Tap Guitar History 101

The History of Tap Guitar as we know today

The practice of tapping has existed in some form or another for centuries. Paganini utilized similar techniques on violin . Another similar technique, called selpe, is used in Turkish folk music on the instrument called the ba?lama . Tapping techniques and solos on various stringed acoustic instruments such as the Banjo have been documented in early film, records, and performances throughout the early 20th century.

The clavichord was an early acoustic keyboard instrument that used a mechanical hammer to "fret" a string for each key. It was followed by an amplified version, the Hohner Clavinet in 1968.

Jimmie Webster made recordings in the 1950s using the method of two-handed tapping he described in 'Touch Method for Electric and Amplified Spanish Guitar', published in 1952. Webster was a student of electric pickup designer Harry deArmond , who developed two-handed tapping as a way to demonstrate the sensitivity of his pickups. Webster's approach was not popularly adapted.

In August of 1969, Los Angeles jazz guitarist Emmett Chapman discovered a new way of tapping with both hands held perpendicular to the neck from opposite sides, thus enabling equal counterpoint capabilities for each hand for the first time.
Emmett Chapman was the first to tap on guitar with his right hand fingers lined up parallel to the frets, as on the left hand, but from the opposite side of the neck (see photo). His discovery, in August, 1969, led to complete counterpoint capability and a new instrument, the Chapman Stick , and to a new method Chapman called " Free Hands " method.Chapman redesigned his 9-string long-scale electric guitar, calling it the Electric Stick. in 1974 he founded Stick Enterprises, Inc. and began building instruments for other musicians. With over 5000 instruments produced as of 2006, The Chapman Stick is the most popular extant dedicated tapping instrument. Chapman influenced several tapping guitarists, including Steve Lynch of the band Autograph, and also Jennifer Batten.

One of the first rock guitarists to use tapping in the early '70s was Steve Hackett , of Genesis . Two example of Hackett's complex tapping can be heard on the song " Supper's Ready ", from 1972, and " The Return of the Giant Hogweed ", from 1971. Harvey Mandel, well-known for his psychedelic guitar playing, also employed 2-handed fretboard tapping. Mandel was one of the first rock guitarists to utilize this technique, years before Eddie Van Halen and Stanley Jordan came along.

Michael Hedges must be added to the list with his own creations for the Acoustic guitar. Many articles can be found on the internet about his twist on guitar. He has now sence passed away but was my biggest insperation to try tout his methods

Learning fromother's example is the best way to find a technique that fits your approach and I hope will talk about this down the road.

Chris Borger

My current work