BenEllerGuitars

Riff Retrospective: Megadeth "Youthanasia"

Its a feast of RIFFS!!!! I hope you all enjoy this video format, cause i love making these. Riffs are the best. And on this episode of RR, we are diving deep into one of the most underrated Megadeth albums ever: YOUTHANASIA!!! 

From way back in 1994, this is one of my favorites. Amazing riffs, production, and solos. Don't sleep on this one! Watch the video, grab the TABs below, and hop on board with this fantastic record!

Is there an album you'd like to see covered on the nex...

Man on a boat!

Hey y’all!!! I just boarded Shiprocked to mash some rope all over the Bahamas with Andy Wood and the Stowaways! It’s gonna be a blast!

I also just realized I didn’t pre-make a post for Wednesday’s Megadeth video!!! Heck!!! So don’t fear, I’ll finish up the TABs and post them when I’m back Sunday, ok?

Cheers, y’all! Wish me luck!

WW343: Poison "Nothin But a Good Time" Solo!

Here's a fun one to learn this week! CC Deville's Sleazy and Cheesy ripper to Nothin But a Good Time! This one has some really fun ideas in there, and a couple classic licks everybody should know. I put the backing tracks at the end of the video, too, so you can make your own cover and upload it! Grab the TAB below and give it a shot!!!

I'll be out next week!

Hey y'all! Just keeping everyone updated here... Next week, if you drop me a message and don't hear back, its because i'll be on the high seas aboard Shiprocked cruise!!! This is gonna be rad. I'll be playing with my man Andy Wood, plus members of Megadeth, Lamb of God, Living Color, and WAY more! I think this is my 5th or 6th cruise gig, and they're always a blast. Should i film some fun behind the scenes stuff? I think so!!!

Patreon exclusive! Understanding key changes, mega long edition!

As promised, here's the super long cut of the key change video, just for you all, my loyal and lovely patrons!!! 

This video is packed with even more theory, more examples of songs you know, and more of everything! You're gonna be the keeper of the keys for sure.

Let me know what music theory topics you'd like to see covered next!!! 

The EASIEST Way to Understand Key Changes

NOTE: this is the publicly available version of the video. Later today i'll also be uploading a super long cut just for you all, with like 10 additional minutes of extra info! You're gonna want to see that one! 

Hey y'all! Hope everyone is doing great out there. On today's video, we're gonna be talking KEY CHANGES! How do we do them smoothly? How do we make them sound natural (...or not?)? You're about to find out.

What theory topic do you want to see covered next?

...

Best picking exercise EVER! WW342

Hey y'all!!!

Lets kick off the new year the right way by improving our skills like never before using this fantastic exercise i stumbled across! You can modify this simple workout in E minor to accommodate ANY style of picking you want to work on, and i'm gonna show you how!!! Its flexibility plus its speed bursts are gonna turn you into a shred machine in no time. Grab those practice tracks, TABs, and midi files to start your Shredi Knight training!!! 

Happy New Year!!! What do you want to see in 2023?!

Hey y'all!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. I'm so happy to have gotten to spend 2022 with you all, and i can't wait to keep delivering the goods through this year. But that brings us to a big question...

What do YOU want to see in 2023?!?!

For January, i've already got a couple videos coming out that i'm really stoked on; one is the best workout for ANY style of picking (alternate, economy, all of it) that i've ever made, and the other is a theory-heavy vi...

From the Pre-Patreon Archives! WW137, Fight Fire With Fire!

By request! 

What a weird riff. I'll be real with you, even after making this video, my ears STILL hear it "flipped"!!!! So weird.

Grab that crappy TAB below and get to counting!

Whats some other Metallica riffage you've never been able to figure out? 

By request! WW166 + TAB

Because you asked for it! Another oldie from the pre-patreon days. I like this lick, i've been craving making up some new EJ style licks for you all to practice! You into that idea? 

Meet the Machines: The Jeff Loomis Devil's Triad by All Pedal!

Brand new gear deep dive is up! Seriously, if i could only take one pedal on a gig... its this one. Totally awesome unit, which is no surprise considering it was designed with Jeff Loomis himself!!! I'm gonna walk you through everything this can do, and give you some rippin' new tunage at the start of the video. 

Should i do a lesson on that solo??? I was really stoked on those arpeggio tapping bits, might just talk about those on a future WW episode!

Enjoy, and treat yoursel...

This is Why You Suck at Guitar: Your Country Playing Sucks!

YEEEEEHAW! Its time for a brand new episode of TIWYSAG!

Based on some of the ideas i put out there in the patreon-only country scale video i put out a couple weeks back, i'm bringing you a DEEP dive into faking your way through playing country lead guitar! If you've just gotten pulled onstage to shred over Folsom Prison Blues, and you're not confident in your rock/blues vocabulary, this is THE video for you!!! You don't have to learn a whole new language or new scales to play convincing...

"Saturdays" solo TAB + Backing Track! By Request!

Y'all getting all kinds of goodies this week!!!

Ok, so a couple years ago, i released an original instrumental called "Saturdays". Real fun tune, kinda like if Satriani and Jimmy Eat World collaborated! I just had a request for the song minus all the leads, so i thought i would share! You can use this to record your own cover (solo lesson right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQHQwNWTdw&...

WW341.5 Patreon Exclusive! Economy + Alternate Descent

As promised, here's the followup video for WW341!!!! In this, i'll show you how to take that sleek sequence down the strings, and i'm also gonna give you some vital pick holding info that will really make this stuff click if you're struggling with it. Grab that TAB and get after it! Thanks for all you do, hope everyone is having a great holiday season!!!

WW341: Combining Economy and Alternate Picking!

New WW time!!! Y'all have been asking me for some examples of how some of our favorite players combine alternate and economy picking, so i cooked up this hot harmonic minor lick to help give you some ideas! Emil Werstler gave me a mind-blowing tip about making this all work that i'll drop on you in this video, too, so be sure to stick around after the lick!

Grab the TAB and practice tracks below, and be sure to follow that picking closely! 

I'll be putting up the bonus lesson...

From the vault! WW56, Carol of the Bells Shred

By request! Here's one from the early days. I need to dig into some more TSO stuff, its really fun! This lick is really challenging due to the two way pick slanting you have to use to play it fast. I recall doing DOZENS of takes trying to nail it! Good luck! 

WW340: Neoclassical Nightmare Etude!

Here's a hot one! Y'all have been asking for a great etude to work on hand sync and picking speed, and this is just what you need! Plus it has that rad Bach Rock sound, so its really fun to play.

Get the TAB and practice tracks below! You got this!!! These patterns will REALLY benefit your playing, i use these sequences ALL the time. 

I really wanna do a whole Uli solo soon... Charon, maybe? Y'all into that?

Hope everyone is doing well! Keep shredding! 

By request! The QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

A couple years ago, i made a cool fingerstyle arrangement of the Christmas Classic, and i don't think i ever posted the TAB! So by request, here ya go. Enjoy!

(i know a lot of people are so burnt on this song, but i cannot flippin help it... i love her first christmas album so much hahahaha)

Any other christmas tunes i should arrange this year?!

By Request! WW237, Killing Road solo + TAB

Here's another from the pre-Patreon days! Man... this might be my favorite Friedman solo. So much sass, so much aggression, and the COOLEST phrasing on those signature Friedman 2 string arpeggios. Beyond cool! Grab the TAB and learn this one up!!! If you've been wanting to learn Tornado of Souls but are finding it too brutally fast, i recommend starting here; its got a lot of the same picking and phrasing techniques you'll need, but at a much more manageable tempo!

What Friedman solo sh...

Patreon Exclusive! THE Country Soloing Secret!

Hey y'all!

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of the weekend. I've been so slammed this week that i've not had time to crank out a new video, but here's an extra goodie just for you all, my lovely and loyal patrons!

Earlier this week during Skype lessons, i had several students ask me about how to get into country style soloing... what scales they use, what modes, all that. And in the process, i came across this EASY tweak to add into your preexisting playing to get you sounding ...

Happy Thanksgiving, ToyotaThon, or Thursday!

Whatever you’re celebrating today, I hope you and yours have a good one! It’s gonna be a pretty chill day for us… Kate’s mom had rotator cuff surgery yesterday, so she’s all laid up right now. We are just gonna go down there and chill, I reckon. Plus we’re bringing stuff for homemade pho, the king of foods!!!

No video this week, I have just been too slammed lately, yall. It’s been ridiculously hectic. Fighting to have a guitar in my hand when I’m not onstage, in a lesson...

WW339, Suzi Wants Her All Day SOLO! Nuno is the KING!

Because you all demanded some Nuno, here's one of my favorites! Man, his playing on that entire album is just THE BEST.... incredibly shreddy, funky, and tasty. Here's a total breakdown of the solo from Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)!!!

Backing track was made by JARupert on Instagram! Hit him up for all your backing track needs. Grab the TAB below, plus the Axe FX 3 preset i made to go along with it! 

Whats YOUR favorite Nuno solo you'd like to see on a future episode?! Let m...

Gimme some ideas for Uncle Ben’s MINUTE RIFFS!

Hey y’all!

YouTube is really pushing these Shorts a lot these days… vertical format, less than 60 seconds. I think this is a great opportunity to make some Minute Riff video lessons!

The basic format would be this:

-a super sick riff played full speed

-same riff again but slower and with TAB!

I got the format, now all I need are some ideas for which ones to do! Hit me with the riffs you wanna see and learn!

3 Shred Strategies for MAX SPEED!

EDIT- post updated!!! I was exhausted after moving furniture all day yesterday... kate and i got home, had a fajita and a 'rita while watching the Weird Al doc (which is AMAZING, by the way), and promptly fell asleep on the couch! But now i've got all the bonus goodies on here. Grab those practice tracks and TAB and get to shredding! Thanks for the patience! -BE

Hey y’all!!! Wanna know my secrets for putting together licks that cater to your strengths for maximum speed AND ease?! You ...

Meet Darla!!!!

Hey y’all!

Keeping you up to date on our pack over here…. It really seemed too soon to be getting another pup since we just lost Zhora last month, but poor Turkey really needed a buddy; his entire life so far, he’s never been alone, and it was sad to see him being lonely.

Plus Darla here popped up on the local small breed rescue, and we just had to meet her. She’s 3 years old (they think), some kind of bizarre terrier mix. She was a surrender, then bounced around to a co...

From the Pre-Patreon archives! WW167, My Next Broken Heart

By request!!! Here's one from the early days, whiteboard TAB included! SUCH a killer solo by the legendary Brent Mason, there's so much to learn here! Be sure to pay attention to what chord every lick is being played over to get the most out of this lesson.

Say, lets do some more country stuff!!!! Whats your favorite burnin country solo you'd like to learn? Is it by Brad Paisley? Dann Huff? Clint Strong? FRANCIS BUBBLETROUSERS?!?! Let me know and i'll tackle it! 

Because you demanded it! 2 note per string MASTERY!

I got a BUNCH of messages from you all within the past week looking for a great way to practice 2NPS runs ala Zakk and EJ, and i aim to please! This workout is perfect to help you develop the downward pickslanting skills you need to master these kinds of runs. Be sure to watch the video from 8:00 on for a great down the barrel view of my DWPS style! Grab those practice tracks and start burning it up! 

Thanks for all y'all do! What do you want an exercise to work on next?!

2022-11-03 16:29:25 +0000 UTC View Post

By Request from the Vault! WW90, Rebel Yell intro

Hey y'all! Got a request for another pre-Patreon TAB, the classic intro from Rebel Yell by Billy Idol!!! Snag that old school whiteboard TAB below and get to mashing on this one! 

Infinitely Expand Your Scale Knowledge!!!

Happy Halloween, everyone!!! I had time to make a video just for y’all today in between Halloween party venue cleanup and starting the great Candy Handout. Want to know a SIMPLE idea that can infinitely expand your scale pattern knowledge and understanding of the fretboard? I’m laying one on ya. This changed the way I approach the board years ago, you’re gonna love it!!!

Let me know if you have any questions here in these comments and I’ll be glad to get back with you.

A...

Inspired by YOU! TIWYSAG 26 is here!

Brand new episode is this is why you suck at guitar is here!!! This episode was based on a message or two from you lovely and loyal Patreon supporters. Thanks for all the inspiration! Now check the video out and get that PIVOT down!