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Created page with "Tapping refers to using the picking hand to hammer-on notes, usually involving arpeggiating a chord using all legato techniques on a single string. It is generally used as a ..."
Tapping refers to using the picking hand to hammer-on notes, usually involving arpeggiating a chord using all legato techniques on a single string. It is generally used as a speed technique, as it can be used to cleanly play a rapid succession of notes.
--7--t14--
Tapping is indicated via a "t" in tab.
== Technique ==
The technique for tapping is generally no different than [[Legato_(Hammer-on,_Pull-off)|hammer-ons and pull-offs]], except that you use the right hand. I like to use my middle finger, which allows me to continue holding the pick and start plucking without having to adjust. Some people like to use their index finger, which means you need to release the pick (unless you use a thumb pick or some strange grip). You can hold the pick in your mouth, your palm, a sticky surface on your guitar, a nearby table-top, etc.
Just like hammer-ons and pull-offs, tapping is legato, and you want to mute unused strings. Normally we do that with the combination of the right palm on the thicker strings and draping left hand fingers over the thinner strings. Well, we still do that here, but the right hand palm may feel a bit awkward doing so since it is now near or over the fretboard and you have to use one of its fingers to hammer-on a note. They key is to use the finger muscles to get your finger to hammer-on the note, not your wrist. If you use your wrist you will bounce on the muted strings and cause them to make noise. Also, now you have to worry about pushing the strings down into the frets, so you need to make sure you regulate your palm's pressure. Use just enough to mute the strings and no more, and keep the pressure constant even as you tap and release notes.
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
These are the two most basic ways you'll see a tapping pattern - a simple arpeggio, with either ascending (first example) or descending (second example) notes. Practice on all strings.
The trick to getting excellent tapping is to start very slow. A lot of players try to go right into speed playing and develop bad habits that are hard to break. The key thing to remember is that the tapped note should have the same duration as other notes - the natural inclination is to tap the note and quickly release it, but you actually need to hold it a bit longer.
Also, you're usually going to pull-off the tapped note. Remember good pull-off technique - bend the note slightly before releasing so the next note has the same amount of energy.
== Arpeggios ==
=== Root Position ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12--
...
--t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
=== 1st Inversion ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12--
...
--t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12--
...
--t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12--
=== 2nd Inversion ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
=== Tap and Bend/Bend and Tap ===
=== Trill ===
--7--t14--
Tapping is indicated via a "t" in tab.
== Technique ==
The technique for tapping is generally no different than [[Legato_(Hammer-on,_Pull-off)|hammer-ons and pull-offs]], except that you use the right hand. I like to use my middle finger, which allows me to continue holding the pick and start plucking without having to adjust. Some people like to use their index finger, which means you need to release the pick (unless you use a thumb pick or some strange grip). You can hold the pick in your mouth, your palm, a sticky surface on your guitar, a nearby table-top, etc.
Just like hammer-ons and pull-offs, tapping is legato, and you want to mute unused strings. Normally we do that with the combination of the right palm on the thicker strings and draping left hand fingers over the thinner strings. Well, we still do that here, but the right hand palm may feel a bit awkward doing so since it is now near or over the fretboard and you have to use one of its fingers to hammer-on a note. They key is to use the finger muscles to get your finger to hammer-on the note, not your wrist. If you use your wrist you will bounce on the muted strings and cause them to make noise. Also, now you have to worry about pushing the strings down into the frets, so you need to make sure you regulate your palm's pressure. Use just enough to mute the strings and no more, and keep the pressure constant even as you tap and release notes.
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
These are the two most basic ways you'll see a tapping pattern - a simple arpeggio, with either ascending (first example) or descending (second example) notes. Practice on all strings.
The trick to getting excellent tapping is to start very slow. A lot of players try to go right into speed playing and develop bad habits that are hard to break. The key thing to remember is that the tapped note should have the same duration as other notes - the natural inclination is to tap the note and quickly release it, but you actually need to hold it a bit longer.
Also, you're usually going to pull-off the tapped note. Remember good pull-off technique - bend the note slightly before releasing so the next note has the same amount of energy.
== Arpeggios ==
=== Root Position ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12-p5-h9-t12--
...
--t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
=== 1st Inversion ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12-p4-h7-t12--
...
--t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12-p7-p4-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12-p3-h7-t12--
...
--t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12-p7-p3-t12--
=== 2nd Inversion ===
==== Major ====
--t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12-p3-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12-p9-p5-t12--
==== Minor
--t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12-p5-h8-t12--
...
--t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12-p8-p5-t12--
=== Tap and Bend/Bend and Tap ===
=== Trill ===