Friday, April 10, 2009

Guitar Fridays: Two-Handed Tapping

by M A N

For most of us, the first thing that probably comes to mind when someone mentions two-handed tapping are the words "soulless wanking." Tapping was the technique du jour during the heady days of 80s shred and came to represent the pyrotechnic vapidity of guitar playing. Fortunately, the technique can be used in some very creative and musically poignant ways.

Before we go any further, let's talk about what finger tapping actually is. It's basically a variation of the hammer/pull-off technique, a techinque used by every guitar player on the planet (except, maybe, Al DiMeola who picks every. single. note.). Hammering is simply fretting a note with your finger without plucking it with your pick hand. For example, if I have the index finger of my left hand on the third fret of the high E string, I use my ring finger of my left hand to "hammer" the fifth fret on the high E string. As you can easily guess, the pull-off then is just pulling off the finger from the fifth fret to play the note on the third fret.

If you still can't quite visualize what I mean, a fun example of hammers and pulls used to the extreme is the opening to AC/Dc's "Thunderstruck." Though, to me, it sounds like he picked the non-drone notes when he recorded the song, he clearly uses nothing but hammers and pulls in the video.

So, two-handed tapping is the same thing, except now the player is using her pick hand to fret notes as well. This allows for a far wider range of notes to be played in succession than with only one hand.

No one is quite sure who the first player was to use this technique. I've read before that there's footage of Jimi Hendrix using his pick hand to tap a note or two and there's a rumor that Django Reinhardt did so as well (how awesome was Django? Cat could play circles around anyone and he did it with just two fingers on his fret hand). But the player that brought the technique to prominance and doomed an entire decade to devoting itself to fingerstyle gymnastics was Eddie Van Halen.

When Van Halen was still playing smaller clubs, Eddie used to keep his back to the audience when he would tap so that no one would steal his technique. It was really quite revolutionary. His song "Eruption" had turned the guitar-playing world on its ear (hell, that whole album did--from Eddie's playing to his signature "Brown" sound, Van Halen was a seminal piece of work) and everyone wanted to sound just like him. Even to this day there are young players who insist that the first thing they learn how to play is "Eruption."

Sadly, that technique became bastardized and so overused that it became the punchline for 80s guitar excess. But it isn't the technique that deserved the scorn, rather the players who abused it. There are some fine examples of players using tapping in interesting and innovative ways beyond solos that scream, "Look at me!" Here are some of my favorites:

Eddie Van Halen -- "Eruption" What started it all.
Joe Satriani -- "Midnight" This is from his Grammy winning album Surfing with the Alien (Which has the Silver Surfer on the cover. W00T!)
Zack Kim -- "Simpsons Theme " Mark sent this along to me and I was simply blown away.
Stanley Jordan -- "Stairway to Heaven - Live" Stanley is one of my favorite players. He never got the fame or name recognition as a lot of the wankers of the 80s did, but his playing put them all to shame.

50 comments:

Two-Handed Tapping Traktor said...

Might mention the instrument designed to make two-handed tapping easier to learn than normal guitar, and lets you play bass lines at the same time ... and *still* easier to learn than normal guitar.

That's the Mobius Megatar. If this is interesting to you, you might enjoy the demo video here:

http://megatar.us/TS-VIDEO

-- Traktor Topaz.
Follow the Dread Pirate Topaz at http://twitter.com/TraktorTopaz
... if you dare.
.

The Minstrel Boy said...

that's the old discussion when technique and music separate.

i saw manitas de plata (silverhands) use the technique playing flamenco back in the 60's. he did it during his pyrotechnics zone during a "sevillana" (in that same piece he also crossed the E and the A string to produce a snare drum effect)

eddie took it mainstream, but it is something that has been done for a long time. you're absolutely right that django used it. he grew out of the gypsy flamenco tradition and probably saw it his whole life. django used it because his injuries precluded long runs. by tapping he could put extra notes into his runs. he would tap, pull off twice, and end up on an open string (you can hear him do that all over "sweet georgia brown")

i will do it when it's the way to musically make a sound that isn't possible to get any other way, but, with me, the music comes first.

when it is an end unto itself it is simply showing off. when it's a way to get notes out into the air it's pretty damned glorious.

(i have the same problem with guys like malmstein and john mclaughlin, pyrotechniques and blinding speed are not ends unto themselves)

Tim Walters said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tim Walters said...

(take two...)

FWIW, one of the King Crimson boxed sets features a recording of Robert Fripp doing some two-handed tapping in 1969, on a Donovan cover of all things. It's pretty clear that he hadn't worked it up to his usual playing standard, though...

Anonymous said...

forget the megatar.It's just an imitation of the only ture tapping instrument that has been around for about 40 years. The Chapman Stick. Don't you think it's time you used your real name, "Traktor".

Jonathan said...

As a University of Wisconsin undergrad I got to see Staney Jordan play his last free gig at the Memorial Union Rathskeller. It was just him, the guitar and a small amp on a table surrounded by hundreds of people. Magic. His first record was a great way for the revived Blue Note to reintroduce itself.

Sean Rhys Stirling said...

Indeed - the elegant Chapman Stick is a true work of art. Ask any Stickist. For any of you that have never held a Chapman Stick you'll be pleased to know that when you find a Stickist you'll be meeting someone very cooperative and you'll have that fascinating instrument in your hands very quickly. I can't knock you for trying to sell your instrument, mr traktor topaz. But the word is out - the internet listens (and musicians REALLY listen). I can't help but remembering from my math classes that the mobius is an endless, one-sided thing that goes on and on and on without variation. Perhaps a little R & D on your instrument and marketing strategy is needed - and a name change all around.
Sean Rhys Stirling

Chris McMahon said...

I heard Stanley open for Crusaders at the Fox Theater in Atlanta in nineteen-mumblemumble. He made a WAY bigger sound than they did.

Two-Handed Tapping Traktor said...

What is it about the Megatar that evokes admiration and rave testimonials from the musicians who own one, and such bitter, angry hostility from the competion?

If interested to compare the two instruments -- which may clarify some of the heat -- simply visit Compare Chapman Stick to Mobius Megatar.

Now other specialty tapping instruments, like the older-design Chapman Stick and the high-end Warr Guitar, are also very nice, and really enhance the experience of two-handed tapping.

But anyone who familiar with the newer design of the Megatar takes two-handed tone into new territory, and the advanced learning method speeds your ability to actually play something musical.

There must be *something* that so inflames the musicians who paid so much for their instruments ... and didn't get a Megatar.

Hear what it is, and what the players of Megatars say, here --

Great Two-Handed Tapping Tone!

It's really very silly for the two-handed tapping musicians to argue about such things, for the method and the music is wonderful, and offer so much to any guitarist or bass-player who wants to open a new, fun universe of music.

-- Traktor Topaz.
Follow the Dread Pirate Topaz at http://twitter.com/TraktorTopaz
... if you dare.
.

Jon said...

I feel compelled to mention Katatonia's "Brave" and "The Cry Of Mankind" by My Dying Bride. Both songs are wrapped around tapping riffs that are neither complex nor flashy, but the songs would be the poorer without them.

Worship Songs said...

Guitar music is everywhere... right? If you're interested in playing and learning, you can find some online tutorial! Keep going!

With this Two-Handed Tapping, it is more advantage depends on the person playing (I believe!)

Xactiphyn said...

When I think of two-handed tapping, I think of Brian May of Queen, back in the 70s.

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