Cracking The Code Van Halen tremolo picking

**garbeaj** · 01.19.21, 10:17 AM

Troy has once again done wonderful analysis of Eddie’s playing...this time a very insightful look at his tremolo picking grip and technique.

**iplayguitaralot** · 01.19.21, 03:14 PM

This is a fun trick to show off, but it’s definitely a twitch and not really controllable. You mute with the left hand a lot and you really get one speed. I would take a pen and hold it out on my left hand and pretend it was a string while I used a pick and my right hand to hit it so I could build strength. It took me a long time and I learned it when I was a teenager and luckily it has kept with me. Also getting the twitch to start, I’ll do an up pick on double stop so I can start the motion, you can’t really start twitching in the middle of a run it needs like a intro pause. You can kind of alternate pick with it like he does in I’m the one and in the LWAN solo when he’s doing the high e thing, repeating the sequence.

I’ll try to record myself one of these days for proof.

**garbeaj** · 01.19.21, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by iplayguitaralot

This is a fun trick to show off, but it’s definitely a twitch and not really controllable. You mute with the left hand a lot and you really get one speed. I would take a pen and hold it out on my left hand and pretend it was a string while I used a pick and my right hand to hit it so I could build strength. It took me a long time and I learned it when I was a teenager and luckily it has kept with me. Also getting the twitch to start, I’ll do an up pick on double stop so I can start the motion, you can’t really start twitching in the middle of a run it needs like a intro pause. You can kind of alternate pick with it like he does in I’m the one and in the LWAN solo when he’s doing the high e thing, repeating the sequence.

I’ll try to record myself one of these days for proof.

The “hummingbird” motion floating above the bridge is really mostly relevant to Eddie’s longer tremolo picked passages like the Kreutzer etude in “Eruption”, but the examples from the LWAN solo that Troy had the video examples from is probably what is going on in that brief tremolo picked passage in the second solo from “I’m The One” where the right hand is on the bridge. At least that’s my take.

**iplayguitaralot** · 01.19.21, 05:51 PM

Oh totally holy shit. Great video man I’m desensitized because everyone always does the hummingbird analysis but this is of his true to god right hand technique. Yeah definitely think that’s how he does the end of the and the cradle will rock solo too because it actually starts slow and speeds up which isn’t what the hummingbird trick does.

**Majestic** · 01.19.21, 07:35 PM

THANKS for posting that, Alan! Also: agreed regarding Ed’s hovering spasms vs his other style referenced above.

**japeape** · 01.20.21, 09:59 AM

Gary Moore was always my guy for insane alternate picking, pre Yngwie.

EVH was the king of Legato, slippery & fast left hand.

But the lick at the :42 mark seems insane.

Is he using the side of his pick, instead of the point?

It sounds so swishy and punchy, at the same time.
True Fender stratocaster tone, too.

**MF5150** · 01.20.21, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by japeape

Gary Moore was always my guy for insane alternate picking, pre Yngwie.

EVH was the king of Legato, slippery & fast left hand.

But the lick at the :42 mark seems insane.

Is he using the side of his pick, instead of the point?

It sounds so swishy and punchy, at the same time.
True Fender stratocaster tone, too.

Hard to tell but he could be angling the pick a bit to take the edge off, but the speed you're hearing there is as a result of his fretting hand strength and speed in the hammer-ons.

Could be wrong but it doesn't sound like he's picking every note there.