One-on-One Tapping Lesson 4
- More Two Handed Tapping...!

Today we are going to look at a style of two handed tapping technique that's typical to Greg Howe (and probably a bunch of other shred guitarists too!).

As this video lesson hopefully will demonstrate, it's a very versatile technique. The first two licks demonstrate how smooth, legato sounding, this pattern can make the pentatonic scale sound.

It is also an excellent tool for creating fast runs, in either improvised or written solos. All the licks in this tapping 101 serie work well to combine with each other.

 

 

        

Major 7 arpeggio and "China" licks

Here we will investigate how to create fast two handed runs with a bit more complexe harmonies.

The first example is a C major 7 arpeggio (se arpeggio diagram below). A major seventh arpeggio is simply the four notes of a C major sevnenth chord ( C - E - G - B) played "all over" the guitar.

C major7 chord (also known as CM7):
e|--------0--|
b|------0----|
g|----0------|
d|--2--------|
a|-3---------|
e|-----------|
e|---------3--|
b|-------5----|
g|-----4------|
d|---5--------|
a|-3----------|
e|------------|

 

Wait a minute...you said four notes, there are more here...?!
- Some notes are doubled - the bold notes are the same but in different octaves.

The provided backing is fusion sounding and another favorite backing of mine, the key is E minor. You might be asking yourself why on earth we are playing CM7 arpeggios over E minor. This is in fact a cool substitution technique which I like to use.

Explanation: We are just going down 4 frets from the key (E), to C and playing a Major 7 arpeggio from there. So if you were in the key of A minor, you would simply have to go down four frets to F - and play an F major 7 arpeggio to get the same cool effect!

Oh and good luck with the China licks!

Backing track Tapping Lesson 4 backing (205 bpm)

Backing track Tapping Lesson 4 backing slow

TabFull tab

See you in Hong Kong...

Related lessons:
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 1
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 2
One-on-One Tapping guitar lesson 3

C major 7 arpeggio E and B strings

C major 7 arpeggio G and D strings

C major 7 arpeggio E, B, G and D strings

E minor pentatonic (Blue dots = root note, E)

E minor pentatonic

E minor pentatonic

If we put the two boxes together you can see where the notes of two-handed patterns come from:

E minor pentatonic

 

E minor aeolian/minor

E minor/Aeolian

E minor/Aeolian

 



     Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments





Kristofer Dahl
post 11th November 2006


Member


The tapping run I do on the video that's currently on the main page - consists of both this lesson and the previous tapping lesson (number 3). I love to mix the patterns... smile.gif
Ibanex
post 4th March 2007


Member


very good lesson! I love the China lick. People asked:"how did you do that!?" All I had to say was A minor pentatonic (I guess).
Carlos Carrillo
post 7th May 2008


Member


very nice lesson!!!!

I love tapping!!!
Juan M. Valero
post 3rd September 2008


Member


Only 2 comments ???
well, actually is a great lesson, funny and well explained... love the china thing as well !!! haha


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