Outside the BOx
TAPPING INTO ROCK! Ever wondered how top axe men like Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai play those insanely fast solos? ROBIN HENDERSON explains how to let your fingers do the walking…
Eddie Van Halen helped popularise the tapping technique in the late 1970s and his amazing solo “Eruption” on the first Van Halen album (released in 1978!) remains a benchmark demonstration of this remarkable technique. Attempting these fast flurries may seem slightly overwhelming, but in this month’s column we’ll show you how to approach this technique at an attainable level. With just a few hours practice you’ll be well on your way to replicating these amazing tapping tricks. It’s important to sharpen up your legato technique before attempting the exercises. Start with a minor pentatonic scale (as in Ex.1) and practice hammer-ons and pull-offs along each string. Bend your knuckles round so that your fingertips make contact with the string for a smoother legato speed. Once you’ve nailed the Pentatonic exercises, try to incorporate the natural minor scale (also shown in Ex.1) leading you to this month’s cool lick combining a Pentatonic on the
fret hand and a Natural minor on the picking hand.
Ex1: Before attempting the taps, familiarise yourself with these 2 scale shapes. When playing the Am pentatonic (ACDEG), spread your four fingers evenly between the 5th and 8th frets. Always keep each separate finger on the same fret and pick alternately. The 2nd scale is A natural minor in the 5th position, which contains the same notes as A minor but starting from E (EFGABCD). Again, use one finger per fret and keep up the alternate picking.
EX.1 Get to grips with the scales: A minor pentatonic 1
: 4 4 c
EX2. Simple tapping along the B string in Am Pentatonic 4
EX.1 Get to grips with the scales: A minor pentatonic 1
EX.1 Get to grips with the scales: A minor pentatonic 1
: 43 c 4
EX2. Simple tapping along the B string in Am Pentatonic 4
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EX2. Simple tapping along the B string in Am Pentatonic 4
EX3. Descending tapping run in A minor Pentatonic 6
EX2. Simple tapping along the B string in Am Pentatonic 4
3
EX.4 Ascending tapping run in A minor Pentatonic 8
EX3. Descending tapping run in A minor Pentatonic 6
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EX.5 Combination Pentatonic / Natural minor tap 10
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Robin Henderson has over ten years experience in teaching guitar and band coaching. His students have gone on to win national awards: XFM Rockschool 2005 and 2007, Vodafone Live Music Awards Best Live Unsigned Act 2007, Kerrademy Award Best Unsigned Band 2008. Realistic Rock Academy is based in
Epsom, Surrey and can be contacted on - 01372 740300,
www.realisticrock.com.
EX.5 Combination Pentatonic / Natural minor tap 10
Ex5: Play the Am pentatonic scale with the fret hand and tap the A natural minor scale with the picking hand. Learn the scales in Ex.1 off by heart; thinking of 2 scales at once can be mind blowing! Start from the high E string and tap across the notes from the natural minor scale before changing to the next string, giving you a crazy combo tap!
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EX.5 Combination Pentatonic / Natural minor tap 10
Ex4: Get your fret hand into position on the 5th fret, low E string and tap the 12th. Flick the string to return to the pitch of the 5th fret and hammer the 8th fret (tap, flick, hammer). Repeat the triplet and move to the next string. As you get to the end of the exercise, play a bend on the B string and whilst holding up the bend, tap the 13th, its a cool lick! 3
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Ex3: Start with same 16th note triplet in EX.1, but this time on the high E string. The idea is to swap strings on the 3rd repeat by hammering your 4th finger on the 8th fret B string. To complete the string swap, tap the 12th fret B string and finally drag your 1st finger up to the 5th fret. Repeat this motion, descending through the scale. You’ll need to use your 3rd finger on the 7th frets.
EX2. Simple tapping along the B string in Am Pentatonic 4
EX3. Descending tapping run in A minor Pentatonic 6
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EX.1 Get to grips with the scales: A minor pentatonic 1
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Ex2: An introduction to the basic tapping technique: Start with your 1st finger of your fretting hand on the 5th fret B string. Hold your pick as normal and use the 2nd finger of your picking hand to tap (hammer on from nowhere) the 12th fret of the B string. Once you’ve tapped, flick the string from the 12th fret and you’ll hear the pitch of the 5th fret. Finally hammer on your 4th finger on the 8th fret to complete the 3 note grouping or 16th note triplet. Repeat this motion, and gradually build up the speed.
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EX.1 Get to grips with the scales: A minor pentatonic 1
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sponsored by
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