My two hand tapping is 💩

[u/v_allen75]

My two hand tapping sucks. I’m getting to the point where I can start to move around but I can’t avoid string noise and it just sounds like shit. Anyone have suggestions for practice techniques to work through this? I want to learn thesolo from Crazy Train but that part is not going well.

[u/fadetobackinblack]

It helps to learn tapping while still maintaining string muting with your tapping hand. It takes a little bit more precision than picking, but I'd suggest working towards this. Of course, fretting hand can assist (strings below and tip of index mute string above).

A wrap is good and all, but if you are playing something with open strings in it.. well....

[u/v_allen75 → u/fadetobackinblack]

Thanks. It’s not part of normal playing style but we are planning on adding this song to our set so I have to nail it or it’s not worth doing.

[u/Ok-Chocolate804]

as with most things, slow practice is the key. When you practice slow, you can make sure you are muting spare strings, and that your pull-offs/taps aren't making other strings ring.

[u/v_allen75 → u/Ok-Chocolate804]

Yeah. I’m going to focus on it tonight for a while with a metronome. We don’t have practice for another week so that helps.

[u/sigmashead]

The Crazy Train solo isn’t really “two hand tapping” it’s just tapping, fyi. Two hand tapping is a less common and more advanced technique you’ll see from the likes of Guthrie, Tosin, and many IG guitarists.

As the other commenter said, left hand string muting is very important here. Make sure to practice on a completely clean setting so you can hear all details.

Go as slowly as you can. Be extremely deliberate with every movement. Practice simple arpeggio ideas before trying to play a full solo.

Let’s say you’re tapping an Am arpeggio on the high E string. Your left hand plays frets 5 and 8 while right hand taps 12. Here are some possible order options to practice.

Start with RH tap, triplet feel:

12 5 8

12 8 5

Start with hammer from nowhere:

5 8 12

5 8 12 8 12 8

Start by looping each pattern endlessly. Then try to combine the above in different orders and rhythmic combinations as you gain fluidity and speed. If the hammer from no where in the left hand is giving you trouble (it does for many) you can sneak a quick pick or pluck in the first iteration of the pattern.

(I didn’t include hammer-on and pull-off markings as I think it’s easy to infer where they go)

[u/FunkIPA]

Muting technique. The fretting fingers, picking hand fingers, and even the palm of picking hand should be used to mute.

[u/grunkage]

Slow way down, get those movements perfect and eliminate all string noise, then gradually speed back up while maintaining perfect fingering