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How Tim Henson Wrote ‘Playing God’

Polyphia’s Tim Henson answers the internet’s burning questions about guitar playing. Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►► Listen to the Get WIRED podcast ►► Want more WIRED? Get the magazine ►► Follow WIRED: Instagram ►► Twitter ►► Facebook ►► Also, check out the free WIRED channel on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV,…

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Polyphia’s Tim Henson answers the internet’s burning questions about guitar playing.

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163 Comments

  1. mallory

    May 8, 2023 at 12:05 pm

    he makes it seem so manageable🥺love him such a cutie

  2. MangoPots

    May 8, 2023 at 12:14 pm

    this guy is the lost brother of Chris Heria

    • Brady Rewell

      May 8, 2023 at 12:57 pm

      I THOUGHT THE EXACT SAME

    • Poetiks

      May 8, 2023 at 5:34 pm

      They have multiple videos together

    • Steven Does Stuff

      May 9, 2023 at 11:22 am

      They have videos together and call each other brother hahaha

  3. Erik mendez

    May 8, 2023 at 12:17 pm

    Geeezer

  4. Nojus

    May 8, 2023 at 12:23 pm

    Who is this seems cool enough, also tf Wired still exists thats wild 😂

    • Holden Roth

      May 8, 2023 at 3:00 pm

      He’s one of the guitarists in Polyphia

  5. John Leinweber

    May 8, 2023 at 12:58 pm

    Amazing! 👏 Ya know, his sound is SO similar to late 80’s Megadeth 🎯👀👂

  6. XSportSeeker

    May 8, 2023 at 1:08 pm

    Tim’s signature “yeah, simple like this”.
    And guitar players are there “WTF just happened”.

  7. M vSdV

    May 8, 2023 at 1:08 pm

    This sounds like absolute dogshit.
    Overly complicated dogshit.

  8. Todd Howard

    May 8, 2023 at 1:19 pm

    He’s got that guitar center beginner solid-state amp tone.

  9. Kevin W.

    May 8, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    That’s an attractive man

  10. Kevin Heslip

    May 8, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    That’s an attractive man

  11. LALISA

    May 8, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    😍😍😍😍

  12. zingingcutie18

    May 8, 2023 at 5:59 pm

    idk who this is but it looks like a mild cold might take him out so I hope he wraps up warm

    • Sixtee_

      May 8, 2023 at 7:40 pm

      jesus christ that is the perfect description for how he looks

    • Nathan MacKinnon

      May 10, 2023 at 11:18 pm

      that or mild constructive criticism

  13. Ponark

    May 8, 2023 at 9:06 pm

    Man does harmonics better than I can do alternate picking.

    • DirtyDan

      May 10, 2023 at 6:30 am

      They are not, whatsoever.

    • Vincere

      May 10, 2023 at 6:13 pm

      ​@DirtyDan what ?

    • DirtyDan

      May 10, 2023 at 7:09 pm

      @Vincere those harmonics aren’t great whatsoever

    • Trap or Doom

      May 10, 2023 at 10:01 pm

      @DirtyDan lmfao shut up you nobody.

    • bodge

      May 11, 2023 at 9:23 pm

      @DirtyDan grow up

  14. Avi •

    May 8, 2023 at 9:14 pm

    Sounds like just noise

    • JP Draws

      May 8, 2023 at 10:36 pm

      The original is on acoustic and it sounds cleaner

    • Freizer

      May 8, 2023 at 11:52 pm

      bro just discovered music

    • Steven Does Stuff

      May 9, 2023 at 11:23 am

      The original is played on a classical guitar with no distortion

    • wiggleysniff

      May 10, 2023 at 9:12 am

      ​@Freizerlol cope

  15. hannie ♡

    May 8, 2023 at 11:02 pm

    my lord he’s nice to look at ♡♡ (also good tattoo’s!)

  16. Franks

    May 8, 2023 at 11:06 pm

    yeah it’s easy you just do this

  17. Tri Gazer

    May 9, 2023 at 12:14 am

    Bro this guy can just dismiss harmonics like they easy to play 😂 the talent of this man is insane he for sure gonna be one of the best guitarists of our future

    • Tomek K.

      May 10, 2023 at 5:06 pm

      They are haha. It’s all just practice

    • Josh W

      May 10, 2023 at 6:15 pm

      Natural harmonics are easy to play, you just touch the fret instead of holding it down.

    • Augrills

      May 10, 2023 at 6:45 pm

      Harmonics are easier to play than a regular note if you know where they are lol

    • iDrraaaK

      May 10, 2023 at 9:05 pm

      @Augrills No, they are not, a regular note is easier to make a clean sound with.

    • Augrills

      May 10, 2023 at 9:21 pm

      @iDrraaaK For a beginner. For someone who knows where the natural harmonics are, it requires a lighter touch and less effort to hit them

    • Jan Tab

      May 10, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      Harmonics alone are easy to play, but when you combine different techniques like he has on their songs, it becomes complex and difficult.

    • Augrills

      May 10, 2023 at 10:29 pm

      @Jan Tab I’m saying a harmonic is physically easier to play than a regular note because it is. You don’t put as much pressure on the string. Most people discover harmonics by screwing up a note lol

    • Jan Tab

      May 10, 2023 at 10:46 pm

      @Augrills never said it wasn’t easy to play

    • Augrills

      May 10, 2023 at 10:52 pm

      @Jan Tab then why are you arguing with me for saying they’re easy to play? Terminally online anime person

    • Jan Tab

      May 10, 2023 at 11:00 pm

      @Augrills I’ve never even mentioned your name, nor was I even replying to you in the first place. What presumptive prick, terminally insane, offline brain

    • Bäri

      May 12, 2023 at 4:30 am

      but harmonics are easy to play though

    • TheWildHealer

      May 12, 2023 at 8:23 am

      @Augrills He wasn’t talking to you Princess

    • Augrills

      May 12, 2023 at 11:30 am

      @TheWildHealer shut up

  18. Kshitij Pal

    May 9, 2023 at 12:58 am

    that jumper tho.

  19. ChrisW

    May 9, 2023 at 2:53 am

    Nice, get to see some structure behind it

  20. modhappy

    May 9, 2023 at 8:23 am

    Is Tim Henson related to Jim Henson

  21. VICKICKS11

    May 9, 2023 at 9:42 am

    Playing God sounds perfect with that chorus + distortion pedal combo

    • papagens

      May 10, 2023 at 9:00 pm

      Nah. The original sounds better.

  22. 0BlaiddDrwg0

    May 9, 2023 at 11:38 am

    Ok so the video starts and im like what emo kid is that. Then he plays and I look into the face of every young rocker in the 60s and 70s. Got me kid, your skill deserves respect.

  23. Andy

    May 9, 2023 at 5:27 pm

    Then you listen and realise it sounds awful.

    • DirtyDan

      May 10, 2023 at 6:33 am

      Finally a person with ears, I mean sure he has good technique but in general I find it boring and unpleasant to hear only crazy arpeggios and harmonics.

    • Xertias Strat

      May 11, 2023 at 6:38 am

      ​@DirtyDan it sounds good but not with distorsion

    • Adi

      May 12, 2023 at 12:08 pm

      so ?

  24. Wölfgang

    May 9, 2023 at 8:16 pm

    not only the pretty face, he’s also very talented at guitar

    • Elojune 28

      May 12, 2023 at 6:52 pm

      It’s more like the other way around though

  25. xSlfDestruction

    May 9, 2023 at 10:53 pm

    😮👏👏👏

  26. joddog

    May 10, 2023 at 2:45 am

    I fell like an old man, I can’t stop looking at his sweater and pants thinking “who tf thinks that looks good?” 😂 they’re fresh clothes but the ripped up look is so cliche and/or homeless looking 😂

  27. DirtyDan

    May 10, 2023 at 6:30 am

    Pretty good technique, sounds like sh*t though, so unpleasant to hear only crazy arpeggios and harmonics.

  28. PH 5555

    May 10, 2023 at 1:09 pm

    Inspiration for quit guitar.

  29. Cerys Knowles

    May 10, 2023 at 6:01 pm

    I love the guitar neck

  30. Tonki

    May 10, 2023 at 6:35 pm

    I love the fact that the comment section is in awe regarding his harmonic skills when you can clearly see he’s “only” a classical guitarist with an electric guitar.
    It’s called music education people.

  31. Jdasnake03

    May 11, 2023 at 3:03 am

    His playing style has a lot of Srv especially with that reach

  32. Hawk Davison

    May 11, 2023 at 4:27 am

    Love ya, please talk about Jason Becker..

  33. BranDon GriND

    May 11, 2023 at 5:29 am

    Someone can tell me wich Is the First chord?

  34. Giechris Rubia

    May 11, 2023 at 8:15 am

    why do i find him so hot

  35. Digital Dust

    May 11, 2023 at 11:30 am

    A christian band that is covered in tattoos. The grift is strong with this one.

  36. Puple VitA

    May 11, 2023 at 1:15 pm

    I both don’t and do understand at the same time

  37. basheer ahmed

    May 11, 2023 at 11:24 pm

    Imma pretend I just understood everything.

  38. Roman

    May 12, 2023 at 5:44 am

    Those tattoos are hideous.

  39. Zobby Car

    May 12, 2023 at 8:29 am

    I are Awesome 👍

  40. dvs9019

    May 12, 2023 at 4:40 pm

    Trying hard to make us think he actually has a jawline.. great picking though 😊

  41. Zuls

    May 12, 2023 at 6:18 pm

    Man i just noticed that his pinky is long af

  42. HealthyConscious

    May 12, 2023 at 10:55 pm

    Epic

  43. Shay R.

    May 12, 2023 at 11:33 pm

    Who is this guy…

  44. Louis Martineau

    May 13, 2023 at 12:49 am

    obviously… lol

  45. Norijäger

    May 13, 2023 at 3:54 am

    Hey man. Turn down the Chorus

  46. Lief The Droid

    May 13, 2023 at 4:36 am

    Just get an EQ and lower 4k by 2 or 3 dbs please.

  47. Here There Everywhere

    May 13, 2023 at 9:36 am

    As a guitarist, you inspired me to throw away my guitars. 😂

  48. justcallmemoses

    May 13, 2023 at 10:55 am

    I just love the chord sequence 🤍🤍

  49. Oruasai

    May 13, 2023 at 12:36 pm

    Talented and all but his songs are just soulless af

  50. Mathias Klein

    May 13, 2023 at 12:49 pm

    Please tell me why this guitar tone wasn’t the one used in the song

  51. Nico di Angelo

    May 13, 2023 at 1:23 pm

    This man’s gorgeous

  52. Ayyyo1212

    May 13, 2023 at 1:35 pm

    Autistic

  53. Weekly Weeks

    May 13, 2023 at 1:45 pm

    Imagine having buy jeans with a hole on the knee just so you can show off a tattoo… 💀

  54. Dornatum

    May 13, 2023 at 3:01 pm

    that sounds friggin awesome

  55. JesseEVH

    May 13, 2023 at 5:21 pm

    He definitely got that knee tat just to wear ripped jeans 😂 honestly a good idea

  56. TheMultiDouche

    May 13, 2023 at 7:31 pm

    The smug look at the end where he reminds us all how much better he is as a musician kills me 😅😅😅

  57. jeric(lm-nl2-tabuk-so)

    May 13, 2023 at 11:27 pm

    He really is the pinnacle of modern guitar playing.

  58. Jordan J

    May 14, 2023 at 1:19 am

    That chord progression just by itself sounds so good I wish they did it as a breakdown in the song

  59. OrelK

    May 14, 2023 at 1:04 pm

    Oh sure yea, easy

  60. Tidal Wave 101

    May 14, 2023 at 1:39 pm

    chill dawg my girl on this app

  61. Altstorm

    May 14, 2023 at 5:07 pm

    How Tim Henson would explain this to his younger self before he wrote Playing God.

  62. Chef Turbo

    May 14, 2023 at 6:28 pm

    Man shut up

  63. Hundry

    May 14, 2023 at 6:28 pm

    Step 1: Pick some chords
    Step 2: “draw the rest of the f*cking owl”

  64. Ryan

    May 14, 2023 at 7:05 pm

    His tones are always terrible.

  65. Skylar Howes

    May 14, 2023 at 9:54 pm

    That face at the end was priceless 😅

  66. Bryant

    May 14, 2023 at 10:09 pm

    This guy makes my sexuality confused. Oof

  67. Capt. Trips

    May 14, 2023 at 10:49 pm

    Kinda sounds like a mess.

  68. huhrawz

    May 15, 2023 at 2:50 am

    he sounds like a robot

  69. Jude Meyer

    May 15, 2023 at 3:11 am

    Uk when u understand what he is talking about it makes sense and seems doable.

  70. DDELFIERRO

    May 15, 2023 at 3:41 am

    …and it’s as simple as that!!!

  71. Happy_go_lucky_arts

    May 15, 2023 at 6:19 am

    The tone sounds pretty with the harmonics and arpeggios but the chords sound funky to me. Still sounds awesome!

  72. evonai

    May 15, 2023 at 6:47 am

    Oh yeah thanks now its easy. I just sold my guitar

  73. Dave 711

    May 15, 2023 at 6:56 am

    well I’m here…. uh just like Patrick,, is that also instrument? 👁️👄👁️

  74. DayDreaming Vlog

    May 15, 2023 at 9:04 am

    Melody of BANANA?

  75. Zhadny Gaming

    May 15, 2023 at 9:48 am

    God of guitar being playing god when playing playing god😵‍💫

  76. Enter Name

    May 15, 2023 at 9:56 am

    Why does he look like a circumcised pp?

  77. •VΛL•

    May 15, 2023 at 2:32 pm

    Such a beautiful girl 😍

  78. Wessel Ko drums

    May 15, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    Playing-wise it’s very impressive, no doubt about that, but it sounds like crap.

  79. Jasn

    May 15, 2023 at 4:54 pm

    Sounds so cool distorted

  80. LordMarsh

    May 15, 2023 at 6:51 pm

    Tim Henson may be the most generous guitar virtuoso in guitar history in terms of how much technical stuff he’s willing to share with the fans

  81. Versa Holubec i nt FBI KN hav GD Rec. Frm KC MO

    May 15, 2023 at 6:53 pm

    You are amazing

  82. The Chrismeister

    May 15, 2023 at 7:51 pm

    Ah ok that makes sense

  83. peachmelba1000

    May 15, 2023 at 9:55 pm

    And that rhythmic cadence is the one they use lol

  84. Luke Collins

    May 15, 2023 at 11:47 pm

    he looks like his head was glued on such a cutie tho

    • Francisco Javier Sanchez Campos

      May 16, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      He’s a real life anime character

  85. Pra Dhito

    May 16, 2023 at 4:06 am

    Gaya rambutnya keren 😎

  86. DrippyTV

    May 16, 2023 at 4:47 am

    This guy doesnt get dirt under his nails. He definitely shaves his armpits as well.

  87. ruth

    May 16, 2023 at 7:14 am

    Amazing ❤️💫👍😍

  88. Aaron Snideman

    May 16, 2023 at 7:37 am

    Very douchey and cringe. This is the youth of America now a days

    • Body Movement

      May 16, 2023 at 6:12 pm

      You’re kinda sounding like the douchey cringe one here tbh

  89. ZIM GAMING 13

    May 16, 2023 at 10:51 am

    The most beautiful man in the world

  90. Gabriel Rodrigues

    May 16, 2023 at 1:46 pm

    sounds so nice with distortion

  91. Luca Goes Offroad

    May 16, 2023 at 2:14 pm

    I love that he doesn’t do all the guitar faces and useless gestures like every singer on YouTube

  92. Maximus Fogdall

    May 16, 2023 at 3:24 pm

    He looks like a total goofball but an amazing musician

  93. redkushpurplehaze

    May 16, 2023 at 4:13 pm

    Yo is that Skull Knight on his knee?? 🔥

  94. Ava Grier

    May 16, 2023 at 4:22 pm

    He seems like a sweetheart but I need him to play some chapstick…

    • Ava Grier

      May 16, 2023 at 4:22 pm

      The lips look painful

  95. Nathan

    May 16, 2023 at 5:55 pm

    You look like James Reid with a badass version

  96. Fxbrizzio

    May 16, 2023 at 6:16 pm

    Que guitarra es esa?

  97. Ygypt

    May 16, 2023 at 6:27 pm

    this is like those art books that say “start with a circle. add a triangle for the beak. shade the rest of the owl and voila”

  98. daniel broomhall

    May 16, 2023 at 7:06 pm

    Has anyone ever looked so happy with themselves?

  99. connor stewart

    May 16, 2023 at 8:08 pm

    I thnk he can play very technically ..bit this is a very soulless way to write a song i thnk .there is no feeling here at all

  100. mastod0n1

    May 16, 2023 at 8:42 pm

    Probably the best Japanese woman to ever pick up a guitar

    • felix ergastulis

      May 17, 2023 at 1:47 am

      That’s a dude, his name is Tim

    • Denis Borzov

      May 17, 2023 at 10:34 am

      @felix ergastulis no, that’s a gal, her name is Tina.

    • antonio tunico

      May 17, 2023 at 5:02 pm

      dude was thinking that he is a girl when i saw h for the first time but after some videos give a attention to he i saw that he is a man.
      i think that his covered hands makes he like a female

    • mastod0n1

      May 17, 2023 at 7:35 pm

      @felix ergastulis ’twas a joke

  101. mastod0n1

    May 16, 2023 at 8:47 pm

    Anyone who has ever written crazy technical music using a DAW step sequencer or in Guitar Pro or any other tablature programs has wished they could actually play it. Tim unlocked that skill. There is a video somewhere on YouTube that shows Tim tallking about using an arpeggiator in a DAW and messing around with the piano roll/step sequencer and then translating that to guitar.

  102. Imthatoneguywhoaskedbitdidntcare

    May 16, 2023 at 10:24 pm

    Why so many of us quit 😂

  103. Alfin Fellialnyoo

    May 16, 2023 at 11:19 pm

    Okay yes and then my brain just stopped working 😂

  104. A.V

    May 17, 2023 at 12:24 am

    HE’S CLEARLY A GIRL

  105. Flesydok_

    May 17, 2023 at 12:45 am

    simple enough 😅

  106. John Doe

    May 17, 2023 at 12:58 am

    That tone!

  107. Lars Bo Christensen

    May 17, 2023 at 2:34 am

    What just happened ? 😮

  108. Phillip Edward Ness

    May 17, 2023 at 2:55 am

    “And then I just go”
    *impossibly difficult sequence for most guitar players*

  109. Beanmaster73

    May 17, 2023 at 3:46 am

    Autism rock

  110. Dimi

    May 17, 2023 at 4:14 am

    God i hate that chorus sound

  111. Mack

    May 17, 2023 at 5:00 am

    You cant play GOD (JESUS)✝️ .YOU played yourself!

    • Blyatoslav

      May 17, 2023 at 3:09 pm

      He already did it

  112. ARAB - PUBGM

    May 17, 2023 at 7:35 am

    Allah💖 is the only God

  113. EX7RUD1CON

    May 17, 2023 at 9:52 am

    Love the skull on your knee

  114. KRG30001

    May 17, 2023 at 10:26 am

    No idea who this is but he can shred

  115. The Summitts

    May 17, 2023 at 2:33 pm

    He’s cool on the surface

    Even cooler underneath

  116. Kyle Jackson

    May 17, 2023 at 3:19 pm

    Playing god electric goes crazy tho

  117. just heavenleigh

    May 17, 2023 at 6:22 pm

    I think I just have fellen in love

  118. Greacher

    May 17, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    Where this guy buy his cloth? Its not the simple zalando asos sides for sure^^ someone knows ?

  119. Viper 6172

    May 17, 2023 at 6:40 pm

    Love Tim but a modulated overdriven tone was completely unnecessary for this example

  120. Tyler

    May 17, 2023 at 6:59 pm

    God I want his tattoos but I don’t want to copy it I love the heavy black ink style and it looks amazing on him

  121. Schecterman54

    May 17, 2023 at 7:03 pm

    This is pretty boring. 💁🏼‍♂️ doesn’t give me any vibe other than “wanna make technical riffs”

  122. MadScientist Life

    May 17, 2023 at 7:38 pm

    Brilliant! Bro you are talented but you owe a look to an Asian girl named Moyun because her cover of that song is how I discovered your band. You guys are great. However that girl Moyun is extremely talented and you sincerely need to check out her cover of playing God on a traditional Asian instrument. It’s effing beautiful. Please check it out.
    Peace and love. God bless.

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