"Bottoms Up!" by Van Halen: Guitar Lesson

"Bottoms Up!" is an electrifying track from Van Halen's second album, 'Van Halen II'. The song is an epitome of the band's signature style: raw, energetic, and technically intricate, especially when one delves into Eddie Van Halen's guitar work. As guitarists, it's a treasure trove of techniques, scales, and chord progressions that are not only audibly thrilling but also intriguing to dissect and learn. Sam Bell breaks down this classic album track in this exclusive Lick Library tutorial.

Chords and Progressions

The song predominantly revolves around power chords like E5, A5, and D5, with a few sprinkles of major and minor chords. The primary chord progressions involve moving swiftly between these power chords, providing a robust backbone for the song's rhythm.

Scales

Eddie employs the E minor pentatonic scale, a staple in rock guitar solos, throughout many parts of the song. His use of this scale, combined with his signature style, creates a sound that is unmistakably Van Halen.

The Guitar Solo

The solo in "Bottoms Up!" is quintessential Eddie. Beginning with some double-stops and rapid-fire alternate picking, it moves into a series of pull-offs and hammer-ons, showcasing Eddie's impeccable legato technique. Throughout the solo, we also hear the rich, wailing sound of unison bends and the shimmering effect of tapped harmonics.

Eddie Van Halen's Touch

Eddie Van Halen's style is marked by a combination of technical proficiency and raw musical instinct. In "Bottoms Up!", we can observe his unique approach to rhythm guitar, characterised by chunky palm-muted power chords. His solos, however, are where his genius truly shines. He often blends a bluesy foundation with a hard rock edge, delivering a seamless flow of rapid-fire notes, interspersed with longer, wailing bends that provide an emotional counterpoint to the technical runs.

Techniques Used in "Bottoms Up!":

• Vibrato
• Alternate picking
• Legato
• Tapped harmonics
• Double-stop bends
• Unison bends
• Pinched harmonics
• Power chords
• Palm-muting
• Two-handed tapping
• Hammer-ons
• Pull-offs
• Slides
• String-bending

In conclusion, "Bottoms Up!" is a perfect demonstration of Eddie Van Halen's prowess and creativity on the guitar. It encapsulates his innate ability to combine technical skills with emotional expression, delivering solos that are as much a thrill to listen to as they are to dissect and learn. As a guitar teacher and enthusiast, this song offers a rich palette of techniques and styles to study and incorporate into one's playing, proving yet again why Eddie Van Halen remains one of the most revered guitarists in rock history.