How To Play Eruption By Van Halen - I've Been Playing The Tapping Part Wrong For Over 30 Years!

[@benlewis1578]

Marty, I have so much respect for your dedication to guitar instruction and the great EVH. This song was introduced to me by my brother when I was a young kid and I immediately fell in love with Van Halen as a band and the guitar. I love how patient you are in your lessons. Thank you for this!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I really appreciate that, it means a lot! You're very welcome. 😎🎸

[@RonaldKing-c1c]

Marty, super lesson on the iconic Eruption! I have my work cut out! Thank you! Happy New Year!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man. Have fun and most of happy New Year!

[@tonymilam206]

Marty, when playing the song you mentioned getting in the same ballpark. Man, I'm happy if I'm in the same zip code! 😂

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Haha! That's awesome.

[@JohnnyBeane]

Right on man! EVH is the king. 🎸👑

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Truth bro

[@BotsWeekendCovers]

Awesome man, I'm saving this one. I swear I will one day learn this one LOL.

[@lloydmenzel3531]

I'm going to get a phase 90. That piece of music demands it. What a sound . Thanks Marty for pointing that out.

[@rvk5150]

Humbleness and excellence.....two traits that describe you Marty, thank you for this.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks, I appreciate that. 🙏

[@patrickshannon4516]

One of the main things to playing Eddie Van Halen style is your tone if you don't get your tone right it's hard to make it sound good

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Couldn't agree more!

[@davidcraft4919]

Wow, Marty.... I do believe your Van Halen card is safe and secure... great lesson, great content. I know what I'll be doing today! Warming up the tubes and working on this! Thanks! Rock On, Guitar Friends! 🤟🎸🍻🍹🥃🍺🇺🇲🏴‍☠️🧑‍🌾🍅🌽

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks for not kicking me out! Haha. 😆. Have a great weekend and Happy New Year!

[@davidcraft4919]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker Same to you, Guitar Brother!!!!

[@mrcurtis73]

Thanks for breaking down the tapping part the way you did. I’ve never seen it broken down quite like that before. 👍🏼

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welcome! It gets so crazy trying to read tapping tabs I figured this would make sense 😀

[@mrcurtis73]

@ definitely

[@davidjeffers68]

The matte finish on that Kramer is just so cool man.

[@Jeffestein]

He’s playing a EVH 5150 striped series with a Kramer sticker on it. They’re great guitars.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man. I love the paint on these 5150's. And the headstock. Technically it's an EVH with a Kramer decal 😁🤘

[@SteveMend]

Do you remember a transcription in Guitar Player by Steve Vai? He had the tapping section on the G string. Some of your grognard viewers like myself might recall it. Maybe it’s in the archives there at the Ranch. Thanks for the video as always!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I do. It recall that!! How odd!! Technically it can be done but it seems like it would be a little weird sounding with the gage of the g string. Steve probably played it that way for efficiency. I saw Phil X do it recently with just speed picking and no tapping. Craziest thing I've seen in a while lol.

[@flixsymmetry]

Thanks! It’ll be a perfect way to relax tonight after family leaves!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welcome! Hope you have a great night 🤘

[@Maxreverse]

Always Gr8 Lessons Marty!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying them. 🤘😎🤘

[@DeputyVanHalen5150]

Killer lesson Marty, I always felt like I had the tapping part right and would just kind of go for the beginning. 😁 I wasn't quite doing it correctly. Thank you. Stellar 5150 guitar! 😲

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! I keep thinking man... I bet I'm still doing something wrong and I'll have to do another update 9 months from now. Haha. Dude I love this 5150 guitar 😎🤘

[@allboutthemojo]

Eddie never played anything he recorded in the studio exactly like that live anyway. His mastery was the feel he had to flow through the instrument. I've seen some people play it very obviously wrong but when they don't hesitate and focus on the accents to make it fun, it sounds very good. Then there's some guys like Jacob Deraps who live and breathe EVH. He plays everything spot on ! Check out his channel

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

He is incredible for sure 👍

[@glennnobiss3406]

That’s way cool. I love it when you do that slow whammy. I also love your new EVH. That was always my favorite that EVH played Peace Marty

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! Gotta get the exaggerated whammy in there 😎🤘

[@geoffreylowery9730]

Thanks Marty! I never care much if it's perfect when anybody plays it, Ike you said Eddie never did it the same either. Pieces of Spanish Fly are always in there.

[@5150show]

Incredible

[@normanbrydon2226]

Amazing guy ❤

[@egx161]

You get to keep your Van Halen card Marty. 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! 🙏

[@sirtogii5216]

Great lesson this. Totally right to make it your own thing as well.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Absolutely! Thanks 🙏

[@comptonmccairo8591]

Great lesson! Do some Ratt lay it down

[@mikedtubey]

Great lesson, brother! A late Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁🎅 I've always just got the gist of it and played it close to Eddie but never carbon-copied him. Like you said, no one complained about your old way of playing it until this one guy corrected you. People were always mesmerized by my playing at the time, so I never thought anything was wrong. Hey, can you do a video where you play the way you used to and the correct way of playing it? A sort of comparison video. I'm curious how far off you were and if I would say, "Wow, that's totally wrong," or if I wouldn't be able to necessarily discern a difference.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Somewhere on here I have a video of it. I may take it down lol. It's the same exact way just started it two frets lower on the tapping part. Same exact figured just down a step. I think that's how the tab showed it back in the 80's when I first learned it and never looked back. Then the other day I was like well damn! Haha

[@luvmuppets]

I got “Brothers” for Christmas. I can’t wait to read it!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

It's very interesting!!

[@papablue3015]

Thanks Marty 🤘

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You bet! 🎸😎

[@analogrod]

First note after the A chord is played on the A string not the D string...then it's 5 fret and 7 fret on the D string then plays on the G etc....

[@ardisbubba]

Ed said I play it the easy way this is the way I play it too

[@johnkruton9708]

Pete Thorn has a series on it. Is his done correctly ? I thought so when I watched it.

[@stevenchase2066]

Do you offer in person lessons

[@Samlol23_drrich]

The most basic question (my kid who plays) and I want to know is how to set up the amp to tap………..no matter how he sets it the sound isn’t clean like yours.

[@mrcurtis73]

The main ingredient, in my opinion, is a lot of distortion/gain. That makes tapping a lot easier.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@ thanks for the response. He’s a beginner, about 5 years into it but just a kid. Got him a Katana 100ii and I’ve got to play around with it some more.

[@mrcurtis73]

@@Samlol23_drrich you’re welcome. Have fun.

[@gearhead762]

​@@mrcurtis73makes it easier but dirties it up the more you add. Its more about the player,the hands and how toughened up your fingertips are from playing in my opinion.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

For the EVH sound... less gain. More mids. Gotta practice the pull offs and hammer ons to get it bright and punchy. Just takes time and perseverance. Start with basic triads. Make it into a song or exercise and master it. Then keep progressing.

[@joeyride58]

Again Marty... Comment left strictly for your benefit!!! 🤘🤘🤘

[@lloydmenzel3531]

You totally Redeemed yourself. You love Van Halen. So do I.

[@JerryTheVeganRockstar]

🤘🏽

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

😎🤘

[@The_Macaroon]

Awesome. Beat it next?

[@TheFaustianMan]

You have an infraction but still get to keep your card. But be warned.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

😂

[@hanshaan4610]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/moOuZaOldq6GqsUsi=2konK4apW2ironNa

[@wizardoftod]

U kidding me?? the whole thing is wrong, what tab was this off of?

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Houseofranch5150asspublishing.com 😂

[@MikeX50]

Somewhat Interesting skill but I have always found tapping to be fairly boring and junky. The best skilled players/artists like Clapton, Young, Santana never gave this style the light of day....Eddie wrote some great songs though with great rhythm but the tapping is just uninteresting...just me talking 🙂