BenEllerGuitars patreon

Let’s get those FAQ You questions going!

🕑 Added 2024-01-08 21:03:33 +0000 UTC

Comments

Chris Brown

Would love to see videos on 1) tips for tone shaping in the age of digital/modeling/amp sims, 2) guitar modding (electronic/PUP swapping, etc.) - not sure if you still do custom paint swirls but seeing behind the scenes on that would be cool too, and 3) a look at your entire guitar collection, and how many you've bought/sold over the years. I remember the early videos with a wall of about 7 Ibanez RGs, and since that time there have been a lot of guitars shown - I'm always curious if they're yours, do you keep them all, do you sell them or accumulate?

Jeff Kolek

Ben - can you do your home studio rig rundown (kind of like what Premier Guitar does)? I just watched your 5150 Behind the scenes tone video and became seriously intrigued with how you have your home studio set up. I now know about your Ox, Marshall 1987 Plexi, Carl Martin plexi pedal, Logic DAW - but I would love a video where you go over your Audio Interface, monitor speakers, how everything is connected, etc. I am a gear and technology nerd so I totally love deep dive technical videos on home studio setups.

NYCM&AHole

Honestly the ox box is so expensive I might as well buy a fryette if I’m going to cough up that kind of cash

NYCM&AHole

Serious FAQ - best attenuator for brutal metal tones? Headphones/DI tone is a plus but not a deciding factor in purchasing. I have a 100w dual rectifier and would like to play through a cab without a rehearsal space and causing family members’ hearing loss other than my own.

David Born

I'm struggling with groove any lesson for that? For example I'm just trying to lock in with Whole Lotta Love and I seem to fall off pace. Maybe I just suck lol but seems like it should be easy to lock in with the soundtrack but I'm not.

David Geer

Also, getting killer 80's or metal tones on an amp. Anyone can turn gain and volume up for distortion, but EQ' ing it to get the right setting is the real skill. I will say, I was watching a video on the Fender 5153 50 Watt 6l6's ivory vs the Fender 5153, 50 Watt Steath 6l6's. My favorite metal amp is a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. The F red channel, but the Steath is unbelievable for metal! The second best amp I have ever heard! Uncle Ben get the Stealth! Try the 50 watt and 100. One of the guys testing them said the 50 watt blue channel was better on the 50 watt. My personal opinion! The 50 watt Stealth blue channel is just as good as the red channel maybe better on the 50 watt!! Check out this guy's review. The Stealth is unbelievable! He is smiling at the end of the video playing through the Stealth. I knew immediately just by his reaction and listening that Stealth is the best!!Huge difference! https://youtu.be/yKbGxVteVSU?si=l-TFSTs8Zho5JVwJ https://youtu.be/TjjrTQ-W780?si=H6x_gGGjP50uI8xp

David Geer

I know I sound like an idiot. I even embarrassed to say this. I suck at changing guitar strings. Never had a pro show me how. Seen videos, they all suck. No one actually shows you how to do it. Uncle Ben, could you please do a video breaking down how to change guitar strings on an electric guitar. I have a Schecter. I usually will just pay somebody. On my ESP, I have locking tuners. That's simple! Pull the strings through, tighten the screw clip the ends done!!

David Geer

Awesome, and Uncle Ben breaking down the solos! Any Ratt technique and Warren D Martini solos as well. I love his legato runs! The ending fade out of Round and Round is killer!

Brian Hudson

Please would it be possible for you to do a video lesson on Ratt's Round and Round (one of my all time favourite songs) playing it your 'easier way'

James Seth

1. What kind of amp/cab switching do you use? KHE? (couldn't find anything on meet the machines series) 2. When do we get the Still of the Night solo lesson? What are you, Georgie R.R. Martino? 4. When will Uncle Ben host a "Meet Your Maker" event for those of us local to TN? 3. What did stepdad reach for to throw across the room when your pick slanting *was* lacking?

SEHK

Do you experience feeling "i´m not good enough", or "i should have been further along by now, this is pointless"? How do you motivate yourself?

Michael

1. Pick selection. Do you always use the same pick? If not, what makes you choose a different one? I have a dozen different pick styles and I’m not always sure what’s driving my choice. 2. Practice schedule. Are you intentional about what a practice schedule will look like? Songs, legato, alt picking, etc. Or do you just kinda sit down and play.

Paul Carlos

nail most solos except for this one driving me nuts any suggestions

Paul Carlos

off for some reason im in maiden tribute and nail m

Paul Carlos

hey Ben sometimes my picking like on the song moon child Iron Maiden Adrians solo in the 17 POSITION im of

Ben Eller

Hey Paul, drop me a message on here please

Paul Carlos

maybe you can suggest some kind o lesson to that

Paul Carlos

case in point like the song moon child Adrian smiths solo in the 17th position

Paul Carlos

why sometimes is my alternate picking not consistent do. I need to relax more or? maybe you can suggest something thnx

Paul Carlos

thnx

Paul Carlos

something type o sorry thmx

Paul Carlos

I have a question why sometimes is my alternate picking not consistent sometimes it is sometimes not do I need to relax more you maybe you can suggest sometni

Johan Alexandersson

How come we have never seen you with a Music Man Axis? It’s kind of like a “Van Halen Les Paul”, which should suit you

Aerosmtih717

Hey Ben , would love if you could make a lesson on Guthrie govans funk technique and how to make some of the chord voicing he does along with a practice routine for the technique, thanks man!

Robert Bachmann

Still waiting for your definitive “Whammy Bar” video. I’m sure it’s in the works.

BrianT

I have to second the ask for talking about song composition. What are the mechanics and what is the art form?

Sean Scanlon

How do you break through a plateau in alternate speed picking? I am using strict DWSP technique, per your videos, but am hitting a wall. Any suggestions how to break through that wall and increase DWSP alternate picking? Thank you for all your lessons!!

Luke Daniels

How do you balance playing live with being a YouTuber?

Eric James

Is there any plans to release any solo or personal project material this coming year? I realize your teaching and Youtubs keeps you very busy. Other than covers I was just wondering what your brain creates for yourself. Cheers!

Ben Eller

Holy moly, SO MANY GREAT QUESTIONS! I'll be sourcing video content out of these for MONTHS. Nice work, keep them coming!

kelley bryan

Ok UNC now that Back to Austin is transcribed grab the ole BIG guitar and lets talk about your bass choices on it. !!!

Ryan Sheble

I know you’ve done a lesson on the one section of the solo in Sweet Child O Mine. Could you do one on the whole solo?

Nathaniel Wright

How do you build a practice routine to meet your goals (short and long)?

Dick Willems

Ha, I love that band name 😊

Carson Fee

Are you Ship Rocking again this year? What is your prep like?

Chad Peplinski

I would love to hear your take on building speed. Do you believe you should only play as fast as you can and be perfect with the etude, scale, lick, etc? Or do you think that you should push your self 5-10 bpm past your level of success and work to "catch-up"?

Christopher Marion

One of my musical resolutions for this year is to compose more. Wondering if you could talk about your approach to writing for Corpse Master or generally. Like how you think about riff construction, how that gets worked into an overall progression, and overall approach to song construction formulas (intro, verse, solo etc)

Aaron Root

Couple questions: 1) I've always been curious about the Whitechapel connection and how that came to be. I know they're a bunch of Tennessee guys like yourself. What is/was your relationship with them? 2) What's been your most fulfilling or rewarding experience playing live?

Jeff Hirshberg

A step by step how to regarding how to set up a pedal board, including chain order, fx loo p, etc. As well, home recording basics.

brad testorone

Anything that links modes, arpeggios and chords - like that thing you did with 'arpeggio up/scale down' that sounded so cool.

Erik Berg

This, and include your Sails of Charon lesson in there because the picking/hammer on pattern is something special

Mr. Vicious

Hey Uncle Ben! I live in the Knoxville area, do you have a schedule or announcement of upcoming gigs? Website link? Thank you sir!

Robert Bjärmyr

Best tips for staying motivated when motivation is being a little bastard....

Dan Morrison

Muting strategies for lead playing - especially on the sweeps.

Art Romo

Explain “Modes” to me like I’m a 5 year old please.

Scott Manning

I have all kinds of amps and cabinets now and they’re all loud and kinda all over the pIace. Unc, I don’t know the best way to make a good studio setup out of em, maybe using ox setup that you have so that bedroom volumes and quickly changing between everything is seamless and makes sense.

Alex Watson

Hey Uncle Ben! This may be more of a full length video, but to kind of put a bow on all of the practice routine questions, I think it would be neat if we could have a timeline of what your guitar routines have looked like over the years (practice duration, practice content, time spent writing/composing, etc) as you’ve gone through different phases/projects as a player from start until now. Maybe highlighting along the way what was the best use and worst uses of your time. And if this already exists, ignore me!

Vinnie James

Your idea of a well rounded daily practice routine for an advanced beginner who wants to firmly learn all the tools to become a fluent and capable lead/rythum rock n metal super Dad. (Advanced beginner defined as someone who knows and can fluently play open chords, play the major scale, good at power/bar chords , and has half the notes on fret board memorized :-) And oh... remembers to put the seat down after shaking the remaining drip off of Mr. Wanker.

Edward Whittle

Could you do a video that demonstrates the downward and upwards pick slanting that would be required to properly pick a sequence such as descending 4s in A harmonic minor starting on C note 1st string 20th fret? Descending 2 octaves or more! Thank you

Chuck Saeger

I’m having trouble with picking technique with the more closed hand and where my fingers need to be.

John Quirus

Practice routine for semi-beginners please!

John Quirus

Yes!

Scott Krasche

What’s the one lesson, tip, or piece of gear that you got as a young player that, in retrospect, actually hurt your progress?

Nathan Varley

Hi Uncle Ben, could you please suggest or rank 6 solos to learn that increase in technical difficulty and speed. Maybe 2 beginner, 2 intermediate and 2 holy shit! Cheers, Nathan

NYCM&AHole

Do you get dumb comments on YouTube (not Patreon) like Glenn Fricker does?

NYCM&AHole

What’s the matter with being the guitarist for Austrian death machine?

Collin Smith

Any plans for another Stuff [Insert Band Here] Does? Always loved those videos.

Scott Lee

Love all your "The REAL way to play..." videos. Doesn't matter what it is... love the deep dives. Speaks to my soul

Keith Fine

Let’s talk modes, arpeggios and solo applications.

LiveLaughJordan

I’m transcribing Big Trouble’s bootleg solo today. Any tips for technical solo transcription? I’m going to start playing with a drummer friend, it’ll be the first time playing with another musician! Any tips for beginner performers? Thanks Uncle Ben, you rock!

John Brooks

More Mastodon please .

Brian S

Arpegiating chords a mixing that with strumming. E.g., Slash in Patience. I can kinda do it, but only when I practice a pattern. Just doing it randomly like he seems to (and YouTubers say you should) hasn't worked for me yet...probably just need more practice...

kurtis low

Mr. Uncle Ben, would you share your favorite (s) axfx presets for shredding delight and how you have everything set? May Your awesomeness drip its glistening essence upon the tones & tunes of us all.

Jeramy Ashlock

When you are going to write or jam in a given key or mode, do you tend to visualize the notes on the fretboard in terms of: 1) scale patterns and their alterations, 2) note names, 3) roots and intervals, or 4) something else?

David

If you were someone who's been playing for decades, learning parrot fashion, but never really got to grips with core music theory, then what order would you advise to learn things in?

Jeff

What is the best way for someone with a pot belly to hold the guitar in a sitting position. The bottom slides out and the guitar lays in a 30 to 45 degree angle facing up, which makes the fret hand wrist position uncomfortable.

Nicolas MALO

Something about Chris Poland, please ! He's so talented and unique. Cheers from France !

Dick Willems

Hey dude, how about some tips to prevent and deal with tendonitis? Warm up routines, how to tell you might need to take a break, how not to be a dumbass shred-rambo?

Joel Dickinson

Tell us about the gear you regret passing along.

Dennis

Can you do a quick explanation on how to use your midi files? Is the intent to just import as is to something like Guitar Pro to play along? I did that with one of them and there were a whole bunch of piano tracks when I was expecting maybe one for the exercise, so I feel like I may be missing something.

Tor

If you could have only one amp for (home) practice use, what would it be and why?

Brian S

Agree. Maybe tying together the major/minor scale patterns, intervals, arpeggios, CAGED, etc.

ZlatanPlaysGuitar

I’d love to see a Doug Aldrich style soloing lesson. The Skolnick request is also a banger!

Jason Smith

I've got something....how about a segment on songwriting/composition? You're a great player and subsequently HAVE to have crossed this hurdle!? I also think a lot of us would LOVE to hear some Uncle Ben original stuff!!!

Brian Newman

How many months or years did it take you to develop your alternative picking accuracy/speed? Ear training exercises!!!!

Top Jimmy

Indeed, I love being teased, especially by Uncle Ben but enoughs enough. I need my fix. I mainly want to see the video because I want to see Bens attempt at the solo lol

Kenny Roscoe

If you were to relearn guitar and music completely, what would be your step by step method in doing so based on the knowledge you have now?

Andrew Hair

How do you break through writer's block? I feel like I used to be able to bang out songs left and right long ago, but now I have piles of riffs I have no idea where to go with!

Shane R

Recommendations on how to get awesome sound (guitar, pedals, amp) with a more limited budget? Maybe run it at several different price points.

Richard Chirino

What was your favourite new album last year? And what was your favourite classic album last year?

Shahar Bar

Sorry one more request, anything by Steve Morse

Gregg B.

Testament solos? Let's give our man Alex Skolnick some love!

Devon Ward

As a Black Label Society/Zakk fan. Is it more about timing -triplets- quadruplets in a solo, or the notes?

Greg Davidson

Yeah, I can't play half of this stuff. MAYBE some Step Dad speed. I'm more of a crappy Uncle speed. I'm trapped in Pentatonic Hell, but I make good faces on stage. OK, here's a solo that contains shredding, tapping, sweeping and good ole' picking, Ben. You'd like it. It covers all the concepts in ONE solo. On EweToob it's called "Best guitar solo - Paul Bielatowicz" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFTU4Bu48qc

Pablo Alava

What should an intermediate guitarist be able to do/know?

Trevor Christensen

Also, thanks for the Fa Q, just learned there was a dinosaur called the fukuisaurus too. Hidden profanity is the best profanity.

Neil DeTuccio

Do you do ear training on a regular basis and if you do I’d love for you to share how you go about it?

David Geer

Hell Yes, He has been teasing that Lol!!

Dan Baker

You show us the equipment you love, how about sharing some regrets? A guitar/Amp/Etc that just didn't work for you.

Michael Olson

How would you tweak your method of picking if you were teaching a bassist instead of a guitarist?

David Geer

Whitesnake's Still of the night guitar solos!!

Gaclav

I promise - the last one. I know this probably won't happen ('cause you already explained why in latest video) but any chances for returning to The best riff of 198X! (or any other decade to be honest)? You are a knowledge powerhouse when anything Hair Metal is around but I would gladly take anything from your Encyclopedia of Good Music Recommendations.

Trevor Christensen

Cello! How long does it take you to learn a somewhat challenging song? It took me almost a year (of inconsistent practicing) to learn Bark at the Moon (with your help). The solo has significantly improved my finger vocabulary. I guess with that, I'm pretty sure you've done videos about this, but what songs are good to learn for a intermediate or advanced guitarist? Pete Thorn is pretty gnarly, just heard him for the first time yesterday. I can go on.

David Geer

How about some Ratt songs and tabs? Also Rush?

John Cullen

Can you do a lesson on Pitch Axis Theory using modes Ben. Thanks.

Jaakko Yli-Koivisto

How to practice high speed (let's say something like 16th note & 160+ bpm and 16th note triplets & 110+ bpm) alternate picking licks & runs. Are speed bursts the only answer, or is there something more that could be added or done practice-wise?

Dan Kobishop

Hey Ben, let’s talk amps vs modeling. In your cover band are you still primarily using your Friedman amp? What about modeling? Have you ever used your Fractal in a live setting? Just wondering your opinions on what you prefer and why. By the way your EVH tones were frickn amazing.

Greg Smyth

Uncle Ben have you any exciting exercises to fix my flailing fretting hand fingers? Chromatic exercises are so boring!

Gaclav

also maybe: Do you plan on expanding your TIWYSAG series towards theory direction? Last year you blessed us with many videos regarding technique - what are your thoughts/plans on more theory oriented stuff like You don't know major/minor scale?

Chris Corke

How bout a back to basics s ,pentatonic scales on chords behind it 🤔

Chad Ervin

How thick is your…….. Pick? How pointy is your ……… Pick? What color is your………. Pick? I’m asking for a friend 😀

Wahr Wigglin’

Vibrato while bending - how do you do it without sounding whack?

Ryan Mcleod

You're the one who got me into it, so, in your opinion, which Pat Finnerty video is the best?

Jeff Woodworth

Ear training!!! My ear sucks I’ve tried learning stuff by ear and seem to always be a half step off

Raphael Rosenberg

Happy New Year Uncle Ben! I have found myself struggling on how to create lesson plans for myself using the various lessons. I would love to see an FAQ on paths towards various goals, for example what lessons should I learn in order to obtain mastery on say sweep picking or hand synchronization?

Gaclav

Uncle, do you do/can recommend any type of "physical" warmup? Like lets say stretching, wrist/elbow/shoulder circles?

Deep Goswami

Choosing the right bends to accent a triad!

PTBurnem

Hey, Uncle Ben. Can you show us how you get that sweet solo delay sound? My guess is it’s a combination of tape style delay with the highs rolled back that fades into a reverb.

Ben Eller

Elaborate please? Like, bending entire chord triads, or just choosing the right bends to do to accent a triad?

Matthew Cutillo

FAQ hue, MothaFAQer!

Chris

So many good requests, hyped about this series dude!

Eric Bullington

Universal Audio OX, or Suhr Reactive Load. Pro’s and Con’s for someone who sux at guitar.

JamesT

More exercises and tips on addressing right hand tension would be gratefully received. Highers speeds and the necessary smaller motions seem to the killer for me.

Chad Johnson

Can you show us how your videos sound so good? Your set up how you run through to the camera to get that good sound?

Tyler Waddell

Hey Ben! I was curious if you do a lot of improv playing, and if so, what your approach is to thinking about songs with small key changes. How might one practice shifting between keys while playing lead?

Michael Kintzer

I know you have an amazing ear, but how much are you thinking about the chord progression when you improvise a solo? Thanks Ben!

Ybritt

Hi Uncle Ben! I am good at practicing techniques but lousy in incorporating what I’ve learned into my soloing and improvisation. What are your best tips/methods for bridging that gap? Thanks for everything you do! Ybritt, Sweden