BenEllerGuitars

Welcome to the DRONE ZONE, the BEST way to learn scales!

Hello lovely and loyal Patrons!!!! You wanna know the best way to practice and learn scales in a fun and functional way!? Uncle Ben here is gonna take you to the DRONE ZONE and show you how!!! Watch the video to learn the power of drone practice, and click the Dropbox link below to download all the drone tracks i made for you guys! There's 3 folders in there, single note drones, major chord drones, and minor chord drones.

Over the single note drones, you can play any scale you want, maj...

I wanna A the F out of your Q's!!! Drop FAQ questions here!

Hello lovely and loyal Patrons!!! The last batch of FAQ questions you all dropped turned into some of my favorite videos i've made in YEARS (like the weird pinch harmonic video, for example), so lets get some more ideas going!!! What question do you have that you'd like to see answered soon? I'll be filming a bunch this week, and i wanna knock out as many as i can, so please leave some goodness in the comments! 

Hope y'all are doing well!

Gojira “Amazonia” TABs!

Hey everyone!!! As promised, here’s the TABs for that new noise by those French Bois!!!! Super fun song to play, and a great workout for the gallops. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album!

Are there any other Gojira songs you guys would like to see a full breakdown of???

A moment of thanks!

Just wanted to take a second and thank you all for being such awesome folks. This past week has been really rough with the passing of my buddy Brandon, and your all’s outpouring of concern, thoughts, and just checking in on Kate and I has really meant a LOT to me. It’s amazing to have attracted such a cool community of folks just by being a dork on the Internet. Thank you all.

Gojira TABs are coming today!!! I haven’t forgotten! Stay tuned and I’ll have those up shor...

Patreon Exclusive MegaModal lesson!!!

Hey guys!!!

Here's an exclusive lesson just for my Patreon supporters on the magic of Modal Transposition! This can add so many cool ideas into your playing, and you honestly don't have to know all that much theory to be able to do it. If you can count to 7, thats about all you need!

This is a teaching tool i've used for years in which i have my students transpose the riff from Crazy Train into all 7 modes plus a variety of exotic scales (wait till you hear how it sounds in Phrygi...

We lost our friend Brandon last night.

Hey everyone. I don’t usually make personal life posts on here, but so many of you all contributed to Brandon’s fight against cancer through his GoFund page, and he appreciated you all so much.

Last night we got the call from Brandon’s wife that he wasn’t going to make it through the night. This all happened SO FAST.... just a week ago, I went down to visit and we watched a movie together. Kate and I rushed down to the ICU and were there to see his 2 kids, other friends, and fa...

New video! Lets whip your improv phrasing into shape!

Hey guys!!! Your fellow Patron John Horak asked a GREAT question about improving phrasing, and i had to answer it as best i could! I think if you'll follow these examples, its really going to help you bust out of your improv ruts get your phrasing in shape fast. Thanks for the idea, John!

I LOVE doing lessons based on your all's questions, so please drop some more in the comments section! You guys are the best! 

The Joy of SAX! Hall & Oates time!

Hey guys!!! In this week's video, we are gonna dive deep into the waters of the Monsters of Yacht themselves: Hall & Oates!! But really, this lesson is about the importance of transcribing and learning things that were written for other instruments. We can learn a LOT this way, i recommend it to everybody! Grab the TAB below and have some fun with this one! 

The last REAL gig I played...

Hey everyone! Hope y’all are doing well!

I just realized I passed the one year mark of my last real show, playing with my great friends in The Hit Points at VGM Con in Minneapolis.... wow. About a week after I flew home from this one, everything changed.

I’ve mentioned the Hit Points a couple times on my channel and collaborated with them on a couple things in the past, but if you don’t know them, please check out their album on Spotify! Incredible modern bluegrass renditi...

Powered by YOU! How to turn chords into riffs!

Hey everybody! Hope y’all are having a happy Friday. What’s the weekend plans? It’s looking like we’re gonna test drive some Subaru’s (my 1997 Corolla with 310,000+ miles is gonna be so jealous), file some taxes, and turn some CHORDS into RIFFS!

Matthew Kennedy, you asked this question, and I decided I had to devote an entire video to it because I liked the topic so much! There’s also a little Revocation chat at the end, too!

Lemme know any other questions you guys ha...

Powered by YOU: a New FAQ!!!

Guys, I’ve got the CRAZIEST pinch harmonic technique for you!!! I’ve never seen anyone else do them this way, and it makes the craziest high-pitched squeals ever. Try it out!

Patreon-only bonus video! The Perfect Gojira Pick Scrape!

Hey everyone! Hope you guys are doing well. Here's the bonus video to go alongside #WW298 , in which you're gonna learn the secrets of SCRAPE! Get in there with those French Boys and make some SICK NOISE!!! 

I can never get tired of this!!!

Most of y’all know I got OBSESSED with Thundercat last year, and this concert is a big part of why; first tune, listen to the BIZARRE tempo fluctuations the drummer is doing on that hat, and how the whole band SOMEHOW stays on top of it! Insanity. And his bass solo on Them Changes is so freaking good.

Also, if you recognize that keyboard player, you’ve either 1: seen that monster playing with the late Allan Holdsworth!!!!!! or 2: mistaken him for one of the McPoyle siblings from Al...

What is the NEW NOISE by those FRENCH BOIS?!?! Lets talk about it!

Hello lovely and loyal patrons!!! Hope everybody is having a good weekend so far. Here's ya a new project, a total riff-by-riff breakdown of the new Gojira single "Born for One Thing"!!! I LOVE THIS SONG! That band really just hasn't released a bad album as far as i'm concerned. INCREDIBLE live band, too, first time i saw them was on an early US tour, alongside Burst, who was playing their final US tour ever. It was in a tiny place with low ceilings here in Knoxville (the Cider House for you ...

Guthrie in a Gazebo dropping amazing truth bombs

Hey Patrons!!! I was just watching this video while shredding it on the elliptical machine, and it really spoke to me; the parts in this video where he talks about the analogue of learning music and learning language is SO well-put!!! I’ve tried putting these thoughts into words with my students for years, and, unsurprisingly, Govan did it better than I ever could. What do you all think about his philosophy here?

Get better vibrato with these 4 easy tips!

I wanna hear y'all shake that rope more better!!!! These are 4 vibrato tips that are gonna improve your wiggle in an instant. This video also covers the EXTREMELY frequently asked question of how to do vibrato on bends (tip number 3), so be sure to give it a watch!! 

And now, i'll be prowling through your all's questions for the next FAQ! I hope you all are doing well! 

Coming up: another brand new This is Why You Suck at Guitar!!!

I spent my evening making a new episode of TIWYSAG for you all, and I’m so stoked with how it’s coming together!!!

I’ve gotten a LOT of questions lately from players looking to improve their vibrato, and I’m so glad; it’s our musical fingerprint as guitarists, it’s what separates us from keyboard players (ew!)!!!! And on this mega episode, I’m gonna give you all 4 tips that you can use to instantly turn yourself into a sultan of SHAKE!!!

I’m thinking I’ll put t...

Its time.... its time... its.... FAQ TIME!!!!

Hello lovely and loyal Patrons!!!! I think its just about time for a new FAQ You installment, powered by the people who support my work the MOST: YOU ALL!!!!

Drop me whatever questions you've got, whether they be about playing, theory, bands, movies, whatever you got! Drop your suggestions below and you just may see them answered next week. 

Hope everyone is well!!! 

WW297 + TABs!

Hey guys!!! Had a super busy last couple days full of lessons and stuff, but i return with TABs!!! 

This is such a fun tune to play, i hope this video helps you guys out. Be sure to watch the picking notation on the "Crosspicking Coolness" section closely! 

Did you all like the format of this video? Not exactly a literal note-by-note lesson on the entire song, but just focusing on the high-difficulty segments. Is that cool for songs like this?

Also, i'm trying a ne...

Dream Theater TABs are coming soon!!!

Hey y'all!!! Haven't forgot about the WW297 Dream Theater TABs, they're coming soon!!! I was super rushed getting that video made and out in time, so i haven't had a chance to write them out yet. Hold tight!!! 

This is Why You Suck at Guitar: You Don't Play Enough Songs!!!

Welcome to the newest and possibly most important episode of TIWYSaG i've ever made!!!! I see SO MANY players that spend 100% of their time doing exercises and scales and 0% of their lives PLAYING MUSIC, and thats just no way to live and grow as a player!!!! I hope this video makes a dent on everyone's musical minds that really wants to grow as a player, because songs are the SOLUTION, and that is a fact. 

I hope you all enjoy this video, i had a blast putting it together. What son...

Alternate Picking Goals: Russ Parrish (aka Satchel)

I found this video years ago, and something brought it to mind the other day so I had to watch it again!!! This was apparently from the era where he and Paul Gilbert were living together. Can you even imagine how many hot licks were flying around that apartment every day?!

He’s really got Gilbert’s picking down to a science. Even the positioning of his right hand looks extremely similar! But some of his phrases also very Vinnie Moorse-ish, which are things Paul typically veers away...

A Crash Course in Country Soloing!!!

Hey guys!!!! After that Dann Huff Summer's Comin' lesson and my recent appearance on Music Is Win's channel, i've gotten a lot of questions about how to write sick hick licks... what are the scales to use? Whats the harmony like? PBR or Budweiser (PBR, duh!!!)? 

Well, i just thought i would give you all a little insight into some of my favorite shapes and lick concepts, as well as the theory that goes into them, that way you can make your own!!! Snag the charts down below and start...

TWANG TIME!!! Clint Black/Dann Huff Summer's Comin' solo lesson!

Hey guys!!! I've had a BUNCH of requests lately to go country and break down this AWESOME solo by the legendary Dann Huff. Dann has played and worked on SO MANY records that you know and love, check out his resume sometime!

This one is HARD and a ton of fun. It just goes by so fast!!! Have fun and get pickin!!!! 

Weekend Wankshop 295 is gonna get you SHREDDED in 2021!

Guys, this might be the best alternate picking workout i've ever come up with!!! The way it combines inside and outside picking is gonna get you shredding FAST, plus the fact that its an etude instead of a mindless exercise means you'll have  a lot more fun in the process. Grab the TAB and practice tracks and get going!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Years, everyone. I am thankful my wife and I are healthy, and I am thankful for you guys for helping keep me sane this year! Focusing on my channel and Patreon community really helped me keep from dwelling on all the gloom, doom, and cancelled shows of 2020. Very excited to keep sharing and growing as a musician in 2021. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay tuned!

Meshuggah-inspired fusion backing track plus soloing tips!!!

Hey everybody!!!! I had so much fun working out that meshuggah solo, i had to make a backing track inspired by those chord changes so we can all jam on it and learn to SHRED LIKE FRED (how did i not say that in EITHER video!?!?! Its gold, Jerry, GOLD!!!)!!! 

Two versions of the track: one in standard, one down a half step! Grab whichever one suits your tuning and have fun!

Cadaverous Mastication TABs and lesson!

Yo everyone!!! Its the last lesson of 2020!!!!! What do you all wanna see on my channel in 2021?!?! 

Enjoy learning this solo, i know i did! And i'm about to post up the bonus lesson to go along with it, plus the 2 jam tracks i made for you guys to get your fusion fundamentals on with!!

I would LOVE for someone to learn this solo and then send me a video of themselves working through it for a future installment of The Lick Doctor. Who among thee accepts the challenge?!?! Espe...

Any New Years Guitar Resolutions?!

Hey guys!!!! 2020 is about to be in the rear view mirror (thank god), and we’ve got ourselves a new year coming at us where we can make ourselves better players!!!

So what are your musical goals/resolutions for the year?

I plan on FINALLY getting around to doing merch like I’ve been talking about doing for YEARS, getting into some lesson packs, plus maybe, just maybe..... putting together a book I’ve got ideas for!!!

Pick It Like Paul!!!

Yo guys!!!! Decided to give you all some homework to keep you busy during the holiday break... thats what ALL the best teachers do, right?!?! Here's a dope Paul Gilbert-style lick to get you all combining different scale sequences with lots of hammer on's and legato action! Snag that TAB and the practice tracks and get to it. 

Hope everyone out there is doing well and enjoying the holidays!!!