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Learning To Tap
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Ok, this is a lesson for people who are interested in learning the two-handed tapping technique, done on bass guitar. In this particular lesson, I'll be doing a shortened version of Stu Hamm's "Surely The Best;" so please note, I did not write this song. Regardless, I feel it's an excellent beginner song. It consists of the standard two-handed tapping technique, along with tapped harmonics and a bit of contrapuntal tapping as well. I have made a video and a tab, but i didn't include the finger positioning within the tab. I think it's best just to give the player a general idea of how it looks, (hence the video), and then just let them choose the fingers they feel most comfortable with.
So, here's the video:
As for the tab...
( ) - Fret note.
* * - Tap note on the fretboard.
/ - Legato slide up.
\ - Legato slide down.
p - Pull-off.
The
intro is all tapped harmonics. If you are not familiar with these, let
me explain. For example, on this first bar, hold the 5th fret of the G
string, now, with your right hand, tap the 17th fret on the G string.
Simply bounce it off, don't hold it. If done correctly, this should
create a tapped harmonic, also considered an artificial harmonic.
G:-(5)*17*----------(5)*17*------------------(7)*19*-(5)*17*------------------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*-(7)*19*-(5)*17*-------------
D:-----------(5)*17*----------(5)*17*-------------------------------------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*---------------------------------(5)*17*--
A:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G:-----------(6)*18*----------(6)*18*------------------(8)*20*-(6)*18*------------------(8)*20*-----------(8)*20*-(8)*20*-(6)*18*-------------
D:-(6)*18*----------(6)*18*----------(6)*18*-------------------------------------(8)*20*-----------(8)*20*---------------------------------(8)*20*--
A:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G:-----------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*----------------------(7)*19*-(5)*17*--------------------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*-(7)*19*-(5)*17*-------------
D:-(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*------------------------------------------(5)*17*-----------(5)*17*---------------------------------(5)*17*--
A:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G:-----------(6)*18*----------(6)*18*------------------(8)*20*-(6)*18*------------------(8)*20*-----------(8)*20*-(8)*20*-(6)*18*-------------
D:-(6)*18*----------(6)*18*----------(6)*18*-------------------------------------(8)*20*-----------(8)*20*---------------------------------(8)*20*--
A:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now,
for this part, simply tap all the notes directly on the fretboard. For
example, tap the 8 on the E string with your left index finger. Refer
to video for a visual of this. Some notes will be tapped with your left
hand fingers, and some with your right hand fingers. You will figure it
out fairly quickly, just do what feels comfortable. Now, as for the
legato slides, the 17/19 slide for instance, just tap the 17, and while
still holding the string down, slide up to the 19th fret. Again, refer
to the video if you are confused by this.
G:--------------------------21-----19\17------------------
D:-----------17--------19-----------------17-17/19\17--
A:---10-17----17/19---------19-------------17/19\17--
E:-8----------------------------------------------------------
G:------------------------22------20\17------------------
D:---------18--------20------------------18-18/20\18--
A:---6-18----18/20---------20--------------18/20\18--
E:-4---------------------------------------------------------
G:--------------------------21-----19\17------------------
D:-----------17--------19-----------------17-17/19\17--
A:---10-17----17/19---------19-------------17/19\17--
E:-8----------------------------------------------------------
G:------------------------22------20\17------------------
D:---------18--------20------------------18-18/20\18--
A:---6-18----18/20---------20--------------18/20\18--
E:-4---------------------------------------------------------
G:------------------------17----------16-----14-----------------------------------------------------------------
D:---------14--------14----------14-----14-----14-----------------14-16----------------15/17--------19--
A:---7-14----14/15----------------------------------14/15-----15---------------------15--------------------
E:-5------------------------------------------------------------14---------------------13------------------------
For
these pull-offs, hold down both the 10 on the A string and the 12 on
the D string, then, with your right index finger, tap the 14 and sort
of push your finger off so it will produce the note on the 12th fret of
the D string. Then do the same thing on the A string except you'll be
tapping the 14 and pulling off to the 10.
G:--------------------------------------------------------------------------16----------------------------------16---------
D:--------------16-----------------------------14-----------------12-14-----14p12------------12-14-15-------\15--
A:---7-14/16-----14/16----------7-14-15-----14/15------10----------------------14p10---------------------------
E:-5------------------------5-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
this last part, you'll tap the chords with your right index and middle
finger. For instance, on the first cord, you'd hit the 8 with your left
index finger, the 15 with your right index finger, and the 14 with your
right middle finger all at the same time. Remember, when the notes are
stacked on top of each other, that's a chord; so you will hit the notes
all at the same time. Also, when you hit the lower notes in the chord,
the 8 on the A string for example, hold it down and let the note ring
out while you're tapping the other chords. This is contrapuntal tapping so it's going to feel awkard at first, but you'll get it, with practice.
G:-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17--
D:-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17--
A:--8----------------------------8-----------------------8--10--8---7-------------------5-----------3--
E:----------------------------8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Finger Speed/Dexterity Development
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In this lesson I'll be using a simple exercise of the C Major Scale to
help you with building finger speed, strength, and dexterity in your
fretting hand, as well as your plucking hand. Below is a tab of the C
Major Scale played in 4ths. I have made videos of me playing the scale
at 100, 150, 180, and 200 BPM. You can learn the sequence and then
practice it with a drum machine, metronome, or you can just play along
with the videos. You can use as many fingers as you want, but I prefer two; or, you can use a pick if that's what you prefer.
C Major Scale in 4ths, Ascending:
G:------------------------------------------------------------------------7--------7-9-----7-9-10--
D:-----------------------------------7-------7-9-----7-9-10-7-9-10----9-10------10------------
A:-------7-8-----7-8-10-7-8-10---8-10------10--------------------------------------------------
E:-8-10------10--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Descending:
G:-10-9-7-----9-7-------7-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D:----------10------10-9---10-9-7-10-9-7----9-7-------7------------------------------------
A:----------------------------------------------10-----10-8---10-8-7-10-8-7-----8-7---------
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10------10-8--
Remember, it's best to work your way up. Don't move on to a faster speed until you can play it clean and smooth at lower speeds.
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