Style of Eddie Van Halen

Artist Series Guitar Course from Andy Whitehead

Andy Whitehead takes a look at the style of one of the most influential guitarist of all time: Eddie Van Halen.

32 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

Guitar Pro

All tabs and notation provided in PDF and Guitar Pro formats.

Tabs & Info

Download tabs, helpers, JamTracks and docs included with lessons.

Included

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Full Course Breakdown

Andy Whitehead takes a look at the style of one of the most influential guitarist of all time: Eddie Van Halen.

1

Series Introduction

Join Andy as he takes a look at the style of one of the most influential guitarists of all time: Eddie Van Halen. In the series introduction, Andy gives us a taste of what is to come in the series.

3:00 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

2

Everybody Wants Power Chords, Part 1

Andy starts off by looking at Eddie's rhythm playing, specifically his use of open position power chords.

8:18 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

View this Lesson
3

Everybody Wants Power Chords, Part 2

Pushing the envelope: that's what this dotted quarter note feel is all about. Join Andy as he shows us another driving Van Halen style power chord riff!

7:24 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

4

Everybody Wants Power Chords, Part 3

Now Andy takes a look at a common technique that Eddie employed: adding single notes to power chords.

4:53 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

5

Everybody Wants Power Chords, Part 4

Continuing with the power chord theme, Andy adds in some sliding single notes to a cool power chord riff.

5:03 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

6

Sliding Power Chords

Sliding power chords around the neck is a common theme in Eddie's playing. Andy takes some familiar shapes and moves them around to create a cool riff!

5:35 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

7

Mixed Chords

In this lesson, Andy combines power chord shapes with other types of chord shapes. It's really the best of both worlds ;).

4:24 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

8

Power Chords with Open Strings

Now Andy takes common power chord shapes and gives them a tweak by letting certain open strings ring along side them.

6:19 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

9

Full Barre Chords, Part 1

Now we transition from power chords and open power chords to full barre chords. These chords and their variations bring some different colors to the canvas.

6:46 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

10

Full Barre Chords, Part 2

Andy shows us a slight variation on lesson 9 that adds even more variety to your barre chords!

5:10 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

11

Barre Chords With Single Notes, Part 1

Adding single notes to smaller barre shapes is the focus of this lesson. Eddie used this sort of technique on some classic Van Halen songs!

6:41 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

12

Barre Chords With Single Notes, Part 2

A very Eddie sounding riff punctuates this lesson that looks at adding single notes to barre chord shapes.

6:43 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

13

Power Chords and Natural Harmonics

Integrating natural harmonics and power chords is a common Eddie technique. In this lesson, Andy has us working on a very cool riff that does just that!

7:57 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

14

Pinch Harmonics

Pinch harmonics are a big part of some of the crazy sounds that Eddie gets out of his guitar. In this lesson, Andy shows us how to achieve this sound.

4:40 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

15

Pinch Harmonics Exercise

Here's a short lick for you to practice your pinch harmonics that we learned in the previous lesson!

4:14 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

16

Symmetrical Scale, Part 1

Eddie had a unique way of playing certain scales. Some of these scales were very uniform in their fingering across the fretboard, thus the term - Symmetrical Scale. Here is the first in a series of 3 lessons that takes a look at these interesting sounding scales.

6:03 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

17

Symmetrical Scale, Part 2

In the second symmetrical scale, Andy shows us a fast and furious lick that is really reminiscent of Eddie!

4:56 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

18

Symmetrical Scale, Part 3

In the third symmetrical scale, Andy returns to some tapping to illustrate the lick.

5:40 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

19

Major Scale Lick

In this lesson, Andy shows us a cool, ascending major scale lick that will prove to be useful in lots of musical situations!

5:42 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

20

Minor Pentatonic Scale Position

A trill, a minor pentatonic scale and a bluesy bend make up this lick in the style of Van Halen!

4:34 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

21

Minor Pentatonic Blues Scale

This riff may have it's origin in the Chuck Berry style, but it's one that Van Halen used a lot!

7:17 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

22

Pentatonic Scale Lick in Octaves

Here's a fun lick Andy will show you that gives you great practice at jumping from one end of the fret board to the other.

6:11 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

23

Minor Pentatonic Tapping Lick

One of the techniques that Eddie is best known for is of course, his two handed tapping technique. In this lesson, Andy shows us a Van Halen-esque tapping lick using notes in the minor pentatonic scale.

6:04 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

24

Tapping Adjacent Pentatonics

More tapping on tap here.... Andy shows us a lick that uses adjacent pentatonic notes on the fretboard.

5:52 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

25

Tapped Harmonics Part 1

In this lesson, Andy shows us a staple of Eddie's repertoire: Tapped Harmonics.

5:54 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

26

Tapped Harmonics Part 2

Tapped Harmonics Part 2 has a very rhythmic riff that Andy is going to show us that has a similar vibe to "Mean Streets" by Van Halen.

7:31 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

27

Tapped Harmonics Part 3

Building on the lick from the last lesson, Andy continues with more tapped harmonics.

4:15 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

28

Tremolo Picking

Here's a technique that Eddie uses a lot in his playing. A bit tricky, but with practice it's a technique that anyone can do!

4:04 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

29

Tapping With Open Strings

In this lesson, Andy shows us a tapping lick that uses open strings, and mulitple notes on one string.

5:29 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

30

Tapping on Multiple Strings

Andy now takes the pattern we learned in the last lesson, add a little to it, and puts it in a musical context for us.

4:59 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

31

Tapping and Shifting Positions

In this lesson, Andy shows us a cool ascending tapping lick that moves through various positions.

8:50 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

32

Eddie's Gear

In the series finale, Andy briefly discusses Eddie's gear and gives us some advice as to how to recreate his basic sound.

5:30 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

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  • Englewood, CO
  • Playing since 1992
  • 32 lessons at JamPlay
Originally from Amarillo, Texas, Andy began recording and touring as a guitarist with the indie/progressive band, TORGO!. They released their debut album, Choose Your Own Adventure, in 2010. While Andy majored in music at Amarillo Community College, he studied classical and jazz guitar.

Originally from Amarillo, Texas, Andy began recording and touring as a guitarist with the indie/progressive band, TORGO!. They released their debut album, Choose Your Own Adventure, in 2010. While Andy majored in music at Amarillo Community College, he studied classical and jazz guitar. Andy received a Bachelor's of Music with an Emphasis in Instrumental Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He performed in UNC's big bands, small jazz combos, jazz guitar ensemble and vocal jazz ensembles. Andy teaches for multiple music lesson companies and also has been ranked in the top three musicians and teachers in Arvada, CO by Thumbtack.com. In addition, he writes educational music articles and blogs. Andy performs regularly for events, restaurants, and musicals as a guitarist in a variety of styles. Andy teaches for multiple music lesson companies and has been ranked in the top three musicians and teachers in Englewood and Arvada, CO by Thumbtack.com