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Van Halen - Everybody Wants Some!! - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
Van Halen - Everybody Wants Some!! guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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Van Halen Hard Rock E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Everybody Wants Some!!

Few opening riffs in rock are as immediately recognisable as the one that kicks off "Everybody Wants Some!!" by Van Halen. It centres on a loose, slightly behind-the-beat single-note groove in E major that sounds deceptively simple but demands real control over pick attack and string muting to nail the swagger. Eddie Van Halen's right-hand technique here is the whole story: keeping unwanted strings quiet while landing each note with just the right amount of bite is harder than the tab suggests. The riff also sits in a mid-tempo pocket where rushing is easy, so pay close attention to your internal pulse. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the opening figure slowed down and focus on getting the muting and timing locked before you bring it back up to speed. Once the feel clicks, the rest of the song falls into place around that same relaxed, confident attitude.

  • The signature riff is built on a single-note groove in E major, where precise right-hand muting is the main technical hurdle.
  • Keeping a loose, behind-the-beat feel without rushing is the biggest challenge, making slow isolated practice with a metronome essential.
  • The tone relies heavily on pick attack and dynamics, so experiment with your picking angle and grip before reaching for extra gain.

How to Play Everybody Wants Some!!

Key: E major · Tempo: 126 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 126 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Eddie Van Halen pulled a Gibson PAF humbucker from a ES-335 to load his original Frankenstrat, giving him a low-output pickup that maintained clarity during lightning-fast tapping and legato runs despite heavy gain.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Eddie's 1968 Marshall Plexi Super Lead, run through a variac at 90 volts, created his legendary 'brown sound' by pushing power tubes into sweet, spongy saturation at gig volumes, defining his harmonic sustain and responsiveness.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Eddie adopted the Soldano SLO-100 as a tonal alternative to Marshalls, delivering the high-headroom, articulate gain he needed for his finger-tapping technique while maintaining clarity in complex legato passages.

Peavey 5150
Amp

Peavey 5150

Eddie co-designed the Peavey 5150 to capture his signature tone in a modern platform, offering three channels from clean sparkle to crushing high-gain with EL34 power tubes for dynamic responsiveness across his entire playing vocabulary.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Eddie employed the Dunlop Cry Baby wah strategically on select solos, using it to add vocal-like expression and sweep to his lead lines without relying heavily on effect-driven tones.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

Eddie's MXR Phase 90 script-logo version created his signature swirling, vocal sweep on 'Eruption' and 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,' becoming one of rock's most identifiable effect tones through minimal, tasteful use.

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