One-on-One Tapping Lesson 1
- The Basics and Beyond

Tapping One-o-One Eddie Van Halen style

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Today time we will look at tapping à la Eddie Van Halen/Randy Rhoads/Kirk Hammett.

Tapping has to be one of the most popular techniques on the electric guitar - and why wouldn't it be? It's easy to play fast, easy to improvise with, looks very difficult - not to mention it sounds terrifyingly cool!

If you feel your technique isn't evolving as fast as you would like it to, you must give tapping shot. I have taught my beginner students this specific pattern - and they have come back after a week playing it perfectly.

Backing riff explainedThey also usually wonder why I have been telling them that mastering the guitar is a life long dedication - they learned to play fast over a week with tapping, didn't they?! So the three step method of the lesson should hopefully get any beginner started with this flashy technique.

Enough said, tapping is a versatile technique and it can be devloppped into extremely complexe high-tech patterns (Jennifer Batten, Steve Lynch etc.).

In this lesson we will also look at a further elaboration of the standard tapping technique which allows the intermediate/advanced guitarist to create further variations and improvisations.

After this lesson, I suggest you continue with 101 tapping lesson 2.

 

Backing track Tapping Lesson 1 backing (100 bpm)

Backing track Tapping Lesson 1 backing (100 bpm - no guitar)

Backing track Tapping Lesson 1 backing (70 bpm)

Scale charts E minor box shapes

TabFull tab

Tab Riff tab

Good luck.

 

Related lessons:
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 2
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 3
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 4


 

 



     Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments





DavidP
post 16th November 2006


Member


That riff is so sick. It reminded me a lot of Maiden.
Boggi
post 7th January 2007


Member


Great lesson, kriss.

it really help.. biggrin.gif
Steelkonsum
post 18th January 2007


Member


Really cool lesson.

Been doin it since yesterday and now my arm is aching so I can't anymore sad.gif

But, I have progressed in the art of tapping by a mile!
sam86
post 28th January 2007


Member


Hey Kris,

I wanted to ask u something, it might sound quite stupid.
Instead of doing it this lick the was its shown 19--15--12, can i do it 12--15--19 and so forth
(10-14-17), as i find this much easier?
Kristofer Dahl
post 29th January 2007


GMC Founder & Rocker


samnan: Not a tupic question - it's a good one. smile.gif

What you have got there sounds like a good variation - just make sure to play it evenly! smile.gif
sam86
post 2nd February 2007


Member


Hey,

Come to think about, i started practicing it your way, and prefer your way smile.gif
Willster
post 3rd February 2007


Member


Awsome lesson I should have found it earlier! I love the riff, and I greatly appreciated the riff explanation too. Great work Kris!
Kristofer Dahl
post 3rd February 2007


GMC Founder & Rocker


Willster: We should definately have more riff explanations!
Willster
post 7th February 2007


Member


Definately!
Ibanex
post 22nd February 2007


Member


Hi Kris,
I looked at your E minor scale boxes and just wanted to ask you something. When I practice a scale I always play 3 notes per string, but you scales are diffrent (on some sttrings you only play 2 notes). Which way to practice scales would you recommend more?
Kristofer Dahl
post 22nd February 2007


GMC Founder & Rocker


Ibanex - that depends which tehcniques you want to go for. For three-note-per-strong speedpicking you want to practice three-note-per-string scale boxes. On the other hand, if you just want to create cool phrasing you may get a different input if you don't use 3nps all the time!
Ibanex
post 22nd February 2007


Member


Hi Kris,
I still have one question, not about tapping but scales you listed 7 patterns. my question is when you play one of these 7 scales: major, minor, phrygrian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian and Locrian, all you are doing is move the 7 patterns around the fretboard? I guess this is not a coincidence.
dchuck
post 26th February 2007


Member


I don't know if it's me, my amp or my guitar. I have a dkmg jackson, and a marshall avt150hx halfstack and I seem to get a fuzz while tapping. It's probably the other strings making the noise and even when I tap the string dead on something seems to do that.
Kristofer Dahl
post 26th February 2007


GMC Founder & Rocker


About the scale boxes: Not a coincidence - the only thing you are changing when obtaining the modes are the root notes place. smile.gif

schuck: Mute the adjacent strings with the side of your left hand fingers!
mattacuk
post 9th May 2007


Moderator - Lets go fishing!


Hi Kris,
Finally made it to the tapping lessons. I think this is a great technique ! In the examples you have given, you show us where to tap with the right hand - which is great. Obviously the idea is to move around the fretboard in a certain scale - E minor in this case.
My question is, how do i know which notes to tap with my right hand as i move around? is there a specific rule?
Anirudh
post 11th May 2007


Member


tapping is too tough for me but ill do it, i will practise it 20 minutes every day, is this enough for getting able to play fast as u play kris?
Anirudh
post 13th May 2007


Member


When I tap on fretboard with my right hand, it hurts on tip of my middle finger which i am tapping wid,so does it really hurt in the beginning or my techniique is wrong???
Andrew Cockburn
post 13th May 2007


Moderation Policy Director


It hurts to start with - eventually your finger will toughen up, so just work through it and keep practicing!
Aaron
post 14th May 2007


Member


sick lesson!!!!!! i needed it
Nuno M
post 2nd July 2007


Member


Excelent tapping iniciation and great riff!!!
Congratulations
ClifordACDC
post 14th July 2007


Member


i also dont get how you are supposed to know what note to tap when you move it
Frank
post 11th February 2008


Member


HI Kriss ! Thank you fore the lesson, I like a lot Randy Rhoads style .
Mojoe
post 27th February 2008


Member


man its really difficult for me I´m playing guitar now for a month but it sounds great
Mojoe
post 27th February 2008


Member


ey i found somthing really cool out when you tab from the 19 thred to the 20 the 21 and back that sounds sooooo cooool like in the solo by metallica-one
Melodicintenions
post 7th April 2008


Member


I seen more Van Halen and Kirk Hammett there lol but loves it you explain everything so well Kris good job~!
Gitarrero
post 24th June 2008


Member


Hey Kris,
great lesson! Still, I find it difficult to tap with my index oder middle finger and am much more comfortable with tapping with my pick (like Kirk does in the One-Solo).
Is that okay, too?
GuitarStar997
post 3rd September 2008


Member


very cool lesson =P
two thumbs up
GFRodrigues
post 3rd September 2008


Member


Great lesson
John V17
post 28th September 2008


Member


Really Good man ty it helped a lot!! smile.gif
Guitarman679
post 21st December 2008


Member


Hey, Kris

This lesson really is one of the best in GMC. It have helped me a lot.

Five stars & Two thumbs up!!


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