Instrumental music doesn’t always equate to vapid spa soundtracks or Beethoven’s Fifth. Texan guitar virtuoso and Polyphia frontman Tim Henson has been turning the consensus on its head with his mind-boggling prog rock guitar videos over on YouTube, amassing millions of views on almost every upload of him jamming the most intricate riffs imaginable.
Tim’s highest-viewed video to date, by far, “Playing God (Unplugged)”, brings the monstrous lead riffs of Polyphia’s 2019 single to a quiet corner of Tim’s home, letting his super-clean complex of melodies sprawl like tentacles, enrapturing 23 million viewers to date (over half that of Polyphia’s official music video for the piece!).
Polyphia are renowned for their supernatural technical ability and their wild innovations in guitar playing and prog-rock songwriting; crafting songs like mad scientists locked into unimaginable musical experiments while bordering between the exquisite and pretentious.
It’s one thing to listen to the band’s records. But hearing Tim’s lead licks removed from their full-band context draws startling attention to the organic and ungodly skill this guy holds at his fingertips. In the first 10 seconds of the clip, Tim (then 28 years old) pulls out techniques most guitar-wielding Music Man readers will deem impossible, blending convoluted melodies with natural harmonics, his fingers like a tarantula breakdancing across the frets.
Latin-inspired chord progressions meet a brand new wave of prog rock in this song, bleeding chaotic jazz experimentalism over catchy pop beats with a captivating, smoky atmosphere. Music theory nerds will go wild for this clip, Tim mastering the impossible and drawing absolute focus to his technical ability through this pristine, one-take track.
Tim has tried to explain the inspiration behind Polyphia’s cluster of inspirations, revealing, “We stray from the idea of a one-dimensional, vocal-centered, guitar-centered, or drum-centered group, and let each member of the band play an integral part in the overall product.”
But even legendary, boundary-pushing guitarists such as Tim can struggle to keep up with their own creativity. Tim told Music Radar in 2023, “There are so many times where I write beyond my current capability. I shoot way further than I can actually make and then I have to make up the difference and by the time that tour rolls around I have to be able to play this f****** thing.”
He also shared some advice for fans seeking their own pro music adventure: “If you want to create something good or do something cool, you’ve got to dream big.” But this hasn’t stopped countless Polyphia fans flocking to the comments of Tim’s “Playing God (Unplugged)” clip to write, “I love how this inspires and demotivates me to pick up the guitar at the same time” and “This guy really inspired me to use my guitar for firewood.”
Tim Henson continues to redefine instrumental guitar music, crafting intricate and innovative compositions that captivate millions. With each performance, he pushes the boundaries of prog rock and showcases his stunning technical prowess. Dive deeper into the unique soundscape of Polyphia and Tim Henson’s groundbreaking work through the links provided below.