My mistake, I always assumed from the looks that Eddie's famous guitar was strat-style under all that red, white, and black paint. What is it actually if not a strat?
You have good advice to use overdrive/distortion/gain to emphasize the tapping!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Tapping help...
- Thread starter I Need a six...
- Start date
My mistake, I always assumed from the looks that Eddie's famous guitar was strat-style under all that red, white, and black paint. What is it actually if not a strat?
You have good advice to use overdrive/distortion/gain to emphasize the tapping!
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,123
- 16,799
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Ed's first Frankenstein guitar is a parts guitar more or less. Strat body shape, but with a humbucker in the bridge position.
Billy Sheehan is the GOLD STANDARD for tapping on bass! Roundwound strings, ripping distorted bass tone, low action, amp cranked up loud!!
Good info. I said "I believe EVH is associated with a Fender-style stratocaster" (lower case 's') instead of "I know for a fact EVH plays a Fender Stratocaster" because I was hoping someone might come along to set the facts straight, thanks.
It doesn't matter. My actual point was simply intended to encourage the OP with an inspirational example of a musician who has made his living tapping on a passive, bolt-on, Fender-style instrument. EVH was the first that came to mind, probably because of my age, but I'm sure there are others.
Last edited:
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,123
- 16,799
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Does Eddie actually call it his "Frankenstein guitar" or does he maybe call it something else?
It doesn't matter. My actual point was simply intended to encourage the OP with an inspirational example of a musician who has made his living tapping on a passive, bolt-on, Fender-style instrument. EVH was the first that came to mind, probably because of my age, but I'm sure there are others.
Cool. I think ultimately the active/passive question is irrelevant with regard to technique. It has more to do with setup and how one sets their tone at the amp. Lots of gain with really low action makes tapping much easier.
That being said...bass tapping should be used sparingly. You don't want to lose a gig because you're known as bass player who taps too much.
I don't think anyone is better at tapping than Victor Wooten. And he generally uses a fairly clean tone with no overdrive.
I'd also have to agree that Billy Sheehan is the gold standard in terms of this technique. The stuff he pull off with Paul Gilbert is very impressive. As far as the use of overdrive, if you can pull it off with it, you can pull it off without it (IMO distortion for tapping on bass is not as essential as it is for guitar).
I play on a acoustic b200h, I love that thing! The sound range is great and the controls aren't too crazy. I've only ever turn it a little past half and It can shake a regular sized bar like... Something that shakes a whole lot.
I will make a recording of it tomorrow, I don't have one now, is there a place on this site I can upload it to? I could always just put it on YouTube if not.
Understandable... But the real reason I want a six string, is because I just love everything about them
I've wanted a six for Way longer than I've had the desire to do tapping style. I saw PRIMUS in concert, and I had never really paid attention to the extended range basses before. I left that show obsessed
Definitely true, I find it's that way with any style when it comes time to really jam it out. I'm really good with slap/pop style, finger styles and I can strum chords really well(another reason I want a six string) not like Stanley and les, but you get the just
I just have a hard time getting tapping to sound right, I still love to do it though
Victor Wooten is my favorite tap player, I've heard some mr. Big but not a whole lot. I'm a huge fan of clean, unaltered tone. That being said I'm trying to get a good idea of the fundamental technique of tapping. Not victor Wooten caliber stuff.But I think that goes without saying doesn't it
Sorry if I took awhile to get back with you all,I was at wind band rehearsal. Thank you all for the responses, I've definitely got a ton to go on, and it's super cool that so many have done this on passive/bolt on basses. I'm even more exited to start using tapping now, if only my parents weren't asleep, I'd be trying a lot of this right now!
Slamming my hand down super hard is really the only way I can get the notes to really form like they should, but with practice it's gotten much more natural, as slapping did. But I've just started the tapping process, thanks for the input, as a regular tapper your input is ESPECIALLY valued(everyone else's is still very welcome
)
You probably don't mean it this way but I'd just wanna say that it really depends on your tapping style. Since the string-to-string interval is the same across the board, I find it particularly easy with the 6 to just pick any note and tap the same chord shapes across when doing legato arpeggio-ish stuff - not having to move my hands makes it easier to control. I guess as long as you're used to having more strings, it's no problem, but otherwise I wouldn't say it's any different from playing anything else... I mean, there are people who can't get used to a low B, but that doesn't mean that a 4 string is easier to tap than a 5.
You could upload the file here, but I'd think YouTube is generally easier IMO.
Clean unaltered probably means lots of compression instead of gain I guess.Victor Wooten is my favorite tap player, I've heard some mr. Big but not a whole lot. I'm a huge fan of clean, unaltered tone. That being said I'm trying to get a good idea of the fundamental technique of tapping. Not victor Wooten caliber stuff.But I think that goes without saying doesn't it
Tommorow I will post a link to YouTube here in this thread, my parents are asleep now or I'd record it now.
Right, a friend of mine was in a metal band so he got a 5er. He hated the way the low b was super floppy feeling. I didn't mind it but I'd prefer a longer scale so it's nice and tense.
Dude light gauge strings will fix that. I thought I sucked at tapping till I threw some rotosound funkmasters on a bass (30-90) and it freed up all those piano sounds that mr. Wooten is known forSlamming my hand down super hard is really the only way I can get the notes to really form like they should, but with practice it's gotten much more natural, as slapping did. But I've just started the tapping process, thanks for the input, as a regular tapper your input is ESPECIALLY valued(everyone else's is still very welcome
Hmm... I have always preferred light gauge, but there flats. Super great sounding finger style plucking(espically on a p bass it really is a great tone) but I've been told the added brightness of rounds will help my tapping lots.
"Give up because you own the wrong kind of bass" is a quitter attitude, don't listen to that negativity!
Lots of people tap on passive Fender-style instruments. I believe master-of-tap Eddie Van Halen is heavily associated with the stratocaster, for example.
I thought EVH played Kramer guitars!!?? Anyways, Billy Sheehan used a passive pbass forever, though he also has alot of midrange, compression and dirt, but he wrote the book on bass tapping, plus he uses heavy gauge strings, just keep that in mind!!
edit: I see "strat style guitars", nevermind...
And if you want to compromise half rounds or the labella quarter rounds are a good compromise, but with the higher tension of flats (less material=higher tension to achieve desires pitch, I wont bore you with the math) and the lack of harmonic content (again, not gonna bore ya) you wont really achieve that really clear tap sound. I keep a bass with flats at all times for that sound and then have another bass set up for the fancier stuff. If you've only got one axe its doable but like you said, you'll have to slam down on those strings. You can try tapewounds, lower tension but similar thump and punch as flats
I've never extensivly used tape wounds, never liked the feel of them personally. Half and quarter rounds have never appealed to me, thanks for the input though. I'll stick with my flats on the p, I gig a lot with it and that mellow old school sound is what I go for with the band in play in. But when I pick up another bass(6er no doubt) I will definitely use roundwounds.
