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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ 8-finger Tapping? Why Not!

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 18 2010, 06:42 PM

8-finger tapping? Why not!


Although it is not widely popular, you may have already heard of, or seen this interesting technique at work. As any other technique, 8-finger tapping is a unique way of playing guitar (or bass), and assums using all of your 8 fingers (1,2,3 and 4 on each hand) for playing legato, that is hammering and pull-offs. The main two ways of using your eight fingers are: for soloing (e.g. T.J. Helmerich) or playing one note at the time (monophonic), resembling sax or clarinet players; and for polyphonic playing (e.g. Stanley Jordan), where you can play guitar as if it was a piano, one hand for chords, and the other for melody lines, or playing two lines in harmony at once.

This is an example on monophonic 8-finger tapping:


This is polyphonic 8-finger tapping:


As you can see, 8-finger tapping can be used for a great variety of purposes, such as: scales, arpeggios, sequences, phrases, combinations...

Interested? But, you may be scratching your head wondering how hard is it to learn to play like this, or even maybe thinking that it is impossible, or that you need to be born for this. You see, I know this because the same questions were popping in my mind a few years back. Well, the answer is: it all comes down to will power, and actually how much do you want to learn it. And that is nothing different to any other technique. So that means, 8-finger tapping is nothing more impossible to learn than legato, or picking.

Now, if you would like to learn 8-finger tapping, I suggest checking out my http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/instructor/Aleksander-Sukovic/, starting with some basic exercises, like the ones in the '8-finger tapping basics' series.

If you need more info or anything else, just ask me smile.gif

Posted by: Young Guitarist Jan 18 2010, 07:39 PM

That is surely amazing! I love the part how you can play two lines in harmony at once!

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 18 2010, 08:57 PM

QUOTE (Young Guitarist @ Jan 18 2010, 09:39 PM) *
That is surely amazing! I love the part how you can play two lines in harmony at once!


Thanks man smile.gif Be sure to check my lessons on 8-finger tapping out

Posted by: Sollesnes Jan 18 2010, 09:01 PM

Good post smile.gif I love 8 finger tapping ^^
The intro on the first video was awesome biggrin.gif

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 18 2010, 10:43 PM

QUOTE (Sollesnes @ Jan 18 2010, 11:01 PM) *
Good post smile.gif I love 8 finger tapping ^^
The intro on the first video was awesome biggrin.gif


Thanks man smile.gif Feel free to ask anything you want wink.gif

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jan 18 2010, 10:48 PM

Very inspirational thread to learn 8 finger tapping! Also example videos are very cool! smile.gif

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 18 2010, 10:52 PM

QUOTE (VictorUK @ Jan 19 2010, 12:00 AM) *
Nice alek smile.gif what is that bridge pickup thing that u have? (the black one)


Thanks wink.gif It's a DiMarzio Chopper smile.gif

QUOTE (Bogdan Radovic @ Jan 19 2010, 12:48 AM) *
Very inspirational thread to learn 8 finger tapping! Also example videos are very cool! smile.gif


Thank you Bogdan, I appreciate it smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jan 20 2010, 03:07 PM

Sounds great man, and I would sure like to learn these techniques, they look and sound cool. Thanks for the inspirational thread. smile.gif

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 21 2010, 02:03 AM

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Jan 20 2010, 05:07 PM) *
Sounds great man, and I would sure like to learn these techniques, they look and sound cool. Thanks for the inspirational thread. smile.gif


Your welcome wink.gif

Posted by: Ramiro Delforte Jan 21 2010, 02:56 AM

Nice smile.gif

I've made a few lessons about two hand tapping here on GMC and even an arrangement of a Bach Minuet but man, you're great! The videos are amazing biggrin.gif

Great playing!

Posted by: Santiago Diaz Garces Jan 21 2010, 06:58 AM

Great technique man!

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 22 2010, 02:45 PM

QUOTE (Ramiro Delforte @ Jan 21 2010, 04:56 AM) *
Nice smile.gif

I've made a few lessons about two hand tapping here on GMC and even an arrangement of a Bach Minuet but man, you're great! The videos are amazing biggrin.gif

Great playing!


Thank you Ramiro, I appreciate it smile.gif Your interpretation of Bach's Minuet is outstanding! I really hope to see some more two hand tapping lessons from you! smile.gif

QUOTE (Santiago Diaz Garces @ Jan 21 2010, 08:58 AM) *
Great technique man!


Thank you Santiago smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Zecic Jan 22 2010, 07:01 PM

Cool stuff! I used to play the second piece (Bach) on a piano...

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Jan 22 2010, 07:44 PM

Fantastic work Aleksandar, love your 8 finger tapping technique man smile.gif

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 22 2010, 07:55 PM

QUOTE (Ivan Zecic @ Jan 22 2010, 09:01 PM) *
Cool stuff! I used to play the second piece (Bach) on a piano...


Thanks Ivan smile.gif
Really? Thats cool biggrin.gif I wish I have worked on my piano playing some more. But, it's never too late... smile.gif

QUOTE (Pedja Simovic @ Jan 22 2010, 09:44 PM) *
Fantastic work Aleksandar, love your 8 finger tapping technique man smile.gif


Thanks Pedja smile.gif I'm glad you like it.

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jan 22 2010, 07:59 PM

QUOTE (Aleksander Sukovic @ Jan 22 2010, 07:55 PM) *
Thanks Ivan smile.gif
Really? Thats cool biggrin.gif I wish I have worked on my piano playing some more. But, it's never too late... smile.gif


Well you are basically playing piano on that guitar neck so we forgive you! wink.gif
Awesome topic Aleksander!

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 23 2010, 04:40 PM

QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ Jan 22 2010, 09:59 PM) *
Well you are basically playing piano on that guitar neck so we forgive you! wink.gif
Awesome topic Aleksander!

Haha biggrin.gif When you put it that way, it makes sense smile.gif
Thanks! smile.gif

Posted by: Canis Jan 23 2010, 04:49 PM

I've always been fascinated by 8 finger tapping!
I actually learned your entire http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/sequenced-8-finger-tapping/ lesson in slower tempo, but real life got in the way, so I didn't get the chance to practice it too much.. Hope that'll change now =)

Anyway, great job!!

Posted by: Aleksander Sukovic Jan 24 2010, 04:04 PM

QUOTE (Canis @ Jan 23 2010, 06:49 PM) *
I've always been fascinated by 8 finger tapping!
I actually learned your entire http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/sequenced-8-finger-tapping/ lesson in slower tempo, but real life got in the way, so I didn't get the chance to practice it too much.. Hope that'll change now =)

Anyway, great job!!


Wow, thats great! Why not record it and post it, so I can see it, and give you some feedback? smile.gif That would be great
I recommend you first to try out my 8-Finger Tapping Basics lesson series, they should help you a great deal smile.gif

Anyway, thanks smile.gif

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