Why Do We Play Guitar?

[@BenEller]

Thanks for learning what’s makes us want to play guitar! What made YOU want to pick up the instrument and learn how to mash some rope?

[@heztorm]

I was 12 and hear "Money for Nothing" took me to guitar playing and heavy sounds forever

[@Moit4000]

love your videos and attitude dude, you inspired me to learn some of those riffs from Mastodon's Leviathan again but better, thank you.

[@thomaskunz3726]

I wanted to learn the Seven Nations bassline :) Now i have a LesPaul, a Martin, 2 Basses and "soon" my first self built full custom 5 string bass. Guitars are definitively addictive!

[@minerva8421]

I've had a guitar around me my whole childhood and it was Ocarina of Time that got me into playing music. as a kid i'd sometimes fiddle around with my dad's fender or my old casio keyboard. back in '02 - '04 is when i was introduced to Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" via Tony Hawk's PS4 and have been a metalhead ever since. during that same time I picked up Drumming, as Guitar kinda intimidated me. fast forward to the 2010s, was broke all the time and was moving from apt to apt to couch &c, and i couldn't play drums. had a macbook, tho, and it was NIN's Year Zero album that got me into making music on garageband. I made a lot of tunes i'm proud of. learned music theory and production by myself effectively. but the thing was is that i was always trying to write metal songs with Synth; all my ideas were meant for a guitar. now, in 2024, i bought a Rhoads w/ a Floyd Rose and have been playing everyday since Feb. I realize now Guitar is easy to play. kinda regret that i didn't go for it sooner. it feels like it's meant to be, ya know? Rock On \m/

[@burnsZY85]

@BenEller watching kirk hammett rip out on a guitar solo on the seatle 89 gig was what got me wanting to play, I had no clue what he was doing but all I know is I wanted to do it....

[@dunkelheit8594]

Heard Battery when I was a teen, thought to myself, "how the hell does one make that kind of sound on a guitar?" and proceeded to watch covers on YT. I then "borrowed" my father's les paul and played it whenever he was at work. Nothing is more fun and satisfying than nailing a riff while banging your head along with the music. Music is such a blessing to humanity, and playing guitar lets me be a part of it.

[@kagenotatsumaki]

That's a great point about accessibility. My parents ALWAYS, told me whatever I played on the Guitar as a kid was "just noise" and that "nobody wants to hear that" and the constant put downs made me drop the Guitar at 17 and I didn't touch a guitar again until I was 27... The belief in yourself to play something worth it IS CRITICAL.

[@BenEller]

Absolutely true, man

[@PDXguitarfreak]

Initially? I was 12 and wanted to be cool (because I definitely was not). Now? It’s incredibly cathartic and a healthy escape from the day to day stresses of the world ❤🎸

[@niclastname]

I *absolutely* have that problem you mentioned of worrying that things I'm doing are too simple. It's not even that I only listen to things that are super technical either. I constantly defend the fact that simple isn't bad and that there are lots of things I listen to and love that are simple, but for some reason when it's my own music, I have a very hard time think something is "worthy" if it's simple.

[@silvertear87]

I just love learning my favorite players songs. When you get they solo or nail an awesome rhythm section you've been working on. That feeling of accomplishment can't be beat. And with the Internet it's made sharing ideas so much better.

[@rayfabris2512]

exactly that's a cool feeling when you figure it out or by accident I'll just pick a note and see where it goes from there I'm 59 and started when I was 14 or 15 my dad thought after a month or 2 it'd collect dust if he knew what I paid for my Gibson he'd turn over in his grave anyway ROCK ON 🎸

[@DrScrambles]

I grew up on a bunch of 80s/90s rock, so I feel like I've always wanted to play. In elementary school, The Offspring really made me want to get a guitar. Then around 5th grade I found my dads Pantera Cowboys From Hell album and it changed my world. Then finding out Pantera was a local band and everybody had nothing but great things to say about Dime. He was the hometown hero that really made me want to learn.

[@LM-op8cd]

Iron Maiden for love Dave and Adrian. RATT was another one. I didn’t really start playing until now that I’m 50. What hell better late than never. Thank you Ben for the content

[@bardsimpson1404]

As an 8 yo, in 1977, Kiss and especially Ace frehley "100,000 yrs" and "shock me" gave me the fever. Plus my mom hated them so it was a win, win

[@mikesallee2509]

Seeing Rush live for the first time did it for me. Presto tour in Seattle 1990. My senior year in high school. Mind blown! 🤯

[@t3hgir]

I saw Rush during the Snakes & Arrows tour when I was in high school. They begin YYZ as an encore... My dad goes "we're leaving, you've heard this song before", left before the queue of cars leaving lol but I was still pissed.

[@dans2971]

Watching that guy sing makes me hate humanity. It’s a crime. Got no idea why Rush simps think it’s good.

[@bobbyincidemetal]

I was 13 and heard Enter Sandman in 1991. That song changed my life.

[@recordman555]

I was still in Grade School when I first heard The Rolling Stones "(I can't Get No) Satisfaction". That simple riff locked me in. In my early teens, I was drawn to The Eagles and America. In my late teens, I caught a "glimpse" of a band called Judas Priest. The album was Stained Class. That's where I really turned the corner on how I would approach guitar. I'm still a frustrated "lead guitarist", but as far as playing Metal rhythm parts, you can't find any better teachers than K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. I've worked with many talented axemen who cannot match the finesse and nuances of Judas Priest. Thanks, Ben, for this video - great interviews!

[@bastianogr4960]

Oh, wow! I totally forgot about "Satisfaction". I first heard it on the TV show "Airwolf", when I must have been about 8. The riff totally blew my mind, although I probably didn't even know what a guitar was back then 🤣

[@MetalHeadMarc]

I think this can't be understated but the guitar solo in Don't Speak is maybe one of the best ones ever. It beautiful, memorable and does nothing but add to the song.

[@BenEller]

It’s great!!!

[@tinyshinylotus2880]

I have been a singer since 6 years old. Later I wished I could play the guitar because singing without an instrument got kind of boring. We had piano, flute and acoustic guitar at home when I grew up. Tried to teach myself guitar but it was an on and off relationship for years. When I got my first electric guitar I tried things like Money for nothing but I thought I am not good enough. Plus I still get nervous if someone listens. My hands start shaking and I only make mistakes. I took some lessons when I was about 34 but quit again. Last year at age 36 I went to a Steve Vai guitar clinic because all the concerts where sold out. He is my favourite player. It was a small Dutch location and I felt like I wasn't in the right place because everyone there was a guitar player. But this wonderful kind and friendly man found words to motivate me even if he wasn't talking directly to me. I didn't dare to ask questions. Just his presence and how he worked with the others was a great experience. He looked very tired when he came out of the location. Grown up men where surrounding him, coming way too close, one louder than the other and they wanted autographs. I didn't want to bother him, was too shy to ask and stood silently with my first 30 Euro delay waiting if I was lucky. The security guy stepped between us but just before he was out of reach Steve turned around and signed my pedal. He gave such a warm smile and I was so happy. It was one of the greatest moments to remember. I'm fine now with not being able to play like him technically. But I play for the love of playing. Few month ago I found your channel and learned more than all the years before. There's always something to take from your videos even for beginners. Thank you for doing this uncle Ben. ❤

[@javierservigon]

Slash, Sweet Child solo... but more than anything what blew my mind was that he was "in the zone". When I saw him playing I thought "I bet if there's an explosion and the whole world came tumbling down, he won't even notice" and that was beautiful to me.

[@elarasophia]

This was such a positive and heart-warming video. Thank you! For me, it was seeing Gabriela from Rodrigo y Gabriela, and deciding, "I want to do THAT!"

[@dougguitar]

February 1977: on a school trip to Richmond, VA. Hanging out at the hotel pool where they had a jukebox. My friend Mike punches up a tune and says “Listen to this”. Suddenly I hear “Carry on my wayward son…” and then that killer riff kicks in. That moment literally flipped a switch in my brain, and I went from someone who enjoyed hearing music a bit, to being a musician. I got home from the trip and got a paper route so I could buy (at first) a bass and an amp. Switched to guitar about a year later. Haven’t stopped since!!

[@freetrial6142]

This one's super fun, thanks Ben

[@BenEller]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@phillybri]

We play guitar because it is the most fun and expressive instrument around. And it looks cool AF. P.S. Also, Eddie Van Halen

[@abunai.j]

Dude, you're dead on with the songs over tech stuff. It's cool to watch people rip it up for 30 seconds on socials, and that's fun, but there's nothing about it that - like you say - makes me want to pick up a guitar, even as a guitarist for years. It's the music that moves us, not the mechanical pieces of it. For me, the second I heard the intro to ADIDAS by KoRn, my 12 year old self knew I had to make that sound. That was it for me. Those fifteen seconds had me immediately all-in.

[@NickWebbSax]

Zeppelin. The tone, the swagger. I think that's what's missing most of the time from shred these days. EvH and Nuno have that swagger and shred, satch has that swing... Lots of that has been lost somewhere. Its cool but there's less groove

[@Gyzote]

Mr. Eddie Van Halen is my inspiration. “Ain’t talkin bout love” and “unchained” got me hooked.

[@msw812]

Unchained got me obsessed with playing guitar as a 10 year old in ‘82. It was the angry feel that matched my anger towards my dad cuz he was such a hard ass lol. Then Master of Puppets completed my therapy. Cheers!

[@devonswars]

14:30 in..Brilliant advice. Thanks for that 100% Say it more UB

[@BenEller]

You got it!

[@jeffc1753]

Was 12 years old, flipping through the channels at home and came across the new video from Metallica - Enter Sandman. I had never heard or seen anything like it. I was instantly hooked and learned how to play guitar on my dad’s acoustic with 13 gauge strings in E standard.

[@ChintzMusic]

Same here, Uncle Ben! I got hooked on bass upon hearing Green Day's "When I Come Around", plus The Offspring's "Self Esteem" - The Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero/Rock Band video games really informed my musical upbringing; a fusion of rock, punk, metal and hip-hop

[@gtr362012]

The intro to Thunderstruck is what caught my ears all those years ago.. once AC/DC opened the doors .. well many many bands followed there after and 30 plus years later still do less clickin and more pickin 😂…lol..

[@bastianogr4960]

That thing is epic! Especially when you're a kid. But it actually gives me goosebumps to this day. Not just the Angus part, but the entire build-up of that intro. It's pure perfection and goes right into the body.

[@CamArias]

You Could Be Mine by GNR was probably the song for me. The Terminator 2 video mixed with Slash's energy on the guitar had me hooked at age 10.

[@ShaelynneDFuller]

I grew up during the early years of MTV and was inundated with all kinds of cool music, I was 11 or 12 back then and the bands that stood out most to me were Rush, Def Leppard, Scorpions, Ozzy.

[@stevewasham4515]

My brother had tons of 45's I used to play on my suitcase type record player. Hearing "With a purple umbrella and a fifty cent hat" then Jimmy's riff had me hooked!

[@angellesambre1]

It has been so many decades now... a lifetime ago but off the top of my head? The car horns blasting, bass thump, pick slide and pounding riff and DLR's screams... I spent the night at my buddy's house and he put on VH1 and I was never quite the same again. Eruption right behind it?!? Hooked! Coupled with Foreigner's "Juke Box Hero" assuring me mere mortals could do this but the thing that finally pushed me over the edge was auditioning as a singer in a local teen band. Richard Kendrick was my age with a beat up Hondo LP copy he had broken and glued the headstock back on... playing new Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden... all my favorites. I didn't get the gig, but was inspired. I went to a pawnshop and bought what I imagine was a JC Penney Kay guitar but you couldn't tell because someone had spray painted it white. One pickup didn't work, and I played it through my older brother's stereo with an RCA plug because I couldn't afford a real amp. Forty years later, and I am still going at it. Who knows? One day I might get good! Haha!

[@damonsdeliberatedetour492]

My Dad played guitar in bands in England so I have always been around music. When we moved to Van Nuys CA we ended up being around more music and movie people so it just was always right there. I will admit Slade, Status Quo and Queen inspired me but Randy Rhoads and Rik Emmett pushed it over the edge for me!

[@Guithulhu]

Always loved the guitar parts in music even when very young. Like "what was that cool part all about?". Later, started playing, heading brilliant guitarists like EVH, Iommi, Rhoads, Page, and later shredders, then all the brilliant KZbin guitarists. So there has always been something cool and new to try and climb that new level.

[@PelleKuipers]

I absolutely love Joshua is just whispering his answers in your ear. Also, mine was Queen. I loved Brian May, and I still do.

[@DC11GTR]

Crossroads. I was a huge Karate Kid fan and of Ralph so mother rented that flick. I’d always wanted to play but not because of any particular player that I can remember. Then I saw the movie….

[@Emanuelnx]

Awesome video!! I bought a ’92 Ibanez rg550 today, gonna play even more guitar hehe

[@wardrunaragnar5031]

I picked up the guitar in '92 for one reason only; Slash.

[@zajefajnylogin]

I started playing guitar because I had the conditions for it and at that time it was becoming trendy and distinctive. Then I played because I thought I would be the next Slash, Hammett etc. :) Then I stopped playing for 10 years. Now I play because it allows me not to think about everyday problems. :)

[@reaverofsouls]

Hanging with my older brother and his friends, them late teens and me being 13. One of em brought a small rig over and I wound up learning a couple of riffs. Actually grew up in a musical household, parents both played, so there was easy access to guitar and my dad had some big books, Beatles, Sabbath, Eagles. Heavy metal got me. Learning some of that Sabbath then moving to Metallica. Wound up getting a bass one summer, which worked learning at the altars of Geezer and Cliff.

[@user-yd3dx3vh2u]

SICK House shirt !

[@BenEller]

Glad you noticed!!

[@ThugLifeMarcus]

Inspirational vid! Even the wonderful Matt Heafy of the mighty Trivium has said - at the end of the day it's all about the songs.

[@robguitar1969]

For me it was Duran Duran but hear me out..... My friend and I were watching MTV and they were showing some live footage of them playing in front of thousands of women. I though that was pretty damn cool so I started taking lessons. Not long after I heard Van Halen's 1984 and Rush's Power Windows albums and that was it. Forty plus years later and I still enjoy it as much as I did as a teenager.

[@gitaaa7740]

This is a video to watch from beginning to end.

[@IsabellaCatherine19XX]

Nice Hausu shirt, Ben. I started playing drums and guitars because of Nirvana and the Melvins. They changed my life.

[@darrenwardell3079]

For me it must be a British band called SHY, Steve Harris to be exact once i heard his tone and melodies on the Excess All Areas Album.

[@nimblefred2932]

Waaaaaay back in 6th grade a friend had an electric guitar. I'd never seen one and I thought it was the coolest thing. Plus the Back in Black album was new and big at the time and I was very into it.

[@HannahCope88]

Good stuff my friend! A lot of similar but also a few very different origin stories in there. Mine was seeing Def Leppard live for the first time in Dec 2018, and this was also my very first concert in general too. I was front row watching Phil Collen and Viv Campbell do their thing and I thought to myself, I'm gonna do it, I'm not gonna keep on waiting, I'm an adult now, I want to learn to play something and I choose guitar. Going back some years though in a student statement I wrote when I was 14, I wrote this "I would really love to be in a band something like H-Blockx or Nirvana or something so I would love to learn electric guitar". Funniest thing is I can't remember for the life of me who H-Blockx were or what any songs were haha. I'm still plugging away at learning, have been very much a directionless perpetual beginner in all that time but now, i'm making good progress. I did get a bass a couple years ago (a very special and cherished gift from a close friend), I ended up putting it away as I realized my guitar playing wasn't where I wanted it to be and I shouldn't bite off more than I should chew as I was and still am going through some stuff. I finally feel ready to tackle it now so i've dug it out of storage, any tips on what Bass stuff I could focus on for beginner learnings would be awesome. I'm thinking just fun stuff to start like learnings riffs and licks etc.

[@bastianogr4960]

At about 8 or 9 years old, I didn't care about music at all. But living near London during the 80s, my family went to the musicals rather often. All of that epic Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff. The opening riff to the song 'Rolling Stock' from the musical Starlight Express did it for me. That's a really down and dirty boogie riff, that comes out of nowhere. When this thing blasted out of the darkness, I felt things I had never felt before. The pure force of that guitar, the groove, the way it dominated the entire space. It captured every cell of my body. However, I was much too young to believe, that I could ever do something like that, and I was lightyears away from picking up a musical instrument. So the seed had to sit for a couple of more years. Until, at maybe 11, I first saw Back to the Future, the Battle of the Bands qualifying scene. That's when that exact same sensation hit me once again. It was unbelievable. Oh, and there's a bit of EVH in that movie, too, that certainly didn't go unnoticed. From that point on, the guitar became inevitable.

[@satchrules101]

I was 19 when I heard the forgotten part 1and2 and bells of lal part 2 .. I could not believe how Amazing a human could play like that! Forever Satriani !!!!!!

[@randallhaney7909]

Wow Cool stuff for sure Uncle Benny Bob. Absolutely Great episode. Myself I can't remember when I even considered Not playing guitar, The big turning point for me was when I decided I wanted to pat on a stage in front of strangers. 1st time I played bass (not really intended to be a bass player. But had worked out a pretty cool couple of riffs; that worker really well on bass, So there I was. That song was "Hay Joe". Covered a pre Hendrix, version by the Leaves But the song that got me up playing Guitar and singing on stage. Was For "What it's Worth", I (Tried my best to be Steven Stills". You can find those songs in ancient music books. I loved this Episode Thanks Uncle benny Bob to you and all the guest players as well .. Epic.

[@guitar4jesus945]

Hearing "Over the Mountain", by Ozzy was the song that made me want to play. Greg Koch has to be the most fun person in the world to hang out with.

[@garykeller15]

first . what got me into wanting to play guitar was when the road i lived on first got cable and i discovered mtv's headbangers ball and watched Grim Reapers Rock you to hell and seen my dream guitar played by a fellow lefty Nick Bowcott. (this is around the time i was taking more interest in music and before i knew of Jimi Hendrix and Tony Iommi) So i seen he was a lefty guitarists. SO i decided to try first time i tried to learn right handed i simply could not do it and quit, then a year later i got a series 10 cheap left handed guitar from pawn shop and i played till 1990 when i got my first real Left handed guitar 1990 lefty metallic black charvel model 475. i did not like active electronics and pickups that was in it so i changed them to dimarzio and practiced while i was a roadie for former fake friends who only used me as a roadie for their local band from 1990 to 1994 when we had a falling out. then in 96 i was getting financial aid papers put together to go to MIT Musicians institute of technology as it was known then. But my elderly father got sick so i put that on hold (thank god because i am a conservative trump supporter and MI is in left wing backyard. I would have been bullied, harassed and ive delt with that most of my life since grade school even from teachers. So i decided to end the dream of going to MI, and Berkeley college of music was no different. Then later on i came to my senses and realize that those who told me. You can not be anything you want or do anything you want in life, you need to have been born with the god given talent and destined by god to do it. I realized that was fact. and that yes you make work hard and get to a certain point but there will be a permanent roadblock/dead end that you will not get by. Mine was Barre chords, shifting from chords to chords, i from 1990 to when i put my playing on hold to take care of my elderly father then elderly mother 2003-2008 I tried the f chord was the absolute one that i almost then there is one barre chord i believe it is or part last part of war pigs which going which trying to fret that chord out to play that part could not get notes to ring properly i spent hours trying move hand positions in almost every slight position i would stay up 3-5 days straight for 3 weeks of each month from 1990 to 1998 with 30 minute breaks for eating, a nap, etc. i still was not able to master barre chords, so i decided this past few years starting in 2020 to start to put those dreams of starting a band, performing, having a music career, stop writing songs, and put this dream of a music career where it belongs in the ground and start living in reality and realize god did not give me the talent or destine me to be a musician, I accept it now so the fact is there comes a time people need to stop living in fantasy land and realize dreams do not come true, dreams are nothing more than a sign you have let your imagination run wild and you need to control it and start living in reality. Some people were never meant to be musicians, just like some people were not meant to be firefighters, doctors, etc. You can not change destiny, whatever god destines you to be whether you like or not or try to fight it, it is futile. I keep my music gear as a sign of the stupidity and how foolish i was not to come to my senses sooner. why i fought so long against reality cause i was a loner and was ultimate shyness, and i found the easiest way to express myself is through music.

[@outlaw454070907]

For me, it started out with wanting to learn bass because Cliff Burton's playing on Anesthesia and, in particular, Orion just fully blew me away as an early teen. Within a year of playing bass, through a combination of a kinda crap instrument, hearing Joe Satriani's Is There Love In Space?, and playing an absurd amount of Guitar Hero, I made the switch to guitar. Over the last year or so I've gone back to bass far more regularly and feel like I've gotten to the point of technical parity with my guitar playing, with very different approaches to both instruments. I feel as at home on a 5 string bass as I do on a 6 string guitar.

[@RGTechTalk]

I was 14 in 1984, Metallica’s RTL just came out plus 80’s hair metal had all the cool solos. I was drawn to the guitar.

[@clutch2827]

2:47 uh you can let go of my hand now lol

[@metallicaspiker16]

I’ve been playing guitar seriously since March/April 2008, but I first picked up the instrument in December 2007. During my last year of junior high school / first year of high school, I was going through a bit of an identity crisis and didn’t really know what I wanted to be in my life, and on top of that I was the kid who was always bullied and pushed around by the jocks. I played Guitar Hero and Rock Band for the first time around 2006 just to experiment, but what got me my start was hearing Metallica - Master Of Puppets for the first time. Witnessing those four on the TV playing the Seattle ‘89 concert was what made 13 year old me think “That. That’s what I want to do with my life”. I’ve been playing for 17 years now, and I don’t know where I’d be without guitar as an outlet. I’m eternally grateful to Metallica for inspiring me to get started with learning guitar, and I still routinely blast Master of Puppets at least once every day. Metal saved me from myself, and now I’m in a metal band trying to be an inspiration for people just like my heroes were to me. 🎸🤘😊

[@paulcarter105]

I was in gr. 11 in 2011. On my spare hanging out with my older brother who’s 8 years older. He had been playing guitar for a couple years at that point. I was still sort of playing drums. He puts on creeds my own prison cd and I was so blown away by the dynamic of mark tremontis playing from clean to dirty. That I was like I’m interested in guitar now. Bashed around on his guitar for a while before I got my own in 2015

[@dannyc6166]

Started playing when I heard Led Zeppelin Black Dog. I was walking down the sidewalk & a girl with an 8track was laying out in the sun on a blanket. I heard “hey hey moma said the way you move” …. Guitars drums base explosion!!!! I started on drums & switched to guitar because I could never afford a drum set of my own. Got a sweet Japanese Les Paul bolt on neck & was off to the races. When I heard Van Halen’s 1st album, I was blown away like 99% of guitar players & went from Jimmy Page to Eddie, then Hendrix , Trower, & Frank Marino. Then Malmsteen came out with Alcatraz….

[@PawpawJamz]

Kiss, Edward, Randy. Very 😎 video.

[@chucksaeger7500]

Looked like a lot of fun and you got to see Sophie Burrell!

[@dasninjastix]

I started last year, in my 40s. The biggest regret of my life will be not picking up a guitar years ago. I play because music is the greatest thing in this life. That you can organize sounds into a cadence that can impart feelings that defy words and thought is the only magic I'm willing to believe in. I play guitar because it's so expressive, so diverse, and so frigging cool. Not everyone needs to play guitar but I think everyone should participate in music. Be part of this crazy magic. (edit) And I have to echo Fluff, Jerry Cantrell is my goat and guitar inspiration. The sludge riff tone king, a prolific songwriter, and damn good vocalist.

[@stoneystark3140]

Nice House tshirt Ben! Thats rad

[@trevorwarner1322]

Watching my Uncle Jimmy play "Pipeline" on his BB King guitar at 13 got me started. He looked like he was having so much fun. Indeed, it is hella fun. Yes, "hella."

[@robertalsbury]

Cool video! For me it was Mark Tremonti man. I heard “my own prison” and never looked back! Every song on that album - “torn”, “pity for a dime”. Marks playing resonates with my soul man!!!!

[@MrFrykman]

I love this, and love that you posted it… Keep doing what you’re doing, and thank you. 🙏🏻

[@BenEller]

Thank you! Will do!

[@blazar3861]

I was really into video game music (still am), but once upon a time in 2018 (was 15 back then) I saw a video titled "Battery". The intro was so beautiful, paired with the vicious, visceral and raging guitars that came after, it was the perfect melody and I REALLY wanted to be able to play like that. This was my turning point into listening to more of the old school thrash and then I bought my first guitar (Squier Strat, I know not a great choice, but I love it to death) and I've been learning all my favorite sings ever since!

[@travisguide4516]

I actually really like the way a guitar looks over any other instrument but i went towards the keys i would play guitar but i sucked still after years maybe that’s how i found this channel

[@mikebast7748]

Nice Hausu t-shirt

[@DaA-f4h]

Hearing blink182 as a little kid in the late 90s is what did it for me

[@StuPedassol]

Gregory Kochory has a live "Live from the Orange Room" every Monday and Friday! Thanks, Uncy Bang!

[@mrcurtis73]

Great video! Greg Koch seems like he’s always “on”.. lol.. Hilarious. Anyway, my grandfather played guitar. He was into country but my cousins on that side were into Kiss, so that’s pretty much what got me started. But a few years later, when I first heard the live version of “gimme three steps” (Skynyrd), was the first time I was like “I wanna learn that!”

[@jsk8et]

My dad played, but I didn’t really care. Then, a neighbor who was 4 years older than me told me he’d play every day if he had a guitar. I started learning soon after and jumped into learning Nirvana (Nevermind) and Green Day (Dookie), whose albums had been out a couple years but were already classics. Metallica’s “Black Album” soon followed. I only learned a few songs before I started writing. But also the Nu Metal of the era was an influence on tones, but not so much tunings somehow.

[@kiltsteve7794]

I was 3years old, saw a guitar in my dad’s hand. I restored it. Band:Styx. James Young; Miss America. Big bang; Joe Satriani Ice Nine.

[@TheMusicalSchizo]

This was a lovely one, Uncle Ben. I was like you - I wanted to play bass, but a guitar was present, so I played that first. Then my brother got a bass because I had been monopolizing his guitar, and I got a gig playing bass before ever playing guitar in anything formal, and had to borrow my brother's bass stuff, and offered to pay him half what I made because I wanted him to know I wasn't trying to "steal" it like the guitar. Eventually I got my own bass (Fender Jazz bass) and the vast majority of my "pro" experience has been as a bassist/singer in bands. A few guitar gigs here and there, and a bunch of solo acoustic stuff, but I only feel like a pro on bass at this point. Crazy how that works. Anyway. Sorry for the book, thanks for the video! :)

[@GillRigged]

Cliff Button is who got me into bass. RTL & MoP 🤘

[@AnimalJohn85]

I play because I needed a second instrument on my GCSE course at school way back when. Primarily picked it up to write my own stuff (do not have the memory for covers) and have fun. Mega fun to be had but drums are still better (even though geetar has overtaken the drumming). It's also for the most part a fantastic community of people :)

[@jeffreyrivers1983]

I got a gibson flying V because I saw MSG swinging a black and white one around. Not sure y I started... I'm old ... guitar is vintage

[@bruceMooseman]

The reason i play... An interesting combination of the coolest sounding Christian blues guitarists and song writer , glen kaiser (where i got the love for the 'feels' in guiter rather than just speed) and black Sabbath! The timing groove and darkness of it all was just an intoxicating combination and still is..they give the riffs and their songs space to breath, and its heavier for that reason in my opinion.. i just love the emotive connection u can get with the guitar and how as u get better its often not what u play but how u play it!

[@thehoppo]

80's me would have said I want to play guitar to get chic's, 90's me would have said I want to play guitar to bare my tortured soul and be taken seriously as a musician, 2000's me would have said I want to be cool and make a sh!t ton of money, 2010's me would have said I want to be big on KZbin. Today me wants to play guitar to get chics

[@CompleteProducer84]

You’ve completed the cycle 😅

[@edwardknutson8108]

I first got interested in guitar watching Roy Clark on Hee Haw and from watching The Smothers Brothers. Hee Haw also piqued my interest in buxom ladies with pigtails and I owe it to The Smothers Brothers for my being snarky.

[@luckyjones22]

I saw the video for Bark at the Moon by Ozzy. Jake E Lee was the man. So cool. Thanks Jake!!

[@kristianwichmann9996]

Mike Dirnt's bass tone is top notch!

[@FrankBirtwistle]

I've played all styles over the years - both technical and otherwise. These days I still play because I write songs (or at least song ideas) - almost exclusively fingerstyle acoustic based. I occasionally put videos on here and eps on Bandcamp etc - these days doing the same but in a duo with a vocalist. I don't think I'd be playing these days if I was just playing riffs etc.

[@bryanalilvguitars]

Thanks for this video Uncle Ben, I really needed it :)

[@RECTIFIER101]

Great video, love Greg K, he's a hoot !!!

[@8LuckyBuc9]

This is a nice video, and we like things that are nice!

[@BenEller]

I like things that are nice!

[@kagenotatsumaki]

My 3 songs that made me go "ok, I wanna get serious about playing the guitar" a few years ago are Hummer by Smashing Pumpkins and the songs Puzzle, and DICE by BAND-MAID.

[@gabepaez9938]

have been discouraged from playing due to a clicky thumb (trigger thumb). this video Inspired me to pick up me gitar. thanks ben

[@guitardude1981]

I think every guitar player should play bass! It's great to lock in with a drummer and groove! It will make your rhythm guitar playing tighter!

[@Double_0_7_Strings]

My dad always had a guitar around the house, but hearing Joe Satriani as a 12 year old was the kick I needed to make me want to start.

[@mab2112]

Top 5 Reasons Why I Wanted to Learn Guitar: 1) EVH 2) EVH 3) EVH 4) Alex Lifeson 5) EVH (Honorable mentions: Craig Chaquico, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Rik Emmett, Steve Lukather, Angus & Malcolm Young, Jimi Hendrix, KK Downing/Glenn Tipton, Matthias Jabs/Michael Schenker/Uli Jon Roth, Neal Schon, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, Adrian Smith/Dave Murray, Gary Moore, Trevor Rabin, Steve Howe, Tom Scholz, David Gilmour, Phil Collen/Steve Clark/Pete Willis, Joe Satriani, Brad Gillis/Jeff Watson, Andy Summers, Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, The Edge, Steve Hackett/Mike Rutherford/Daryl Stuermer)

[@CorumBryant]

Incredibly wholesome, playing guitar should be fun ❤

[@jrosales2663]

Listening to Iron Maiden, the Powerslave album and Ride the Lightning is what did it for me.

[@paulkline3011]

I play guitar because my older sister bought Metallicas new album The Black Album when it first came out in 1991. I fell in love with it and wanted to do that.

[@TheSpydersBand]

Like EVH, it was Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad, what really motivated me was Gary Moore.

[@jonprudhomme7694]

For me Don't Fear the Reaper first really caught my ear. Then many years later, Queensryche's opening riff in Another Rainy Night Without You captured my imagination. When I pick up a guitar now, those are the tones I hear.

[@lordhong1093]

Picked up a guitar because my uncle had a white BC Rich warlock in the 80’s that I would sneak into his room and play it. He eventually gave it to me in the early 90’s and been shredding ever since

[@DarthV506]

Always remember checking out albums at the local k-mart when I was 11-13 yrs old. Old Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Priest, Van Halen. Something about the tone from Speak of the Devil and those classic Sabbath tunes, just love distorted guitar. Friend's older brother had Iron Maiden Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind, both blew my mind. Then got it totally blown by EVH. I still have the GFTPM issue from the month I got my first pawn shop guitar in Dec 1987. Bought it for Eruption. Also, Columbia House ate up the allowance that the arcade & mall food court didn't. Not going to say the instant gratification of modern streaming is bad, but there's something missing compared to the experience of biking to the mall to get that new album. Does that happen with kids now?

[@GeirOlafs1]

I was in the boyscouts. Only two guys knew how to play the guitar and would play during our trips. Then both of them left. And since there was no one that knew how to play the thing, my stepdad started teaching me how to play. And then I was the designated guitar tool on our trips. Playing is fun

[@andrewpappas9311]

Honestly, my love of The Beatles got me into it because they were the first band I got into back when I first started getting into music and I immediately wanted to do what they were doing, plus George Harrison was and still is one of my absolute favourite guitarists and my first major influence alongside Eddie Van Halen (second after George) and David Gilmour

[@joeyd3324]

Wow...Mine was Rush 2112...