Ed’s Left Hand Legato 1-Minute Exercise

**garbeaj** · 05.12.21, 09:33 PM

Here’s an interesting exercise that Ed said that he would have to be able to execute for a whole minute straight before he would walk onstage. This is as close as I can figure it out at this point...the audio isn’t the best on the clip so this is an approximation. No picking...this is all the left hand only. This is very similar to the left hand legato section just before the ending tapping section of "Spanish Fly" and other licks that Eddie often went to.

Ed speaks about this exercise and demonstrates it starting at the 3:31 mark:

**MF5150** · 05.12.21, 10:13 PM

So much about 2004 was fucked up.

But damn Ed's guitar sound during that tour was just insanely good.

And yeah, that exercise is virtually pointless.

**Brett** · 05.12.21, 10:16 PM

Yeah I don’t like watching that video. Ed at his absolute worst. And I hate that Andrew Bennett guy. Blech. But that lick is great practice.

**joezlo** · 05.13.21, 10:04 AM

Its one of the fills from beautiful girls he does from the b string to the a string asymmetrically. Except in Beautiful Girls I think the finger pattern is higher on the neck (not as big of a stretch) 9 - 11 - 7 - 0. But I've been wrong before. Just an observation - about the riff, not my own errors -laughs-

**CoconutBackwards** · 05.13.21, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by garbeaj

Here’s an interesting exercise that Ed said that he would have to be able to execute for a whole minute straight before he would walk onstage. This is as close as I can figure it out at this point...the audio isn’t the best on the clip so this is an approximation. No picking...this is all the left hand only. This is very similar to the left hand legato section just before the ending tapping section of "Spanish Fly" and other licks that Eddie often went to.

Ed speaks about this exercise and demonstrates it starting at the 3:31 mark:

AWESOME post for something to work on.

Thank you so much.

I wonder how he figured out this is the one thing he needed to be able to do before going out on stage.

I LOVE hearing anything from him like this about his practice routine.

There are so many things that I feel like I've made a breakthrough on (downchugging riff intro and verse in "Where Eagles Dare" by Iron Maiden for example) after practicing for over an hour and then when I come to it the next day it's like it's completely gone and I need to work up to it again.

I guess I need to find an exercise like this leggato exercise except for down chugging.

**Brett** · 05.13.21, 05:52 PM

A lot of Maiden riffs wear your hand out. Those guys are the chugga geniuses.

**Bugs Meanie** · 05.13.21, 07:43 PM

Thanks for tabbing this, garbeaj

I gave this a shot this evening... it didn't go well. My accuracy goes to hell after 10 seconds and I don't think I can go past 20 endurance wise at high speed for a long time. A minute? Probably never. I'll keep trying though.

Strangely, (or maybe not)? I've gotten better at doing a similar pattern (3-5-7) going from 5th string, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, then 1st and then back up & down in succession. Something about that 3-5-7 slide to 5-7-9 on the same string (A) high speed really gives me fits for some reason.

I've never been a great player, but I have fun. Still humbled by EVH after 35 years of noodling.

**CoconutBackwards** · 05.14.21, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by Brett

A lot of Maiden riffs wear your hand out. Those guys are the chugga geniuses.

What were they working on all day long that got them to this level?!

I wanna chug with the greats.

**Dave's Dreidel** · 05.14.21, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Brett

A lot of Maiden riffs wear your hand out. Those guys are the chugga geniuses.

Bass lines too. Steve Harris lines should come with a carpal tunnel warning.

**garbeaj** · 05.14.21, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by MF5150

So much about 2004 was fucked up.

But damn Ed's guitar sound during that tour was just insanely good.

And yeah, that exercise is virtually pointless.

I didn't love his sound on that tour, but I agree that the exercise is kind've pointless when you consider that he plays these types of things all the time in his leads in general. I do think that it is a good way to get the left hand warmed up. Does nothing for left and right hand coordination like the major scale alternate picking exercise that I posted from the Steven Rosen interview.

I think both of these exercises are good to do just to get the hands moving. They were good enough for Eddie and I don't see why any of us couldn't get something out of them.

**garbeaj** · 05.14.21, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by joezlo

Its one of the fills from beautiful girls he does from the b string to the a string asymmetrically. Except in Beautiful Girls I think the finger pattern is higher on the neck (not as big of a stretch) 9 - 11 - 7 - 0. But I've been wrong before. Just an observation - about the riff, not my own errors -laughs-

Oh yeah...like I said, he does some things that are very similar in the LWAN solo and the left hand only part right before the tapping runs in "Spanish Fly" among many other places.

**MF5150** · 05.14.21, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by garbeaj

I didn't love his sound on that tour, but I agree that the exercise is kind've pointless when you consider that he plays these types of things all the time in his leads in general. I do think that it is a good way to get the left hand warmed up. Does nothing for left and right hand coordination like the major scale alternate picking exercise that I posted from the Steven Rosen interview.

I think both of these exercises are good to do just to get the hands moving. They were good enough for Eddie and I don't see why any of us couldn't get something out of them.

I should have elaborated on saying it was just “pointless”, like an asshole.

I think it’s definitely a good exercise for finger strength. Technique-wise, it’s not going to help that much.

Regarding his sound on the 04’ Tour, it sounded he went with less “distorted”, if that makes sense. It was just extremely loud and overdriven much like his early sounds. And being in the front row for 04’, I can easily say it was the loudest concert I have ever been to. To the point where, I could barely make out what song they were kicking into 4-5 seconds into the song. Ears did not go back to normal for 3-4 days, if I remember correctly.

It was very evocative of his earlier 80’s sounds, IMO. After 04’ (maybe I’ll even bump it to 07’) his live sound came off a bit more saturated gain-wise. Kinda like more gain, less overdrive and volume.

Obviously, the playing left much to be desired but tone wise, I don’t think his tone had been that stripped down, clean and loud since the 80’s. I was front row in 2015, and it was a much more pleasant experience ear-wise and mix-wise. Much lower stage volume, and sonically a better experience but his guitar sound was more saturated and gainy.

I hear it clearly in his solo spots. In 04’, the sound was more articulate whereas in 2012 & 2015, it was a bit more thick and saturated.

All my opinion and to my ears, mind you.

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**CoconutBackwards** · 05.15.21, 06:21 AM

Front row for two Van Halen concerts???!!!

**MF5150** · 05.15.21, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by CoconutBackwards

Front row for two Van Halen concerts???!!!

1st row in 04’
4th row in 07’
2nd row in 12’
1st row in 15’

We spared no expense when it came to VH.

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**garbeaj** · 05.15.21, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by MF5150

I think it’s definitely a good exercise for finger strength. Technique-wise, it’s not going to help that much.

Do you realize that this is an oxymoron? If it’s a good exercise for finger strength (actually it is certainly good for wrist strength as well) it is automatically a good exercise for technique.

And if it is a “good exercise”-which is exactly what Eddie used it for-why is it “pointless”? The point is that it is a “good exercise”.