Learn me how to tap!!

[Sune]

Yes.. I need you to show me how to do taps properly. I've tried but I can't do it properly, so maybe you can tell me a bit about it, show me a site or whatever you might think can help me.

[AmirH]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Tapping is one of those things that comes with a bit of patience and practice and is fairly easy after you "get it" so to speak.

The best way is to start slowly using two hands. Keep the mentality that you're pulling the string like in a hammer off with each finger and try to keep the spacing between notes steady. Gradually speed up and soon it'll be so easy you'll wonder how you ever had trouble.

[Sune]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Hey thanks man, I appreciate it. I wouldn't mind if you went more in to detail though, but maybe I should just try and practice it some more, I don't know.

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Here's a basic EVH style tapping (all on the first string)

Fret the 5th (left hand, pick to get started if you want)
Hammer on to the 8th (left hand)
Hammer on to the 12th (right hand, middle finger if you want to keep holding your pick)
Flick off the 12th with your right hand, back to the 5th (that's the slightly tricky part, you have to have lifted whatever finger you hammered on the 8th with so the the pull off with the right hand falls back to the 5th)

So, in tab (notes only, doesn't include articulation symbols)

--5--8--12--5--

And you can repeat the second step (hammering on the eight) and just keep looping around and around. You don't have to start by picking the 5th if you don't want to, you can just hammer straight onto the 8th. To make it sound more interesting, you can do that lick a few times, then start tapping the 13th fret, then the 14th, or move your left hand up a position, etc. Hope that all makes sense.

Edit: combine that with Death's Ace's tips... start slowly, play evenly, and just let the speed build up. Tapping is one of those things that isn't so hard to do fast per se, but it is hard to launch straight into doing it quickly. So at first, you'll find that to play well, you'll need to keep starting slowly and accelerating. But like everything else, practice makes perfect (or fairly good, anyway )

[Davey]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

the tab should look more like this

-5h8-t(12)-8p5

[Metalman_666]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Here's a basic EVH style tapping (all on the first string)

Fret the 5th (left hand, pick to get started if you want)
Hammer on to the 8th (left hand)
Hammer on to the 12th (right hand, middle finger if you want to keep holding your pick)
Flick off the 12th with your left hand, back to the 5th (that's the slightly tricky part, you have to have lifted whatever finger you hammered on the 8th with so the the pull off with the right hand falls back to the 5th)

So, in tab (notes only)

--5--8--12--5--

Indeed that lick is very reminiscent of Eruption.

When you get that, like SV said, just try moving it around one fret at a time, shifting the whole pattern. Or you could keep your hand in the 5th position and move the tapping finger fret by fret. Practice makes perfect.

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

the tab should look more like this

-5h8-t(12)-8p5

I know, but that's why I said "notes only". I intended to just show what notes were being played, in what order.

Plus, your tab is wrong. You show the 8th fret pulling off to the 5th. In my piece, it's intended for the player to pull off from the 12th, straight to the 5th. So the correct tab would be

-5h8t12p5- (so easy to read, ain't it )

Edit: oops, a mistake in my original instructions, too. Corrected it in bold. Metalman_666 quoted it first though

[Davey]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

I know, but that's why I said "notes only". I intended to just show what notes were being played, in what order.

Plus, your tab is wrong. You show the 8th fret pulling off to the 5th. In my piece, it's intended for the player to pull off from the 12th, straight to the 5th. So the correct tab would be

-5h8t12p5- (so easy to read, ain't it )

Edit: oops, a mistake in my original instructions, too. Corrected it in bold. Metalman_666 quoted it first though

yah.. my bad.. brain not working well today

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

yah.. my bad.. brain not working well today

Yeah, I know how you feel. Except I don't think mine ever works well, period.

And Sune... as another note... do try mixing it up a bit, other than just shifting positions. For example, to get a more ascending/descending style, do the shown example, but instead of pulling off from the 12th back to the 5th, pull off back to the 8th and then the 5th (so you would have left the 8th fretted when you hammered on). That is, --5--8--12--8--5-- and so on. Gives a more cyclic feel, whereas the first one climbs then drops straight back. Basically, just try different stuff (doing so is important so that your muscles learn the skill set, as opposed to just being good at a particular lick).

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Here's a little video I did for showing the tapping section to one of my solos, Plaza De Toros. You can hear the whole song at www.twilight-odyssey.com. Hope you find it helpful!

http://s63.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0OPR19KPGKPKL0FVLULYMBBZHQ

The new instructional site I will start up in a couple of months, Melodic Rock Guitar Concepts will cover finger tapping and other lead guitar techniques as well.

The key to clean fingertapping is to keep your hands clear of the strings to avoid ringing. I also prefer to play melodies instead of just repeating notes over and over. Experiment and have fun with it!

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

As a side note, Troy Stetina's book Metal Guitar Tricks will teach you pretty much every right hand technique imagineable.

[Sune]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Hey thanks dudes!! I really appreciate all the help.

[Metalman_666]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

As a side note, Troy Stetina's book Metal Guitar Tricks will teach you pretty much every right hand technique imagineable.

I recently bought his book Speed Mechanics of Lead Guitar because I heard good things about it... when I find time to read I'm hoping it will improve my speed and technique greatly.

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

I recently bought his book Speed Mechanics of Lead Guitar because I heard good things about it... when I find time to read I'm hoping it will improve my speed and technique greatly.

*for

Brilliant book. Just so amazingly comprehensive. Does require some decent practice put into it though... and don't skip ahead to the "fun" parts. It's written the way it is to build up the right skills first.

[Rich_T]

Re: Learn me how to tap!!

Tapping always sounds like a circus trick to me. Just slow down a bit, let me take it in!