Episodes
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...
Published 06/19/24
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...
Published 06/12/24
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 Criticism and...
Published 06/05/24
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 -...
Published 05/30/24
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...
Published 05/22/24
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 "S****y" 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 Choice to Focus on...
Published 05/15/24
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...
Published 05/09/24
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 Live?
00:27:50...
Published 05/01/24
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
SUBSCRIBE ON...
Published 04/25/24
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 - Friendships with...
Published 04/17/24
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
00:31:49 -...
Published 04/10/24
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 Framing and...
Published 04/03/24
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 and Tone...
Published 02/01/24
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...
Published 12/20/23
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 - Recreating Zakk...
Published 12/13/23
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 -...
Published 12/06/23
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 Importance...
Published 11/29/23
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
00:49:31 -...
Published 11/22/23
John Nolan is the guitarist and a vocalist for Taking Back Sunday.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - John Nolan's Songwriter's Journey
00:04:36 - Crafting the Perfect Tune
00:07:02 - Overthinking vs. Subconscious Flow
00:13:53 - Writing Without Pressure: Nurturing Creativity
00:20:44 - The Art of Songcraft
00:23:09 - Overcoming Setbacks
00:27:38 - A Vision for Growth
00:29:58 - The Role of Luck in Music
00:39:16 - Thriving on Uncertainty: Adapting with No Plan B
00:44:02 - The Guitar's Role...
Published 10/25/23
Alyssa Day is a trailblazing guitarist/composer who is in our top 10 guitarists to watch list.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Alyssa Day
00:02:48 - The Drive for Self-Improvement
00:15:31 - The Power of Visualization in Learning a Musical Piece
00:18:39 - Visualizing Rhythms and Melodic Arcs
00:24:44 - The Importance of Broadening Musical Perspective
00:27:56 - The Importance of Funk Playing Techniques for Guitarists
00:33:56 - Prioritizing in a Busy Schedule
00:40:39 -...
Published 10/18/23
Acle Kahney is the guitarist, writer, and producer for Tesseract.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:27 - Recording at Middle Farm with Peter Miles
00:04:57 - Working with a Producer
00:09:45 - Mastering and CD Delivery
00:12:04 - Challenges of Mixing Metal Music in Atmos
00:17:02 - Troubleshooting Gear Issues
00:24:01 - Mixing and Recording with AirPods
00:26:42 - The Pursuit of perfection in music production
00:29:04 - Experiment with EverTune
00:36:18 - The Writing...
Published 10/11/23
Cory Arford and Neal Teimann are the guitarists for Carnifex. Their new album, “Necromanteum” comes out October 6th, 2023.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:36 - The Same Problems at Every Level
00:08:06 - The Importance of Saying Yes
00:16:08 - Your personality matters
00:21:25 - The Flow of the Writing Process
00:24:05 - Using Writing Exercises to Stimulate Creativity
00:29:50 - Knowing When to Stop and Start Again
00:32:43 - Maintaining Momentum
00:43:26 - The Power of...
Published 10/04/23
Josh Middleton is a guitarist/producer best known for his band Sylosis and former band, Architects.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:25 - Manifestation and Serendipity in Career Paths
00:04:39 - Second Wind for Thrash Bands
00:07:15 - Becoming your own favorite band
00:11:49 - Writing Simple but Impactful Riffs
00:18:25 - Learning Arpeggios on Guitar
00:22:58 - Developing your Muscle Memory
00:25:29 - Strategic Approach to Guitar Practice
00:32:40 - The Importance of...
Published 09/26/23
Rob Barrett is a guitarist for the legendary Cannibal Corpse.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:59 - How Rob writes for Cannibal Corpse
00:06:46 - Burning out from touring
00:08:40 - Explosive creativity during quarantine
00:10:39 - Hitting the Ground Running
00:12:25 - Meeting crazy deadlines
00:14:15 - When to stop writing
00:15:58 - Violence Unimagined
00:17:52 - Rushed Song Endings and Settling for Less
00:19:34 - Misconceptions about mixing
00:22:47 - Dropping...
Published 09/20/23