How long have you been an instructor at Guitartricks?
I've been an instructor since 2002. Back then, I was working for an airline company as an accounting/IT guy. I really needed a creative outlet from all that logical processing. I played guitar a lot but always wanted to teach what I had learned over the years. I was surfing the net one day and found www.GuitarTricks.com. I knew right away I wanted to be part of it and so I sent an application and was accepted.
At what age did you start playing guitar?
I started playing seriously at 15 years old.
Did you have lessons, or are you self-taught?
I tried once to get lessons to learn more advanced music theory but never got hooked enough to continue them for very long. I'm a hands-on guy so sitting down and listening to a teacher go on and on annoys me. This is why I've been successful learning by myself all those years. I need to play the guitar to learn it. Theory doesn't stick much unless I can apply it right away. I have a lot of respect for musicians that have extensive theory knowledge.
I have an uncle who is a great guitar player and got a lot of lessons from him when I was younger. My mother has also been singing since she was very young so there was a lot of music around the house growing up.
Do you play any other instruments, besides guitar?
Not really, I can't hold a steady beat on the drum but love playing it. I play bass pretty much the same way I play guitar so... I'm not really playing bass the way it should be played. I love playing keyboard to find melodies and song ideas. I don't exactly know why but I find it easier to find melodies on the keyboard. I always end up finding melodies on it, then taking my guitar and work on making it more interesting. It's a very good ear training exercise.
So I guess guitar is the only instrument I can really play.
What was your first guitar?
My first guitar was one from Sears I got from my brother (who was also playing guitar at the time). It was the worst possible guitar ever in all aspects lol. Then I got an Ando II from my uncle, small upgrade. Back then my brother had rigged up a turntable into an amp for me. Older guys will remember this but they had that big turntable inside a huge desk. You would flip the top and there was the turntable hidden inside the desk. So my brother hooked a 1/4" guitar jack in there and it would become my first amp.
A little after that, I got my first real guitar a Gibson SG '74. I got it from a used guitar shop and traded it for 2 older guitars. The SG was in bad shape and a lefty. I flipped it over into a right handed guitar. I still have my SG and will always keep it. It was my dream guitar and I was fortunate to get it very young.
What sort of rig do you currently use?
Right now I have a Line6 Spider III. I was getting tired of all the gear I had to travel with. I found the Spider series to be very good for both live and recording. It's the best of both worlds.
I've upgraded my recording gear lately to a set of Adam A-7's studio monitors, a M-Audio Projectmix and a couple of good Shure mics. I will use the Behringer at times for added compression and tube processing.
I have a Gibson SG, Epiphone G-400, Schecter Omen Extreme FR, Godin Acousticaster, Adria acoustic and a Jackson bass.
What's your dream rig?
I really wouldn't know as I never tried that much gear in my life. I'm not a real gearhead. I don't play live much so my gear need is limited. I would definitaly like to try the new Spider Tubes amps.
Guitar wise, I'm pretty happy with what I have.
Who was your biggest influence, both musically and in general?
I've learned guitar with the old Metallica and Iron Maiden. I've learned so much from their songs. I had, like a lot of guitarist, my Yngwie period I used to try to play his songs but I realized early on that he was way too fast for me.
Like most guitar players I also listened to Satriani, Vai and all those unbelievable guitar players. As time went by I started to listen to all kinds of music and found talent in all of them. From classical to metal to jazz, I tried to listen to as many different music as I could. Then I found MusicianWar and my life changed. I discovered musicians I never would have thought I'd meet. Everyday Joe that could play the guitar as good as those top signed artists. With their help, I learned how to create songs, write solos but most importantly, I learned how to play like I wanted to play. I owe a lot to the girls and guys from MusicianWar and will be forever grateful for their help and support.
What musician do you most admire and why?
Jason Becker. The guy is a true example of courage and perseverance.
Every guitar player should read about Jason and his story.
What is the best guitar playing lesson you ever learned?
Actually not a guitar lesson, but more of a story that was told to me.
While talking about phrasing with Danny Danzi (an incredible guitar
player) he told me story about him and Eric Clapton. Danny had a chance to talk to Clapton after a show and he asked him why he didn't play faster in his solos. Eric told Danny "why play a thousand notes when you can play one perfectly that will crush them all". That really stuck with me. Since then I've concentrated on the less is more approach in my solos. The older I get, the more I wanna add finesse in my playing. And yes there can be finesse even in metal.
How has your taste in music changed over the time you've been playing, if it has changed at all?
It did change a lot. I went from only loving aggressive metal to appreciating any well played instrument. Don't get me wrong, I'm still buying the new In flames and DevilDriver albums but I will also enjoy listening to a well played Cello piece. I guess I've learned to appreciate good music in all its forms.
What was the first song you learned to play all the way through?
Blitzkrieg by Metallica. I still love that song
What's the most challenging piece of music for you to play currently?
I don't play much of other people's music now. I'd rather put time into creating my own. It's a challenge I prefer. But I've been trying to learn a song for a long time now. 'A Night to Remember' by Andy Timmons. I still can't play it through but it's my feel song. Andy does so many subtle techniques in that song that it's very hard for me to recreate.
This is why I love it so much. It forces me to push my limits. One day I'll nail it...
Thanks Ben! You can check out Ben's profile and lessons here.
Check out my music, video, lessons & backing tracks here![br]https://www.renhimself.com
