Advanced Guitar Tapping Techniques

If you have read my previous two lessons on tapping and have those both under your belt, than get ready for the advanced stuff.  Up until now we have just been using one finger on our picking hand to tap notes.  In this lesson we will cover some great riffs that use more than one finger on the picking hand to tap.  It pretty tricky to learn at first but once you get it its not two bad.  The examples I will use to show this kind of technique are a couple of Joe Satriani songs and a Steve Vai one.

Midnight- Joe Satriani

This is the beginning of Midnight.  Watch the video and see how Joe plays it. 

In the tab every note with a “T” above it should be tapped with your picking hand. Every note with nothing over it should be hammered-on with your fretting hand. There is no picking in the whole song. It is all tapping.

Day at the Beach- Joe Satriani

Note- I have no idea what that video is about. But its the only one I could find of the song that wasn’t a cover.

Again, its the same kind of thing. Tap where the “T’s” are. The pattern a little bit different but it you got the first one, this one should be easy.

 Building the Church- Steve Vai

Definitely watch the video first on this one.

The fingering is written under the notes in the tab. If the fingering is circled, then play it with your fretting hand. If not, play it with your picking hand.  The tricky part in this one is that Vai brings his fretting hand over the top of the fretboard.  Watch his left hand in the video to see what I mean.

If you have any questions or comments please email me at mdguitarteacher@gmail.com.

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