Tapping: gear question

[Inzane]

Hi Guys,

Got another newb question. But I'm not asking about technique per se. More a question of how to set up your gear. If you want to practice two-handed tapping, how do you best set your pickups and amp settings. I haven't quite figured out how to make the sound nice and clear and loud. Up til now, when I've tried experimenting with tapping its rather quiet (relative to normal picking notes, etc.).

I have an Ibanez RG20th (which has H-S-H pickups) and a Roland Cube 30x amp.

Thanks!
Jason

[Algiman]

A compressor really helps with tapping. The neck pick up usually sounds clearer too.

[Inzane]

Second newb question: "what's a compressor?"

D'oh! :P

[Wild_Child]

A nice low action helps.

But honestly, its most likely down to technique. The best way I find to approach it is thinking of it like hammering on and pulling off with your right hand finger. Obvious I know, but some people think of it as a totally different concept. You're not just pushing down on the fret with your tapping finger, you're pulling off downwards to sound the string too. Remember to tap nice and hard!

[Algiman]

Originally Posted by Inzane

Second newb question: "what's a compressor?"

D'oh! :P

http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/fxguide.html

[Algiman]

A typical guitar compressor essentially levels out all the notes going into it to make things sound smoother.

Wild Child - many players actually find a higher action make tapping easier, but to each his own.

[Inzane]

Thanks for the tips guys!

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

If you want to improve your tapping, practice with a clean tone, and when you are happy with your technique, then arc up the distortion and effects.

This is a good way to practice any techniques you are looking to improve, as the clean channel will make it much easier to hear exactly what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.


Hope this helps, and...

Rock on!

[Wild_Child]

Originally Posted by HeavyMetal4Ever

as the clean channel will make it much easier to hear exactly what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

While many say this, I tend not to agree. With a clean sound, you can't hear all the unwanted noises you might get with distortion. Especially with things like tapping, you end up with sounds of open strings and your hand rubbing against strings that you might not hear on a clean channel. And chances are, in a song context, you'll have the distortion on when you're tapping.

I tend to use the edge of my palm to mute unwanted strings while tapping, but I tap with my middle finger. Thise who tap with their index often prefer to mute with the ball part of their thumb and 'anchor' onto the sides of the fretboard with their remaining fingers.

Remember - what you don't hear is just as important as what you do!

[sniperfrommars1]

Originally Posted by Wild_Child

While many say this, I tend not to agree. With a clean sound, you can't hear all the unwanted noises you might get with distortion. Especially with things like tapping, you end up with sounds of open strings and your hand rubbing against strings that you might not hear on a clean channel. And chances are, in a song context, you'll have the distortion on when you're tapping.

I tend to use the edge of my palm to mute unwanted strings while tapping, but I tap with my middle finger. Thise who tap with their index often prefer to mute with the ball part of their thumb and 'anchor' onto the sides of the fretboard with their remaining fingers.

Remember - what you don't hear is just as important as what you do!

Actually i feel its necessary to practice both as youll hear certain things accentuated with distortion, i still think its necessary to start most techniques clean, as i personally dont hear the frets squeak as much when im using gain.

[waylay00]

Yeah, I agree with sniper. Start clean, and as you feel comfortable with it, add distortion. If you hear open string noise, adjust to compensate.

[rastachild]

agreed on practicing clean, i actually practice without the amp for at least the first hour of practice. i feel like i can hear articulations better without amp. when i start playing with the amp, i find that my technique is much cleaner and precise.

[Satchriossi]

Agreed, start clean and then add distortion. Don't look for ways to set up amps and effects, concentrate on technique. Getting low and even action helps too. So if the string travels 1.7mm from rest to touching the fret wire at fret 22, then it wants to be travelling, say 1.5mm at fret 5 (don't use these figures - they are just numbers i'm using to explain what i mean, not accurate measurments).

When i tap with the right hand, i use my middle finger so i don't have to disturb my index finger and thumb from holding the pick - this becomes particularly useful when adding a tapped note onto sweep arppegios because the transition from sweeping to tapping and back again is instant and unintrusive.

[crevis]

Originally Posted by Wild_Child

While many say this, I tend not to agree. With a clean sound, you can't hear all the unwanted noises you might get with distortion. Especially with things like tapping, you end up with sounds of open strings and your hand rubbing against strings that you might not hear on a clean channel. And chances are, in a song context, you'll have the distortion on when you're tapping.

I tend to use the edge of my palm to mute unwanted strings while tapping, but I tap with my middle finger. Thise who tap with their index often prefer to mute with the ball part of their thumb and 'anchor' onto the sides of the fretboard with their remaining fingers.

Remember - what you don't hear is just as important as what you do!

You're obviously going to have to do it with distortion but you should allways practice clean then add distortion after you can play it clean.

[Wild_Child]

Each to their own I guess, I'm just saying starting out clean isnt as useful for tapping as, say, alternate picking. There is so much more to consider when muting. You dont have the convenience of a hand by the bridge to stop unwanted noises so youre going to have to come up with an entirely new technique.

From my experience, practacing it clean will only lead to having to start over when adding distortion. By all means, practice clean, but I would suggest doing it after trying it with distortion and getting your muting techniques down so all you're doing is working on accuracy rather than ajusting your technique completely.