Van Halen - Eruption Guitar Solo (Reaction)

[@RareHarmony]

I have played guitar for 25 years, this guy is an absolute GOD.

[@jehudavis5422]

Saw vh 33 times in my 58 years. Always blown away!!

[@Cavitate007]

An absolute phenom on 6 strings. His techniques are off the charts and coupled with his impeccable timing makes him the GOAT!! RIP EVH.

[@joshs4594]

Actually, even people who play guitar professionally are blown away by this. Even the legendary Les Paul himself. 🎸

[@jonathankelly7914]

Lea Paul said he is the GOAT.!!!

[@danielking4607]

Les was not a very good guitarist

[@MRCATL3]

@@danielking4607 huh?

[@mikerichardson8983]

It's as simple as this. GOAT

[@TM-qj6io]

Could not say it any better

[@jonathankelly7914]

Yes sir. Thank my life I got to see him 5 times.!!!!

[@kenmahoney5255]

So true so true 👍

[@josephigillis]

And on the 8th day , God created Eddie

[@saldellavedova3383]

King Edward!!!…. Thank God I got to see him in concert…. Blew me away….Rest in Paradise Eddie!

[@rickbort7875]

When EVH first showed up on the scene in 1978, there was NOBODY like him in rock music. He was the first of his kind, literally overnight not only becoming the state-of-the-art guitarist in the world, but the most influential. And of course, the band Van Halen has released iconic albums and songs. Eddie was an excellent songwriter/composer, and IMO, one of the best rhythm guitarists in rock. His ideas on guitar design and electronics completely influenced the guitar industry, some of his ideas are now standard (pick up and amp technology). Easily one of the most important musicians in the last 50 years.

[@ruthjenkins9867]

R.I.P. EDDY YOU WILL BE MISSED!!

[@donnernoneya26]

A-??? 🤣 Are you kidding me? He's THE GOAT. Show me another guitarist who can come close!

[@shark7352]

In this genre lol in another genre we could say Stevie Ray Vaughn

[@danielking4607]

Steve VAI

[@TM-qj6io]

Glenn Campbell was pretty amazing as well again a different genre though .

[@foofghtr]

Eddie went outside the envelope of normal everyday guitar playing and did something so different it’s not even comparable to the average joe lead guitarist. His style can’t be transcribed in traditional written music so they created tabs to write on paper what he was doing.

[@jimfrederick3907]

What qualifies for an A or A+ ?

[@sarafrey3163]

Eddie Van Halen🥰🥰🥰. Legendary on the guitar and a heart of gold. He is missed

[@e.l.norton]

He never had a guitar lesson, which is what gave him the freedom to create a whole new vocabulary for the guitar. The instrument changed after Edward. There are guitar players, and there's Edward Van Halen. And as testament to his greatness, he always refused credit for his greatness when praised by others. He always said that it wasn't him. It just came THROUGH him from somewhere else.

[@srt8rocketship241]

He inspired countless guitarists since the late 70's. Set a new standard. Their first album is fire.

[@ronaldfuchs1049]

Listening to that very album at present reading these comments... y'all mugs are on point. Full stop.

[@stephenbrown199]

1977 to be exact

[@joerudish7278]

The greatest in all of existence, the absolute goat no question

[@rufusmedrano2962]

Best guitar player in the world. RIP Eddie

[@scottmatzeder9162]

Eddied has left us. he will never be replaced. He has taken his rightful place amongst the Gods.

[@VaughnBrown1965]

I had the honor of seeing VH live five times. Three with David Lee Roth. Incredibleness on another level!

[@jonathankelly7914]

Me 2..!!!

[@shannonmcdonald6959]

I was lucky enough to see this tour. The band was at its happiest period in my opinion. Just a great time!!!

[@jeffshenk2490]

That was A+ all the way man!

[@darinrodriguez8551]

His picks are on the body of the guitar

[@davidolson2729]

I was with you until you said A-. This is the equivalent of getting 106% on all your tests in a double major of pre-med and electrical engineering and you didn’t need to take a book home.

[@danielking4607]

Cool

[@dorarie3167]

You were messin' with 'Cathedral'. Even my dad, a classical violinist who couldn't stand rock, enjoyed THAT piece.

[@michaelmarrone8753]

A- And you said he is pulling stuff off you never seen before. This is from 36 years ago. WOW...

[@deannakitchen5568]

Love watching y’all enjoy the man who made us all mesmerized back in the day! Enjoy the GOAT!

[@joehartmann9353]

The picks are glued on his guitar. His bother Alex is the drummer. Eddie built his own guitars.

[@HoonaticsMCNiko23Crowe]

The picks ARE NOT glued to the guitar. He has a piece of rolled up duct tape. How many picks do you think a guitar player uses during a 60,000 person show for two hours... Many guitar player do this

[@marshall4me2]

The guitar solo ""Eruption" is just an amazing 15 minute guitar solo that he had written to show off what someone can do with just a guitar and an imagination and some time. All of it was originally played spontaneously and without preplanning what it would be. It ll came from the mind of the guitar GOD!!

[@marshall4me2]

Eddie Van Halen is hands down the G.O.A.T. of great guitarist who have ever lived in the history of man. The are probably 20 great guitarist in 7the last 75 years but non could come close to Eddie's natural gift of spontanfeity or seemed hasif he was born with a guitar in his hands coming out of his mother's womb. HE WILL FOREVER BE MISSED. Music hasn't been the same since you left us.

[@nicknamenine5937]

Eruption is a song that is mostly a guitar solo. There’s a little bit of drums for effect. But it’s not one of their normal songs with vocals and everything. But this is really Eddie’s live solo. He plays the famous part of Eruption. But he also demonstrates other technics he used on Cathedral and Mean Streets and other songs.

[@tferg9272]

It’s a combination of intros from several VH songs along with some freestyle; he was also high and drunk doing this; man was a genius

[@AndersHopkins-pc3yl]

This is a live extended version of the studio version. We lost the greatest ever

[@number1sun]

EVH also did the guitar solo for Michael Jacksons song 'Beat it'...In the late 70s and 80s he was THE guitar prodigy.

[@Hazardteam]

*04:16* _"Eruption"_ was especialy *that* solo, what debute on the Van Halen's first album, and reformed/revolutionized the whole guitar-playing culture (and later the other music styles, even pop culture as well) I gave this name for this _full_ performance, just 'cause that was his first legendary guitar solo, and it's very emlemathic and was shocked the world *how* he's doing that well. In those (the first 1-2) years Eddie played these guitar solos (what he made with his own invented new techniques) showed his back at the audience, and kept it as "secret". So most of the peoples made a theory, he's "tricking" somehow with pre-configured electric sound samples or synthesizer etc etc :) Until finaly he's showed in front he's doing it with his own hands :) So it was and is legendary. That's why the name chosen by me. *But* This guitar solo not only one solo, it's a "collection" from his other solos on the albums, plus improvisations. Sorry for my bad english bro, this is not my native language, actualy i never studied (only from Dave Mustain hehe) *11:51* You missed the *volume knob* 🙂 *18:00* The picks was *on* his guitar (mostly on those white stripes) glued with double tape 🙂 *19:03* Exactly. It's coming from the VH logo

[@nicknamenine5937]

Also, he plucks the stings at the very top, above the bridge by the tuning keys, to get those tinky high notes. The Riff you said you were really messin with showed up on a song called Cathedral. He played the notes with his left hand while manipulating the volume knob with his right hand to make each note fade in and out. It’s pretty slick. He had several picks taped to his guitar. That’s his brother Alex on the drums.

[@woodch]

More than any other guitarist of his time, with the only possible exception of Steve Vai, Eddie always had total control over that instrument. No matter how loud or soft he was playing, no matter the settings, no matter which pedals were on or off, that guitar was tuned into him and vice versa.

[@strings53notlob50]

Above the nut nickname

[@nicknamenine5937]

@@strings53notlob50 Right. Sorry. No idea why I said bridge. Wrong end.

[@jordanaiken7138]

He also plucking the springs for his whammy bar system.

[@kdm71291]

To clarify, “Eruption” was a piece of his guitar work that was recorded during the sessions for their debut album in 1978….there are portions of that in this solo placed throughout it, but there are many other riffs and techniques he’s used from many of their albums put into this….it is just being called “Eruption”. There are also techniques being used that he made up just for this tour! His cig is placed under the strings between the top of the fret board and the tuning posts…..which is the part of the strings he was plucking later when you asked.

[@darrell3118]

And to think , he said he was so loaded he doesnt even remember playig this when he was enterviewed ! and I guess he was loaded at about every show back in the day! This was so unherd of playing when he hit the scene , its why he is the Genius that he was , his hands were Magical !

[@srt8rocketship241]

True words , not easy. This is master class. Only a few in a lifetime if you are lucky.

[@donaldriddle230]

He is working tone knobs, when he reaches under the guitar he is plucking the Springs for the Floyd Rose Tremolo( whammy bar) to the uneducated. That's the bang sound. He also picks at the strings above the nut or top of the neck. Also in answer to the cigarette thing, there is a gap under the strings where they go from the tuners, over the nut, and down the neck. It makes for a great place to stow a lit cigarette.

[@insearchofthetruth2843]

He was pulling on the springs underneath

[@xtop23]

the goat. eddie was just insane

[@timmytwotoes4863]

Never been a van Halen fan. But Eddie is a genius

[@kfc355]

picks are on tape on the guitar. Rule no.1 Never Pause during a guitar solo!!!

[@ZippyThePinhead]

I'm three years behind the party, but I'll ask you, can you imagine experiencing this yourself? I did.., I wasn't at THIS show, but I saw them during this tour, and it was astounding when he tore into this solo.

[@rubendelgado1865]

The guitar solo that he plays live is a bunch of instrumentals he has play on records over the years. Eruption is the intro to you Really Got Me. Other pieces include Cathedral, 316, Intro to Mean Street and many others. He was and is my inspiration. Every time I pick up my guitar I'm always playing something from Eddie. Every time I see this solo I am blown away. Eddie said himself, he did not event tapping but he most definitely took it to a whole new level. He was amazing.

[@johndeeregreen4592]

Is Eddie the most technically skilled guitarist of all-time? No. Was he one of the ones who paved a way for great skilled players to develop off what he brought? You better believe it. Eddie was that point of guitar evolution us guitarists needed.

[@jehudavis5422]

Definitely most technically skilled

[@kaydantonio3719]

My goodness. If you’re a guitarist I’m surprised you know little to nothing about Eddie Van Halen. He invented some of the equipment and techniques he uses.

[@stevechevy3382]

Nice reaction. Eddie is amazing. A lot of the technical know how for Eddie comes from his intimate knowledge of his guitars. Many of which he build from parts. He has his own guitar tone. Not many guitarist could say that. Eddie is a great soloist but he is also a great rhythm guitarist as well.

[@The_Jasonian]

The solo is “just” Eddie’s guitar solo during the concert. He places his cigarette beneath the low E string just behind the nut

[@timsterrockstar]

One of the best parts of this video is that he is smiling the whole time and just enjoying what he was born to do. RIP EDDIE

[@michelmassicotte8925]

This comment is in reference to the section starting at 10:56. How is he getting these sounds? Eddie is plucking the springs at the rear of the "Frankenstrat" as called the guitar, and then he would pick at the string thread above the tuning pegs. Normally, you would not hear these parts of the guitar when playing an electric guitar, but Eddie set up his amplifiers in an interesting way. He would set the amplifier to "full" and then, "back it off just a bit". Side notes: 1. The sound effect of this part of the solo is known as, "Cathedral". 2. He was able to use the whammy bar as the guitar would not fall out of tune for the Floyd Rose locking nut (he places his cigarette directly above it). His logic was to use the whammy bar to not break the guitar strings when pulling them or plucking them too hard. 3. He viewed solos as a workout (practice) for him and the guitar. 4. Eruption was not considered a track for VH1, but producer Ted Templeman heard Eddie playing it in the studio and included it as a track.

[@platinumdriven3745]

You have heard him do the guitar solo in Michael Jackson's"Beat It". That was Edward Van Halen.

[@jl-zz9zs]

Eruption was actually a short piece on there very first album. He had a solo break in every concert. He used elements of eruption in everything he did but this is not the eruption solo just parts. He’s also putting in pieces of other songs as well.

[@bruced8893]

Funny how people are just discovering EVH from 30+ years ago.

[@bonniesmitth9744]

Originally his brother Alex played the guitar and Eddie played drums. He then bought himself a guitar while in high-school and Alex started playing the drums. Eddie was classicly trained on the piano.

[@Frank-o2e1s]

He has the picks velcod to the guitar.

[@robertknapp8328]

HE GETS AN AAAAAAAA+++++++

[@jimrupe9991]

You asked....HOW....HOW. Simply DECADES of practice. And no he doesn't have a specific spot for his cigarette. He just sticks under the strings above the nut of the guitar.

[@jackteppo9633]

The drummer is Alex his brother. The Bestest guitarist. R.I.P Eddie!

[@HoonaticsMCNiko23Crowe]

At around 11:10 Eddie flips a guitar on its back and starts dive-bombing the tremolo meaning he's bending that bar all the way down to the bottom the actual strings are dangling there loose on top of the pickups now when he's plucking the top of the headstock actually the tuners are bypassed by a locking nut that keeps the guitar in the exact tuning for when he releases that bar back into normal position and the guitar doesn't go out of tune so what he's actually doing is he's plucking the headstock strings and then he's also tapping his fingers along the bottom of the neck to create that thunder sound

[@certautoserv]

He changed the way guitars and amps are made by invention they invented new way to write music because of him and changed the way to play guitar that most if not all guitarist imulate some of today

[@aramhamparian9641]

RIP to a GOAT.

[@abidababida7096]

one of the best live shows i’ve ever seen was Van Halen in 1984

[@bhutchin1996]

The 'Cathedral' part is the hardest to play. He's basically coordinating turning the volume knob up and down with his picking hand while hammering on each note with his fretboard hand. Slow, not too hard, but he did it so fast. Check this one out: *Eddie Van Halen plays Hendrix* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4jdgJZ9ereKgrM

[@hubrisnaut]

I haven't played quitar in years but I taught myself many of Eddie's techniques and played covers of VH. The sound you hear at about 10:43 in your video begins from above "the nut" of the guitar (you can see him hitting the strings above there ) Then he hits the harmonic spots which would exist in the excited strings on the neck (the whole guitar is " tuned"). His guitar is super energized and tuned to the auditorium, so why he can wave at it and continue to get that sound.. Super fan here, I looked him in the eye, and he grinned at me, when VH led in for the Grateful Dead, cccc Maine.

[@robertyoung2807]

yes! that is the VH sign..his brother (alex) is the drummer

[@robertyoung2807]

he combined eruption with a instrumental called Cathetral and mean streats

[@robertutes4850]

Eruption is its own song on their first album in 1978, Eddie said it was a warm up exercise he would play before shows, the "Eruption Solo" was used live in concert and would have different versions show to show, it grew into Eddie showing his different techniques and what a guitar can do. this was one of the best...RIP

[@agmeckler]

This is an extended version of the original solo. The original was on the first album called Van Halen and was much shorter. My understanding is that the studio recording was him just screwing around and he came up with this.

[@robertyoung2807]

for catherdral, he is retuning the strings...in real time....to sound like an organ....

[@christoffsimply3179]

Cheers my brother! Thank you for uploading your experience with this. This was long ago but since I am old and bought a ticket to see this live that tour, I will go to my grave watching you young, hot people reacting to this. It was awesome when I saw it live, I can only hope it is awesome when you watch it generations later. You are a BEAUTIFUL people decades later. We were a beautiful people for our time. I hope you are happy in your time because we were in ours. Live rich and die poor. Your body is a rental you gotta return at the end. Use it, abuse it and experience all the best possible. Love you! Earn'ed my sub today.

[@robertwalker6723]

Watch a master work his craft. Eddie and his brother Alex were taught piano as children. Their father was a professional jazz musician. Then Alex started playing guitar, and Eddie on drums. Then one day Alex said," Hey Eddie let's swap". And music history was made.

[@foley15136]

I see this vid is two years old at the time of this comment, but if you like drums, check out his brother’s drum solo in this same show.

[@mikemiller3069]

Eddie uses a lot of a tapping technique throughout the solo but he is not the only one to use a similar technique. There's a guitarist named Stanley Jordan who taps whole chords and uses the tapping technique in a slightly different way than Eddie. It's worth checking him out, not necessarily for a reaction but just because he's amazing. Also, for more Eddie Van Halen, check out the guitar solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

[@donaldriddle230]

Look at the face of the guitar and you'll see lots of picks stuck to it. He used a little blob of goop like glue to hold them in place and in easy reach. He played so hard and fast he broke a lot of picks. There was a time when he used a Copper based pick and would hold it in his mouth while tapping, but her developed cancer in his mouth and had part of his tongue removed. That was later in his career though. As often as he switched between picking and tapping, it was quicker and made his fans much happier to throw used picks into the audience as souvenirs.

[@davidoconnell1680]

Great reaction 👏. He custom made his guitar. If you watch closely at the beginning you'll see he has like 8 picks on his guitar. Pick holders, he just chucks one and grabs another. I may be bias because I grew up with these guys in socal but you just watched the greatest Rock and Roll guitar player that's ever lived! RIP Eddie ❤

[@michaelshields7777]

Eddie has duct tape rolled inside out on his guitars that he can stick the picks on, so when he needs another pick, he can just take one off and keep playing.

[@JessePerryHooray]

"#1, this is crazy." Agreed.

[@maxfields2400]

The hand gesture is the sign for 5150...the first album with Sammy Hagar and the that particular tour they were on

[@michaelemery1497]

This is what greatness is all about!! Eddie was the best and Thanku for the video

[@aurelius903]

Eruption is a song in and of itself that last for about 3 minutes but in this performance he stitched together about 10 different really good guitar shreds from his other songs. Electric guitars all have a spot at the top of the neck where the strings attached to the metal coil winders. At that point the string sit really low to the wood so you could just wedge a cigarette in there, and it's out of the way. I play guitar for 30 years. I can't do the stuff Eddie does. The only two other guitarist I know that come close would be Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.

[@bobtenhagen3809]

Goat

[@vjamie69]

He is hitting the tight area of the strings at the top to get that noise!

[@CybermonkProd]

You should see his brother on that dope drumset. Alex Van Halen doing time 1995 toronto. Be prepared to be mind blown!

[@troyhoaks1576]

He puts the cigarette on one of the smaller string. Basically stick's the cigarette through the filter

[@HoonaticsMCNiko23Crowe]

You can buy actual used Eddie Tour picks on Ebay. The band hard them made every tour

[@HoonaticsMCNiko23Crowe]

No Ed put Ciggs all over those guitars all night long

[@robertknapp8328]

HE WAS THE KING

[@Confare]

Thee best. Period. Check out some of their studio albums.

[@truther4life]

That guitar had babies after the show!!!

[@stephenbrown199]

I started playing at 6 it took me till 15 till I mastered this solo very hard the full song is a solo it’s about 8 mins he ad libs the rest of it

[@anibalmontanez2876]

THE 🐐 🐐 🐐 GOAT

[@plasticgreenhead2273]

He put the cigarette in behind the top string. Least used string for Eddie.

[@friendme12345]

Eddie was Eddie...he filled in for Prince on Michael Jackson's Bad.

[@tjsogmc]

If you look very closely you will see that he has a couple of strips of double sided tape on the front of his guitar and that is where he keeps his picks. It's hard to see because they are well camouflaged with the striped paint job.

[@russellw7785]

I've saw lots of guitarist imitate others, SRV, Hendricks, Clapton, gibbons, slash etc etc. And do a great job with it. But I've never saw anyone even attempt to try Eds playing. Not on a very big scale. They can pick out pieces, but they know they can't do it

[@HoonaticsMCNiko23Crowe]

Okay so the Eruption song is on the first album and it's just Eddie flaring out on the guitar what he does live is a version of called eruption because it mainly is the eruption song but it's a lot of different other songs that he's done over the years kind of added into the actual 13 minutes or so that you're looking at he's got a song called Cathedral he's got a thing in there called Little Guitars I mean it he changes it up all the time but this is based on a song from like the very first album

[@markyates1116]

Oh yeah.. get ready!!

[@timkline9399]

Answer to your question about a spot to put his cigarette, it's the end of the cut string from the tuner hole.

[@jenniferwickliffe169]

Nice! Check out Van Halen ~ Dirty Movies song off their Fair Warning album.

[@pftorrance]

Great review man, RIP Eddie

[@garykanouse2961]

His picks were taped to his guitar so he could easily grab and go. There are 5 different solos in this piece along with many adlibs. His cigarettes went behind the strings always because you can see them in different places throughout their concert performances. For someone just learning about EVH and Van Halen...I can somewhat understand your rating...the more you do your homework too...that grade will soon climb off the scale. 1st...well done and thank you!

[@Prozak63]

It's actually mashup of solos from numerous songs that they had done.

[@CVGuitar]

Edward Van Halen -- The King of Ten Fingers and Six Strings