“I took classical piano lessons from the age of five.” AgeMusicFiveLessonsPianoPiano Lesson Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Eventually you'll take the phrases and rhythm patterns you've copped and begin to put your own mark on them” MusicMarkPatternsRhythmPhrases Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Rock & Roll is feeling, and after you know most of the basics ... chords, rhythm, scales and bends ... getting that feeling is just about the most important aspect of playing guitar” KnowsImportantFeelingsMusicRocksAspectGuitarScalesRhythmChordsBasicsPlaying Guitar Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Most beginners want to learn lead because they think it's cool .. consequently, they never really develop good rhythm skills .. since most of a rock guitarists time is spent playing rhythm, it's important to learn to do it well .. learning lead should come after you can play solid backup and have the sound of the chords in your head” ThinkingWantShouldWellsImportantPlayFunnySoundInspiringMusicRocksSkillsRhythmChordsGuitaristBeginnersBackup Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I wanted a Gibson type sound, but with a Strat vibrato ... I bought a body from Charvel for $50.00 and a neck for $80.00 - I slapped it together, put an old Gibson PAF in it and painted it up with the stripes” BodyWantedTogetherSoundMusicTypeNecksStripes Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I was just a punk kid, trying to get a sound out of a guitar that I couldn't get off the rack, so I built one myself ... I wanted a Gibson type of sound but with a Strat vibrato .. I went to town painting it and I put three pickups back in, but they don't work - only the rear one works” TryingKidsWantedThreeSoundMusicPaintingTypeBuiltTownsGuitarPunkRacksPickups Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I played 'Eruption' two times for the record, and we kept the one that seemed to flow ... there's a mistake at the top end of it whenever I hear it, I always think, Man I could've played it better ... but I like the way it sounds. I'd never heard a guitar sound like that before.” ThinkingMenWayTwoEndsSoundMistakeMusicRecordsHeardFlowGuitarEruptionGuitar MusicGuitar Sound Author:Eddie Van Halen
“If your going to learn to play lead guitar, get an electric guitar .. it doesn't have to be an expensive one .. acoustic guitars aren't good for learning lead, because you can't play up very high on the neck and they take heavier-gauge strings which makes it hard to bend notes” IfsHardPlayMusicNotesGuitarExpensiveNecksStringsElectricAcousticsGaugesAcoustic GuitarElectric Guitar Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I went to the zoo one day and saw a chimp playing with a beat-up acoustic guitar in a way I had never seen before. Instead of using the pick the chimp was banging the neck and tapping it with its fingers. I knew the chimp was on to something so I practiced this new technique in my room for hours until I'd perfected it.” WayHoursRoomsSawsOne DayBeatsPicksFingersGuitarTechniqueNecksZoosAcousticsBangingTappingAcoustic Guitar Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Major third complications can be overcome by lots of alcohol.” MajorsThirdsOvercomingAlcoholComplication Author:Eddie Van Halen
“A guitar is just theoretically built wrong. Each string is an interval of fourths, and then the B string is off. Theoretically, that's not right, all the strings should be off.” ShouldBuiltGuitarStringsIntervals Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I'm blessed with a good pair of ears. That's how I fooled my piano teacher. I'd watch his fingers and I'd listen to it, and I just kind of basically learned it by myself.” KindWatchesTeacherEarsBlessedFingersPianoPairsFooledPiano Teachers Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I was so used to doing old blues licks with the first three fingers. When I started using my pinky and finding more spread things, that's when I started getting my own style.” FirstsUsedThreeMy OwnStyleFindingsFingersSpreadMy Own Style Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Practice. I used to sit on the edge of my bed with a six-pack of Tuborg. My brother would go out to party and get laid, come home at 3am., and I would still be playing with myself.” StillsHomeUsedPartyPracticeBrotherBedSixEdgesMy BrotherComing HomePacksGetting LaidSix Packs Author:Eddie Van Halen
“There's a plaque on our wall that says we've sold over 65 million albums, and I don't feel I've accomplished anything. I feel like I'm just getting started.” FeelsMillionsWallAlbumsAccomplishedGetting Started Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Music kept me off the streets and out of trouble and gave me something that was mine that no one could take away from me. Music education and families are dealing with the economic times, and I wanted to help them. If I can help a kid discover a liking, or even a passion for music in their life, then that's a wonderful thing.” IfsI CanHelpingKidsWantedPassionWonderfulTroubleEconomicStreetsMinesWonderful ThingsMusic EducationPassion For Music Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I'm just a guitarist in a kick-ass rock and roll band. What more could I ask for?” AsksRocksBandAssKicksRock And RollGuitaristKick Ass Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Best believe that needle hurt you Best to see these true colors Than follow one of your false virtues A little secret to make you think: Why is the crazy stuff we never say, poetry in ink?” ThinkingBelieveLittlesStuffHurtSecretVirtueCrazyColorInkNeedlesMake You ThinkTrue ColorsBest Believe Author:Eddie Van Halen
“And if I would have taken lessons I probably wouldn't have done it, and what forced me to do all this weird stuff on the guitar was I couldn't afford effects pedals, I didn't have all this stuff when I was a kid so I just tried to squeeze all the weird noises I could out of the guitar, which brings me to building guitars.” IfsDoneKidsStuffTakenEffectsBuildingLessonsGuitarNoisePedalsWeird Stuff Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I'm the one in the band that said I'm not going on tour unless we do a record.” SaidRecordsBand Author:Eddie Van Halen
“It makes me feel kind of weird, but obviously the Man Upstairs gave me something and it touches people, and I'm just so blessed.” PeopleMenFeelsKindHe ManBlessedUpstairs Author:Eddie Van Halen
“We make music for a living. Like I've always said, if you like what you're doing, you're halfway there; if someone else likes it, that's even better. If they don't like it, at least you like it. Not to be selfish, but you kind of have to be.” IfsKindSaidSelfishLikesHalfwayYou Like ItDoing YouBeing SelfishHalfway There Author:Eddie Van Halen
“A good producer brings out the best in the artist he's working with. You shouldn't be able to listen to something and say, 'So-and-so produced this album.” AbleArtistAlbumsProducers Author:Eddie Van Halen
“Actually, if I could deliberately sit down and write a pop hit, all my songs would be pop hits! Let's put it this way. I play what I like to hear. And sometimes I like to hear something poppy, and sometimes I don't.” IfsWayWritingSometimesPlayWould BeSongDown AndPopsIf I CouldPoppies Author:Eddie Van Halen
“For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' took a year to record; that's why the playing on it might sound somewhat labored. 'Balance,' on the other hand, was written and recorded in only four months, so the whole process was quicker and more immediate.” YearsWholeHandsMightProcessSoundRecordsFourWrittenMonthsBalanceUnlawfulCarnal Knowledge Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I never dreamt of being a musician for my livelihood. I certainly never would have wanted to be in the business that I'm in, meaning the fame and the glory, the glitter, the rock star, the famous part.” WantedStarsRocksFameMusicianGloryRock StarGlitterLivelihood Author:Eddie Van Halen
“I'll always leave the same set of strings on my guitars when I'm recording. If I break one I'll just replace it instead of putting on a whole new set of strings.” IfsWholeBreakGuitarStrings Author:Eddie Van Halen
“If you have a great-sounding guitar that's a quality instrument and a good amp, and you know how to make the guitar talk, that's the key. It starts with the guitar and knowing what it should sound and feel like.” IfsKnowsFeelsShouldSoundQualityKnow HowKnowingKeysInstrumentsGuitar Author:Eddie Van Halen
“It comes back to the same old question people are always asking me: 'When are you going to do a solo record?' Well, if I did, it would probably be similar to 'Baluchitherium,' meaning it would be Van Halen music - which I write anyway - but without singing.” PeopleIfsWritingWellsWould BeRecordsSingingAskingSoloVansVan Halen Author:Eddie Van Halen
“It's all about sound. It's that simple. Wireless is wireless, and it's digital. Hopefully somewhere along the line somebody will add more ones to the zeros. When digital first started, I swear I could hear the gap between the ones and the zeros.” FirstsSoundLinesSimpleAddHopefullyDigitalGapsSwearWireless Author:Eddie Van Halen
“On 'Honeybabysweetiedoll' I used a Whammy, a Boss OC-3 octave box, a Sustainer and a Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler. That's only on the intro, where all those weird noises are happening.” UsedLinesHappeningsBoxesNoiseBossDelay Author:Eddie Van Halen
“When I'm home on a break, I lock myself in my room and play guitar. After two or three hours, I start getting into this total meditation. It's a feeling few people experience, and that's usually when I come up with weird stuff. It just flows. I can't force myself. I don't sit down and say I've got to practice.” PeopleI CanTwoPlayFeelingsHomeThreeForceStuffHoursRoomsBreakPracticeMeditationFlowDown AndGuitarCome UpLocksWeird Stuff Author:Eddie Van Halen
“When Van Halen started out, there was no path to fame. We just played what we liked. Even today it always comes down to the simplicity of rock and roll.” TodayPathRocksFameSimplicityRock And RollVansVan Halen Author:Eddie Van Halen
“You know, most people, they want to go to Hollywood. They want to be a star. They want to be a rock star. That thought never entered any of our minds, the Van Halen family.” PeopleKnowsWantMindStarsRocksHollywoodVansRock StarVan Halen Author:Eddie Van Halen
