Van Halen, Mean Street- A Classical Musician’s In-Depth Analysis

[@VirginRock]

Please drop your QUESTIONS ONLY as a reply to this message! Thank you!

[@outsidethewall8488]

Do you have any plans to listen to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers? They do some really interesting work with rhythm and have a very distinct sound that's quite different from a lot of what you've heard thus far. Probably the most universally loved song by them is Under the Bridge, but their song Dreams of a Samurai from memory has some really interesting time signature changes, where at times the drums/ bass are playing in a different time to the guitar/ vocals.

[@digitalblues01]

Nothing to do with this song but I listened to Yes - Yours is No Disgrace just a while ago and when you get to something like this I am wondering if there is anything in classical like the way the guitar very aggressively shifts between the right and left speakers. Can and is this done in classical? Would recommend this Yes song later for this and many other reasons. Thanks.

[@SteveOostdyk]

Curious your thoughts on the slow fade-out at the end rather than an actual song ending. Do fade-outs sort of musically imply that the song continues to play on indefinitely? Are there any examples in classical music where perhaps like a round, it's implied that the music continues on even after the piece is finished? Thanks!

[@luisnunes3863]

Amy, do you feel an added aesthetic pleasure from watching an excellent small ensemble do their thing, being able to watch each of the musicians play, or is it all about the sound? I very much prefer to watch a superb classical ensemble like Jupiter or a really excellent band like Unleash the Archers.

[@chetzar]

Your in-depth analysis videos are so interesting and informative. Do you script your analysis videos or just go off the cuff?

[@rogerdat7807]

As one of many who picked up an electric guitar because of EVH influence, I thoroughly enjoyed your critique of one of my favorites. The lesson in qtr notes was a big bonus! Thank you.

[@nellgwenn]

Ha. I actually put down the guitar because of Van Halen. I saw them live I believe it was their first tour in the states. I stood in front of him and said to myself, is that what I have to do now? I can't do that. I can draw. I know how to draw. I'll do that.

[@donaldcummings8407]

I can just imagine Eddie looking down, scratching his head saying" Is that what I did?" Loved this by the way!!

[@MaggaraMarine]

Eddie had a great sense of rhythm, so I doubt he would have found this analysis surprising in any way. He was likely fully aware of what he was doing rhythmically.

[@AcmeRacing]

Eddie didn't read music, and he didn't analyze it in formal "theory" terms. He was amazingly talented without it. Eddie used to tell a story about his piano lessons where he hadn't learned to read the music, but he could play it after he heard it _once._ He "cheated" by getting his teacher to play it for him. That's all he needed to master it without the sheet music.

[@SteveOostdyk]

I'm really impressed that you are able to break down the rhythmic pattern of that intro and can explain it so well. Thank you! So fascinating.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

That impressed me too.

[@danielmiddleman8613]

If you slow it down to half-speed you can hear exactly what she is talking about.

[@bobbylowery363]

She explains very good on how and what the sounds are originally. Very good observation.

[@agent00Sally]

Thank you for your analysis and opinions. Being a Van Halen fan most of my life, I love when others can completely appreciate them as I do. I must say however, I am impressed by your admitting you are not a Van Halen fan from your initial experience. Most reaction videos I’ve seen seem to cater to the audience and it’s difficult to tell if the listener really liked the band/song or not. Your willingness to express your actual feelings while being ultimately respectful is refreshing and admirable. Thank you for being candid and honest. I don’t have any questions for you, only respect - and I wanted you to know that. Thank you again.

[@markhamstra1083]

On pronunciation: When speaking with other Dutch speakers (as in some recorded interviews), the brothers definitely retained the Dutch pronunciation of their name, but they didn’t try to force non-Dutch speakers to use that pronunciation.

[@terrylandess6072]

When I first lived in Florida I was speaking to a 'native' about a city and butchered the pronunciation which he quickly corrected "damn Yankee...." Kiss a me - NOT! Kuh sim me - got it.

[@DerEchteBold]

Did they actually pronounce it Dutch or did they pronounce it like she did, with the 'V' in the English way?

[@markhamstra1083]

@@DerEchteBold kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJiciHmpoLWJars

[@Swanlord05]

@@DerEchteBold with each other Dutch way......Roth came up.with the American way

[@TonyM-STLTV]

Cairo, Illinois is pronounced KAY-ROE, not KYE-ROE like the city in Egypt.

[@brianr3763]

It's refreshing to hear an expert's well-thought out opinion. I especially like the concept of creating a second video revisiting the song after you've had time to sit with it for a while.

[@mpwiedemann]

I've been a musician my whole life and have had many music teachers. Your explanation of the timing in the song intro was some of the best stuff I've heard. Bravo!

[@michaellueneburg2261]

Metaphorically you have huge ears and a big music brain! The further you get along this journey you could be a hot commodity when it comes to rock music production! So grateful to be a part of this community!

[@tjsogmc]

It's not an understatement to say that Eddie inspired thousands of guitar players. He was an innovator and his techniques are now a part of the rock genre. His loss to the world of music is hard to measure. RIP Eddie, and thanks for the music....

[@mikal]

*millions

[@oliviermalhomme9923]

But many of these millions think solo guitar. The focus here is how an amazing rhythm player he was. Years later, it is anyway what focuses my awe.

[@DavidMartinez-gs7sb]

Some think Solos, others rhythm, i think both but mostly eddies sense of melody

[@tjsogmc]

@@oliviermalhomme9923 he was versatile. Whatever he did, he did well.

[@jjk8417]

@@oliviermalhomme9923 His rhythm work is absolutely brilliant. Micro-tonal and overtones perfection on every chord and an impeccable timing that rivals with Bernard Purdie and Jeff Porcaro. Add all the virtuoso soloing, songwriting, tapping, perfect pinch harmonics, etc., etc., and you get what he was: The GOAT.

[@steveo6631]

It is so refreshing to stumble upon your channel... Its rare to find a serious and intellectual reaction channel on YT... Your in-depth and honest analysis is truly unique... Entertaining and at the same time I learn a little about your world of music, and I always increase my vocabulary with each video... Keep them coming, and thanks for your work...

[@philf4086]

Well said!

[@dennisweaver149]

I suppose I’m a little late to the party, but steveo6631 pretty much nailed it. The only thing I’d add is this: anybody who finds the sound of an electric guitar displeasing should listen to Cathedral. It’s a short EVH instrumental on the Diver Down album.

[@dwreed9100]

A lot of us out here play guitar and have a slight understanding of music theory. Thank you, this is fantastic. Very few classical musicians will listen to the music, let alone break it down and explain it so clearly. It's great to rediscover these tunes in a different way. Oh, and learn a little music theory while we're at it. Thank you,

[@friotaiocht101]

She is very gifted at holding the attention of the viewer at least in my opinion anyway... she has a very easy & enjoyable way of being able to hold your attention & focus when explaining things throughout the entire video I never get bored or tired of her videos... which was the case with so many other reaction videos....

[@jimb1283]

I am positive that there is no other reaction/review to Van Halen that have been done with a harp. Pretty damn awesome. Time for Rush....just go straight to La Villa Strangiato. You are welcome.

[@markhamstra1083]

+1 for _La Villa Strangiato_

[@JimK03.]

I'd be all in for Rush's La Villa Strangiato! Can you imagine how long an in depth dive into that song would be?

[@mikedellinger872]

+1 more for La Villa Strangiato

[@TheOriginalFILIBUSTA]

Are you kidding? She took this long just for fricken Mean Street! Villa would be at least 4 hours long. She'll take something as simple as 4/4 timing and break it down so as to teach children (which is AMAZING!), however, children have to take breaks between lessons.

[@jimb1283]

@@TheOriginalFILIBUSTA lol

[@fonsecorona]

26:30 This is the statement that Eddie would've seen as probably the most rewarding and acknowledgeable word of recognition as the guitar player he was..coming from you, Amy...As a long listener and admirer of his craft, hearing this, as simple as it sounds, truly feels this video as conveyor of a heartfelt tribute on your part... Thank you for this...🙏🏻

[@sergiojacas8268]

Enjoyed your dive into Eddie's music and this song. This song was a something that he had written many years early before they were signed and was released on their 4th album. But it evolved from its original version called Voodoo Queen that they played live on the stage. The uneasy darkness vibe really fully developed in this version, and as Eddie explained it, it was a dark time for him and the future of the band because he felt that he couldn't fully express his creative self with the pressure of the singer who wanted more pop sounding rock songs, as well as the the record label. So he explains that after full day of recording when everyone left, he would work on rewriting and recording these darker parts of this song and others on that album, including all the interesting and flourishes of the riffs. At the time, besides it being a great song, that intro left lifetime guitarist puzzled as they couldn't imagine or figure out how he played it, or if it was even a guitar. Imagine you as a harpsichordist if you heard a song that loved and did even know how it was played on a harpsichord. There was no KZbin back then, and there was no existing proper way to transcribe it, so it took a while for people to realize how he did it. If you did into did more into his music you will see he is a perfect mix of jazz/swing and classical, but from someone that learned by ear rather than theory. Interestingly you will see how he applies jazz improvisation to classical styled music, and came out with something uniquely his own. Keep up the great work, look forward to hear more music through your ears.

[@toddvanwinkle7777]

Imagine her reviewing Edwards guitar work in “I’m The One” 😂

[@zerooneonetwothree1872]

And now imagine her reviewing the Loss of control 😆 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYq9qKejnrNsgc0

[@toddvanwinkle7777]

@@zerooneonetwothree1872 🎸🎸👍👍👍😂😂I wish she would 😄😄

[@mikeeckert6147]

I love the sensible blouse🤓👍

[@carlbates8381]

Or eruption. Her head would explode. So many notes.

[@toddvanwinkle7777]

@@carlbates8381 😂😂 I wonder if she has already?

[@richardremick1639]

The Dutch way to say it is right the first time. The Americanized way to say it is the second pronunciation. Either way I’m still crying Eddie’s gone. Best party and music all in one. They changed our lives forever ❤

[@EddieReischl]

Absolutely wonderful analysis, especially with regards to the tapping. I'm reminded of having my first guitar teacher, my dad, who played in rock and roll bands from 1959-64, listen to the beginning section of this song, both of us dumbfounded that we were hearing a guitar. So, Edward became my second guitar teacher. It's also mostly because of Ed that I became a listener of orchestral music, after reading an interview of him explaining how much he loved Debussy's music. Ed, in a lot of his music, has a similar style, mood changes, switching from major keys to relative minors and back, and heavy use of suspended chords. He was also the first guitarist I'd heard that actually used the vibrato bar to bend notes to related harmony notes, as opposed to guitarists before mostly using it to make some chaotic noise. Cool that you mentioned "The Marriage of Figaro". I like to play along with that along with the "Spring" season from Vivaldi, "Badinerie" from Bach, and "La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin" from Debussy, as sort of the classical section of a 2-3 hour session of playing guitar, which also includes lots of Edward's music. It works really well for left hand finger discipline, giving me an idea of how well this session is going to go, and I've found these very memorable melodies I can keep wrapped in my brain so that I'm not confused about what's coming next.

[@jeffgagawood3741]

I have found the best thing for sleep and it’s amazing!! Outstanding

[@choppingpenguin]

Eddie was an award winning concert pianist as a young teen, so yes, he was exposed to a lot of classical music growing up.

[@drobichaud1000]

you just made that shit up

[@choppingpenguin]

@@drobichaud1000 read a book Chachi. "When Van Halen was born in 1955 in the Netherlands, his musically minded parents (father Jan Van Halen was a clarinetist, saxophonist and pianist) named him Edward Lodewijk Van Halen in honor of Ludwig Van Beethoven. (Lodewijk is the Dutch equivalent of the German name Ludwig.) But that was just the start of his classical childhood. After the family moved to Pasadena, Calif., in the early 1960s - with "$50 and a piano," he said during a talk at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History - his parents enrolled Van Halen in formal lessons for that piano at 6. But he never learned to read the sheet music, he later explained. Instead, he would mimic the instructor's hand movements and play by ear to realize works by Beethoven and Mozart. During recitals and competitions, he would use memory recall and improvise, earning praise from judges for his stylizations."

[@BradGouldEsq]

@@drobichaud1000 it’s a fact

[@KarlFardman]

He wasn't a teen though. He had dropped it before his teen years.

[@drobichaud1000]

@@choppingpenguin ok ok whatever... just stop

[@kelleychilton2524]

Your first-time perceptions are phenomenal, spot on. it's amazing how quickly you pick up on certain details, especially the connection between the drums and the guitar, without even knowing that they're brothers. It's my understanding that they had to develop a new method to compose sheet music in order to reflect Eddie Van Halen's playing style. I don't know of any other guitarists who can make such a claim.

[@karenmcdermott8585]

Thank you! I'm 74 years old and I'm finally learning how the music I love actually does its work. I'm a good listener...but I have no musical training.

[@Plowguitarist]

David Lee Roth was/is very adolescent in nature. Also, this was Van Halen’s 4th album, and there were serious animosities between the Van Halen’s and David Lee Roth on the direction they wanted to go. Thus this record was a bit darker than the 3 prior records. So again, you’ve psychologically nailed them again. 🙏🏼

[@MAG-li5jo]

The Fair Warning album had Eddie assuming control of the musical direction of the band more than ever before. It did not do all that well commercially so David Lee Roth and producer Ted Templemen chose a lot of cover songs that they thought radio would like when they did their next record Diver Down.

[@cristobalnoyola1521]

Never noticed that. But that is true for a deep Van Halen fan . Great album though . Different but another great album , right on : )

[@alguitable]

Your videos have become a real treat to my day, enjoyed with fresh coffee and a scone. I grew up as a classical violinist, heard Jimi Hendrix when I was fifteen, and I knew that I must play rock guitar. The way you bring your expertise in harmony and rhythm as well as insights into tone and mood and theme, all coalesce into a talk that never fails to delight.

[@gideonhammond6347]

Please don’t ignore the Bass line in this song, it’s right in there :)

[@mightyV444]

I think when she says "guitars", she actually also means the bass!? But yes, I agree: Definitely needs to be mentioned!

[@demianseale501]

Love your analyses. As I"ve said before, I hope we eventually hear Yes' "Close to the Edge"

[@paulsmashupchannel1442]

Eddie was also a piano prodigy- playing by ear.

[@Coccothegreat]

Thank you for these videos. It is so refreshing to hear someone go into this analysis and give understanding where no one goes, or at least in such a way that is so inviting and pure.

[@rae2071]

This made me aware of a lot of things I never noticed or paid attention to the dozens of times I have listened to Mean Street.

[@jrl4645]

Oh how I wish Eddie was here to watch this analysis and share his thoughts. This is my new favorite channel. Cheers!

[@davidheagneyjr6181]

That was a fascinating analysis! As others have mentioned, Van Halen is in a category of their own, as they have aspects of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock without being either. I recall an interview where David Lee Roth called their sound "Big Rock". I would also echo others in the comments and say you should watch the video of him playing Eruption from the Live Without A Net show.

[@66gtb]

I really appreciate the effort to be exact/correct in your language.

[@brogan71]

If you like the horn part which is also known as a' volume swell' I think you would really enjoy listening to Van Halen's 'Cathedral'. It's only a minute and a half long and quite beautiful. I'm new to your channel and loving it! Thank you.

[@markhamstra1083]

She’d probably also appreciate some of Jeff Beck’s work, such as _Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers_ .

[@felderup]

@@markhamstra1083 also tubular bells.

[@markhamstra1083]

@@felderup She won't get that recommendation from me. I've never understood the acclaim that many heap on that piece.

[@felderup]

@@markhamstra1083 generational differences perhaps?

[@markhamstra1083]

@@felderup I don't think so. I'm old enough to have heard it as a child, but I don't think I actually gave it my full attention until much later. At any rate, there is plenty of music from the early 70s and before that I find much more appealing than _Tubular Bells_ .

[@falconeaterf15]

You are an excellent example as to the benefits of higher education on one’s life. You understand, and appreciate so much more in life. One headbangers opinion.

[@markp2085]

I consider myself a metal head but you taught me some history of Van Halen that I did not know. Thank you. Having a music background (nowhere at your level) I really enjoy listening to your in-depth analysis of all these songs you are experiencing for the first time.

[@DVincentW]

She used incorrect sources, as in Wolfgang be named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Eds son, Wolfgang is named after Edwards father.

[@matthewschiavi7353]

I am throughly impressed with the way you explained the intro, especially coming from a non-guitar player. I think I actually got a better grasp on it from your perspective than from guitar players.

[@paulhebert8473]

In both Van Halen videos you mention an affection for the “horn-like” sound that the guitar produces. As others have pointed out, that is a volume swell. One advantage of electric instruments is that you have near absolute control over dynamics. For a volume swell the strings of the guitar are struck with the volume off so no attack is heard. The amplified sound will usually have the sustain artificially increased with reverb or delay effects. After striking the strings the volume control is gradually increased or swells to give the horn like quality. Other effects may be used to shape the sound (chorus, phase shifting, distortion, etc.). These effects can give the impression of horns, strings, organ, or a multitude of other sounds. This technique is used in many styles of music but features most prominently in ambient music. If you are interested in exploring this further there are some KZbin channels that present ambient guitar music as well as detailed instruction on equipment and techniques to make ambient guitar music. Chords of Orion, Antoine Michaud, or Perry Frank are some of the popular ambient guitar channels. If you are interested in the modern origins you could look into the collaborations of Brian Eno and Robert Fripp from the 70 and 80s. While going down this rabbit hole may satisfy some personal curiosity about the topic it would likely not yield much that would fit the framework for your channel.

[@icfrac8481]

realizing you help me alot, this is great im a guitarist listeneing to other guitarists all the time but this is rhythmic and awesome breakdown of whats happening i love it

[@mattblatchley2061]

absolutely right about the genre differences hard rock/ heavy metal... Van Halen is definitely borderline on many occasions... many folks on the internet discuss which Van Halen songs are 'most heavy metal" like... LOVE your presentations...just fantastic

[@damonwatts66]

When I think of this song it's always been along the lines of "Probably my favorite intro in music ever and a solid song from one of my favorite rock bands." Thank you for showing me that there is so much more to this song. This is absolutely, with no doubts whatsoever, my favorite KZbin channel ever. 😊

[@banditgrovmalet]

Just a quick note to send some appreciation for your heartwarming take on analyzing rock songs. It is fascinating to hear somebody reacting to classic rock songs for the first time. Sooo very refreshing in every way. Looking forward to everything your channel has to offer. Much love and appreciation from Sweden! 🇸🇪

[@InnerLightDimension]

I would really enjoy seeing you dissect Close To The Edge by Yes.This is the 50 year anniversary of that song...

[@GManWrites]

I second that👍

[@mihailmihaylov988]

I'd rather prefer "And you and I"...

[@GManWrites]

@@mihailmihaylov988 If only for the fact it's a much shorter track and easier to cover in a KZbin video, I also happen to think it's awesome song.

[@warpig4942]

I do not understand why, no matter the genre, people want to suggest the most extreme songs they can think of to introduce a new listener to the music. I want her to do progressive rock and Yes would be a great band to do but suggesting one of the longest, most complicated, most progressive songs for a first time listener is not the way to do it. She should do some of the hits like "Roundabout" or "I've Seen All Good People" as introductions. It takes time to gain an ear for the different styles of music. Give her the time to gain the ear.

[@InnerLightDimension]

@@warpig4942 Haha,I think she can handle it,you seem to underestimate her...

[@stevekirkby5041]

I am so glad you brought up the difference between hard rock and metal. Thank you.

[@supertal6074]

There is so much to control on an electric guitar and EVH was so creative in getting incredible and curious sounds out of his guitar. He would get these sounds out and utilize them creatively in a song. Nobody was nearly as creative as he was in doing do. If you continue to listen to him, you'll hear that he is constantly busy and creative throughout a song. He was an incredible rhythm player and had God given timing - his brother being an incredible drummer most likely led to this - they were very tight - even being one. There will never be another Mighty Van Halen! At least we were alive during their reign!!!

[@actiondork]

Once again, I'm watching the analysis before the listen. 😆

[@lucasmoraes3787]

I love your videos, so awesome seeing someone who deeply understands music reacting to more guitar based music for the first time.

[@johnwesch5926]

Nailed it. The reaction and analysis were spot on. For your edification, some bands are their own sound. As apposed to categorizing as metal, hard rock, grunge, speed metal, industrial and then there's Jinjer and Slaughter to Prevail. You may find Pink Floyd to be as mesmerizing as I do. Eruption has to be listened to while watching the video. Trust me. Without seeing what hes doing you'll get lost, quick. ❤

[@davidheagneyjr6181]

I agree with this. Van Halen has roots in both hard rock and heavy metal without being properly categorized as either. If I recall correctly David Lee Roth called their sound "big rock".

[@GuyNarnarian]

VH is its own thing. I've always said this. Not really metal, more hard rock, but certainly not the whole catalog, they cover a gambit of styles. Maybe "hard swing" certainly on the earlier albums.

[@charleskletter8974]

It’s just hard rock man… have a bottle of whiskey there ..my friend. Any one have Mother Nature on them.? DLR

[@jaernihiltheus7817]

I had my own comment about it but i agree. Not only did metal spawn out of rock + a bunch of extra stuff, but many rock bands - including van halen - incorporate a variety of styles in their music, most notably metal. It's why people debate on whether or not bands like soundgarden and alice in chains can be classified as metal even though they're grunge rock. Depending on the band, sometimes the answer is "both". Not one or the other.

[@tallantj]

Really enjoying your reactions as well as the analysis. You're a breath of fresh air :)

[@tmage23]

Many rock fans are familiar with Bela Bartok due to his influence on a musician named Frank Zappa who dabbled in classical music but was primarily an avant garde rock composer and bandleader (and also someone you might enjoy listening to

[@slothkng]

musically i'd love to hear her take on zappa

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

I think she will do Zappa eventually.

[@mightyV444]

Frank Who?! 😲 ... just kidding! 😄😉

[@rccola5167]

Yeah, Frank was mental, but in a good way.

[@DVincentW]

Excuse you, he was a composer. He released several classical albums after his death in 1993.

[@michellevanelsacker4959]

Eddie Van Halen was an amazing artist. I think it is amazing how you were able to pick out so many things about Eddie as a person. He was a beautiful, shy and humble gut throughout his life. He came to the US at the age of 7 with his family and was bullied every day and didn't speak English. Even older and living in the US for decades, he mentioned that he wasn't always good with words. His music was his voice and his sanctuary. His brother Alex, who was the drummer, was his best friend and they always had a close and special relationship. When Eddie wrote each piece of music, it was his feelings and not just a song. Thanks for this breakdown. I think that he would have been happy to have someone musically be able to understand and truly feel all that he was trying to express at that time. He had some very dark moments later on, but he was always the same beautiful soul.

[@brycecrousore1985]

Gotta admit, Amy (Ms. Shafer), at the end when you commemorated his death, my eyes leaked a little. Moreover, and more importantly, the reminder of the actual art process. I could listen to you all day. Grandpa & grandma bought me a Kimball organ for my 6th birthday; our high school band director, a genius named Mr. Del Ingvalson, always told us: "at the end of your life, the one thing which will have been with you every single day is music." You are my new Mr. Ingvalson. Two of the most important things/person ever. Thank you so much for sharing your brilliance.

[@philf4086]

Great closing comments, important to remember the artist and the art lovers!

[@23skidoo46]

on this song for me "that something" , is Ed's guitar playing. Nothing more, nothing less. not their most catchy tunes, but, Ed's guitar work is phenomenal on this one as with most of their songs. His guitar playing is some of the best rhythm playing i've ever heard.

[@fhpr68]

Great analysis. If you found the electric guitar making the 'horn' sounds attractive you may enjoy Van Halen's song "Cathedral", which he uses the same technique (volume swells) but in the song Cathedral the guitar ends up sounding like an cello/violin instead of a horn.

[@josephbecker9435]

Fascinating just fascinating, intelligent and captivating

[@johnafagerquist8235]

I love learning about music from you. I feel a growing desire to study music more deeply. Since I was young, I've been held captive by this, "Music comes from within, and learning all the theory stuff will kill your love for it, and stifle the 'you' in your music." mindset. While I'm not there yet, I am starting to see the potential value of theory; although, I want to reiterate the word 'theory', and juxtapose it with laws and rules.

[@douglasblaydes7801]

This is such a cool series of reviews. I listened to Van Halen as a teenager and it was just great rock and roll to me. Never gave much thought to what is actually "in" each song or how much thought probably went into the song.

[@ralphvalkenhoff2887]

Wonderful breakdown of a tune that I never thought was possible to be described by a master classical musician. ❤️

[@metalrules1135]

I'd encourage you to watch some footage of Eddie playing. It's fascinating and he's quite a showman too. The technique of tapping on guitar can be the beating of the beats, like you hear on this, but it also means he is using the fingers of his picking hand to fret notes on the neck too. So, you can have the four fingers on your fretting hand working with one or more fingers of your picking hand. The notes are not picked, they are "hammered on," "pulled off," and "tapped," with the force of the fingers alone providing what is needed to fret the note. This lets a guitarist play arpeggios in a very fluid way that has a different sound than if each note was plucked, very legato. This song does not portray that fluid legato aspect of the technique as well as other songs. Eddie is credited with creating this technique. Others may have used aspects of it before him, but he put it together in a cohesive way that was part of his style. He is also tapping out harmonic nodes on the guitar strings which have a sort of bell like tone. Don't get too hung up on the labels because there is overlap and historical contexts. Van Halen may not be considered Metal, but the impact of what they did shows up in Metal all over the place. It laid the groundwork for what was to come. The electric guitar is practically unparalleled in creating sounds. There are many ways to create odd sounds as a result of the interaction between the guitar, the amplifier, the number of effects used between them. Effects are devices that can be introducing distortion, modulation, time delay, all kinds of things. Eddie was instrumental is creating a lot of sounds with these things that no one had heard before.

[@jmichaelcaruso6038]

Art is timeless and gives purpose and meaning to all things! Thank you for honouring Eddie!

[@clarkstokes7080]

I love this perspective! What a great concept!

[@Chaunceylola]

Ah yes, Eddie’s tone… it is magic. One of the things that really attracted me to Van Halen all those years ago. My best friend in middle school bought me that album for my birthday. My life changed from that point forward. Such a huge influence on my tastes, attitude and life path.

[@Boleskinebeatz]

I really hope you’ve managed to watch a couple of Van Halen videos just to understand the sheer exuberance of how they looked when performing, a lot of heavy rock and metal can be very up itself is a real joy of watching early VH videos for me was the megawatts miles emanating from Eddie and Dave just a breath of fresh air.

[@mctaguer]

I grew up listening to Van Halen; this album was the first I ever owned. It has been wonderful to find deep analysis and appreciation of Edward's songwriting and playing by people like you, Rick Beato, Ben Eller, Asia & BJ. I can't wait to watch your Boston video as well. Thank you, Amy!

[@itzfast]

Percussively, Eddie described his intro as kind of a variant of a paradiddle.

[@johngrindey]

As a music reader I can tell you with most van halen tunes there's few repeat dots , few endings 1and 2 no ds al codes no dc al codes never dss al coda 2 . This guy hardly ever repeated 2 bars exactly the same . Constantly reinventing

[@Android.Martian]

Wow! Who knew you could so eloquently analyze Van "freaking" Halen man!

[@memdoc_1966]

Thanks!

[@VirginRock]

Thank you!

[@Jasper_Yay636]

Enjoyed a fresh perspective. Courteous, polite, educated, humorous. Thank you mam.

[@BillyE5150]

This is so cool! I really appreciate you doing these videos. “Mean Street” is one of the greatest rock songs of all time (it’s at the top of my personal list), & Eddie was a special, special human… a wizard. Much like Jimi Hendrix, in the way that guitar playing changed forever when he did his thing. I appreciate all your perspective on art & artists… & how you picked up on the magic & the brothers connection, before you got into the details of how he did it. Rest In Peace, Eddie. =VH= FOREVER

[@digitalblues01]

You will find many rock/metal musicians are very interested and influenced by classical or even have some formal training in classical, especially with some of those considered the greats.

[@brandonfarris3335]

I think I just witnessed a Van Halen fan being born... Join The Club! 😘 Watching you listening to this for the first time takes me back to my childhood, listening to Eruption... There was no way I was listing to a guitar... One guitar... BLOWN AWAY! On another note I think I'm witnessing KZbin start being born... As a former guitar player, your version of this genre is by far the most intriguing for me... NICE WORK! As a classical musician I'd love to watch you react to anything by Randy Rhoads, a classically trained guitar player, off of Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman. Particularly 'You Can't Kill Rock and Roll'... Randy is the only guitarist from that era that was as good or better than Eddy. Sadly he died in a plain crash at are 25 or he would no doubt be the best there ever was IMHO. For the record Rock runs the spectrum glam rock (Poison), hard rock (Van Halen), heavy metal (Iron Maiden), speed metal (Metallica), death metal (Armored Saint)... I look forward to more of your channel... Great work!

[@dondebomm6329]

After listening to Bartok I agree it's hard not to recognize the similarities. It's obvious to me as a musical layman that Bartok was an inspiration to the opening part.

[@things-in-waves2053]

Thanks to Vlad behind the camera for making this happen. I know you certainly have a huge list of songs prepared but please do add Rush, Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa, Nirvana, Bjork, Rage Against the Machine.... among the many many names.

[@supertal6074]

The horn sounds are volume swells - he uses that in some other songs such as Your No Good - the the beginning. He has the volume of zero and strums a chord and then turns the volume up. You should check out that song - I love the way they re-did Linda Ronstadt's version of it. When they re-did a song they always VAN HALENIZED IT!!!

[@BudTristano]

Funny thing that I have been listening to both Van Halen and Bartok for years and never made this connection. Thank you so much for this! Eddie had said in interviews that the intro was inspired by slap bass, which makes sense too. For anyone reading this, here's a time stamp for dance no. 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZuWYWmXlNaHhs0

[@davidzeoli2001]

The concept of jumping the beat is so common among rock players- it is fascinating to hear it from a classical scholarly perspective. I will say- how amazing that you identified that energy in the intro. It absolutely sets the tone for the story that is about to be told. The desperation and will to survive on the streets. The admission that the place the subject lives in indeed "mean"- but it also his own - "the only one I know. Your description of "riff" is spot on - when you hear a mediocre riff - it does little for the song. But a great riff has its own energy and can drive the entire song forward. I had to laugh a little at the description of the vocals - but it also revealed quite a lot. That is because the singer has limited talent - but incredible charisma and an uncanny ability to tell a story. If you look into Han Halen- you will see that they had a second singer that has great energy - but was also a talented singer. Interestingly, your comments reveal that the first singer was storyteller that was singing "with" the audience - and the second singer was singing "for" the audience. If I could ask you a question. One of the reasons that EVH (Eddie Van Halen) is considered one of the best rock GTR players ever is because of his innovations - both with techniques in his playing - but also as a luthier of the guitar itself. His famous "Frankenstrat" was a guitar he created because he was not satisfied with the options manufacturers were providing to him and he became one of the first that I heard the term "tone-chaser" used to describe. He also experimented with things like- boiling his strings - or dipping the pick-ups in wax to reduce noise (pick-ups are the device that translates the string vibrations into an electrical signal), and - he has several patents on the GTR, including a device that re-tunes the guitar quickly without a full retune (the D-Tuna device). Well that was a long intro to this question - BUT - in classical music (modern of older periods)- WHO would be the person that is known for their innovations of a particular instrument itself (either the techniques of playing that no-one thought of before them - or in the technical application of the instrument? Thanks for this fantastic channel!

[@kylekelson8533]

Loved these videos and analysis of one of my personal favorite VH songs! In regards to the whole what is heavy metal vs hard rock and where Van Halen fits in that, one of the best descriptions of them is it’s “Heavy Metal with a Smile” 😀

[@superluiyo]

Incredibly beautiful work done with this piece of music, thank you! That sound you find so nice in that smooth chorus section, is achieved by turning the volume knob on the guitar. Turning with the little finger (because the thumb and forefinger hold the pick that strikes the strings at zero volume), bringing the sound in fade-in manually, controlling the dynamics by ear. Excellent channel, I like your style. (sorry for the translator)

[@dfusit]

Excellent breakdown of this classic Van Halen song. Eddie and Alex were very much in sync while playing, especially in live performances. I cannot wait for you to get to prog rock, I feel that you will be thoroughly impressed. You have a very unique reaction channel that I’m enjoying a lot.

[@markhamstra1083]

Try not to get too invested in your expectation for how she will react to prog rock. I have seen several classical musicians who were thoroughly unimpressed by it, seeing it as shallow pretense and neither good rock nor good classical music. You have to realize that most classical musicians have witnessed many musical virtuosi, so they are not easily impressed by just technique.

[@kevinstahl8834]

As an old self-taught drummer and guitarist I love the explanation of Ta-Ka-Di-Mi, I always wondered why some drummers were describing triplet feel as "Ta ki Da, ta ki da, ta ki da" and now I know.

[@TheSteveBoyd]

Van Halen absolutely WAS a heavy metal band in 1981. The definition has just changed since then.

[@terrylandess6072]

Odd since Metallica was already releasing Metal in 1981 but less known at that time and one mustn't forget Judas Priest. I'll agree to disagree. I was 20 when VH hit the streets running in 1978. At that time compared to everything else we were used to they seemed on the edge of Punk Rock.

[@Incomudro1963]

They were, and they weren't.

[@arloroan3168]

It's a metal song if Sabbath is metal. Killer simple riff repeated, heavy back beat. Bass is playing in unison. Dave is singing about Mean Streets. Face melting solo! All the stuff that goes into a metal song. Van Halen wasn't a metal band but they rode the line now and then. They also did blues, and New Orleans style jazz, and acapella music. That doesn't make em a blues band, jazz band, or vocal group, even thought those songs were spot on. Just a great band. If I had to poke em in a genre, Hard Rock would be it.

[@ericgerhardt1127]

Yes, the definition has changed since then, but metal was more like Judas Preist, Metallica, and the like. I recall Van Halen being labeled as "Heavy Guitar Rock".

[@DVincentW]

No they were not heavy metal. But since the mainstream must categorize everything, it matters not.

[@DustyRhodes426]

Rock n role ! Wow your interpretation is well thought and considered.

[@garysmith7333]

You'd have to ask David Lee Roth but, I think this song is sort of a commentary on the LA rock scene back in the 70's and 80's. It was a battle of the bands. The scene was the Roxy and Troubadour on the Sunset Strip. Seedy and a tapestry of amazing musicians and their legions.

[@gpgpgpgp1000]

It's amazing how many interpretations of lyrics there can be. To me this has always been a commentary, with sympathy towards the narrator (Dave), about gang violence in the inner cities. How this kid has either cracked or decided the "best defense is a good offense", and decided he better start becoming the hunter instead of the hunted if he is going to survive.

[@terrylandess6072]

Don't forget the Whiskey a Go Go.

[@garysmith7333]

@@terrylandess6072 and the Rainbow🥳

[@macinfloydvolk]

Van Halen IS Metal, it's a subgenre reffered to as "Power Metal" a great documentry made an athrapologist called "a Headbanger's Journey" wich explores metal from an anthropolgical standpoint.

[@johnbanzali3278]

I love your commentaries about the music.Thanks!

[@somtingwongwai7194]

Alligator, Alligator was what Eddie was seeing on MDMA when he was writing that song

[@jeromelahaye2972]

Lee Roth is rapping on this track, which overall sounds very inspired by grand master flash ‘ s “the message” . The song sounds like a New York street, with Eddie mimicking traffic sounds.

[@DM-hk4cw]

I enjoyed both segments of this analysis. I listened to this song in a more appreciative way. But, if I can put Bartok on my playlist, you can put this song on your playlist. You have gained yourself a new fan.

[@fader_dragon]

There are probably dozens (hundreds?) of vids on this site explaining this song's intro from a technical perspective. But only one vid with analysis from a classically trained harpist. 🙂 As someone who ostensibly understands the technical side, this other perspective gives me new things to consider about the music and I really appreciate that.

[@YoBroMan]

For virtually everyone, that harmonic tapping intro was/is so far beyond what anyone could understand that - still to this day - I don't think that people realize how phenomenally creative it is.

[@petedz9772]

Your analyses give me greater appreciation for music regardless of era. I enjoy when you recognize ideas modern music use that originated centuries ago. I once read a magazine interview with Eddie. He mentioned how moved he was after listening to a Segovia recording. He felt it was a reminder that great music needs to be performed to provide the audience an emotional experience, not simply to show technical wizardry.

[@jonn8163]

I have to thank you because I have been trying to play the mean street intro for years now and it never sounded quite right but after you explained I am now able to nail it perfectly

[@davidsamueld2015]

Luv listening to her. Reminds me of my childhood music teachers

[@traesetzer3180]

You are a treasure. I appreciate your professionalism and your openness to alternative styles of music.

[@garlooroztox]

Love you reviews. Thank you. When are you getting a Stratocaster, a Princeton amp, a glass slide and a Wah pedal? I think you would like them.

[@jayeff6712]

Right, and Amy shredding the harp with those tools.

[@luisnunes3863]

She's a pianinst, she's getting a keytar!

[@gcrothers5023]

It's awesome to hear that perspective from her world of music. The one sound wasn't horns though, it was Eddie using certain effects combined with pinky swells on the volume knob. I do the same thing and people think it's flutes, violins, cellos and whatever. When she breaks it down some more and realizes just what Eddie was doing, she'll be blown away for sure. Fun listen. Thanks

[@mondavou9408]

that was great - thank you.

[@Gregory7518]

In some cases, I enjoy your analysis more than your reaction. I wish my music teachers had been more like you. Not stuck in the rote of the lesson, but actually making it interesting and easy to follow. Please continue the good and interesting work.