Video Question: Playing Eruption

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Date: May 12th, 2009 | Length: 7.78 | Instructor: David MacKenzie

Deathxrocker asked "What is the easiest way to play Eruption by Eddie Van Halen." Another benefit of being a member of JamPlay is the video response section. Our expert staff fields questions from our members and provides video responses each week.

Other Video Responses:

Learning How to Solo - December 16th, 2008 (4 minutes, 44 seconds)

Ianb63 said "Hi all and thanks to Jamplay for a truly wonderful site. You guys are all amazing. After quite a few years of frustration alot of the theory has started to make sense at last. I know, and understand all twelve key signatures and there relative minor scales. I can play all the scales in five different patterns on the neck. I also know every note on the guitar neck by name. Chord theory makes sense to me and i understand how they are constructed. Modes took a while to get my head round, but i got there in the end. Given all this knowledge you would think i would have no trouble improvising, but in fact i am really struggling. My problem is this. If i concentrate on where i am on the guitar and what i want to play, i lose track of where i am in the chord progression i am following. If however i concentrate on counting the beat, i can keep track of the chords but then i cannot keep my focus on where exactly i am on the neck and it all goes to pieces. Any chance of a lesson to simplify the process and build n on how to up to it in stages....Thanks Ian" View Response

Talc - May 26th, 2008 (1 minutes, 25 seconds)

Freakinrican77 asks, "My hands tend to get sweaty at times and it tends to effect my ability to switch chords. If I use talk on my hands to absorb the sweat, could it damage my guitar? I shoot pool a lot so I figured I might be able to use talc in this situation too." View Response

Steel or Nylon Strings - June 5th, 2009 (2 minutes, 31 seconds)

Capo asked "Hi, Jim. I am always (really coveting I think) wanting to buy a nylon stringed guitar to play alternating finger style guitar on. I don't know, of course, but I imagine this to be obviously easier on the fingernails but it must have a downside which I surmise is in the compromised sound or timbre of the notes and chords. And, others such as yourself, Jim, do not use the nylon string guitar and that makes me suspicious. Although I did see a vid of Buster Jones (is that his name) playing what appeared to be a nylon stringed acoustic electric and doing all right with it I might add. Another point I argue with my mind over is that I will never be a professional guitarist, this is not my goal, so I seem to justify my lame argument with that fact and my heart says well, therefore, go ahead and buy one (nylon stringed). Well, enough said. What do you think of these thoughts. You must have some opinions and I would love to hear them so I won't waste my money unnecessarily. All the best, Capo." View Response

Scales and Improvisation - October 10th, 2007 (2 minutes, 43 seconds)

KevinT says, "HI, I checked out Brads scales lesson and have a question. I always warm up with minor pentatonic 1st position so I know it blindfolded, I am working on the others. My question is that when I just start messing around with improv it always ends up still sounding like scales. How do I get away from that? Thanks" View Response

Teaching Children - October 10th, 2007 (2 minutes, 12 seconds)

Mav67 says, "My 6 year old son is dying to try playing the guitar. Probably because I do, (well at least try to). I am going out to buy him a guitar that actually is his size soon. What my question is: How should I go about getting him started? I want him to have fun and try and take the hard out of the work aspect of learning and let him have fun on it. Any suggestions or tips will be greatly appreciated." View Response