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...

Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen, and Mark Holcomb joined us to discuss why Periphery nuked their own album, how video game addiction is good, and the terror of playing huge shows naked. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:04:44 - Trust And Respect Among Band Members 00:09:18 - Working with Spencer Sotelo On Vocals 00:13:58 - Overcoming Challenges As A Team 00:18:49 - The Mental Game Of Isolation And Writing 00:24:01 - Writing For Others 00:28:36 - The Benefits Of Loose Writing Sessions 00:33:12...

Erik Rutan is a legendary guitarist and producer best known for his work with/in Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, and Hate Eternal. Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to the Riffhard podcast with Erik Rutan00:03:14 - Seeking Improvement in Guitar Playing and Life00:06:40 - Prioritizing and Focusing on Career Goals00:10:25 - The Ability to Adapt in Music Production00:13:55 - Reflections on Patience and Character00:17:08 - The Importance of Patience and Routine in Music00:20:49 - The Importance of...

Stephen Taranto is an innovative guitar virtuoso from Australia.  Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Stephen Taranto and his Guitar Skills 00:05:01 - Leaning into Your Strengths 00:10:06 - Deciding What to Focus On in Guitar Skills 00:15:02 - The Delusion of Talent and the Importance of Feedback 00:20:29 - Dealing with Risk and Perfectionism 00:25:15 - The Ups and Downs of Progress and Self-Perception 00:30:08 - Capturing Moments of Inspiration 00:35:11 - Allowing the Music to Flow...

Keyan Houshmand is a guitarist who has made a name for himself with his in-depth YouTube and quick-fire Instagram and TikTok videos. Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Modern Definition of Being a Musician 00:04:10 - Finding the Right Balance in Guitar Playing 00:07:59 - The Importance of Pickups in Guitar Tone 00:11:56 - The Importance of How Playing Feels and Sounds 00:15:39 - Recording Techniques and Achieving Rhythm 00:23:52 - Recording vs Live Music Dynamics 00:27:58 - Inspiring the Next...

Logan Young is a musician, songwriter, and content creator who is known best for his guitar acrobatics on TikTok and Youtube. Logan's current projects are Dal Av and Scarlet Rot and he has worked with bands such as Reflections and I, the Breather. Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private...

Dan Sugarman is a guitarist in Ice Nine Kills. Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private community Be sure to follow Riffhard on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram. Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Ian Waye is the guitarist in Soreption. Spiro Dussias is a guitarist, engineer, and teacher. Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private community Be sure to follow Riffhard on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram. Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence...

Chris Wiseman is the guitarist for Currents and Shadow of Intent. Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private community Be sure to follow Riffhard on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram. Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps! Learn more about your...

Devin Shidaker is a guitar player and songwriter best known for his work with The Acacia Strain and previously Oceano.  Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private community Be sure to follow Riffhard on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram. Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star...

Chase Wilson is a guitarist and songwriter for the band Ov Sulfur. Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up, you'll get access to: Over 100 video tutorials with tabs A chance to enter our monthly King Of The Riff contest Livestream Q&As and other events Our private community Be sure to follow Riffhard on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Eyal Levi on Instagram. Like this show? Please leave us a 5-star review - even one sentence helps! Learn more about your...

Bill Hudson is a virtuoso guitarist who has played with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Savatage, and I Am Morbid among many others. He is also the founder and lead guitarist of NorthTale. On this episode: Communication is key when balancing multiple projects Why everyone should work out How Bill practices when he’s short on time The importance of drilling the basics What it takes to forge a career as a session guitarist Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you sign up,...

Jesse Zuretti is an award-winning composer & sound designer who has worked for Marvel, and Netflix among many others. He’s also the orchestrator and a guitarist in DAATH. On this episode:  How Eyal Levi and Jesse Zuretti worked together on the new DAATH music Making orchestra work in a metal song How to play DOOM style guitar riffs INSANE bending techniques The importance of working with the best musicians possible Torture testing yourself once in a while can be helpful Want to...

Rafael Trujillo is a guitarist and songwriter that is well known for his work in his band Obsidious and former band, Obscura. Spiro Dussias is a guitarist, engineer, and teacher with a quickly growing online presence. Both of them recently traded some mind-blowing solos on the latest single by DAATH, “No Rest No End.” These two guitarists brought their A-game to the table, showcasing their incredible technical skills and creativity. Rafael's guitar playing is known for its precision and...

Ricky Armellino is a powerhouse guitarist in Ice Nine Kills and the vocalist in Hawk. Discover how he used the Shredule to take his guitar playing to the next level, and how he overcame mental blocks with practice. Hear about his experience touring with Metallica, and even hanging out with Lars Ulrich. Learn the secret to constant and never-ending improvement, and why you're never too good to skip practice. Plus, get valuable insights on how to make your leads more fluid, how to relax while...

Travis Stever and Frank Iero are guitarists in L.S. Dunes. Travis is also in Coheed and Cambria and Frank is in My Chemical Romance. On this episode:  Why supergroups typically suck How they keep priorities straight Working with Will Yip Methods for preparing for tour Working on a projects that you truly love How LS Dunes communicate effectively What its like to work with Anthony Green How to pick a producer How Frank Iero learned an INSANE amount of songs in a very short period of...

Nick Hipa is a guitarist and songwriter who has played with As I Lay Dying, God Forbid, Mire, and Wovenwar.  On this episode: Nick’s approach to learning the God Forbid set What Nick obsesses over  The differences between As I Lay Dying, Wovenwar, and Mire Going indie vs signing to a label Saving riffs The Zakk Wylde speed trick Watching Eddie Van Halen from side stage Musical vs life priorities Training your creativity Want to level up your guitar game? Check out Riffhard. When you...

Patrick Judge is a guitar player and songwriter known for work with The Showdown, and his current band Demon Hunter.  On this episode: Working with Aaron Sprinkle Patrick’s approach to writing for Demon Hunter The trick to not being precious about your songs Finishing songs once you start them Playing 3-4 hour shows in a country band How Eyal defeats writer’s block Writing a MASSIVE amount of songs for Demon Hunter Working with brilliant songwriters like Ryan Clark Want to level up...

Chris Rawson is a guitar player, songwriter, and producer who is known for his work in Walls of Jericho and Stick to Your Guns. On this episode: How Chris got into recording The futility of trying to please people with your music The luck factor The importance of changing your stage clothes How Earth Crisis taught Walls Of Jericho the ropes on tour Tour etiquette  Recording yourself is the BEST way to improve as a musician What they don’t tell you about using Evertune guitars in the...

Michael “Whip” Wilton is a guitar legend, songwriter, and co-founder of Queensryche. On this episode: Why Queensryche love working with Zuess What does Michael actually look for in a producer Old school recording vs. modern recording Keeping track of ideas via any means necessary  Should you have a backup plan? The benefits of being signed to a label Why Michael uses Pro Tools for his writing rig Get the most powerful computer possible! Writing “Operation: Mindcrime” on a Tascam 4...

Trey Xavier is the guitarist/frontman of In Virtue, a YouTuber, runs Gear Gods, and hosts the How Songs Are Made podcast. On this episode: Why Trey started the How Songs Are Made Podcast There are no consequences to making something that sucks Writer’s block is b******t Using your favorite musicians as mentors If you really want to learn something, take notes!  You’re going to sound like what you practice the most How ear training and theory help with songwriting What sets Polyphia...

Nik Nocturnal is a musician, songwriter, Twitch Streamer, and YouTuber. He is the guitarist for Termina and NIK NXK. Finn McKenty is director of operations for URM and Riffhard, and the man behind the popular Punk Rock MBA YouTube, Twitch, and Podcast.  On this episode: You can’t predict what people will like Is there a difference between music and content? The most popular shredders are also the best writers What sets John Petrucci and Jason Richardson apart Creating online content that...

Zakk Wylde is a legendary guitar virtuoso who has played with and for some of the best known acts in the business including a decades long stint with Ozzy Osbourne, his own band Black Label Society, and most recently announced as the touring guitar player for the upcoming Pantera reunion. Zakk recently partnered with Riffhard to release “Zakk Wylde Berzerker Guitar Camp,” the ULTIMATE Zakk Wylde guitar course. https://zakkwyldeguitarcamp.com On this episode: Playing other people’s solos with...

Tim Sult and Neil Fallon are guitarists in Clutch. On this episode: How Clutch have kept the same lineup for 30 years Being on a major label and going the indie route The percentage of people who buy cassettes that actually own a cassette player How Tim goes about relearning old solos How Neil approaches singing and playing at the same time Adapting songs to a live setting The intense memorization involved in having a 75 song rotation Working with Tom Dalgety in the studio How Clutch...

Dave Davidson is the guitarist in Revocation.  On this episode: Building up through the underground, one step at a time How to stay top of mind with fans Touring with Cannibal Corpse, Periphery, and Animals As Leaders How to make the most of a 30 minute support slot Writing bad riffs on purpose Playing the long game How to know when a riff is worth keeping Working with Jens Bogren When the demo version is actually better The difference between cool sloppy and sloppy sloppy The...