Right Hand Tapping

Reference         "Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below." --Joseph Addison

Techniques Bending Double-Stops Harmonics Hammer-on and pull-offs Palm Muting Raking Right Hand Tapping Slapping Slides Trills Vibrato Strumming Open Chords Power Chords Barre Chords Sweep Picking Alternate Picking Tremolo Picking Building Dexterity Building Speed Advanced Exercises Improvisation

Right Hand tapping

This is an extension on hammer-ons and pull-offs with your right hand. This can be achieved using either fingers on you're right hand or using a pick. It can be used to create very fast very complex music over, often, a whole octave or more.

The key to this trick is timing.

Example Video

<googlevideo>8950987166990414376</googlevideo>

Pick tapping

Pick tapping is identical to right hand taps. with the exception you don't use your fingers. You use the side of your pick. Artists such as Joe Satriani (Hear a great example in his song "Surfing With the Alien".), Kirk Hammett of Metallica and Herman Li of Dragon Force.

Tablature

Tapping is denoted using a 't' in the tab.

e|--5h7t12p7p5--
b|--------------
G|--------------
D|--------------
A|--------------
E|--------------

Like mentioned in the background part. The key is timing. It might look hard but really if you emphasize this it's cake. It also helps to change the guage of the pick you're using (Light, medium, heavy.) to find a style and sound that suits you.

A good tap sequence for the tap virgin:

--T12-P7-H9-- high E string (cont. this lick)

The movements to do this exercise: First you hammer on with your right hand on the 12th fret. Then pull off the 12th fret and let the note at the 7th fret ring which you should already have held with your index finger. Now hammer on with your ring finger onto the 9th fret. Lift up your ring finger while you're tapping the 12th fret to continue the sequence.

Remember timing is crucial. So take it very slowly then speed up as it starts becoming easier.

Here's another variation:

--T12-P9-P7-- high E

The movements to do this exercise: Tap the 12th fret, pull off onto the the 9th fret and then pull off again onto the 7th fret. While you're attacking the 12th fret with the tap prepare the 9th for the next round.

Yet another variation:

--7-H9-T12-- high E

Here's a new one. The movements: first strike the 7th note with a pluck, then hammer on to the 9th fret then tap the 12th fret and hold it.

Silent Taps

A silent tap is using your right hand to stick the note over a fret (without a pick). This is usually done during a legato passage. Here are some examples:

Tablature

Silent tapping is denoted using a 'st' in the tab.

--st12-P0-H2-H4-T9--

The movements are: Use your right hand to silent tap at the 12th fret sounding the string. Now hammer onto the 2nd fret with your index finger, then with your ring finger hammer onto the 4th fret. Now bring up your right hand and use your tapping finger (index or middle)and tap the 9th fret.

Here's a exercise that emphasizes both techniques:

--st12-P0-H2-H4-T9-P7-H9--

So now you know how to do taps and silent taps. Now when you practice try to bring in linear scales (scales played on one string instead of across the neck.) using these techniques. To add more challenge, try it on the B string or with two fingers on the high E and G strings.