Episodes

RJ Pasin, a guitarist, composer, producer, and social media influencer joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. Riffhard is the world's best online school for metal guitarists, with hundreds of lessons from Animals As Leaders, Jason Richardson, Archspire, Revocation, Intervals and more. Learn more at https://riffhard.com IN THIS EPISODE: 00:04:06 - Collab with Tim Hansen 00:11:28 - The Challenges of Making a Career in the Music Industry 00:15:28 - The Power of Content Creation 00:22:54 - Creati...

Jason Richardson joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast for some questions from the Riffhard community. Riffhard is the world's best online school for metal guitarists, with hundreds of lessons from Animals As Leaders, Jason Richardson, Archspire, Revocation, Intervals and more. Learn more at https://riffhard.com Chapters: 00:06:03 - Being in the Right Place at the Right Time 00:11:47 - The Dilemma of Choosing Singles 00:23:09 - Finding the Balance in Technique and Practice 00:29:03 - Reflecti...

Mike Martin and Jason Richardson, guitarists of All The Remains, joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. Riffhard is the world's best online school for metal guitarists, with hundreds of lessons from Animals As Leaders, Jason Richardson, Archspire, Revocation, Intervals and more. Learn more at https://riffhard.com Chapters: 00:03:00 - Dealing with Intense Bands and Scheduling Issues 00:08:22 - Devin Townsend: A Crazy, Insane Genius 00:16:05 - The Fluctuating Value of Collectible...

John Matos, guitarist of Abiotic, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:04:11 - Metal Shows in Miami 00:11:14 - Near-Death Motorcycle Experience 00:15:33 - Living with Risk To Pursue Dreams 00:22:19 - The Importance of Polite Persistence 00:24:35 - Unexpected Success in Social Media and Online Education 00:31:52 - Finding Success on YouTube 00:43:26 - Don't Take Yourself So Seriously 00:54:39 - The Effort of Creating Social Media Videos 00:58:54 - Balancing Content Creation ...

Cody Quistad, guitarist of Wage War, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:03:35 - What Makes Up Wage War's Guitar Tone? 00:08:35 - the Importance of Clean and Concise Records 00:10:11 - Technique for Down Picking and Bending 00:11:42 - Playing 19 Songs in 45 Minutes 00:14:46 - Technical Difficulties at a Live Show 00:19:34 - Using an Octave Pedal for Creativity on Guitar 00:21:00 - the Energy of Different Guitar Tunings 00:25:37 - Embracing 90s and 80s Inspiration in Heavy M...

Trev Lukather, guitarist of The Effect, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:02:18 - Musical Upbringing 00:10:31 - The Importance of Taking Music Seriously 00:14:52 - The Psychological Impact of Being the Child of Famous Artists 00:23:22 - The Myths and Stories of Record Deals 00:32:18 - The Challenges of Signing a Record Deal 00:44:36 - The Importance of Attention to Detail in Music Production 00:51:20 - Collaboration and Respect in the Recording Process 00:55:54 - The Infl...

Peter Tägtgren, guitarist of Hypocrisy and Pain, Joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Love for Hypocrisy 00:05:59 - Balancing Guitar Playing and Other Responsibilities 00:10:11 - Muscle Cramps and Preventing Injuries on Tour 00:14:29 - The Energy and Impact of Rhythmic Music 00:16:32 - The Evolution of Pain and Hypocrisy 00:20:39 - Starting Another Band 00:24:57 - The Power of the Baritone Guitar 00:33:05 - The Disconnect between Theory and Execution...

Matt Harvey, guitarist of Exhumed, joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. Chapters: 00:01:29 - A Songwriter's Perspective on Music and Guitar 00:06:08 - Avoiding Traps in Composition 00:07:38 - ACDC Records: Style or Parody? 00:09:10 - The Evolution of Band Branding and the Social Media Age 00:15:04 - The Myth of Creativity 00:21:30 - The Delusion of "I Have Arrived" 00:27:45 - Balancing Act and Emotional Maturity 00:34:09 - The Process of Creating an Album 00:44:57 - Excitement in Writin...

Finn Mckenty (Punk Rock MBA), Jesse Cannon (Musformation Growth), and Logan Young join Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Challenges of Releasing Music in the Streaming Era 00:02:03 - Breaking into the Music Industry on a Budget 00:06:15 - The Importance of Consistency and Growth in Content Creation 00:10:30 - The Importance of Small Tweaks for Algorithmic Success 00:18:51 - The Desperation for Attention in the Music Industry 00:22:47 - Embracing Criti...

Grant Truesdell, guitarist for Unleash The Archers, joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. CHAPTERS: 00:03:09 - Power Metal Influences 00:05:15 - Translating Story and Concept into Emotionally Resonant Music 00:07:02 - The Two Camps of Songwriting 00:15:27 - Writing with Vocals in Mind 00:19:03 - Trust and Reliability in Band Members 00:22:42 - The Myth of the Lone Wolf Artist 00:26:13 - The Importance of Being a Good Person 00:29:31 - Making Guitar Practice a Priority 00:31:21 - Don't Wa...

Jack Owen, guitarist of Six Feet Under, joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. CHAPTERS: 00:01:59 - Album Release and Band Names 00:04:01 - The Art of Writing Lyrics 00:08:35 - The Importance of Contributions in a Band 00:12:49 - Creating Note Patterns for Guitar Riffs 00:14:59 - Categorizing Riffs with a Numbering System 00:19:31 - Making Music with Limited Resources 00:24:04 - Using Finger Rotation for Faster Playing 00:26:04 - The Importance of Daily Practice 00:30:08 - Exploring Citie...

Scottie Simpson, guitarist for Alpha Wolf, joins Eyal on the Riffhard Podcast. CHAPTERS: 00:01:46 - Ice-T's Love for Metal 00:03:52 - The Importance of Rhythm in Guitar Playing 00:08:08 - Finding Inspiration from Different Genres 00:14:39 - The Importance of Consistency in Songwriting 00:19:03 - The Value of Writing "Shitty" Songs 00:23:01 - The Process of Critiquing 00:26:53 - Letting Go of Ideas 00:31:01 - The Benefits of EverTune Guitars 00:40:43 - Making the ...

Sean Hynes, guitarist of Ingested, joins the Riffhard podcast. Chapters: 00:02:15 - Finding Inspiration Through Different Tools 00:04:29 - Learning New Concepts and Taking Lessons 00:06:51 - Choosing The Right Guitar Teacher 00:11:17 - Managing the Low String on an Eight-String Guitar 00:13:48 - Experimenting with Evertune Equipped 8-Strings 00:16:03 - Muting Techniques on an 8-String Guitar 00:18:22 - Dealing with hand pain in guitar playing 00:22:35 - Trusting the Producer's Expertise...

Nick DePirro, guitarist of Night Verses, joins the Riffhard Podcast. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Nick DePirro and his unique style 00:02:00 - Influences and Genre Blend 00:04:43 - Use of Octave Settings in Guitar Playing 00:07:13 - Creative Use of Pitch Effects 00:11:07 - The Switch to Fractal and the Benefits of Modelers 00:16:50 - Pros and cons of recording experiences 00:19:47 - The Risk of Equipment Failure 00:23:46 - Why Are So Many Metal Bands Boring ...

Chapters: 00:02:00 - Imminence's Genre Evolution 00:09:25 - Crafting Arrangements 00:14:45 - Intuitive Songwriting Approaches 00:21:54 - Writing for Authenticity 00:26:33 - Discovering a New Sound 00:40:32 - Embracing Change 00:47:30 - Rhythm's Significance 00:52:38 - Virtuosos and the Essence of Our Songs 00:54:47 - The First Song Harald Learned on Guitar 00:59:17 - First Full US Tour 01:01:17 - Building an American Fanbase 01:08:03 - Rock and Roll Priorities...

We're joined by Ricky Armellino (Ice Nine Kills, Hawk) and Chris Kelly (Ex Ice Nine Kills touring guitarist, Alustrium) to discuss the reality of living your dreams, eating eyeballs, and their brand new band Hillhaven. Chapters: 00:02:54 - Shifting Focus in the Music Industry 00:09:19 - Overcoming Challenges and Changing Definitions of Success 00:12:36 - Being a Musician and its Impact on Others 00:16:01 - The Metallica Economy and Touring with LAMB of God 00:19:04 - Friends...

Jon Deiley of Northlane joins us to talk about why he uses Ableton, his writing process, what guitarists should focus on, programming insane light shows, and more. Chapters: 00:01:42 - The Cutthroat Mindset in Songwriting 00:03:36 - Unleashing Creativity in Music and Sound 00:07:50 - Nurturing Authenticity in Songwriting 00:11:34 - Enhancing Flow and Cohesion in Songs 00:17:40 - Exploring Creative Possibilities in Ableton 00:29:58 - The Dynamic Energy of Live Shows 00:...

Alyssa Day returns to the Riffhard Podcast to talk about making her puppy-filled video for "Trundle," how she recovered from a debilitating arm injury, and more. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Exploration of Puppy Love 00:12:50 - Breathing Life Into Instrumental Melodies 00:15:01 - Authentic Artistry in the Music Domain 00:17:02 - Reflecting on Past Missteps 00:19:09 - Navigating the Challenges of Injury and Response Diversity 00:21:13 - Harnessing the Power of F...

Wes Hauch of Alluvial joins Eyal Levi and guest co-host Spiro Dussias. 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Riffhard Podcast with guest Wes Hauch 00:03:14 - Cultivating Consistency in Technique Development 00:07:05 - Mastering the Art of Project Completion 00:10:37 - Navigating the Demand for Continuous Music Releases 00:18:00 - Examining Metallica's Impact on the Musical Landscape 00:25:22 - Insights into James Hetfield's Guitar Collection 00:29:04 - Precision in Metal Mixing ...

Tank The Tech is a popular YouTuber by night and guitar tech/tour manager by day. His YouTube channel has grown very fast because of how much truth he spits about reality in the music industry. Chapters: 00:02:06 - The Importance of Knowing Guitar Set-up Basics 00:06:24 - Stepping Into a Guitar Tech Gig 00:08:21 - The Importance of String Height and Maintenance 00:10:33 - The Art of String Changes 00:14:53 - Manual Vs. Automated String Winders 00:18:53 - The Importance of Regular Maintenance 00:...

Nizar Osmani is a frequent Riffhard collaborator, mastermind guitarist, and ER doctor. Chapters: 00:11:00 - Getting More Done in Less Time 00:27:34 - the Value of Music and Art Education 00:33:42 - Music Theory and Language Learning 00:41:58 - the Importance of Listening and Interpretation 00:44:03 - Breaking Out of Tendencies With Modal Interchange 00:50:05 - the Creative Process and Musical Influences 00:54:01 - Cover Versions and Licensing Songs 00:58:17 - Recreatin...

Dave Ellefson (Ex-Megadeth) and Guilherme Miranda (Ex-Entombed A.D.) play guitar and bass for Dieth. Chapters: 00:03:28 - The Organic Story of Their Band 00:07:36 - The Beginnings of the Collaboration 00:13:18 - The Writing Process and Recording Techniques 00:20:46 - Composing With Vocals in Mind 00:28:25 - Collaboration and Limitations in Drum Programming 00:32:07 - The Power of Simplicity 00:43:49 - Underutilized Aspects of Guitar and Ideas That Don't Make It 00:47:29 - Revisiting Idea...

Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves, God Forbid) and Miles Dimitri Baker (Interloper) discuss playing for Ice Nine Kills during their Metallica Stadium Tour. Chapters: 00:03:42 - Learning Ice Nine Kills Songs Under Pressure 00:07:06 - Burning the Candle at Both Ends 00:13:38 - Overcoming Fear and Taking Opportunities 00:24:28 - The Pressure of Learning Songs for Rehearsals 00:28:12 - Playing With Metallica in Stadiums 00:35:21 - Efficiently Arranging for Three Guitars 00:42:31 - the Im...

Justin McKinney, guitarist for The Zenith Passage joins us to talk about the the tech death guitar life. Chapters: 00:02:37 - Communication in music production 00:09:44 - Overcoming Demoitis 00:19:25 - Hot Take: Shorter Albums Are Better 00:21:23 - The Importance of Quality over Quantity 00:28:15 - The Evolution of Cannibal Corpse 00:33:00 - Extreme Music for Extreme People 00:35:23 - We Should All Love Gateway Bands 00:42:36 - The Importance of Artists Who Care 00:49:...