Tapping and Whammy Bar Techniques
Lesson 9 introduces tapping and the use of the whammy bar, also called the tremolo arm. Both of these techniques are particularly characteristic of the Metal guitar style.
Basic Tapping - Step 1
The first thing to practice with tapping technique is a single note tap with the right hand finger. A single note tap is produced by hammering (tapping) the right hand index or middle finger on to a string at a given fret. In the following example the right hand middle finger taps the third string, 12th fret. A tap is notated with the letter T above the tab note.
A single note tap is used in the following lick.
Basic Tapping - Step 2
The next step of mastering tapping technique is to apply a pull-off with the right hand finger that taps the note. The finger lifts off the string with a flicking upward action to sound the following note. In example 101 the first finger of the left hand frets the 4th fret of the 3rd string. The right hand middle finger taps the 12th fret and flicks off the string to produce the sound of the fretted 4th fret.
In this example the note on the 4th fret of the 3rd string is held throughout. The right hand middle finger taps and pulls-off notes on the 11th, 12th and 14th frets.
Basic Tapping - Step 3
Now try applying a left hand hammer-on immediately after the right hand tap and right hand pull-off.
In example 103 a tap occurs on the 12th fret of the 3rd string, followed by a right hand pull-off to the 4th fret. The 4th finger of the left hand then hammers-on to the 7th fret of the same string. This technique is then applied in example 104.
Tapping Variation No.1
The following example is a variation on the tapping technique. Sixteenth notes are used to accommodate a right hand tap, right hand pull-off, left hand pull-off and hammer-on. Both the 2nd and 3rd strings are used for this lick.
Tapping Variation No.2
An open string can also be incorporated into the tapping technique.
In the following lick the right hand uses a continuous tap on the 12th fret of the second string as the left hand changes fret position. Sixteenth note triplets are also introduced, i.e., three evenly spaced notes played within a half a beat, a total of six notes per beat.
The following licks combine the tapping technique with normal fretted notes.
