

[@wanderergrim]

When a musician says they want to put on a show not just play the music instantly makes me like them more because I agree completely

[@Crunchy_Nachos]

ALL THESE STRING THEORY VIDEOS ARE AMAZING!!!!

[@driftingaway3241]

Such a beautiful sound..

[@mattt0231]

4:32 found a riff for new SOAD song

[@balinttoth9287]

It's incredible how he only played bass for 6 months when they started System and how he thinks that he is "not a technical bass player". Damn, Aerials and Cigaro are of the best bass lines ever. I started playing the bass myself because of this man. His work is just so much more than he believes it is.

[@dubyah1574]

him and Daron are so underrated as players

[@thequietgamer1889]

shavo and paul gray are my fav bassists

[@ericnightmare2695]

Does anyone know the riff he was playing at 4:30

[@mattk3645]

This guy's got taste! There's so much atmosphere in his playing.

[@rickgriego2844]

Very down to earth.awesome dude.great band.good video..

[@connorsmith75]

That's not Shavo, where's the braid? Imposter!

[@dbroche]

@earnieball loving this series! great strings and great stories from great artists, thank you!!

[@irrsinnrainer]

I actually didn't know he is such a cool dude. Really good interview!

[@malkavian6275]

I love this guy. Grew up with System and always thought Shavo was such a cool dude. Always loved his bass lines and stage presence.

[@axics2936]

Hes my big bass player idol

[@Retro_Hero09]

this video is underrated

[@xbmpr]

Phil Anselmo called me out at one of his shows, said it was great to see a “Pantera Youngster” bc I was like the only teenager at the front of the stage surrounded by older metal heads. I’ll never forget him making eye contact with me during one of the Pantera songs he was playing with the Illegals before that.

[@flpn2275]

On topic of eye contact during shows: Wendy Drennen of Fireflight did this. Every show I could see them play I tried to catch. Right up front feet away from the band playing; she would stare into my eyes as she played! It was...no, IT IS beautiful. Felt like at we were both anchored to that moment in space and time only to be moved by the notes she plays.. she is a blessing.

[@Rurikpaon]

I love shavos guitar tone in this! How can I achieve something close to it?? It sounds quite scooped and quite high gainy

[@dorianclini]

YES, what he says about eye contact and live performance is so true! *He* made me understand that when I saw them live.

[@diegochavez901]

Shavo del osho

[@lounasty69]

Lol

[@jeronimoperez498]

Xde

[@lalogalarzacore]

No seas mamon! XD

[@howens686]

Jajajjaajajjaa ahuevo

[@diegozunigagtz4602]

jajajajajajajajajajajajajajajajajjajajajajajajaja te mamaste bro

[@siavashmassoudi]

I met Shavo at NAMM 2019 and he was the coolest, most kind dude ever! Even though me and a line of people were in a rush during his meet n greet he still took his time talking to me even though I only talked with him for like 20 seconds and still took a photo with me.

[@groovetrain5756]

Late Night music lessons. Thank you Shavo & Ernie Ball.

[@lunadeathz]

Finally I can hear the bass

[@moonkef]

Pretty killer LP tone too!! Through that Hughes and Kettner? Great! Kinda sounds like the 1st record

[@the72u7h4]

I like ernie ball, I've never used anything else actually. Playing since I was 7, I'm in my 40's. I like the 130 b string tuned up to C I'm gonna try that. I play both guitar (main) and doodle on the bass to come up with stuff.

[@pointnozzleaway]

This interview made my Day !

[@therion7776]

I don't know if he has an Armenian tinge to his accent or if he has picked up on the accent of Hispanic people in LA.

[@joselupechavez9203]

He is fluent in Armenian, so that's probably an Armenian tinge to his accent.

[@datukareemaralling4832]

He's an Armenian. So does Serj and Daron. Well John? I'm not sure.

[@emmywillow6599]

@@datukareemaralling4832 All four are Armenian.

[@isetta4083]

@@datukareemaralling4832 John is Armenian but he was born in Lebanon

[@followmearound123]

@@isetta4083 Nope, Serj was born in Lebanon. John was actually born in the US.

[@tailorlayne5888]

I play six strings Arials was my first but hearing this bass riff makes me wanna give my life to the lower register.

[@13ninjakill]

I played in a battle of the bands when I was a senior. One person from every band picked up an instrument that the didnt play, I played bass for the song, and we jammed to sugar by soad. The music teacher went nuts because it sounded great but we never made anything of it. That was an awesome jam session tho. Still gives me goosebumps when I think about it

[@gianski3306]

He’s my favourite rhythm bass player, because there are three types of bass players to me, lead, rhythm bass and bass

[@BretKenworthy]

I hope I am a good potato.

[@KiLLM4CE]

I hope I'm some good meat

[@thailai3277]

The MysteriousDJ me too

[@dester147Lp]

Mind Bassline at 3:00 * *_* *

[@ResidentSimonHawaiiPartII_]

0:00 Mr Jack/Spiders 2:38 Mind 4:33 ??? 6:18 Sugar (Jam)

[@thedisabledviking]

6:17 sugar?

[@diegozunigagtz4602]

i got a nice set of strings from shavo last year

[@youtuber58643]

His reason why he started playing bass is the exact reason I started playing bass. It was cool always being chosen to play bass in jam sessions.

[@sudharsanpaskaran]

Awsome, you can really play the guitar as well

[@Calvert1212]

su driller most pro bassists can also play guitar very well

[@bobjones5524]

This touched my heart

[@randys5568]

Such a beautiful tone

[@4isakk]

4:35 name song?

[@chrisfloyd4655]

"best feeling ever" I Love him.

[@RobertT1999]

Despite watching Daron's video around about when it was first recommended to me, it still kept getting recommended to me, yet this one hasn't for a few years till now...

[@megamrsoftee]

at 1:24 the bass playing in the background sounds like the riff from "between angels and insects"

[@jherrn5056]

It’s spiders by System of a Down

[@michaelnatsariym3690]

I love these string theory videos!!

[@YearZer0777]

Man.... Shavo is such a 2onderful human

[@chrisbauman2562]

He has the exact mindset every musician should have. And he started the same way every musician should start. Music finds you,you don't find music

[@Jesse-mh6hv]

Wow I didn’t know shavo can play guitar let alone write some Over all pretty much enjoyed the video 🙂👍

[@marksusername]

I love the part where he talks about Gene Simmons looking at him amd so he tries to give that experience to everyone. He messaged me back on Snapchat :D

[@thedistortedblur6298]

Anyone know what that song was at 2:39?

[@obsolettersart208]

Mind

[@thunderryo4304]

shavos is the greatest to do it in my opinion, hes a genius

[@trigger796]

0:54 that sounds like Tool almost

[@mysttbm]

It’s Mr Jack by SOAD

[@conradsz]

Makoa The Ancient not even close

[@talhaefeay7154]

46&2 to be exact

[@arpitmandhotra]

@nyan boy nope Mr jack

[@RialbTheTwackTCG]

Its Mr. Jack that transitioned to Spiders then back

[@boxcpl]

makes me headphones happy.

[@anthonyvalerio6665]

I find these videos so influential

[@rajchhetri4321]

Just after playing base for 6 months he started playing for soad! Woah!

[@nebulousisgod]

I love what he said about making eye contact with the audience. That’s what inspired me to write an entire album. Plus one time Shavo looked at me during a System show then tossed his blunt into the crowd but not in my direction. Son of a bitch. Legendary bassist.