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Papa Gates

Tory Capman

One Stringer
Nov 11, 2019
176
1
All these questions of favorite A7X songs and favorite Syn solos are extremely important. But we forgot about the man who created Syn! Without Papa Gates, Sevenfold would never have become what they are and we’d be a bunch of hillbillies with ukuleles.
So what is your favorite song that Brian Haner Sr. has written/been featured in?
 

idssdi

Sold-out Crowd Surfer
Nov 11, 2019
5,336
6,754
Groningen
11
I probably like Eileen(the tsa song) the most from the top of my head. Rockstar and menlove ave. Are pretty cool too. I simply picked songs from the 3 records i actually own(the artist formerly known as guitar guy, Alone and Perfect world) and they are all great! Would be cool if he eould make another one. I would probably buy it.
His books are also pretty good!
 
J

Jak Angelescu

Guest
I’m actually not really familiar with his work either. I only saw him once as guitar guy on the Achmed Christmas special. I thought he was really good but I didn’t know his actual name. Truthfully, I didn’t even know he was Synyster Gates’ Dad until about a year-and-a-half ago. But I’m a new Avenged Sevenfold fan. I’ve only been a fan of theirs since 2015. But what I do know, is that I follow him on Facebook and I always enjoy watching his live gigs. He is one of the most amazing singers I’ve ever heard. The song about pulling out a pistol and blowing people away had me laughing pretty freaking hard. But I’m definitely looking forward to getting into more of his work and of course, Sidewinder was just Epic. he does a classical technique called ‘rasgueado’ which is just amazing how he pulls it off. At least I think that’s what it’s called. It blows me away everytime how smooth and solid he is with it.
 
J

Jak Angelescu

Guest
Ed if you read Synyster Gates’ biography on here, it goes a lot into what he learned and from who. He went to MI at a really young age I think is what it said (from how it was worded) and he also studied different techniques from different other guitarists. And I think there was a story that I read where Papa Gates taught him a Led Zeppelin song or a song from a band from that era. I can’t remember which one it was. As far as how he actually got into the guitar and if Papa Gates was his first teacher is beyond me. Check out his biography, it actually has a lot of cool information about how he learned
 

Brian Haner Sr.

Papa
Staff member
Legend+
Fucking Legend
Nov 11, 2019
812
3
3,508
Ed Seith – I got him into guitar at about age 10. Taught him basic chords, pent scale, etc. I always let him learn whatever he wanted so he would remain interested. Kids HAVE to be self-motivated. If you push a kid, they will generally rebel and guitar will be like homework. Let him play whatever he is into and try to explain some theory or technique as it applies to the song he wants to play. Syn wanted to learn Black Dog before he could play a barre chord. I showed it to him and it naturally led him to better picking technique and him wanting to learn more in general – which I was always happy to show him. He did the majority of the work himself. I was always available to answer questions, explain techniques or theory when he got stuck on something. He was a very good player by the time he got out of high school with just me showing him the ropes. Where he became a great player was when he went to MI and studied with guys like Brett Garsed. MI is amazing – in that if you want to study tapping, there are 3 or 4 experts that teach 2 finger, 4 finger or 8 finger. If you want to study legato, they ask you, “Rock, jazz, fusion?” Because there are 5 or 6 guys that specialize in each one. He took a class in slap bass and came out slapping like a monster. It’s a crazy school – and if you apply yourself, there is simply no limit to what you can learn.
 

idssdi

Sold-out Crowd Surfer
Nov 11, 2019
5,336
6,754
Groningen
11
Syn seems basically like every single kid who wants to play guitar. I played the inntro of Almost easy and critical acclaim on my acoustic(granted I did transpose them) also Beast and the Harlot and Bat Country and the outro solo Of M.I.A even though I barely could play barre chords at that time
 
J

Jak Angelescu

Guest
When Papa Gates mentions kids rebelling, I did just that. My dad only wanted to teach me songs that he liked, which I liked them as well but I was starting to get into punk. So I started on acoustic stuff but after a few years I got so bored with it that I started coming up with excuses to get out of playing. I remember one day I came down the stairs when I was 10 and he said, “Come on, let’s play. It’s time for your lesson!” To which I responded, “It has taken me four months to get my nails looking this good. You think I’m gonna chop them off to play boring songs again?” Boy, I was a snot. I was so happy that after some years my dad finally buckled down and painfully decided to teach me “All the Small Things” by Blink 182. But, he saw how excited I got and it was a lot of fun. But whew… when his little girl had blonde hair and wanted to be the next Jewel suddenly got tattoos, piercings, dyed her hair black and took the first flight out to LA the moment she turned 18, it was definitely interesting!