Eddie Van Halen – Celebrating a Guitar Revolutionary on His 71st Birthday

Today marks what would have been the 71st birthday of Eddie Van Halen, a musician whose impact on the electric guitar is so profound that it’s almost impossible to separate modern rock guitar from his influence. Eddie didn’t just play the instrument differently — he reimagined what the guitar could be, inspiring millions of players to think creatively, play fearlessly, and chase their own sound.

At Lick Library, we believe the best way to celebrate Eddie’s life and legacy is not only to reflect on what he achieved, but to encourage guitarists to study, understand, and apply his techniques — especially his revolutionary approach to two-handed tapping, which forever changed the vocabulary of rock guitar.

This blog is both a tribute and a practical guide: a celebration of Eddie Van Halen’s genius, and a roadmap for guitarists who want to learn how to tap musically, confidently, and authentically in the style of Eddie Van Halen.

When Van Halen released their debut album in 1978, the guitar world was never the same again. From the moment Eruption exploded out of speakers, Eddie Van Halen announced that the rules had changed. Guitarists suddenly heard sounds that felt impossible, yet somehow effortless — cascading tapped notes, fluid legato lines, harmonics, dive bombs, and a sense of joy that was unmistakably Eddie.

What set Eddie apart wasn’t just technical ability. Plenty of players could play fast — but no one sounded like Eddie. His playing was playful, expressive, aggressive, melodic, and spontaneous all at once. Every solo felt like a conversation rather than a rehearsed exercise, and his techniques always served the music.

Tapping, in Eddie’s hands, wasn’t a gimmick. It was a new expressive language.

Two-handed tapping existed before Eddie, but he was the guitarist who brought it to the mainstream and showed how powerful it could be when used creatively. Eddie’s tapping style combined:

• Legato phrasing

• Wide intervallic movement

• Strong rhythmic placement

• Melodic awareness

• Improvisational freedom

Instead of simply hammering notes for speed, Eddie used tapping to create flowing, piano-like lines that moved seamlessly across the fretboard. His tapped phrases often outlined chord tones, triads, and scale shapes, making them sound intentional and musical rather than mechanical.

This is exactly why learning Eddie’s tapping style remains so valuable today — it teaches guitarists how to connect technique with musical expression.

If you want to tap like Eddie Van Halen, the goal isn’t just to copy licks — it’s to understand the mechanics, the theory, and the musical mindset behind the technique. Here’s how to approach it properly.

1. Build Solid Tapping Foundations

Before diving into flashy runs, Eddie mastered the basics: clean hammer-ons, pull-offs, and strong fret-hand independence. Tapping relies heavily on clarity and control, especially when notes are sustained by legato rather than picking.

At Lick Library, structured lessons help you develop:

• Accurate right-hand tapping technique

• Even note volume between hands

• Clean pull-offs and transitions

• Synchronisation across both hands

2. Learn Tapping as a Musical Device, Not a Trick

One of Eddie’s greatest strengths was how natural his tapping sounded. He often used tapping to extend melodic ideas rather than interrupt them. This means learning how tapping fits into:

• Scale shapes

• Arpeggios

• Chord tones

• Solo phrasing

Instead of practising random patterns, focus on musical shapes Eddie favoured, such as tapped triads and scalar sequences that move horizontally across the neck.

3. Develop Rhythm and Feel

Eddie’s tapping grooves. Even at high speed, his phrases feel rhythmically alive. This comes from practising tapping with:

• Metronome control

• Strong rhythmic groupings

• Syncopation and accents

Rather than racing for speed, Eddie let the rhythm breathe. Learning to tap in time is what transforms technique into music.

4. Integrate Tapping Into Your Own Solos

Eddie didn’t sound like he was “switching” to tapping — it flowed naturally from picked and legato lines. That’s because he practised connecting techniques, not isolating them.

At Lick Library, tapping lessons are designed to help you:

• Transition smoothly between picking and tapping

• Use tapping as a climactic device in solos

• Apply tapping ideas in real musical contexts

Decades later, Eddie Van Halen’s tapping approach remains essential study for any serious rock guitarist because it teaches you how to:

• Think melodically under pressure

• Use technique as expression

• Break rules while sounding musical

• Develop a unique guitar voice

Eddie’s legacy reminds us that innovation comes from curiosity, not imitation. He learned classical piano as a child, absorbed blues and rock, then fused everything into something entirely his own.

That spirit of exploration is exactly what Lick Library’s Van Halen–inspired lessons aim to encourage.

On what would have been Eddie Van Halen’s 71st birthday, the best tribute a guitarist can offer is simple:

• Pick up your guitar

• Learn something new

• Push beyond what feels comfortable

• Play with joy, confidence, and curiosity

Whether you’re discovering tapping for the first time or refining advanced techniques, Eddie’s influence is still there — in every fluid legato line, every fearless solo, and every moment where the guitar feels limitless.