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Van Halen - Right Now - Guitar Lesson

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Key F major
Van Halen - Right Now guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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Van Halen Hard Rock F major
Capo Advisor 0 F major · Original key

About Right Now

"Right Now" is one of the more piano-driven tracks in the Van Halen catalogue, but the guitar still has real work to do. Eddie Van Halen's rhythm parts sit in F major at a steady 120 BPM, which means the groove is unhurried enough that every note needs to lock in cleanly rather than hide behind speed. The main challenge for guitarists is capturing the full, chorused clean tone and the behind-the-beat feel of the rhythm work, all in E Standard tuning. The song shifts between lush, sustained chords and tighter rhythmic stabs, so switching between those textures smoothly takes more practice than the tempo suggests. There is also a guitar solo that rewards attention to phrasing and dynamics rather than sheer velocity. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the solo or any chord transition slowed down so you can really hear where the accents land before bringing it back up to tempo. Hard Rock rhythm playing like this is a great study in restraint as much as power.

  • The rhythm guitar sits in E Standard tuning in F major, so expect some barre chord shapes and careful left-hand stretches throughout.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, but nailing the behind-the-beat feel of the chord stabs is the real rhythmic challenge here.
  • The guitar solo prioritises melodic phrasing and dynamic control over fast runs, making it a good piece to study expressive lead technique.

How to Play Right Now

Tuning: E Standard · Key: F major · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 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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