Introduction: Guitar Technique: Tapping
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About: Hey there. I won't add too much info here, as it'll show up as one big paragraph. I'm not super active anymore, on here.
Hi there.
I recently bought myself my first guitar. One of the first things I learned was tapping. That is what this instructable will be about:
Learning the basic technique.
Tapping (or 'finger tapping') is a technique often used in guitar solo's, that can look difficult to non-guitar players, sounds awesome, is a lot of fun to do, and surprisingly easy to play.
I recently bought myself my first guitar. One of the first things I learned was tapping. That is what this instructable will be about:
Learning the basic technique.
Tapping (or 'finger tapping') is a technique often used in guitar solo's, that can look difficult to non-guitar players, sounds awesome, is a lot of fun to do, and surprisingly easy to play.
Step 1: Step 1: Amp Settings
Tapping can be done on most settings, but sounds better with some distortion to it. On my amp, I have the drive knob (which is the same as a gain knob) fully open. I have Bass at around 1 o' clock, Mid just after 12 o' clock, Treble at about 11 and Chan Volume also fully open.
However, it's up to you to choose how you want to sound, just experiment with your amp settings until you find a sound that fits what you want.
However, it's up to you to choose how you want to sound, just experiment with your amp settings until you find a sound that fits what you want.
Step 2: Step 2: the Technique
In this step, we'll practice a basic technique. Just start out slowly, to get the hang of it. If you get the idea of the technique, start playing it a bit faster. Just practice, practice, practice.
The technique, along with photo numbers describing the steps:
1: With your left hand, fret a note. For now, we'll go with the fifth fret on the first (e) string
2: With your right hand, tap the ninth fret. You should hear a note when you tap it. How harder you tap, how louder the note.
3: Flick of your finger, it doesn't matter if you flick it off upwards, or downwards. For this string, it's easier to do it downwards, as you can't accidently hit another string with the finger. As you flick off, the note of the fifth fret will play. This is called a pull-off (as you play a lower note than the previous one)
4: With your left ring finger, hammer on onto the seventh fret.
5: With your ring finger still on the seventh, tap with your right hand the ninth fret.
6: Release your ring finger from the seventh fret. Then flick off again with your right finger to pull off to the fifth.
Repeat step 2 'til 6 to keep your tapping going.
Remember to practice it slowly first, to get the hang of the idea. You get better at it with practicing.
It can be used on every fret, though it's hard at the highest ones. Just play around the frets when practicing, and make some cool solo's. It's a fun excercise to gain (finger) speed, technique and to get used to playing on different frets.
It is possible to tap on the lowest strings too. Tough it's harder to do, as you have to mover you whole fingers over the fingerboard. When I tap on the lowest strings, I play them from 'above', thus not grabbing the neck.
The next step contains a video in which I play these steps slowly, along with some faster parts.
The technique, along with photo numbers describing the steps:
1: With your left hand, fret a note. For now, we'll go with the fifth fret on the first (e) string
2: With your right hand, tap the ninth fret. You should hear a note when you tap it. How harder you tap, how louder the note.
3: Flick of your finger, it doesn't matter if you flick it off upwards, or downwards. For this string, it's easier to do it downwards, as you can't accidently hit another string with the finger. As you flick off, the note of the fifth fret will play. This is called a pull-off (as you play a lower note than the previous one)
4: With your left ring finger, hammer on onto the seventh fret.
5: With your ring finger still on the seventh, tap with your right hand the ninth fret.
6: Release your ring finger from the seventh fret. Then flick off again with your right finger to pull off to the fifth.
Repeat step 2 'til 6 to keep your tapping going.
Remember to practice it slowly first, to get the hang of the idea. You get better at it with practicing.
It can be used on every fret, though it's hard at the highest ones. Just play around the frets when practicing, and make some cool solo's. It's a fun excercise to gain (finger) speed, technique and to get used to playing on different frets.
It is possible to tap on the lowest strings too. Tough it's harder to do, as you have to mover you whole fingers over the fingerboard. When I tap on the lowest strings, I play them from 'above', thus not grabbing the neck.
The next step contains a video in which I play these steps slowly, along with some faster parts.
Step 3: Step 3: Video
A video where I play the technique slowly, so you get the idea of it. Along with some faster parts.
Please remember that I just started guitar, so of course I sound a bit sloppy in the faster parts.
A song that uses this technique is Lipgloss and Black by Atreyu.
So if you master it, you can try practicing this song.
That song uses the 14th, 10th and 7th fret on both the third and fourth strings
Please remember that I just started guitar, so of course I sound a bit sloppy in the faster parts.
A song that uses this technique is Lipgloss and Black by Atreyu.
So if you master it, you can try practicing this song.
That song uses the 14th, 10th and 7th fret on both the third and fourth strings