The Trouble With Never – Van Halen

Take your guitar playing to explosive new heights with our note-for-note guitar lesson of "The Trouble With Never" by Van Halen. This hard-hitting track showcases a dazzling array of techniques that epitomise Eddie Van Halen’s iconic style, blending classic rock bravado with cutting-edge innovation. Our lesson breaks down each section of the song in detail, making it accessible and achievable for intermediate to advanced players looking to expand their technical vocabulary, speed, and creative expression.

Whether you're a Van Halen superfan or just looking to add some powerful tools to your playing arsenal, this deep dive into one of the band's later-era gems will deliver. Andy James breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Guitarist: Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen is a revolutionary force in the world of rock guitar. With his signature tone, unique phrasing, and trailblazing techniques like two-handed tapping and harmonics, he redefined what was possible on the electric guitar. “The Trouble With Never,” from Van Halen’s 2012 album A Different Kind of Truth, features Eddie at his ferocious best—demonstrating not only his technical prowess but also his musical maturity. His playing on this track fuses classic hard rock energy with rhythmic complexity and harmonic depth, making it a must-learn for guitarists aiming to understand modern rock technique.

Technique Breakdown and Lesson Focus

Two-Handed Tapping

This song features Eddie’s legendary two-handed tapping, a hallmark of his style. This technique involves using the picking hand to tap notes on the fretboard, creating fast, fluid lines that can’t be played with one hand alone. Learning this expands finger independence and adds jaw-dropping flair to your solos.

Pinched Harmonics

Throughout the main riffs, pinched harmonics give the guitar tone a screaming, vocal-like quality. Mastering this adds personality and aggression to your lead playing, helping your notes cut through the mix with intensity.

Alternate Picking

The high-speed riffing in the verse sections demands precise alternate picking. Developing this technique increases your picking hand efficiency and helps you maintain control at faster tempos.

Legato

Fluid lines in the solo rely on smooth legato phrasing, including rapid-fire hammer-ons and pull-offs. Practicing this makes your soloing smoother and more expressive with less picking effort.

String Bending & Bluesy Bends

Eddie adds emotional punch to his solos with expertly placed string bending and bluesy bends. These techniques are essential for expressive, vocal-like phrasing and help convey emotion in your solos.

Slides

Transitions between licks are often connected with tasteful slides, allowing for smoother movement between positions. Slides are perfect for connecting ideas fluidly and adding a lyrical feel to your leads.

Dive Bombs & Whammy Bar Tricks

Eddie’s use of the whammy bar adds explosive impact through dive bombs and subtle whammy bar tricks. Learning these gives you control over pitch modulation and dynamic swells, enriching your sonic palette.

Vibrato

Eddie’s signature wide vibrato is on full display here, giving sustained notes a vocal-like shimmer. Mastering vibrato is crucial for adding character and control to your solos.

Tapped Harmonics

The intro features a haunting use of tapped harmonics, producing bell-like tones that elevate the melodic complexity of the piece. These are great for adding ethereal textures to your playing.

Why Learn "The Trouble With Never"?

Learning this song not only strengthens your technical proficiency, but also sharpens your ability to integrate techniques musically. Eddie Van Halen didn’t just use advanced techniques to show off—he used them to tell a story, create tension, and deliver emotion. By learning this song note for note, you gain insights into musical phrasing, rhythmic feel, and stylistic versatility. It’s a masterclass in modern rock guitar packed into one explosive track.

Our detailed lesson walks you through every lick, riff, and nuance, ensuring you not only learn what to play but also how and why Eddie plays it the way he does. You’ll come away with not just a new song in your repertoire, but a whole arsenal of expressive tools to use in your own music.

Techniques Featured in this Lesson

• Two-Handed Tapping
• Pinched Harmonics
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• String Bending
• Bluesy Bends
• Slides
• Dive Bombs
• Whammy Bar Tricks
• Vibrato
• Tapped Harmonics

Want to play like Eddie? Dive into "The Trouble With Never" with LickLibrary and unlock the secrets behind one of rock's most innovative guitar minds.