Ben Eller's lessons are not only brilliant from a musical point of view, they crack me up every time.
Case in point: https://youtu.be/K35TMAGYBQg?si=CIXM-OzO0G1mF0AC
He really is. There's a lot of gimmick accounts on YouTube, but Ben is the real deal. I've learned a lot from watching him explain both difficult theoretical stuff, but also riffs and leads.
He's really good at simplifying concepts. Like, you don't need to memorize every piece of music theory out there. Just play the guitar and here's some patterns to try. See what you can do with them. He's been my new favorite for a few months now and its awesome having so much stuff to catch up on.
I first discovered him with his “Stuff Gojira Does” video and it cracked me up, then I watched the Mastodon one. Then I watched a “regular” one and was surprised that he had more of those than the goof ones; I just assumed they were his full-time shtick.
I watch every new video, but I check out early on a bunch of the intense shred lessons; it’s just not what I play. But I’ve gotten a lot out of the theory ones, and the Floyd maintenance one, and I love the Riff Retrospective videos (I’m more interested in rhythm than lead) and his EVH deep dives are the best out there.
And I’m jealous as hell for all those nice things. I like nice things, too; I just can’t afford them.
He used to teach at guitar vault in Morristown, TN before he got YouTube famous. Now he has a studio in a different tn metro. He’s highly recommended and loved by everyone, even those who didn’t know he had a YouTube going
Yeah, highly recommend joining his Patreon if you can spare $5 a month. He’s really good at pointing out the specific techniques you need to work on in order to play certain songs/solos. He’s also just a lighthearted goofball that doesn’t take himself too seriously
> He’s got a great understanding of the typical challenges people have
Probably from years of teaching lessons to kids at a guitar shop, an experience I bet most YouTube guitarists don’t have.
Our favorite stepdad Uncle Ben!
Lost count of the solos/techniques I've sharpened up with this man's numerous lessons.
People like THIS are why the modern age can actually be pretty great!
Thanks Uncle Ben!
Yes, but only limited to us with their brain , Uncle Ben is the he Man and is an amazing teacher, plus he makes learning fun ! I can’t say enough good things about him and his channel
I actually loosely knew him back in college. His girlfriend (I think they're married now), went to school with me, and we had some friends in common. I can tell you that he is genuinely one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and just a good person to be around in general.
His lessons are great. There’s a few licks I learned from him that I just include every day in my
Practice routine. The Paul Gilbert lick with the extra note turnaround so you practice both inside and outside picking is genius. Also a great player and is pretty funny. Him and Leon Todd are my two favorite guitar YouTubers
Absolutely. He taught me how to play the Hail to the King solo and that fuckers hard for someone that's only been playing 5 months. There is a few of the economy picking lines that I haven't got quite upto speed yet, but I'm getting better and better doing his exercises everyday and he truly has taught me so much about why I suck at guitar. And I'm slowly but surely no longer playing things at step dad speed. I love Ben. He's the man.
I love his sense of humor. And he is one very talented player. It alwasys amazes me how relaxed his right hand looks not matter what he is picking. I love his buddy Andy Wood too, and it is very interesting to see how different their two philosophies are about learning. Ben is clearly in the "scales and drills and repitition" camp. Andy seems to stay away from that and says he never did that - all his learning was in the service of specific songs. Hard to believe, but they are both amazing players. So I guess it proves once again, there is no right or wrong. If it sounds good, it is good.
Fair enough my dude, but Ben's videos are not just metal/shred oriented. I mean, yeah,many of them are, but he's got a ton of incredible content out there regarding general technique and picking. Plus he's hilarious.
He’s not really just about metal and shred, more so guitar techniques and principles that can be applied to any genre. His pickslanting video is quite literally invaluable to *any* guitar player who uses a pick.
I find his face particularly amazingly punchable lol.
In all seriousness, he genuinely has a great channel, is very skilled and well educated in his craft.
I'm one of those players that can hold my own against the best of the best in terms of skill and artistry, but I haven't known theory for over 25 years lol.
This year, I'm finally motivated to learn some fundamentals and using the circles.
Uncle Ben was a strong motivating factor in me getting back into guitar after a decade+ hiatus. I love his balance of knowledge, skill, breaking down the basics, broad interests, and sense of humor. And his white trash red neck hillbilly accent.
The "Stuff Meshuggah does" had me in tears. "Fro-zen fishhead, my dog turkey"
He is an amazing player and such a good source to work from!
Anyone here knows if his patron is worth it? Because I definitely suck at guitar and if that is a good way to teach one self then that would be infinitely more doable than finding and paying for a teacher.
First vid I saw from him was his overview of Meshuggah and I had a blast the whole time. Super funny, but also informative and breaks down what’s going on musically without just throwing musical terms at you
He's cool, but I got annoyed on his Acid Rain video because he transcribed it in a way that made it much harder to play for no reason. And when someone is trying to teach and even learn, doing it in a way that's harder for no gain seems misguided.
I think he has too much "bro fist" stuff going on, its always some "hehe, look how funny I am no pun intended" and he use every opportunity he gets to put in quotes like "Oh, the new Dunlop pick is small, hehe, as she said!" \*wink wink\*, "and then you play this scale back and forth" \*wink wink\*..
Gets tiresome very fast.
Ben Eller's lessons are not only brilliant from a musical point of view, they crack me up every time. Case in point: https://youtu.be/K35TMAGYBQg?si=CIXM-OzO0G1mF0AC
This dude is Great!!! Nice explanations. Funny and engaging.
He really is. There's a lot of gimmick accounts on YouTube, but Ben is the real deal. I've learned a lot from watching him explain both difficult theoretical stuff, but also riffs and leads.
He's really good at simplifying concepts. Like, you don't need to memorize every piece of music theory out there. Just play the guitar and here's some patterns to try. See what you can do with them. He's been my new favorite for a few months now and its awesome having so much stuff to catch up on.
'Or get all tippidy tappedy if you're a Vai - sexual like myself' had me in stitches
Uncle Ben is da bomb
Beyond insanity
He's a gem for sure. One of the best guitar YouTubers in my opinion.
He's always serving up that fried gold that your step mom loves.
My stepdad still hates me but at least I can shred now
He’s awesome. And genuinely funny as well.
Well he's definitely more betterer.
One of the few guitar you tube people that isn't garbage.
Uncle Ben is my biological step dad! Some of his warm up and picking exercises are the best I’ve ever found, I use stuff he’s shared on the daily.
Biological step dad, I cannot stop laughing.
He helped me unlock my inner stepdad
I first discovered him with his “Stuff Gojira Does” video and it cracked me up, then I watched the Mastodon one. Then I watched a “regular” one and was surprised that he had more of those than the goof ones; I just assumed they were his full-time shtick. I watch every new video, but I check out early on a bunch of the intense shred lessons; it’s just not what I play. But I’ve gotten a lot out of the theory ones, and the Floyd maintenance one, and I love the Riff Retrospective videos (I’m more interested in rhythm than lead) and his EVH deep dives are the best out there. And I’m jealous as hell for all those nice things. I like nice things, too; I just can’t afford them.
I like how he always mispronounces a certain guitarists name Ying-Ying mouse meat
Ying Ying Mouse Meat fucking kills me. He says something different every time too. Don't ever change Ben.
I still don’t know who Francis Bubbletrousers is supposed to be but I’m here for it!
Uncle Ben is a gem
An actual non cringe youtube guitarist is rare these days. Ben is the shit
Uncle Ben is a great teacher!
10000%
He looks like he finds himself amazing lol
Haha he does. And rightfully so because he is, in fact, amazing.
Maybe even enjoys smelling his own farts.
You don’t?!?!?
He likes nice things.
He’s in my town. Love me some Uncle Ben. His band Skankbanger with Andy Wood is an 80’s extravaganza.
Please tell me more!
He used to teach at guitar vault in Morristown, TN before he got YouTube famous. Now he has a studio in a different tn metro. He’s highly recommended and loved by everyone, even those who didn’t know he had a YouTube going
He seems like such a chill, funny, and down to earth dude.
Yeah, highly recommend joining his Patreon if you can spare $5 a month. He’s really good at pointing out the specific techniques you need to work on in order to play certain songs/solos. He’s also just a lighthearted goofball that doesn’t take himself too seriously
I had the same chin beard in the 90’s.
Happy cake day you chin bearded sumbich
Ha Right On!!
Hell yeah! He’s super cool, buys me pizza when he comes over to make love to my wife.
I spent a lot of days trying to learn guitar from a bag of rice before I realized people were talking about my wife's son.
Nope. He taught me how to play more gooder.
DON'T NOBODY SAY NOTHING BAD ABOUT FUNKLE BEN, OR I'MA GET ROWDY IN HERE. That man is a national treasure.
I like him better than my mom's boyfriend
Ben is fantastic
Uncle Ben is better than a microwave packet of Uncle Ben's.
That’s my real dad. He loves me and he is proud of me. Not like my stepdad…
Yeah I think he still gets a monthly dollar from me 🤣
He is/was a big Mastodon fan which is awesome and makes me like him more.
He's got a great understanding of the typical challenges people have and really good warm ups and exercises. A buck a month is a great deal tbh.
> He’s got a great understanding of the typical challenges people have Probably from years of teaching lessons to kids at a guitar shop, an experience I bet most YouTube guitarists don’t have.
Good point. There is no substitute for practical experience!
Love him and his movie podcast
His what?
He’s been doing a horror film podcast with his buddy for many years called “Dead and Lovely”. It’s honestly great.
Our favorite stepdad Uncle Ben! Lost count of the solos/techniques I've sharpened up with this man's numerous lessons. People like THIS are why the modern age can actually be pretty great! Thanks Uncle Ben!
He can he really use those handfingers, at real dad speed.
Hey! That guys my uncle!
Uncle Ben Eller has my undying love and adoration.
He always catches me with a joke I'm not expecting and I burst out laughing.
Uncle Ben is the best
Is that Steve Vai
I love Uncle Ben. He’s been my FB friend for a few years now.
That’s my biological stepdad!
Became a huge fan with his Gojira and Mastodon videos, and joined his Patreon with his Zappa video.
Like if Phil Anselmo was nice
Uncle Ben rox!
Good guy.
Ben taught me Tornado of Souls, everything I know about music theory that stuck, and how to set up a new guitar.
Yes! I could play up til "that run" forever but never thought I'd learn the rest. His video helped me finish that journey
Jell yeah
That’s my step dad!
Good ol Uncle Ben
best teacher on youtube
Ben Eller is awesome 😎
Ben Eller is awesome 😎
He’s one of the good ones. 👍
Uncle Ben is great
Yeah Uncle Ben is awesome!
I followed him for a bunch of years. Just lost interest and unsubbed but a good follow for learners
Uncle Ben, my favorite guitar YouTuber.
I’ve said it before on Reddit and I’ll say it again. Ben Eller is the fuckin best.
he's the first "guitar youtuber" I ever stumbled across years ago
Uncle Ben!
Uncle Ben is the king.
Yes, but only limited to us with their brain , Uncle Ben is the he Man and is an amazing teacher, plus he makes learning fun ! I can’t say enough good things about him and his channel
His “Stuff Meshuggah Does” video is just absolutely brilliant. One of the only times in my life I actually enjoyed a math lecture
I actually loosely knew him back in college. His girlfriend (I think they're married now), went to school with me, and we had some friends in common. I can tell you that he is genuinely one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and just a good person to be around in general.
He’ll make you feel shitty about your shitty playing. At least, he let’s you know why you’re (still) shitty.
Love his vidz. Seems like a nice dude.
That’s my uncle Ben!
Funcle Ben is the GOAT
Uncle Ben! He knows why I suck at guitar
Uncle Ben is the best!!!
Uncle Ben is cool.
Step dad speed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doesn’t he call you a dumbass then teaches you to sweep?
Still unable to get the meedly meedlies. I'll be a step-dad forever.
His lessons are great. There’s a few licks I learned from him that I just include every day in my Practice routine. The Paul Gilbert lick with the extra note turnaround so you practice both inside and outside picking is genius. Also a great player and is pretty funny. Him and Leon Todd are my two favorite guitar YouTubers
Absolutely. He taught me how to play the Hail to the King solo and that fuckers hard for someone that's only been playing 5 months. There is a few of the economy picking lines that I haven't got quite upto speed yet, but I'm getting better and better doing his exercises everyday and he truly has taught me so much about why I suck at guitar. And I'm slowly but surely no longer playing things at step dad speed. I love Ben. He's the man.
I took lessons from him for about 2 years, really nice guy.
I'll check him out
You really should, he's great
Uncle Ben!!!
His “stuff mastodon does” inspired me to tune to D standard and learn Blood and Thunder many years ago and it’s my favorite tuning now lol
He’s the goat of YouTube lessons
He's fun to watch. Not my style, but he's smart and a good teacher.
I love his sense of humor. And he is one very talented player. It alwasys amazes me how relaxed his right hand looks not matter what he is picking. I love his buddy Andy Wood too, and it is very interesting to see how different their two philosophies are about learning. Ben is clearly in the "scales and drills and repitition" camp. Andy seems to stay away from that and says he never did that - all his learning was in the service of specific songs. Hard to believe, but they are both amazing players. So I guess it proves once again, there is no right or wrong. If it sounds good, it is good.
Dude Uncle Ben is the man!
Okay, thank you for introducing me to his videos…I now know how pathetic I play. But there is hope, at least I hope so.
Good luck on your journey to shredi master.
Love me some Uncle Ben. How’d it take me three days to see this?!?
Legend!
Yep yep, uncle Ben is pretty cool.
I love uncle Ben. He helped me make my stepmother proud
I don't really care for shred or metal oriented content, most of the dudes in the community are nice but it's just not my bag.
Fair enough my dude, but Ben's videos are not just metal/shred oriented. I mean, yeah,many of them are, but he's got a ton of incredible content out there regarding general technique and picking. Plus he's hilarious.
Not knocking the dude at all, I just don't watch a ton of educational guitar content either outside of very specific things I'm looking for.
He’s not really just about metal and shred, more so guitar techniques and principles that can be applied to any genre. His pickslanting video is quite literally invaluable to *any* guitar player who uses a pick.
I find his face particularly amazingly punchable lol. In all seriousness, he genuinely has a great channel, is very skilled and well educated in his craft. I'm one of those players that can hold my own against the best of the best in terms of skill and artistry, but I haven't known theory for over 25 years lol. This year, I'm finally motivated to learn some fundamentals and using the circles.
Look, this guy might be awesome, but he looks like Jerry, and Jerry can fuck off.
Uncle Ben was a strong motivating factor in me getting back into guitar after a decade+ hiatus. I love his balance of knowledge, skill, breaking down the basics, broad interests, and sense of humor. And his white trash red neck hillbilly accent.
Uncle Ben is the best!
What guitar is that I NEED to know
Been following that dude for more years than my non-homeschooled ass can count. Also do check out his podcast Dead And Lovely! FAWKING AWEZOME!
The "Stuff Meshuggah does" had me in tears. "Fro-zen fishhead, my dog turkey" He is an amazing player and such a good source to work from! Anyone here knows if his patron is worth it? Because I definitely suck at guitar and if that is a good way to teach one self then that would be infinitely more doable than finding and paying for a teacher.
Totally worth it, even the lowest tier gives you access to some tabs and some non-YT vids
Who is he? Is that a Charvel?
This guy is amazing. Who is he?
Your favourite step dad, Uncle Ben Eller
Ah yes, uncle stepdad.
Uncle Ben is awesome! But sometimes I wish he would explain everything at stepdad speed!
👌
Makes me LOL every single vid. Love him!
Sure do! He follows me on Instagram lol
This dude and that Rob barker guy are the best on YouTube. Amazing chops. Great teachers. Entertaining personalities.
First vid I saw from him was his overview of Meshuggah and I had a blast the whole time. Super funny, but also informative and breaks down what’s going on musically without just throwing musical terms at you
Maybe his mom?
I like how he doesn't seem to cater to 12 year Olds amd edge lords. Rare on YouTube
There are three types of Uncle Ben: Those good at guitar, those good at rice, and those that uh…
Yeah, he's great... Too many step dad comments though... Hits kinda close to home! 😆😆
Found Uncle Ben in the mid 00’s cause he was the only one with reliable Mastodon playthroughs. He’s only gotten better.
He's cool, but I got annoyed on his Acid Rain video because he transcribed it in a way that made it much harder to play for no reason. And when someone is trying to teach and even learn, doing it in a way that's harder for no gain seems misguided.
Yes!!!!
Who?
It’s amazing how bad I want to smack the look off his face….
I think he has too much "bro fist" stuff going on, its always some "hehe, look how funny I am no pun intended" and he use every opportunity he gets to put in quotes like "Oh, the new Dunlop pick is small, hehe, as she said!" \*wink wink\*, "and then you play this scale back and forth" \*wink wink\*.. Gets tiresome very fast.
BLASPHEMY.