I have a tapping problem...

[learning_towalk]

so I'm starting to work on tapping...this is a technique that I've wanted to learn for a long time, but just haven't started until now...here's my problem...I can tap fine with one hand or the other but when I go to start with both hands my rythm will be the same on both hands...I can't do 2 different beats...what can I do to work on being able to play 2 different rythms???

thanks

[Josh Ryan]

Originally Posted by learning_towalk

so I'm starting to work on tapping...this is a technique that I've wanted to learn for a long time, but just haven't started until now...here's my problem...I can tap fine with one hand or the other but when I go to start with both hands my rythm will be the same on both hands...I can't do 2 different beats...what can I do to work on being able to play 2 different rythms???

thanks

Use the force.


Other than that, it's helping me to start with the same rhythm and slightly change one hand or the other until I hear it as one new rhythm, then change it again, in very small increments. I still suck at it though.

[Adam Barkley]

work very slowly. Practice each piece seperately until both are second nature. a good starter tap line with with two different beats is Southbound Pachyderm. only the left hand is tapping while the right pedals on the open A

[learning_towalk]

ok thanks! good to know i'm not the only one having trouble with this....my first tap peice that I'm working on is Linus and Lucy (stu hamm style) and I've got both parts down...it's just putting them together, lol

[Josh Ryan]

Originally Posted by learning_towalk

ok thanks! good to know i'm not the only one having trouble with this....my first tap peice that I'm working on is Linus and Lucy (stu hamm style) and I've got both parts down...it's just putting them together, lol

Yep, that's a ball breaker to start with for some reason.

[sunburstbasser]

It took me two months to get the parts seperate, and another 2 to get it to where it is now. Linus and Lucy, that is.

I got a tip that with that song, try seeing it as one rhythm, instead of two seperate pieces. It worked for me, anyway.

[mmuel817]

go to a friends house that has a piano, and ask him to teach you a simple song. ive been playing piano since i was in kindergarten and it really helps with getting both hands doing different things. it might help your or it might not, but give it a shot either way.

[Testtubeboy]

are you guys talking about talking in a diffrent time signature because that is hard to do, polyrythems mess me up

[Adam Barkley]

I thought polyrhythm was the combination of two different time signatures. Like a guitarist playing 5/4 and the bass playing some different signature.

Possibly you meant contrapuntal tapping? where each hand does a seperate individual part.

[Lenko]

I was also working on that same song and what helped me a lot was singing. Playing one line and singing the other. When I could sing it and play it at the same time, it became much easier (though I still have to work a lot on i´t ).

[ole Jason]

Contrapuntal tapping is definately tough. I recommend approaching it just like a piano. The Bach inventions are great practice. Even if the bass' range keeps you from learning the whole piece just learning a few bars will really help develop your independence. All of Scott Joplin's rags are also good practice because of all the syncopations.

[learning_towalk]

thanks for the tips guys...i look forward to practicing more tapping!

[FF Petro]

What Abark000 said is definately correct, start slow. If that doesn't work there is one last thing you can try and I had to do this for a while: Forget the rhythem, just concentrate on which finger comes next, as you slowly start to get that you can then start playing it slowly in the desired rhythem.

Petro

[bassturtle]

Originally Posted by learning_towalk

ok thanks! good to know i'm not the only one having trouble with this....my first tap peice that I'm working on is Linus and Lucy (stu hamm style) and I've got both parts down...it's just putting them together, lol

Whoa that's strange...I just came here to see if anyone had any tips on that song. How are you guys doing the left hand? What fingers? I've been using my pointer finger for 'I', my middle finger for 'V' and my ring finger for 'VIII'...then I use my pinky for the 'VI' on the second half of the bassline...this is KILLING my left wrist.
I'm not sure if this makes sense, but hopefully someone can help me out here.

[6-stringer]

Tony...Gotcha! Small world man. (this is jake in VA) As far as your ? goes, the way your bass is set up can have everything to do with getting a good tapping technique down. A bass with high action just isn't going to do it. You need light strings/super low action.

[BASSELF]

start your rythm slower.....once u get that down work your way up the tempo.

[learning_towalk]

hey Jake!!! how's it going bro???

i have pretty low action now...i could probly stand to have my bridge adjusted a lil bit though...and I also have on medium strings right now so I'll try to get some lights.

oh yah, update...

i'm able to play it about 1/5 attempts now which shows some improvement...i'll just keep practicing it

[5stringDNA]

ooo tough stuff!! I am a total tapaholic myself. I'm not so great at the contrapuntal tapping yet, but I do some wicked fast stuff with doulbe hand tapping on some lines. I shouldn't have quit piano when I was a kid. Thanks for the pointers eh.

[Bennet Pullen]

Try learning some things that arn't contrapunal first, like extended arpeggios and things like that till you have some finger independence, than you can work on contrapunal parts.

[iareplaythebass]

Is there somewhere on the net that would have some appegios written out that us tapping apprentices could use to learn??
That would help sooo much cause i can never think of what to play!
Thanks!