In guitar lesson 40, we look at some techniques and practical applications of those techniques. I ask Dan for some help in using tapping and sweeping in my actual improvisations and we begin to examine how you can practise applying these techniques over a backing track. With hints and some licks throughout, this promises to support adding some advanced techniques into my improvisations.
Main timings:
| 00:01:27 | Dan’s improvising over the back track from: Funky Blues Rock | Guitar Backing Track Jam in A |
| 00:06:42 | Some thoughts about over intellectualising our playing and what level you should be to be in a band |
| 00:09:14 | Debunking waffle you might hear on forums and the myths surrounding the myths around the techniques |
| 00:09:45 | What is the complexity and difficulties you might find when tapping |
| 00:10:40 | Ultimately what does tapping mean – what function does it play? |
| 00:11:44 | Don’t just play the same licks all the time – use techniques to incorporate into your sound |
| 00:13:40 | Debunking tapping 1: muting |
| 00:16:15 | Debunking tapping 2: get used to using lots of fingers to tap |
| 00:17:00 | Adding tapping into something else |
| 00:18:54 | Coming up with a lick that we can add a tap to… |
| 00:21:09 | Learning point: phrasing idea – borrowing from the rhythm of a lick to extend into further improv |
| 00:23:39 | Debunking tapping 3: if there’s a note you can’t reach then tap it. |
| 00:24:52 | Use the idea of tapping to reach notes out of reach of your right hand |
| 00:25:31 | Start of backing track with tapping hand sticking in the occasional note |
| 00:31:39 | Debunking tapping 4: Getting the rhythm right for tapping licks (often a tap is adding two notes) |
| 00:33:29 | Using open strings when tapping |
| 00:35:35 | hearing that lick over the backing track |
| 00:36:33 | Keeping it based around the pentatonic scales |
| 00:36:41 | Tapping in more places up the neck |
| 00:37:06 | Playing the pentatonic with the left hand over the tapped dorian scale |
| 00:40:04 | Steve Lukather style bending licks echoed in your tapping hand |
| 00:41:09 | Debunking tapping 5: Practise getting the same finesse of feel with your tapping hand as with your fretting hand |
| 00:44:01 | Backing track to conclude the part of this lesson on tapping |
| 00:46:32 | Debunking tapping 6: allow the vibrato and bends to come through from the left hand into the tapped note |
| 00:47:13 | Start a flurry with a tap off the right hand |
| 00:47:50 | Tapping an arpeggiated idea |
| 00:48:51 | Sweep-picking |
| 00:49:23 | Starting with three-string sweeps |
| 00:50:14 | Useful phrase where the top note keeps dropping chromatically |
| 00:51:42 | Slipping the three note per string sweeps into some improv |
| 00:53:07 | Go up the Am three string arp and come back down the C arp |
| 00:54:18 | Using the Am C lick |
| 00:56:33 | Now look at extending across more strings |
| 00:57:41 | The reason for adding the additional note – so the lick rhythmically fits |
| 00:58:18 | How to make the tone on your guitar sound better for sweep picking |
| 01:01:28 | Going up a swept arpeggio in chunks and smaller rhythmic phrasing |
| 01:02:13 | Take the sweeps and investigate through the scale. See whether you can find other uses |
| 01:05:01 | Summarise the part of the lesson on sweep picking |
| 01:05:40 | Sweep picking all the chords for Hotel California |
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