On your feet recruit! Get ready for a lesson on three-finger tapping. What's that? You say you already know about tapping? Well, well, well. MY GRANDMA CAN TAP BETTER THAN YOU!! Now grab that sorry excuse for an EG and let's get to work. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!!

BEFORE WE BEGIN:
A. Remove any excess fingernail growth from your frettin' hand and tappin' finger.

B. Make sure your EG is in proper working order. Take it to your local music installation and have someone set it up. Watch and learn.

C. Assume the proper position. Practice like you perform (or plan to perform) ie. standing or sitting with good posture.

D. RELAX!! You want people to say "they make it look so easy" when they're talking about you! The only muscles you need are the ones used to sound notes and hold your sorry carcass upright. Make sure you release any tension in your neck, shoulders, jaw, unused fingers, etc. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!

Take a look at this example and we'll talk about how to decode it...

****Begin Example****

Tapping -3 Finger

      1  2  4
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T----/
B/--------------------/
G/--------------------/
D/--------------------/
A/--------------------/
E/--------------------/
 
Jargon: Notice that the first note is sounded with a pull (P). This pull will occur when you remove your tapping finger from it's indicated fret. In other words you might have to HAMMER the first note when you FIRST BEGIN this exercise, but you'll be sounding it with a PULL WHEN YOU LOOP IT. Confused yet?

****End Example****

OVERVIEW:
- The first thing you see is the title of the example.

- The first row of numbers across the top of the tab indicate which finger to use. 1=index, 2=middle, etc.

- Below that, we have six horizontal lines that represent the six strings on your EG.

- The number/letter combinations on those lines indicate which fret to push and how to "sound" the note.

- Finally, there will be a brief description on how to tackle the exercise along with a link to an audio file.

KEY:
H = Hammer [Slam the indicated finger (on your frettin' hand) on to the fret board to sound the note.]

P = Pull [The fret that has been depressed with the indicated finger is sounded by removing one of your other fingers.]

T = Tap [Sound the indicated note with the middle finger (2) of your pickin' hand. We do it this way so that you can still keep a hold of your pick with your index finger and thumb, allowing for fast transitions between picked and tapped riffs. Just make sure you don't GIVE THE AUDIENCE THE FINGER!!]

NOW LET'S GET GOING!!!


Tapping -3 Finger, Add 1 Note

      1  2  4      1  2  4
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T-5P-7H-9H-12T----/
B/---------------------------------/
G/---------------------------------/
D/---------------------------------/
A/---------------------------------/
E/---------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Try to keep the notes as even as possible. Don't let the audience hear what your hands are doing by grouping notes together.


Tapping -3 Finger, Add 2 Notes

      1  2  4      1  2  4      1  2  4      1  2  4
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T-5P-7H-9H-12T-5P-7H-9H-14T-5P-7H-9H-12T----/
B/-----------------------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: This is not rocket science people! A career in aero-space engineering, that's rocket science.


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down

      1  2  4      4  2
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T-9P-7P----/
B/--------------------------/
G/--------------------------/
D/--------------------------/
A/--------------------------/
E/--------------------------/
 
Jargon: I like to use this one a lot. It's like the old Power Rangers theme song only one better.


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down, Add 1 Note

      1  2  4      4  2  1  2  4      4  2
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T-9P-7P-5P-7H-9H-12T-9P-7P----/
B/---------------------------------------------/
G/---------------------------------------------/
D/---------------------------------------------/
A/---------------------------------------------/
E/---------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: We're starting to get a little busy here, and we're not out of the woods yet!


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down, Add 2 Notes

      1  2  4      4  2  1  2  4      4  2  1  2  4      4  2  1  2  4      4  2
E/----5P-7H-9H-11T-9P-7P-5P-7H-9H-12T-9P-7P-5P-7H-9H-14T-9P-7P-5P-7H-9H-12T-9P-7P----/
B/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Woo doggy that's a long one!


Tapping -3 Finger, Triple Pull

          1  2  1      1  4  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-5P-11T-5P-9H-5P----/
B/---------------------------------/
G/---------------------------------/
D/---------------------------------/
A/---------------------------------/
E/---------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Get this one going fast and people will think you're a rock star! "That guy must be a rock star", they'll say.


Tapping -3 Finger, Triple Pull, Add 1 Note

          1  2  1      1  4  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-5P-12T-5P-9H-5P----/
B/---------------------------------/
G/---------------------------------/
D/---------------------------------/
A/---------------------------------/
E/---------------------------------/
 
Jargon: I guess you're probably getting the idea of the whole "add a note" thing. I'm going to keep writing them out for those of you who are just joining us.


Tapping -3 Finger, Triple Pull, Add 2 Notes

          1  2  1      1  4  1      1  2  1      1  4  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-5P-12T-5P-9H-5P-14T-5P-7H-5P-12T-5P-9H-5P----/
B/-----------------------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Again the thing with the notes and the adding with the fingers and the hey hey hey.


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down, Pull

          1  2      2  4      4  2      2  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-11T-7P-9H-11T-9P-7P-11T-7P-5P----/
B/-----------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Try not to think too hard about this one.  Sometimes your ears can trip you up if they focus in on certain notes (in this case, the notes preceding each tap).


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down, Pull, Add 1 Note

          1  2      2  4      4  2      2  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-12T-7P-9H-11T-9P-7P-12T-7P-5P----/
B/-----------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Stick with me here.  I haven't heard this technique very much, use it wisely.


Tapping -3 Finger, Up and Down, Pull, Add 2 Notes

          1  2      2  4      4  2      2  1
E/----11T-5P-7H-12T-7P-9H-14T-9P-7P-12T-7P-5P----/
B/-----------------------------------------------/
G/-----------------------------------------------/
D/-----------------------------------------------/
A/-----------------------------------------------/
E/-----------------------------------------------/
 
Jargon: Less expensive or tough meats are tenderized through the long cooking process. Practice daily.


LOCK YOUR BODY RECRUIT! I'm not done with you yet!! All right, you look like you've had enough. At ease. What did you learn today? Something new I hope. I guess your time with me is up. Remember this -no matter how good you think you are, there's some 15 year-old kid somewhere waiting to HAND YOU YOUR ASS!! Now show me your WAR FACE!!

-D.I. Cavera