Stu Clayton
Stuart Clayton’s tapping tutorials will get your fingers moving faster than a cheetah with a train to catch
Sir Stu’s gauntlet lies at your feet. Accept his challenge, and practise hard. Fail. Practise. Succeed. Bask in the glow
“SPECIFIC FINGERS HAVE BEEN INDICATED NEXT TO THE TAPPING SYMBOLS – I STRONGLY RECOMMEND FOLLOWING THESE”
Welcome back! Let’s take a look at some advanced linear tapping, a variation on the technique often favoured by guitarists and bassists such as Billy Sheehan and Stu Hamm. Linear tapping typically consists of running sequences of notes on the same string, performed by tapping with the picking hand, then hammering-on and pulling-off with the fretting hand. We’re going to start out relatively gently by playing through some minor scales. Note that in the following examples, specific fingers have been indicated next to the tapping symbols – I strongly recommend following these.
Although we're just building up our skills at this stage, our lessons this month will include a couple of more interesting and challenging lines, and I'm confident that you'll begin to appreciate that the payoff for working through them is going to be well worth the investment.
Example 1
This exercise is a two-octave A minor scale. The descending part of this scale features fournote sequences that require two pull-offs in the fretting hand. For example, at the beginning of bar 3, the A is tapped with the picking hand, then pulled off to sound the G, which should already be fretted. This in turn is pulled off to sound the F, which is pulled off to sound the E. Before tapping this line, the fingers should be in place on each note: fourth finger on the G, second on the F, first on the E. This sequence is then reused on the next string as the scale descends.
Example 2
As you work on scales in this way you will find that there are many different ways to play the scales themselves, and many different ways to tap them. You should aim to practise as many scales as possible using this technique. Doing so will give you the double benefit of working on the tapping technique, while getting in some scale practice – killing two birds with one stone!
Implying Chords
If you are familiar with basic music theory (as I’m sure you are), you will know the series of diatonic chords that are created by harmonising the major scale in thirds. For your reference, here are the chords that are created by harmonising the C major scale: It is possible to imply each of these chords using the threenote tapping figures that we have covered in this chapter. Consider the following example:
“AS YOU WORK ON SCALES IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO PLAY THE SCALES THEMSELVES, AND MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO TAP THEM”
Example 3
By representing each chord with a healthy mix of chord tones, the overall quality of each one should be clearly audible. This concept can of course be expanded to include additional chord tones such as sevenths and ninths, and the next few examples will explore this.
Example 4
This example clearly outlines a series of chords, which have been indicated above the notation. The A minor chord is outlined with all three chord tones – A, C and E. In the second bar the E moves up to an F, meaning that the minor third (F), fifth (A) and seventh (C) of the Dm7 chord are used. In the following bar, the F becomes an F#, again meaning that the third, fifth and seventh of the D7 chord are played. The chord then changes to E7 and all of the required chord tones are used: the fretting hand plays G# (the major third) and B (fifth) while the picking hand alternates between tapped Es and Ds (the seventh). As you’ll hear, the minimal melodic movement from chord to chord is extremely effective. In a way this is similar to voice leading in chord progressions. Note that this exercise has been written in treble clef as it takes place in the upper register of the instrument.
Example 5
Here's a chord sequence that uses several major seventh chords: Cmaj7, Ebmaj7, Abmaj7 followed by G7. For each one, chord tones are used to clearly outline each chord.
“THE TECHNIQUE HINGES ON A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF CHORD TONES”
By now you should have an understanding of the linear tapping technique, and I imagine that you’re beginning to see the potential that it has (for good as well as evil!). Hopefully you can also see that success with the technique hinges on a solid understanding of chord tones, arpeggios and scales – at the very least, tapping is an alternative way of practising these essential harmonic elements.
We’re now going to start looking at some common variations on the linear tapping technique, beginning with something that Billy Sheehan is known for: rapid-fire trills. This is where we very rapidly trill between two notes, using both the picking hand and fretting hand to hammer-on and pull-off. If you want to hear this in action, check out the intro of the classic Mr. Big tune ‘Addicted To That Rush’.
Example 6
In our final example we will continuously alternate between two notes on the G string – the D and E. To play this, the first finger of the fretting hand should be fretting the D at the seventh fret of the G string before you start. The picking hand then taps the E above it and pulls off to sound the D. Immediately after this, the third finger of the fretting hand taps the E and pulls off to sound the D again. This repeating motion between the two hands can be played at very rapid speeds with little effort you should not find it difficult to increase the speed to the point where you are playing a very fast flurry of notes.
Next month’s instalment will continue to look at these techniques and we’ll move on to applying them to some new melodic material. As ever, if you have any questions about this column, I'm more than happy to help and I can be reached via the magazine. Until next month…