Synyster Gates

Synyster Gates

From Wikipedia

Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. (July 7, 1981), better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn or "Gates", is an American musician. He is the lead guitarist for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Guitar World magazine has ranked him one of the fastest guitar players of all-time. His father is Brian Haner.

Background Information

· Birth Name : Brian Elwin Haner Jr. Also know as Synyster Gates

Born : July 7, 1981 (aged 28)

· Origin : Huntington Beach, California, United States

· Genres : Heavy metal, Hard rock, Metalcore, Avant-garde metal

· Occupations : Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist, Vocalist

· Instrumens : Guitar, Piano, Vocal

· Years Active : 1999-present

· Labels : Good Life Recordings, Hopeless, Warner Bros, Bucktan

· Associated : Avenged Sevenfold, Pinkly Smooth

· Notable instrument : Schecter Synyster Custom

Early life

Brian went to Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California and also Fountain Valley High School in Fountain Valley, California.

He graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar. After six or so months of being there, he got a phone call from The Rev (and the rest of the previous line up of Avenged Sevenfold barre Johnny Christ) asking him if he wanted to join the band as lead guitarist. Brian joined up with them rather than continuing his education and becoming a studio musician. Up until that time he was primarily self taught by watching music videos and reading books. His father, Brian Haner Sr, is a songwriter and guitar player, having played with Frank Zappa and currently touring with ventriloquist/comedian Jeff Dunham under the stage name "Guitar Guy".

Brian joined Avenged Sevenfold when he was 18 at the end of 1999, right before the recording of the band's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP, "Warmness on the Soul", and on the reissue of their first album.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD All Excess, to emphasize the seemingly random placing of names, Brian stated that his name was thought of on a drunken drive through the park with The Rev. Also, his band members claim that they originally thought that he was too good to play for the band. He corrects them by saying he said no such thing.

He has won numerous awards, including the "Young Shredder" award of the year in the Metal Hammer awards in 2006 and the "Guitarist of the Year" Award for Total Guitar Magazine in 2006.

Amplifiers & Effects Unit

• Krank Distortus Maximus
• Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
• Boss CS-3 Compresser Sustainer
• Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
• Frantone "The Sweet" Distortion
• Digitech Whammy Pedal
• Dunlop Crybaby from Hell
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Fuzz Pedal
• Sustainiac Stealth Pro Sustainer
• Visual Sound H20 Chorus & Echo
• Ernie Ball Wah Pedal

• Bogner Uberschall
• Mesa Boogie Rectifier
• Marshall JCM 800

• Mesa Boogie 4x12 Cabinets
• Marshall 4x12 Cabinets