Tappity

a lesson in tapping for guitar (and bass)

By Alex Hobcraft

I am not an expert on tapping but I think I tap more then the average person. (Editor's note: Alex is being modest. His tapping skills are exceptional.) Articles on tapping are often limited to annoyingly simple examples, so I have tried to avoid that here by providing examples from both ends of the technical spectrum. Hopefully, when you finish reading this you will have gained a new and different way of looking at tapping. Before we begin, here is a tip: A good understanding of intervals with help you get the most from this article!

1,3,5,7+ Chords

I started tapping chords -- or "chord clusters" -- before anything else. This is the first thing I learned about tapping from a bass player friend of mine.

Legend

lh left hand
rh right hand
1-4 left hand fingering
a-d right hand fingering (a index, b middle, c ring, d pinky)

e|-------------------
B|-------------------
G|-----------7-------
D|--------5----5-----
A|-----7---------7---
E|--5--------------5-

1 a 2 b

I really like the colours that come from tapping notes into chords. It came naturally to me also, much easier then picking. Positioning is important: for tapping chords, I rest my thumb on the top of the fretboard at all times and have my arm almost parallel to the neck, as in the photos below:

Basic tapping position

Example 1 below is just a simple tapped G maj chord. Make note of the right hand fingerings!

Example 1

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------------
D|---------------9-
A|-----5-----10----
E|--3--------------

lh 1 3 rh a b

The interesting thing about this first chord is the left hand is fingering a power chord. By changing different notes with the right hand, you can change the flavour of the chord. Example 2 is a G minor chord.

Example 2

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------------
D|-------------8---
A|----5----10------
E|--3--------------

lh 1 3 rh a b

Only one note was tapped differently, but it changed the whole chord. *NOTE: The right hand fingering/positioning is an interesting one. It is quite awkward to tap example 2 the way I have explained it, but that is really the way I do it. There is an alternative, but it changes the right hand tapping position. For this alternative position, the thumb is still on the neck but at a steeper angle. The right hand fingers are at a 45 to 50 degree angle to the strings, with a natural bending of the wrist downwards (also at a 45 degree angle to the forearm). This is more akin to a two-handed tapping style for tapping multiple notes with the right hand for soloing. This position is illustrated below:

Alternative tapping position

By using this alternate position, you can tap the above as follows:

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------------
D|------------8----
A|----5----10------
E|--3--------------

lh 1 3 rh c a

Using the ring finger to tap the octave note (10th fret G) and the index the 3rd, this method can be more beneficial if you want to solo or comp a bit using the two handed tapping method while tapping the chord. The advantage is that the right hand is already in position to play lead lines. Using the primary method can make the transition to the lead/soloing position difficult. Either method is fine for me, but I use the first one more often with chords. Find what works best for you!

Changing the left hand can also change the chord (well, duh!) Example 3 is a G maj7. Example 4 is a Gmin7.

Example 3

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------7-----
D|----4---9--------
A|-----------------
E|--3--------------

Note that the left hand taps a 7th while the right taps a minor 3rd.

Example 4

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------7-----
D|----3----8-------
A|-----------------
E|--3--------------

In this example, the left hand taps a minor 7th and the right hand taps a major 3rd.

What I find is the most fun and effective way of using tapped chords is the use of open strings, which lets the notes "bleed" or ring together and creates a nice tone and feel. I generally use a clean tone for this technique but there is no rule to say otherwise. If I pull off on any of the notes with the right hand to allow the open strings to ring when tapping out example 3, I am pretty safe that the open note is in Key of G Maj/Emin.

e|-----------------------
B|-----------------------
G|--------------7p0------
D|------9p0--h4----------
A|-----------------------
E|--3-----------------3--

1 a 2 b 1

The benefit here is is twofold: With that open string I have time to think of where to tap next, and at the same time it creates a "drone" or ringing effect. It can make rhythm playing a lot more interesting and unique as opposed to just strumming. I try to come up with different voicings for each chord. For example, I'll start intervalically with my left hand ON 2 different strings, minor 3rd, Maj 3rd, 4th, flat 5th and so on. The most common left-hand positions I use are the 5th and the octave. The most common right hand positions that I use are a third and minor third (4th is up there too). But there are other finger/interval combinations you can use. An interesting tip is that a Gmaj7 chord is 2 power chords (5ths) stacked a maj 3rd apart on the adjacent string. If you tap G and D of a Gmaj7 (the root and the 5th-power chord) anywhere, tapping a B and an F# (maj3rd and the 7th-also a power chord) will give you a GMaj7. Also, in the key of G you can then pull off to any open string, as I mentioned before. All the open strings will work in the key of G!

Ex 5 is another Gmaj7 tapped differently.

ExAmple 5

e|----------14-----
B|-------12--------
G|----7------------
D|--5--------------
A|-----------------
E|-----------------

1 3 a c

Alternating when you tap each interval/note is another useful tool with chords. You can do it differently and create your own patterns for each chord. Ex 6 is the G maj chord tapped using different patterns.

e|--------------------------
B|----------12-----------12-
G|---7--12---------12--7----
D|-5------------5-----------
A|--------------------------
E|--------------------------

1 3 a b 1 a 3 b

Cycling that over is pretty neat, and changes up the monotony of tapping it the same way. This is just on example. Take this and change the directions of the taps by starting/ending with different fingers.

Once you get comfortable with the different chords, you'll be well on your way to creating full progressions! A popular piece to learn for tapping "chords" is Midnight by Joe Satriani. A better one in my opinion is Day at the Beach, also by Satch.

PHRASING

One of the most effective ways to use tapping in a solo is to use something I mentioned before-- open strings. By tapping on one string you can get some really excellent ideas developed. Example 1p shows tapping using the open G string and just one note from each hand.

Example 1p

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-t12p0-h11--t12p0-h9--t12p0-h7--t12p0h5--t12p0-h4--t12p0-h2--t12p0---------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a 1 a 1 a 1 a 1 a 1 a 1 a

If you want to get into 8-finger technique, example 1p is a good exercise to build strength and dexterity in your right hand. You simply do it with each of your right-hand fingers.

Example 2p below uses the same one-string approach, but with 2 notes fretted on the left hand and one on the right. Example 3p uses three fingers on the left, whereas example 4p uses three fingers on the left and 2 fingers on the right -- all on one string. (You'll want to position your tapping hand the way I explained in the beginning of this article.) The great thing about one-string tapping is it's SO easy to use in phrasing. Yet even so, having the technique under your belt is one thing: being able to phrase with it is something else.

Example 2p

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|--t12p0-h9h11---t12p0-h7h9---t12p0-h5h7---t12p0h4h5--t12p0-h2h4--p0-t12p0-
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Example 3p

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------
G|--t12p0-t7h9h11h---t12p0-h5h7h9---t12p0-h4h5h7---t12p0h2h4h5---t12p0-
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------

Example 4p

e|------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------
G|-t12p0-h7h9h11-t12h14p12p0-h5h7h9-t12h14p12p0-h4h5h7--
D|------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------------
E|------------------------------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------
G|--t12h14p-t12p0h2h4h5p0-t12h14p0-------
D|---------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------

Example 5p shows how the examples above can be used to create melodic phrases. I encourage you to come up with your own variations using different open string(s) combination!

Example 5p

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-------------t12h14\9--t12p0-h11--t12p0-h9h11-t12p0-7p0-7h9h11--12p0--------
D|-------t12h14---------------------------------------------------------h5----
A|-t12h14---------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a a

PENTATONICS

Know thy shapes! By knowing just two pentatonic shapes and tapping them you will

a) unlock a lot of soloing options, and

b) unknowingly unlock three pentatonic shapes at the same time =).

Examples 1t and 2t show two pentatonic shapes.

Example 1t

e|----------------------5-8--
B|------------------5-8------
G|--------------5-7----------
D|----------5-7--------------
A|------5-7------------------
E|--5-8----------------------

Example 2t

e|-------------------------------t10-h12--

B|-------------------------10-13--------
G|--------------------9-12--------------
D|--------------10-12-------------------
A|--------10-12-------------------------
E|--10-12-------------------------------

e|---------------------------------------------------------------etc-
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------t9p-5h7-t12-p5h7-
D|------------------------------------t10p5h7-t12p5h7-----------------
A|--------------------t10p5h7-t12p5h7---------------------------------
E|--t10-p5ph8-t12p5h8-------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a a a

If you take the last note on each string of example 1t and the first note of each string of example 2t, you have a new pentatonic shape! (ex 3t).

Example 3t

e|--------------------------8-10--
B|---------------------8-10-------
G|-----------------7-9------------
D|------------7-10----------------
A|-------7-10---------------------
E|--8-10--------------------------

By using various tapping patterns you can use the pentatonics to generate some great phrasing ideas. Examples 4t and 5t are two different ways in which to do this.

Example 4t

e|-t12p-5h8-t10p5-------------------------------------------------
B|----------------h8-t13p5h8-t10p5--------------------------------
G|---------------------------------7-t12p5h7-t9p5-----------------
D|-----------------------------------------------h7-t12p5h7-t10p5h7
A|----------------------------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a a a

Example 5t

e|-t12p8p5h8t10-------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------------h8-13p8p5h8--t10p8p5----------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------------h7--t12p7p5h7-t9p7p5-------------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------h7-t12p7p5h7-t10p7p5h7--
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a a a

These examples are in the key of A minor but can be used for any pentatonic situation.
Example 6t is a string-skipping tapping idea, but tapped entirely at the 12th fret (a bonus of tapping in A minor!).

Example 6t

e|--t12-p5h8-t12-p5------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------t12p5h8-t12p5----
G|----------------------h7-t12p5h7-t125h7--------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a

e|-----------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------t12p5h7-t12p5--------------------------
D|-h7-t12p5h7-t12p5h7----------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------h7-t12p5h7-t12p5h7------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------

a a a a a a

e|------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------
D|--t12p5h7-t12p5h-------------------t12p5h7-t12p5------------
A|-------------------------------------------------h7-t12p5h7-
E|-----------------h7-t12p5h7-t12p5h7--------------------------

a a a a a a a

e|-----------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------t12p5h7-t12p5h7--etc----------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------
A|-t12p5h7---------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------

a a a

Of course, your own tapped phrases don't have to be this long. By using just small sections of the examples above (or others you come up with on your own), you can create really interesting soloing lines and build a good stock of tapping licks.

Rhythm

The most important thing to remember about tapping on guitar, in my mind, is that it's a rhythmic feel not just a mechanical technique. When I tap, I look at it like tapping a drum, and even hear rhythms before melodic lines. Getting into the pocket can create powerful rhythmic ideas and still be melodic. Throw on a drum track--better yet, play with a really good drummer--and get inside the groove with 2 to 4 note taps (the fewer the better), and you will unleash a lot of tapping potential which will inadvertently help your soloing immensely.

As you can see, tapping can be used for a lot more then just soloing. It's not only a great tool to extend picking lines, but can also create a certain "atmosphere" or "quirkiness." Tapping is still used to a relatively minor extent, which is surprising, but I think that having a solid knowledge of tapping is a tool that can greatly benefit guitarists of all genres.