You can't do that in METAL! With Brandon Ellis

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  • Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
  • Mozart harmonies and jazz arpeggios in metal? Par for the course with the awesomely inventive ‪@BrandonEllisGtr‬. Tie all this together with Brandon’s relentlessly hooky melody writing and signature swoopy vibrato, and it's impossible to resist the allure of his playing. The full conversation with Brandon clocks in at 1 hour and 18 minutes with 67 transcribed musical examples, including Brandon's rhythm parts and tablature for "How Very Dead" by the Black Dahlia Murder. Check it out at Cracking The Code: troygrady.com/...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 310

  • @matthewmeserve73
    @matthewmeserve73 4 місяці тому +295

    Brandon is that perfect mix of 80's shred, neo-classical and modern metal.. imo one of the best players in the business.

  • @DeanLamb
    @DeanLamb 4 місяці тому +543

    This is awesome.

  • @TobyKBTY
    @TobyKBTY 4 місяці тому +120

    Brandon is a gem. His style, phrasing, chops and that goddamn vibrato. I got bored with a lot of shred and playing in modern metal the last decade, but I find Brandon extremely inspiring.

  • @EL_DUDERIN0
    @EL_DUDERIN0 4 місяці тому +163

    He makes it look so easy. It's not so easy. Brandon is such a great guitarist.

    • @Rouwiinator
      @Rouwiinator 4 місяці тому +9

      his vibrato is absolutely otherwordly....

  • @KaijuAlert
    @KaijuAlert 4 місяці тому +49

    Brandon is such a rad player. I feel like he understand vibrato, feel and attitude in a way few players in his generation truly grasp.

  • @Feverdream7777
    @Feverdream7777 4 місяці тому +28

    He reminds me of guys I knew in school that went on to Chemical Engineering degrees... they have the mind to deal with lots and lots of information and just naturally know the right thing to deal with among it all just effortlessly. It's a real gift and talent he has.

  • @m3m3sis
    @m3m3sis 4 місяці тому +56

    He's such a great addition to black dahlia. The 80's touch is just the perfect flavour to tbdm sound.

  • @atrociousanimal
    @atrociousanimal 4 місяці тому +22

    One of the absolute cleanest guitar players. Amazing live player.

  • @mistano1
    @mistano1 4 місяці тому +28

    Oh my lord. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I've been waiting 2 years for this since the initial short was uploaded! What a treat.

  • @bassprofishe1549
    @bassprofishe1549 4 місяці тому +101

    I see Troy Grady I click, I see Brandon Ellis I click. Double click actually coming in handy!!

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +20

      We thank you doubly!

    • @deftdigits
      @deftdigits 4 місяці тому +2

      @@troygrady He means Dolby.

  • @leftadrift3920
    @leftadrift3920 4 місяці тому +60

    hes definitely one of my favorite players and Jeff loomis

    • @TheCyberMantis
      @TheCyberMantis 4 місяці тому +6

      Loomis and Michael Romeo.

    • @Jarrodpimental
      @Jarrodpimental 4 місяці тому +6

      He’s so good I consider him one of my favorites and I actually hate his band. 😂

    • @PLSGuitar
      @PLSGuitar 4 місяці тому +2

      @@Jarrodpimental Right there with you, don't like the band that much but he's in my top 5 metal guitarists for sure

    • @leftadrift3920
      @leftadrift3920 4 місяці тому +1

      @@PLSGuitar Nevermore? I love that one... or was it Arch Enemy? cus not a big fan either

    • @leftadrift3920
      @leftadrift3920 4 місяці тому +2

      Conquering Dystopia also great

  • @qhodave
    @qhodave 4 місяці тому +16

    All that theory talk is such a welcomed addition to the technical shred analysis. Haven't been here in a while and happy you do this now 👌🏻

  • @kieran5302
    @kieran5302 4 місяці тому +7

    Brandon is one of the best to ever do it. Unbelievable finger tone.

  • @QwikVidz
    @QwikVidz 4 місяці тому +9

    I can always watch Mr Ellis play

  • @luchadormarkador3786
    @luchadormarkador3786 4 місяці тому +3

    Frock yea!!! sounds killer!!! always love hearing Brandon Shred and stuff.

  • @boostedbuiltgarage
    @boostedbuiltgarage 4 місяці тому +2

    I love watching Brandon play guitar.

  • @anttisaarinen4697
    @anttisaarinen4697 4 місяці тому +6

    The first scale they talked about, the major scale with a flat 6, I regognize it as the harmonic major scale. Great, weird and unique sound. Absolutely love mr. Ellis and Grady. Been waiting for this video for ages.

  • @jayyydiaz8066
    @jayyydiaz8066 4 місяці тому +21

    Omg , it’s finally here !!!!!!

  • @Barwis10
    @Barwis10 2 місяці тому +2

    this video had a big impact on the way I play just on account of the top view angle @ 1:29. I copied the way Brandon hold his pick and the results are great. Thanks Troy

  • @albertxavierllavianevado4786
    @albertxavierllavianevado4786 4 місяці тому +14

    Brandon is the modern age guitar hero. He's an excellent player!!

  • @themixmusicandmore6280
    @themixmusicandmore6280 4 місяці тому +54

    I envy people who know theory to this degree but also I'm too lazy to learn it this extensively

    • @essegotdatheat3310
      @essegotdatheat3310 4 місяці тому +1

      Honestly even just messing around with what you know and experimenting will fill in a lot of spaces. You might have to google some shit but you can get a pretty decent understanding of how to work with melodies and not stay in one key etc etc on your own!

    • @themixmusicandmore6280
      @themixmusicandmore6280 4 місяці тому

      @@essegotdatheat3310 yea that's the basics tho. I know the basics

  • @KeithFine10
    @KeithFine10 4 місяці тому +2

    One of my fave playerrs and I'm not a huge death metal fan , but his playing is so melodic yet brutal at the same time .

  • @Jake-Aprile
    @Jake-Aprile 4 місяці тому

    This is what I needed.

  • @kevinac4397
    @kevinac4397 4 місяці тому +6

    Brandon is a master. Learned a lot from watching him on various platforms over the years, guitar setup and his music.

  • @SlavetoSirens
    @SlavetoSirens 4 місяці тому

    Man that tone is just uffff 🔥🔥🔥🤘

  • @JesseMichel
    @JesseMichel 4 місяці тому

    Brandon is such a tasteful beast!

  • @jannewaan
    @jannewaan 4 місяці тому +11

    Haha the nervousness about fucking up in the end sounds too familiar 😂

    • @dcfromthev
      @dcfromthev 4 місяці тому

      I usually just fuck up in the beginning and get it over with, trick of the trade. LOL

  • @stephencooper3494
    @stephencooper3494 Місяць тому

    This sounds INCREDIBLE. The sound quality it so good. The riffs shine

  • @GreenGrapesTeeHee
    @GreenGrapesTeeHee 4 місяці тому +6

    you know you are a great player if Troy straps a camera on the guitar to study your playing, love these videos

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +2

      Ha, thank you! We're always grateful when players are willing to sit down for a closer look

  • @awguitarroom8033
    @awguitarroom8033 4 місяці тому +5

    Amazing guitarist. Brandon and Ryan both. Been a fan of TBDM and Arsis for a long time

    • @annas2nd
      @annas2nd 4 місяці тому +3

      Arsis deserves so much recognition! James Malone is a genius!

  • @krystian_went8537
    @krystian_went8537 4 місяці тому +2

    BRANDON ELLIS MY FAVORITE PLAYER🤘

  • @etburkentine455
    @etburkentine455 4 місяці тому +1

    He reminds me so much of Jason Becker. So freaking good 👍🏻

  • @fourth80
    @fourth80 4 місяці тому +3

    I watched the beginning while taking a dump. Absolutely BRUTAL shit!🤩💩🎸

  • @Diego-mc2go
    @Diego-mc2go 4 місяці тому +5

    Brandon is a beast!

  • @Ebastine
    @Ebastine 4 місяці тому +6

    That turquoise Jackson is gorgeous!

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +4

      Totally. It's a tricky color to get right on video so we kept going back and forth between the lights and camera until it looked exactly the same on the screen as it did in the room. So this is really what it looks like!

    • @PudWud1
      @PudWud1 4 місяці тому +1

      @@troygradythat’s awesome! Is this an older model or a new CS?

    • @johnnysully2689
      @johnnysully2689 4 місяці тому

      It's a late 80's/early 90's US Jackson Dinky, very rare model, hardly any are out in the wild.
      Brandon talks about this guitar alot on a video of his Axe Collection here on UA-cam, definitely worth a check out

  • @CoreyPorter420
    @CoreyPorter420 4 місяці тому

    Man he’s so knowledgeable. Such a rad guitarist and cool dude as well

  • @twglife
    @twglife 4 місяці тому

    Wow I am definitely coming back to this channel to see more guitarist picking hand. Amazing camera work from someone who has no idea what that even means but appreciates the angle you were able to capture of his picking hand. Well done sir. Well done.

  • @s4tchowns
    @s4tchowns 4 місяці тому +1

    Feels like I have checked for this upload daily for the last two years or so :D
    There is no one like Brandon for me. Thanks for the video!

  • @wordofmouth7679
    @wordofmouth7679 4 місяці тому +1

    I can identify with the guitar player theory. Those magazines usually had very good columns and lessons if you took the time to understand and incorporate it into your own playing and really digest the material. John Petrucci’s “Chopin’ up the fingerboard” article is a great example - it discussed the chord changes and chromaticism in guitar-specific exercises. I learned so much theory and so many modes just out of curiosity by the time I hit AP Music Theory, I breezed right through it by just learning a little bit of baroque western harmony part-writing and some ear training. Those magazines and the occasional guitar lesson videos my local video store carried were how learning was done before UA-cam.

  • @MikaTarkela
    @MikaTarkela 4 місяці тому +1

    That outro solo was so good! 😍

  • @chupiconverge6034
    @chupiconverge6034 4 місяці тому

    Amazing Sounds. Big like 👍🏿

  • @qq911
    @qq911 4 місяці тому +1

    Such a joy to watch him play!

  • @Youbombs
    @Youbombs 4 місяці тому +5

    One of my favorite guitarists of all time, so glad he ended up on here!

  • @vlsis91
    @vlsis91 4 місяці тому

    Saw him with Black Dahlia and his golden scepter in June, phenomenal player, gives me motivation to keep playing guitar!

  • @FacundoSS_Guitarist
    @FacundoSS_Guitarist 4 місяці тому +1

    First song I heard from this insane musician was: No Escape. It's a must for any musician especially guitarists.

  • @removemental2873
    @removemental2873 4 місяці тому

    Have been hoping for this for a long time.

  • @Steve_Rotter
    @Steve_Rotter 4 місяці тому

    SUCH AN AWESOME VIDEO with Brandon. Thanks Troy! Love the talking during demonstration between you two.

  • @Locrian1
    @Locrian1 4 місяці тому

    Beautiful Playing

  • @Cynthipede
    @Cynthipede 4 місяці тому

    Such a fantastic video to learn from 🤘🏻

  • @Desaje
    @Desaje 4 місяці тому +1

    Finally it’s here!

  • @TheDedloc
    @TheDedloc 6 днів тому

    Lol brandon is so good... almost too good. Hands down my most favorite guitarist of my lifetime.

  • @philtanics1082
    @philtanics1082 4 місяці тому

    Young legend, best guitarist for the coming decades

  • @DanielVerberne
    @DanielVerberne 2 місяці тому

    "Thought is the enemy of flow" - thinking about mistakes can be one way to help create them!

  • @jamescendrowski4844
    @jamescendrowski4844 4 місяці тому +1

    If I wasn't watching I would swear your bends were a tremolo! Real nice bends.

  • @pixxlethepaladin8269
    @pixxlethepaladin8269 4 місяці тому

    Simply incredible. Hot damn!

  • @ErikAnders
    @ErikAnders 4 місяці тому

    Thanks Troy ❤

  • @ltxr9973
    @ltxr9973 4 місяці тому

    Awesome Kelly!

  • @righteous247
    @righteous247 3 місяці тому

    Just as good live. Dude is incredible

  • @HeFoundAgartha
    @HeFoundAgartha 4 місяці тому +5

    Yes more Brandon!

  • @chrisdaviesguitar
    @chrisdaviesguitar 4 місяці тому

    Insanely good chops, fair play.

  • @shaharbar
    @shaharbar 4 місяці тому +6

    Modern Day Randy Rhoads, love Brandon!

  • @mboyer68
    @mboyer68 4 місяці тому +1

    I wrote this comment after watching a video of yours then realized it was 3 years old, so after subscribing, found your newest video. Troy for President!!
    I love it when I see a person who was able to take their passion and make it a thing that they earn a living from. You not only did that, but, you created something totally new in the process, a previously unknown, unexplored section within the realm of, the science of body mechanics. Your research led you to interactions with people who study body mechanics, how freaking cool!!! Very many congratulations to you👍. And then I realized you've gotten many of the legendary living guitar players I've worshipped to join your experiment and allow you to clamp your camera / phone onto the necks of their very valuable instruments, and as you mentioned... risking their eyeballs, to observe and document their wrist/ picking motion. Then, you go further and evaluate their techniques as if they were Josh Allen and there were millions of dollars riding on trying to understand/copy what's going on, why is their motion, their mechanics so much better. I remember you mentioned some Master's thesis you did, just totally amazing. Lastly, I'm a sucker for ebony fretboards, so I love your guitars! You're awesome, thank you for creating something from nothing but curiosity and advancing the guitar world!!

  • @TheCyberMantis
    @TheCyberMantis 4 місяці тому +5

    I definitely heard phrygian in there. Also sounded like something you would find in a Megadeth song.

  • @brownsfan7753
    @brownsfan7753 4 місяці тому

    Love this!!!

  • @Owned1x89
    @Owned1x89 4 місяці тому +1

    More more more!

  • @JamesGaoist
    @JamesGaoist 3 місяці тому

    wow troy. thanks for this upload. crazy value masterclass with Brandon.

  • @paulatreides1354
    @paulatreides1354 4 місяці тому +1

    brandon is such an inspiration , and i want his guitar so bad haha

  • @egorillad
    @egorillad 4 місяці тому

    Always enjoy an video of Brandon playing🤘🏽

  • @CharlesDiCristofano
    @CharlesDiCristofano 4 місяці тому

    Incredible

  • @michaelkaastrup5429
    @michaelkaastrup5429 4 місяці тому

    in a few years Brandon will be the worlds best metal player Awesome playing 🙂

  • @Soloist1983
    @Soloist1983 4 місяці тому +1

    Exactly where I'm at with theory, didn't know who this dude was until now but already like his approach to guitar 🤘

  • @NEKROMONICON.
    @NEKROMONICON. 3 місяці тому

    Oh, this is sick af KEEP IT METAL 🤘

  • @Johnsua-lr3qw
    @Johnsua-lr3qw 4 місяці тому +1

    That tone is amazing 🤘🤘

  • @lsu1992
    @lsu1992 3 місяці тому

    This is
    just
    sick

  • @Iesous27
    @Iesous27 4 місяці тому

    This guy is the best modern guitarist in my opinion.

  • @TommoGuitar
    @TommoGuitar 4 місяці тому +1

    1:58 is sooo relatable 🙂

  • @cris_horizons
    @cris_horizons 4 місяці тому +3

    5:00 thats called chromatic mediant (one of 8 u can find) and his uses can find in 1800s music , nowadays can be on incidental music, score for films videogames, and of course modern metal symphonic music.

    • @oRizho
      @oRizho 4 місяці тому +1

      It’s actually a chromatic mediant of a mediant 🤓

  • @mookhaze
    @mookhaze 4 місяці тому

    Metal rules 🤘🤘🤘❤

  • @Jarrodpimental
    @Jarrodpimental 4 місяці тому +1

    If this video was in another language it would make exactly as much sense as it does to me now

  • @jakequitts
    @jakequitts 3 місяці тому

    That is the sickest guitar every made.

  • @jordanmichael2655
    @jordanmichael2655 4 місяці тому +1

    This is awesome! I’d love to see one of these with Brian Eschbach. He’s a beast of a rhythm player and writes most tbdm riffs

  • @420247milo
    @420247milo 4 місяці тому +1

    5:01 yes exactly sounds like a movie score. Kinda reminded me of MIB

  • @Journeyman2585
    @Journeyman2585 4 місяці тому +1

    It makes me so happy when heavy bands use a standard tuning instead of drop.

  • @DeadGuitarDude
    @DeadGuitarDude 4 місяці тому +3

    The quality in Troy’s videos is amazing!

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +2

      Thank you! We're grateful any time these great players agree to sit down with us

  • @Burtallica
    @Burtallica 4 місяці тому +2

    Brandon's vibratto is :chef's kiss:

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому

      Agreed - it is swoopy and awesome!

  • @necroriffmonger
    @necroriffmonger 4 місяці тому +10

    im a deeply ignorant guitarist. i dont know any theory at all. just stumble around the neck. so i have no idea what these two are talking about but i really enjoyed this video!!

  • @ghislainfontainebujold7834
    @ghislainfontainebujold7834 3 місяці тому

    My favoritest of all time ❤ love this guy

  • @non_brewed_condiment
    @non_brewed_condiment 4 місяці тому

    Dude hell yes

  • @LearnGuitarWithDave
    @LearnGuitarWithDave 4 місяці тому +6

    I'm not into the vocal style at all but I still listen to BDM because Brandon's riffs and solos are just absolutely incredible works.

    • @joshs.5384
      @joshs.5384 3 місяці тому

      This is how I got into death metal - "Well, the vocals aren't great, but the riffs are killer!" And within a month or two I was screaming along.

    • @eleintblood
      @eleintblood 2 місяці тому

      Same, have tried a lot but the vocals are just not for me.

    • @64siskat96
      @64siskat96 22 дні тому

      same bro i would listen to it if there was no '''''singing'''''

  • @TechMetalRules
    @TechMetalRules 4 місяці тому

    Good stuff!

  • @FRANANGELICOONA
    @FRANANGELICOONA Місяць тому

    Sick-ass tone

  • @АлександрСтафиевских-с5д

    Troy Grady super thanks so much. отличное исполнение хорошего хеви-метал. Brandon super.

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +1

      Thanks for watching!

  • @avocadotron
    @avocadotron 3 місяці тому

    I am just blwon away with this dude being on camera and his interviews. Amazing guitarist.

  • @CEB7832
    @CEB7832 4 місяці тому +6

    I feel bad asking a tone question when the playing is so interesting and great, but here goes: what is Brandon playing through during the demo with the green guitar? His tone is so thick and rich, it’s awesome!

    • @damonstewart70
      @damonstewart70 4 місяці тому +5

      That's not a lame question. But the interesting thing is. Once you find out the amp. It might not be for you. That happened to me with Marshall's. Loved other players through them but they weren't for me

    • @troygrady
      @troygrady  4 місяці тому +4

      Cornford Hellcat! Not really a super modern metal amp but he's tuned down to C (edit: only with the Kelly, the green guitar is standard tuning) so everything is fatter. I think the rest is just his guitar - it's a heavy piece of wood that has Les Paul vibes.

    • @CEB7832
      @CEB7832 4 місяці тому +2

      @@troygradyHe was playing the same setup with both guitars? Sounds so different!?!

    • @MrGul
      @MrGul 4 місяці тому +2

      @@CEB7832 Different pickups = different sound.

    • @tuukkahyttinen6815
      @tuukkahyttinen6815 4 місяці тому +1

      @@hon8177 His personal guitars are from the Jackson custom shop. That's the best of the best.

  • @ArtClark-ub7ce
    @ArtClark-ub7ce 4 місяці тому

    Like it! Bit like Blues Saraceno!! At my age get bored of same old same old....! My Kids do similarly inspired by movies etc. Bang on!!

  • @theekonezung
    @theekonezung 4 місяці тому +1

    Sweet ! Would love a breakdown on Craig Goldy's picking technique please.

  • @odoylerules1435
    @odoylerules1435 3 місяці тому

    Brandon's guitar playing is second to none. He's a real shredder. I kind of think of him as the Michael Angelo Batio or similar of our generation. Not a huge fan of BDM myself, I prefer maybe Immortal, Dissection, or some others. However, his guitar playing always stood out to me as exceptional. He makes me want to get better at guitar and im already pretty good but not on his level. However, I can play slayer songs which is good enough for me. Yah, much respect to Brando!

  • @tavismacdonald7759
    @tavismacdonald7759 Місяць тому

    1:37 riff is bangin

  • @bacephalus101
    @bacephalus101 4 місяці тому

    This guy is really cool.

  • @damonstewart70
    @damonstewart70 4 місяці тому +25

    Troy should get Ryan knight on here he's killer as well