This is not my man. But I think you might enjoy this. Or check out Tom MacDonald and try to play along for yourself. This video is someone playing along to a Tom MacDonald song. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jZdkY6mj1qzHd3k.html

I met and knew Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen, that explination is dam near what Eddie taught me about making a song his way. Only one little piece he suggested on how he figured that out was from obviously Claptons song with the hook or riff. Just clapton used more bluesy stuff based on dm stuff.

Michael , thank you for this. Shared your video and pdf with all my songwriting friends and music students. Pure Gold

@@christopherspohn8071 Right on!!! Thanks!

@@rikkousa Thanks so much!

And that's important to understand! The intent of making a song for the masses is far different than making a song for yourself or your other music friends

@@Guitargate awesome breakdown! Question I had was did he write everything as visual patterns or what sounds good because in his interviews he mentions many times, not knowing any music theory.

Wow…guitar teacher I went to back during HS in the 80’s really pushed major keys and using the major scale and to me. You summed up the some of the same concepts he did but with more clarity and a better explanation. My hats off to you, this is absolute gold

@@DougMorris71 wait what? All that does is change the key. To make a key minor you have to lower the third.

@@DougMorris71 so yes they tune down so they can heavier strings. The whole band has to be the same pitch though. I’m sure you’re not saying that just the guitarist tunes down but the others don’t right?

Facts. !!

Were the drums tuned to the c, f and g too?

Yup, I’m just a guitar hack who happen upon this video. Fascinating none the less, and clearly demonstrates Eddies talent, creativity land ear.

Couldn't have said that any better.

Yea I was lost after 5 min but watched for 17 because of his passion haha

Thanks!

@@Guitargate greetings from Chile dude! 🙌🏼

I don't even play guitar and found this interesting as hell. I played drums for years, but was right into this explanation.

I have no business being here. So lost. 😂. But this is mind blowing

I always wondered if people doing that had Alzheimer or what... repeating three times the same thing 😂

That's exactly right. It's not unique to music. It's storytelling.

That's exactly right. It's not unique to music. It's storytelling.

@@Guitargate you need to repeat that one more time. Lol

I've noticed that most good/great players were music fans first. I know that's how it works for me. The more music and different kinds of music, you were exposed to, as you grew up, is there in your subconscious and influences everything you play. Like Motown and many others, if you're humming the tune before it's over, they got you...

Yeah, absolutely not lol....

Eddie was one hell of a lead player and his rhythm was absolutely miraculous.

It's funny that he n Alex started on opposite instruments, thank God they traded!!

Amazing

It' was the best song for Ed's histrionic wankery

The wanted him to solo over the monotone part of the song right before where the solo is now. Eddie convinced them to solo over the verse part instead.

@@mesabog2 Jones and Jackson owe everything they had to one Ed Van Halen,who is God

Steve Lukather played the rhythm guitar and the song was already written. Eddie just played the solo to an already written and recorded section.

@@zekiah9984 not what I heard. I heard Ed gave Steve some pointers on how to play basic guitar

And he's denied publicly being able to read music which I thought was odd.

@@williep1626 He says that because reading music doesn't match his bad boy rock image

He didn't need to, it was something you use if you'd never heard it before...

He did slight variations

To this day Eruption has my interest. In the gym I love hearing tunes like Mean Street, Ain't talk bout love, etc. Those riffs give you instant energy.

I like how you said "rewind". We are kids of the 80's !

because a lot of the playing gets shape based...not diatonic

@@Feverdream7777 care to elaborate?

This! I actually have trouble trying to learn evh riffs if which ever tutorial video I'm watching doesn't use a backing track. Even with a metronome it doesn't always work, you need Alex and Mike to figure out Eddie's timing

@@drdj2626 I guess we're not going to get the elaboration

@@deadmanswife3625 basically you need drums, bass, and in some cases, keyboard to fill the gaps. You can often hear guitar parts that aren't even there because your brain or ears cant always distinguish which is which, which can make learning his songs by ear a nightmare. That's how good all the instruments blend together. Brilliant songwriting.

You’re on it.

Totally agree...I play both bass and guitar--bass in mostly cover bands, guitar on original tunes. I was in a band that played a fair amount of VH tunes, and that quarter note pulse in Runnin' With The Devil is NOT easy to play and have it sound correct. It helps if you have a great drummer, which we did.

Eddie was one of a kind. We were blessed to have him. R.I.P.

Exactly

Thanks David!!!

DONT SLEEP ;-)

me too. halfway through but i need my bed!!

does your bed have a timer? jk

What he said....

He probably knew as he was classically trained.

@@rodneylee4026 Agree and with their dad being a Jazz Musician and music being talked about at the dinner table, I'm certain you are correct

@@daverich267 My understanding is that he knew theory but wasn't good at reading the classical piano music and didn't even need to. He knew theory and chords as did Alex.

Eddie had no idea - are you sure?))

@Dave Rich from my understanding, maybe a doc on his life or similiar, he COULDNT read music, just copied what he heard, piano, guitar..plan was Eddie gonna play drums n Alex guitar as kids, but mutually agreed to switch. Am thinking that even after all his years, never really did bother to "learn" to read music. Maybe mistaken, but that's what I am thinking.

Right?👍

Facts!

100%

Ah, yes, the ol’ “kids these days” that every ignorant person of every generation says about the generation younger than them. Go yell at kids for skateboarding or something

@@SnailHatan major difference between access to knowledge today vs early 90’s. Very simple to understand that. Don’t be stupid.

EXACTLY

When and why music changed from wanting us all to be happy and love each other differences an all.. I'll never know, but have a few ideas why when I see today's climate to how people interact with strangers. To me if you "listen to garbage your head fills with trash" is a perfect example of what most mainstream music today.

Eddie made us happy, optimistic. I listened to Mine All Mine before going into the grad school entrance exam. The song washed away all my worries. I aced the exam, and got in to grad school.

Man saw your reply after I wrote mine. I should have said I’m with this guy

YES

So, what's in a hook that puts the worm in your ear?

Ha!! Thanks brother. You’re crushing it my friend. Love your stuff.

@Doug Selsam - You sound like an absolutely delightful gentleman who not only appreciates the subtleties of creating hit rock songs, but also deserves some credit for probably being a relatively good-natured, well-adjusted, hetersexual male with several pounds of swinging pig iron who gave many thanks & committed many years to the tremendous alter of The Mighty Van Halen. In short, like many reading these words you probably have a low tolerance for bullshit. You laugh a little louder, think a little quicker, respond a little wiser, love a little harder, care a little deeper, fight a little stronger, & drive a little faster. As a fan of Van Halen's since 1978, & a friend of Michael Anthony's since 1992, I have always said & he has earned the maximum amount of personal & professional credit for the group's legendary stratospheric success, a full 25%. Further, I believe that if at any time in the band's history Michael would have become less like himself & more like Ed, Alex, Dave, or Sam in terms of lifestyle, goals, outspokenness, self-importance, and/or his ability to be even keel & de-escalate tension, "Van Halen" as an ongoing business concern would have most certainly self-destructed a long ago.

@@showtime951 Thanks Showtime951 The average listener remembers the chorus of the song, which is usually also the name of the song. Michael's voice is a major ingredient defining the sound of the chorus sections of the songs. Therefore, it is Michael's voice that defines the Van Halen sound for the average listener. Of course we musicians tend to focus on the complexity of master-musicians we idolize, but average listeners often don't even know the name of the band, let alone who in it can do guitar tricks etc. They just hear the chorus, and in the case of Van Halen, that is mostly thanks to Michael's sweet and effortless harmonies.

Thanks David!

Michael was underrated, but so great, and idk what happened in the whole VH Roth/Hagar back n forth drama, but hated that Michael was out when the last cast got together.❤

@@SoulofAlice After the VH3 record and tour, Mikey was mistreated by the brothers. Sammy commented on it, too. Then Mikey was accused by Ed that he really didn’t know how to play the bass. Ed said that he had to show him what to do on everything and would make video tapes for Mikey to watch and learn how to play the songs. I don’t believe that for a second and Sammy was outraged and even spoke out about it. Mikey’s cut of the money was reduced at the time of the reunion tour as well. He went along with it and agreed because he loved to play for the fans and that was more important than the money for him. Ed was a strange cat. Nobody can deny his musical genius, but he had issues when it came to a lot of people, except Al, I guess. I was so disappointed to hear a lot of what he said over the years. I’ve been trying to imitate him with my Kramer guitars since 1985, when Sammy joined VH. Anyway, it’s all in the past and none of it takes away from the music and I don’t think that there’s a fan out there, whether you like Sam or Dave, that doesn’t appreciate and recognize the talent and all around goodness of Michael Anthony.

Yes. I need to deep dive a few tunes and take it slow for sure. Thanks!

Thanks Jeff! SOON

Hahahahahaha This post is funny great on 3 levels. #1 Cliche; calls a yapper a genius. #2 This guy will never produce a "hit" as hits no longer exist unless it is pop music; no matter how good one is. #3 The guy/producer of the video gives a support to #2 as they know it is a lie. So funny. Rock on phoney.

For sure!

John frusciante (a huge Hendrix fan) seems to use those a ton too

Haha. He discovered they use Triads 😆🤣 that’s not a formula😂 you guys are all buying this. He stumbled onto the secret of life too. Everybody uses Oxygen 🤣 Wow did the Beatles use triads?? Guitar Hooks? Geez every rock song has a hook!! Even Joe Walsh said gotta have a guitar hook🤣joe isn’t Van Halen tho. Seriously why is I IV V chords the secret 🤫 James Taylor is Van Halen in disguise. (Guitar hooks, sus chords. Pedal bass notes ringing over triads. You could apply this to any band. This guys just trying to make money from revealing his in-depth conversation with Captain Obvious. 🤣

If YOU would like to devote some time to analyse how EVH constructed his songs instead of criticising someone who has ACTUALLY DONE IT, then go right ahead and enlighten the rest of us. But I doubt that you will, so just shut the F.U.C.K. Up .... because no one is interested in your misery gutz mouth spew !

Zrag. Triads, oxygen, we all use them eh? Sounds so simple. Some use them better than others. Check Wim Hof for starters on oxygen.

Thanks my friend!!

I have guitars all over my house , no stand either. 😂🤟

Guitar stands take up way too much floor space. Guitar wall hangers are the way to go!

@@Guitargate IT'S THE DEVILS MUSIC MAN . Formulaic to hypnotise the masses.

@@timothy5974 Rockefeller?

Dimebag too!!

@@Ssbad24 yes he did! He was the crunch master! RIP

Not even in the same discussion as EVH. A universe away.

EVH wrote most of his hooks before they were signed. He was out of hooks after 1996.

There's an entire vault of unpublished archives tracks. Imagine what's in there? Not sure if his son released or not.

Thanks kevin! I’ll get better as I do more. Same as anything else!

@@Guitargate off to a pretty darn solid start!