Introduction into playing the 12-string Tap-Guitar text & photos: Michael Koch Suitable to the tuning in 5ths and 4ths Crossed & Uncrossed EDITORIAL Dear all you musicians with heart and mind, in first line this short introduction into the topic 12-String Tap-Guitar shall support YOU. And it shall clarify you that it doesn't need to be super brilliant or outstanding intelligent to play this kind of guitar. Furthermore it's definitely not harder than play- ing another kind of instrument. Anyone who likes to be better, faster and greater than her/his idols has to practise, practise and practise again. There are even mani- acs who fly across the fingerboard of a ukulele - like Steve Vai on his guitar. But all musicians who are approachable to a wider array and rendition possibilities will find their own universe of amazing and fresh sounds inside the world of the Tap-Guitar. No matter if you play Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Funk, Progressive Rock, Metal, Jazz and so on - the instrument is an enrichment to all styles of music. "Just take your time and play the music you like the most!!!“ If this is to your appreciation there will be some people more who like it. This current BiusK feat AF, European Bassday 2010 introduction into playing the Tap-Guitar is to suggest you the playing technique, most significant chords and harmony patterns. It’s possible to listen to the associated tone examples by hearing the bass and melody strings at the same time (stereo) or divid- ed. Both signals had been recorded separately. So it’s achievable to hear just the bass (for example) on one side of your headphones by adjusting the balance knob of your stereo equipment. Furthermore I like to give you some tips for the sound design at the end of the whole topic. By then I‘d like to wish you a lot of fun with the Ziggy Tapper, the info and tutorials!!! With kind regards BiusK alias Michael Koch Music-Marketing GmbH Klosterstraße 30 - 32, 67549 Worms (Germany) Phone +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 Fax +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 3 www.tap-guitar.eu Inhaltsverzeichnis Seite 3 Editorial page 5 Everything about the Ziggy Tap-Guitar page 6 to 7 How to tune the instrument? Different tunings page 8 to 10 Getting started to the both hand tapping technique page 10 to 12 Main chords and chord patterns for tapping on bass and melody strings page 12 Some info about logical harmony sequences page 13 to 14 The Tap-Guitar - a perfect instrument to stoic rhythmists and other curi- ous bass players page 14 to 15 Tips for your sound-design Seite 16 CREDITs Music-Marketing GmbH Klosterstraße 30 - 32, 67549 Worms (Germany) Phone +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 Fax +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 www.tap-guitar.eu As good as it could be: the new Ziggy Tapper!!! Beside our favourable novice models, we produce a Custom-Shop Tappers at Mensinger in Poland - since the end of 2011. All hardware components are Made in Germany. Except the especially for the Ziggy designed ETS-Bridge, the instruments are equipped with high quality Schaller Locking Machine Heads, Security Locks and pickups. It's also possibly to choose Humbuckers from Harry Häussel. Even the ETS-Bridge can be set up with Midi-Saddles completely or just halfway - by paying an extra charge. Every Colour you like - nearly any Finish is possible To satisfy your individual desires most of all paintings you know are available. No matter if transparent or well covering. Many different wood-tops... All instruments with a transparent Burst-Finish can be laminated with various wood-tops. There's a choice of birds-eye maple and poplar, flamed and spalted maple. The instru- ment bodies are made of a high quality European alder. So it's even up to the highest demands for a very fine & clear sound. Technical details Body: alder / fingerboard: rosewood or maple Scale: 820 mm Overall length: 1050 mm Fingerboard width: 100 mm (nut)/112 mm (12th fret) Two adjustable Trussrods Neck diameter: 20 to 25 mm Schaller Locking Machine Heads (black, nickel or chrome) Schaller Security Locks (black, nickel or chrome) Schaller Poti-Knobs (black, nickel or chrome) Pickups: Schaller Hot Stuff & Super N or Häussel Output jack: 6,3 mm, stereo/mono switchable Weight: ca. 3,8 to 4 kg Finish: transparent, high glossy or matt satin Tuning: Crossed or Uncrossed in C#, F#, B, e, a, d (melody strings) and b, e, A, D, G, C (on the bass side) Music-Marketing GmbH Klosterstraße 30 - 32, 67549 Worms (Germany) Phone +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 Fax +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 5 www.tap-guitar.eu How to tune the instrument? Different Tunings The Tenayo Ziggy is tuned in inverted 5ths and ascending 4ths. Crossed or Uncrossed. Or you can tune the Ziggy in perfect 4ths. Factory-set the instrument will be shipped with the tuning you prefer. If you like to change the tuning later please ask someone professional. No matter which kind of tuning you use it’s recommended to tune the instrument by tapping the strings at the 12th fret. Furthermore the Tap-Guitar has to be tuned up from the 12th string down to the 1st. Out from your point of view the 12th string is at the upside. Because of the symmetric array of the machine heads its 6 times tuning into direction of the headstocks tip and 6 times backwards until you reach the 1st string. Since the human ear is not perfect, concerning the tonal frequencies,a good tuner is recommended. Take care because not every tuner is able to realize the lower “C”. The classic CROSSED Tuning in inverted 5ths and ascending 4ths. (diagram at the right) Because of this very popular tuning the bass strings are placed upside the finger- board - below the 6 melody strings. This was the idea of the inventor of the Chapman -Stick® Emmett Chapman. The advantage of this tuning is a good support while play- ing and the possibility to overlap with the right hand - playing the bass strings with the thumb of the right hand while tapping the melody strings with the rest of the fingers. Up from the lowest string the 6 bass strings have to be tuned in b, e, a, D, G, C (6 bass strings). So the lowest tone, by playing the open string, is a “C“. Further- more and out from your point of view the 6 melody strings have to be tuned in C#, F#, B, e, a, d (6 melody strings). So you got to play crossed. The left hand has to over- lap to reach the bass while the right has to do the same to reach the melody strings. Sometimes this can lead into complications if one hand tries to pass the other. The lowest bass- (C) and the lowest melody string (C#) is placed in the middle of the fingerboard! The UNCROSSED Tuning in inverted 5ths and ascending 4ths (diagram at the left) Because of this symmetric tuning both hands are able to slide along each side of the fingerboard. This idea came from the Japanese Tap-Guitar constructor Yoshitaka Koyabu and is one of the most ergonomically solutions. The elbows don’t have to be bend too much, shoulders and hands are freer to move. Out from your point of view the lowest melody string (C#) is at the upside of the fingerboard. Accordingly the instrument has to be tuned in C#, F#, B, e, a, d (6 melody strings) and b, e, a, D, G, C (6 sass strings). Each - the lowest melody string (C#) and the lowest bass string (C) are placed at the edge of the fingerboard. Basically both tunings in 5ths and 4ths do extend the range of your sound while playing. And they are well recommended to play- ers who like the exemplary Tony Levin Sound. Even to the ones who are willing to walk contemporary musical ways. Levin is well known as the bass- and Stick®-player of Peter Gabriel and King Crimson. From the practical point of view it’s easily possible to play simple 9th chords with the left (bass) hand by tapping a barre chord across three strings with the forefinger. Furthermore the 5th is always directly above the 1st note of the chord - on each string. What is an great advantage if typical bass lines (in 4ths, 8ths and borrowed divisions) have to be played. Music-Marketing GmbH Klosterstraße 30 - 32, 67549 Worms (Germany) Phone +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 6 Fax +49 - 6241 - 26 98 31 www.tap-guitar.eu The overall tuning in perfect 4ths Of course there are some musicians who prefer to play pieces on a Tap-Guitar, which can be played with more genuine sound on a guitar or a bass. This species can be found among local guitar teachers, Jazz and Blues purists. Most of the time they tend to play pentatonic scales - a musical scale which has less notes than it is normal... - and Walking-Bass lines. ((-; Although the tuning in per- fect 4ths is surely suitable to these musical styles. Theoretically and practically it’s possible to tune all strings a half or a whole tone higher as shown in the charts underneath. Alternative 1 (diagram at the right) Out from your point of view and up from the lowest melody string (C#) we will have the following standard tuning: C#, F#, B, e, a, d (6 melody strings) und C#, F#, B, e, a, d (6 bass strings).