Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Browser DAWs
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Restring your guitar
  1. Tutorials
  2. Guitar Lessons & Tutorials

Quick licks: advanced #13

News
By Guitar Techniques
Published 3 May 2012

Van Halen acoustic and Akkerman-style lead

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Advanced lick one: Eddie Van Halen-style mock flamenco

Advanced lick one: Eddie Van Halen-style mock flamenco

We've used Van Halen's acoustic work as inspiration for this example. The pick plays the fast tremolo parts and the fretting hand taps the lower notes as smoothly as possible. It's a clever way for a pick player to sound like a flamenco guitarist - aim for volume balance though!

Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Advanced lick two: Jan Akkerman-style lead

Advanced lick two: Jan Akkerman-style lead

Here's a tribute to Focus' Dutch guitar master. Note the use of the Hungarian Gypsy Minor Scale (A, B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A), which is characteristic of his lead work. For best results, use a Fender Twin sound cranked and a bridge position humbucker to really cut through.

Page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Guitar Techniques
Read more
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Steve Farris plays a Strat with Mr Mister, while Eddie Van Halen takes a two-handed tapping solo.
Artists Steve Farris on the time he jammed ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin songs with Eddie Van Halen
 
 
Matteo Mancuso plays his Yamaha Revstar onstage in Milan, 2026.
Artists Has Matteo Mancuso arrived as world’s greatest player?
 
 
Carlos Santana
Artists Carlos Santana on Miles and McLaughlin, Hendrix and SRV, and his quest for eternal melody
 
 
EVH Gear Wolfgang Special Baked Maple: the high-performance electrics are refreshed with baked maple necks, TOM bridges and Floyd Rose vibratos
Guitars Eddie Van Halen-approved baked maple necks? Check. Flagship pickups? Check. EVH Gear unveils stunning refresh of the Wolfgang Special
 
 
Van Halen in 1984
Artists The creative genius and ‘insane’ methodology in Van Halen’s biggest selling album
 
 
Latest in Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Guitar Tricks Summer Black Friday promo
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Get almost $1k of guitar tuition from our number one online platform for only $99 with this epic Summer Black Friday deal – over 11,000 lessons, plus bonus gifts
 
 
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Scale
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials "Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
 
 
Guitar maintenance
Guitars "There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
 
 
Tom Morello
Artists How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
 
 
Close up of a person playing guitar
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
 
 
Latest in News
MACY'S 4th OF JULY FIREWORKS -- 2026 -- Pictured: Noah Kahan performs at the "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks" -- (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC via Getty Images)
Gigs & Festivals Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan wants nappies at gigs amid troubling rise in concertgoers defecating
 
 
Sander De Keere
Artists Sander de Keere reimagines the church organ as an 'ancient synthesizer'
 
 
Rolling Stones earbuds
Headphones Technics drops limited-edition wireless earbuds in collaboration with the Rolling Stones
 
 
U2 and Martin Garrix
Bands "We go back a long way": U2 join forces with DJ and producer Martin Garrix for new track Fireflies
 
 
Sophie Lloyd shreds on her signature Kiesel
Artists Sophie Lloyd pays tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with a shred cover of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid
 
 
Human brain listens to yellow headphones isolated view on blue background 3d render image
Artists One more time: It's MusicRadar's Quiz of the Week #15!
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...