A while ago I learnt the into tapping part to Building the Church by Steve Vai, but I only got it to 70bpm (full speed is 95). Today though I tried it again, and I could play it at 80, and very nearly at 95, and I'm pretty sure I can get it there.

My problem though is I can't keep it up, I can only play it for one bar (it repeats for 8 bars). I'm posting here to ask if there is a specific way I should practice it to be able to play it for longer. My idea now to practice it is too put the speed down to around 50, and practice with 8 repetitions, and gradually speed it up, but I'm wondering if this is the best way to go about it. Anyway, any advice you have would be very much appreciated.

Matt

When Steve himself practices a song he plays a part at a certain speed untill he can play it 11 times in a row perfectly, then he moves on to a faster speed or next part of the song
So maybe it helps if you practice at your comfortable speed till you can play it 11 times perfectly and then move up like 5 bmp each time..

Just play it until you get used to the motion. Try to play it as fast as possible, then a bit slower, then faster, etc. That´s how I learned it.

Wow, thanks for your quick replies. I think I'll try and combine your ideas. So I'll play it at 50bpm until I can do it 11 times in a row, then I'll try it at 70 or something, then I'll do it 11 time in a row at 55 etc.

Why are you not able to keep up, does your fingers get tired? If so, I think you should just spend some more time on it, and be patient, the speed and comfort will come.

My fingers start making mistakes.

P.s. Not because they get tired.

Then you have to be patient and practise the motion until you can do it while sleeping.

If it helps you feel any better, take note that Vai is also having timing issues playing it in the video above.

Doesn't sound like it to me. When do you think he goes out of time.

A few times, first one that really grabs my attention is around 00:08 or a little before/after.

edit: once the rest of the band strikes up, he's fine. Before then, when it's vai + drummer, it sounds like he's off the beat twice: once at 00:04 and once again near 00:08.

This could also mean the DRUMMER isn't with it and that's what I'm hearing? Since we don't own any gear with the drummer's name on it, perhaps that will be easier to swallow?

This post has been edited by jafomatic: Oct 24 2009, 06:39 PM

Oh yeh, I hear it now. I say we just be nice to Steve and his drummer and say he's experimenting with free time.