Tapping

Al3x · #1 10-01-2011, 07:24 PM

Hello everyone,

I am curious as to how one would tap with two hands, a la Billy Sheehan (I think).

I know how to tap, and what I mean by that is that I can play them with one hand. I just don't get how one taps in one place while fretting a note, and the resulting sound is the fretted note. I've never been able to do this, and I really want to.

(If it helps, the style I'm referring to is sort of the way that guitarists tap- and yes, I know that it won't be same.)

Thanks in advance.

AmadeusXeno · #2 10-02-2011, 04:17 PM

This helped me when I was learning tapping
bass lesson (john myung) - YouTube
Hope this helps.

MistaMarko · #3 10-03-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al3x

I just don't get how one taps in one place while fretting a note, and the resulting sound is the fretted note. I've never been able to do this, and I really want to

Huh? Can you explain this better?...

brendanbassist · #4 10-03-2011, 04:15 PM

To be honest, I've never studied Sheehan's technique much, but it might be tapped harmonics you are referring to.

Skitch it! · #5 10-03-2011, 04:50 PM

I think you may be referring to the single string stuff he does? It's based on hammer-on's and pull-off's in sequence with fretting/pulling-off with the tapping/fretting fingers. Think of an example of a track for reference.

Al3x · #6 10-03-2011, 07:32 PM

Addicted to That Rush by Mr. Big. There's a video floating around where it's Billy Sheehan and the guitarist playing the song. The part I'm referring to is in the beginning, where Sheehan doubles the guitar lick.

What I'm referring to is this:

Let's say I fret the 7th fret. Then I tap on the 12th fret. The resulting sound (I think) is the 7th fret.

It is possible that tapping harmonics is what I'm thinking of. sorry for being so vague.

MistaMarko · #7 10-03-2011, 07:34 PM

Let's say you tap fret 7, then tap fret 12, but you want to hear fret 7? I'm sorry I don't understand that. Maybe you mean tap fret 12 and hear the harmonic on the 7th? Tapping harmonics is easy. Just fret a note and tap 12 frets higher, just kind of "slap" it, it'll ring out nicely.

ZH_Driver · #8 10-03-2011, 07:57 PM

Just trying to figure out what is going on here...

So on the G string for example, fret 7 is D. With D fretted, the harmonic 1/4 of the string length up will be 5 frets, or the 12th fret overall. This, as a harmonic, will be D two octaves above the fretted D (7th fret). For one octave above, it would be 7 + 12 = 19 fret... etc.

I am not into tapping (other than basic left hand tapping while I adjust a knob or turn the page), but I imagine from there you tap and release from the fret, but not the string, and get the harmonic.

Hope this helps?

Skitch it! · #9 10-03-2011, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al3x

Addicted to That Rush by Mr. Big. There's a video floating around where it's Billy Sheehan and the guitarist playing the song. The part I'm referring to is in the beginning, where Sheehan doubles the guitar lick.

What I'm referring to is this:

Let's say I fret the 7th fret. Then I tap on the 12th fret. The resulting sound (I think) is the 7th fret.

It is possible that tapping harmonics is what I'm thinking of. sorry for being so vague.

Yep, I have played that intro and track, a few years back now but can still remember it. It is a sequence of hammer-on's, pull-off's and tap/pull-off. As far as harmonics, Billy uses a lot of pinched/false harmonics with the right hand a lot of the time, keeping static with the left and moving the harmonics across the string with the right hand.

Skitch it! · #10 10-03-2011, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al3x

What I'm referring to is this:

Let's say I fret the 7th fret. Then I tap on the 12th fret. The resulting sound (I think) is the 7th fret.

It is possible that tapping harmonics is what I'm thinking of. sorry for being so vague.

Fret the 7th with the left, tap and sound the 12th then pull-off the string with your right hand tapping finger to get the 7th again.... Is this what you mean?