Eruption Guitar Lesson Pt. 1 - Van Halen

In this Eruption guitar lesson video series, I will show you how to play what is perhaps the most famous guitar solo ever recorded, note-for-note.

Eddie Van Halen brought the guitar playing world to it's knees when "Eruption" came blasting at them off of Van Halen's debut album. The rapid-fire licks and the at-the-time bewildering tapping section where something guitarists everywhere had never heard before. In one quick solo track, Eddie Van Halen completely changed the guitar playing landscape, as millions of guitar players locked themselves into their rooms for years trying to figure out all of Eddie's licks.

In the first video lesson, I will start by performing all of Eruption from beginning to end. I will then teach you all of Eddie's guitar parts up until the tapping section.

The licks you will learn in this first video will be the most challenging of the entire solo by far. The tapping part may be what everyone knows, but this opening section is where you will need the serious chops.

Of course "Eruption" introduced to the world Eddie Van Halen's dazzling tapping technique. It will be in the second video lesson that I will show you how to play than. Even though tapping had been employed by numerous guitarists before, no one had ever taken it to such musical heights.

At the beginning of the video I demonstrate the basic 3 note tapping pattern Eddie uses throughout the whole section. From there it is just simply a matter of memorizing the different arpeggios.

Take your time and get the tapping pattern down by itself first before trying to learn the entire song.

Hope you guys enjoy the lesson. We certainly can't get any bigger than this when it comes to famous solos. :)

Carl....

[JBexplores]

This man just played eruption in it’s entirety (without any mistakes) and then acted like he’d just finished the intro to smoke on the water

[rep]

Everyone watching this video is either really good or just seeing how hard this song is to play lmao

[stuartmiller]

1:41 Never trust a player who plays Eruption but doesn't end with the start of You Really Got Me. Carl's smile says it all.

[WmLJohnson]

I started learning this solo in 1978. All you internet guys have it so much easier. Back in 78 we had no idea how this was done and the only way to figure it out was ruining your vinyl record skipping the needle back and fourth. Do I sound old... well it took months of trial and error and watching other guys who caught something you didn’t. Just to play something that resembled this. Anyhow. I just learned a few things I think this guy has right that I missed by ear. So much easier having a great teacher show you on video with multi camera angles and tab. Eddie was so brilliant. Young players will probably never know such a radical change in popular guitar technique as what happened when Eddie hit the airwaves in 78. We all end up in the ground. What a life he had. Amazing!

[Incogk]

I predict that there will be a huge influx of people learning this piece with the news of EVH's passing. RIP Eddie. Eruption is now an immortal hymn to all of us guitarists. Like that piece, you shall never be forgotten.

[trevorbaker]

I remember discovering this video a little over two years ago when I began playing. I played on and off, but never got serious about guitar until this summer because football isn't in the way anymore. It's kind of funny to me how intimidating this solo originally was compared to now. Don't get me wrong, it's still difficult, but I finally feel ready for it. 4 hours of practice across 2 days has translated to me playing solid til 25 ish second mark of the solo, this one's a grind for sure but I know it'll be worth it. My fingers are SMASHED. I'm having a blast learning it though because just practicing sounds so cool. Thanks again for this awesome tutorial!!

[isMike]

first time I've seen Carl smile....must have got that on the first take...

[dylanmiller]

From now eddie van halen just died and as a result I will learn this song to remember him. 😭

[BrianStocking]

My brother Ted learned how to play this with "note to note" tapes he ordered out of guitar magazine back in the mid to late 80's. I never tried because I was playing a Les Paul. Well Ted died last year and I'm getting his old guitar and pedals. It's been a few years since I've played but I think it's time I give it a go. For Ted and Eddy!

[fatehgyani]

RIP Eddie Van Halen. He passed this morning. Im in shock. Ive come here to revisit this song to pay tribute to him. We lost a legend. The Guitar community thanks you for everything you have done for us. Rest in Peace EVH.

[epicgamerman]

In memory of Eddie, I’m gonna work my ass off to learn this. RIP to a legend.

[josharmoogam]

This actually sounds 100% the way Eddie plays it. Most people are wrong when they play it.

[jeffbeck]

This guy does such a great job at not just playing but teaching. Telling you in a really perfect kind of way while showing you at the same time. There are so many exceptional people and guitarists on youtube. This guy is awesome.

[mrjaek]

I played this in a dream a couple nights ago. Lmao.

[Strat-o-caster]

I’ll come back and edit this comment when I’ve learned it...


See you guys in the afterlife

[TroyDurrance]

"Ok, so let me play through this next section slow..." nope, still 10x faster than I can play it! LoL

[nikolas]

And thats where it all started
*_1:44_*
That smile
That damned smile

[CardinalLordMC]

For anyone worried about learning this, I have only been playing guitar for three years and in just the month or so I've put into this song I've seen really good progress. I honestly think that (at least for me) that opening lick was the hardest to get up to speed. I'm now about halfway through the second part with all the bends and tremolo picking and it really feels easier to get down than that opening bit. I know the part right before the tapping will be very difficult but the tapping itself is not very difficult and its easy to get up to speed. So already I feel like I can play half the solo well-- and trust me, I've never been good at playing anything fast. I really think that anyone can learn this if they just take it bit by bit (especially with Carl's awesome video), so don't be discouraged by any of the parts sounding difficult. You'll get there and so will I!

[Lidjaa]

I think that this is the moment to learn this masterpiece, rip Eddie 😔🤘

[mrs.featherbottom]

Good and humble teacher, I appreciate especially the part where he said that the next section is hard to get right and that most people don't play it right, and that it's hard to tell what Van Halen plays unless you slow the record down. No bragging there! Good job man.