In the previous video course, we began looking at linear tapping, a variant of the tapping technique that can be used to play fast, lead guitar-like lines. With the groundwork for this now in place, we can begin to study some popular variations on the technique, all of which should offer considerable scope for creating your own linear tapping parts. As ever, remember that this technique has a place, and should not be overused - your future employability as a bass player may very well depend on your using it with extreme caution!
Don't forget to hit the Download Resources button above to receive the PDF worksheet that accompanies these lessons! This course contains the following videos, each of which can be selected from the video player above:
In this lesson we’ll be looking at a common variation on the linear tapping technique in which each hand is used to repeatedly play the same note.
The figure from the previous video can be easily expanded upon to include more notes. In this exercise, a repeating two beat triplet figure is used.
This is a longer exercise that will enable to you to further develop this concept. This exercise uses the A minor pentatonic scale.
Guitarists often use the box shapes of the pentatonic scale as a basis for tapping licks and it is logical for us to adopt the same approach. Doing so will enable us to practice the linear tapping technique across multiple strings. In this video we'll be recapping on the box shapes of the pentatonic scales and looking at a tapping exercise that is built on two of them.
This exercise uses the second pentatonic box shape in the fretting hand and the fourth in the picking hand.
This exercise uses the third pentatonic box shape in the fretting hand and the fifth in the picking hand.
This exercise uses the first pentatonic box shape in the fretting hand and the fourth in the picking hand.
String skipping is a great way to make tapping lines a little less sequential, by incorporating larger interval jumps. This is illustrated here using another pentatonic-based exercise.
This variation on the tapping sequences that we have covered so far involves two taps with the picking hand in quick succession.
This exercise is similar to one of the basic tapping patterns covered in the previous course. This time however, the final note in the sequence is on a lower string.
The previous exercise can be developed to play through all of the diatonic chords. This exercise illustrates that sequence in the key of G major.
This exercise illustrates another variation on the linear tapping technique. This one is based on a Cmaj7 chord.
The concept from the previous exercise can of course be adapted for any chord type. In this exercise we’ll use it to play through the diatonic seventh arpeggios in the key of G.