Fierce guiTar
GreG Howe
Hammer-ons From Everywhere!
While writing the lead song “Kick It All Over”
from my first album, Greg Howe, I stumbled
across a concept that went on to become a key
component in my overall note delivery style.
Tapping is a term generally associated directly
with two-handed guitar playing. It’s basically
a technique performed by forcefully bringing
one or more of the fingers of the picking hand
toward the fretboard and onto a string in an
effort to extend the role typically occupied
exclusively by the fretting hand. Because of this,
tapping will often involve the use of hammer-ons
and pull-offs, whereby the fingers of the fretting
hand play sequences that are synchronized with
the tapping hand. This is usually for the purpose
of creating lightning-fast repetitive sequences,
often involving intervals that would otherwise be
difficult or impossible to finger conventionally.
A very typical tapping sequence that you’re
likely already familiar with goes something
like this: Tap a note at the 12th fret of the
high E string with a picking hand finger, then
pull it off to the first finger of the fretting
hand located at the 5th fret of the same
string, and then hammer-on to the 8th fret
of the same string with the 4th finger of the
fretting hand and start over.
Because of the fact that it is almost always a
finger of the right hand (or picking hand) that
initiates these sequences, tapping licks often
contain a sort of backward like note order,
which in combination with the distinct texture
they possess due to the complete absence
of any pick attack, makes them quite easy
to recognize. However, these characteristics
become much less obvious when tapped
sequences are initiated with a finger of the
fretting hand rather than the picking hand.
There are also many practical advantages to
this approach. The most significant advantage
is that it can become easier to start creating
lines or passages as opposed to just
repetitive sequences. In my opinion this helps
to bring a sort of keyboardist’s perspective
to the fretboard, which, in turn, could help to
inspire unique and fresh ideas. This approach
also lends itself to the executing of some of
the most outrageous sounding all-out shred
licks I’ve personally ever performed or heard.
The first few examples below illustrate the
concept in its most basic form. We’re utilizing
the sequence (hammer-tap-pull) while the left
and right hands take responsibility for fretting
different inversions of the same triad for the
purpose of delivering the triad in a fast triplet
fashion. The last few examples below get
into more complex sequences, some of which
include huge string skipping.
Note: Tapping with the fretting hand is very
similar to “Hammer-Ons From Nowhere”
(which I discussed in the last article) in the
sense that the success of execution will largely
be dependent on one’s ability to whack the
strings hard with the fingers of their fretting
hand. Because of this, all taps with the fretting
hand will be notated as hammer-ons. Also, It
can be helpful to use a string dampener to
eliminate excessive string noise particularly
with some of the examples that involve intense
string skipping. If you don’t have one you might
try using a piece of cloth tied firmly around the
guitar neck at the first fret.
Basic sequence using two A major triad shapes
Identical sequence using A minor triad
Identical Sequence using diminished triads
Click here to go to premierguitar.com for
more examples
70 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2009
www.premierguitar.com
Greg Howe
Greg Howe has enjoyed a successful recording career
since bursting onto the scene in 1988, and his talents
have been sought after by some of the biggest names
in the music entertainment industry, such as Michael
Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Enrique Iglesias.
