Stanley
Jordan came
to prominence
with the release
of his 1985
debut album
Magic Touch,
a revolutionary
project that
dually placed
him at the
forefront of
re-launching
legendary Blue
Note Records
into a
contemporary
entity in jazz
and beyond,
as well as
establishing
the then-twenty-something
Jordan as among
the most distinctive
and refreshing
new voices
of the electric
guitar.
Key to
Jordan's fast-track
acclaim was his mastery
of a special "tapping" technique
on the guitar's fret
board instead of
conventional strumming
and picking.
While a handful
of other
virtuoso players
were using similar
techniques, Stanley's
fluid and melodic
use of tapping captured
the imagination of
listeners via his
inherent warmth and
sensitivity. He happened
upon the technique
without any formal
study and had been
applying it to his
already exemplary
traditional playing
ten years prior
to the
album.
THE
TOUCH, OR TWO-HANDED
TAPPING TECHNIQUE
can provide
limitless possibilities
for exploration
on the guitar.
The earliest
documented
guitarist using
this
approach
was Jimmy Webster
in the 1950s.
It has now
begun to enjoy
considerable
use among guitarists.
The essence
of tapping
is this: By
hammering the
string against
the fretboard
with your finger,
you can produce
a note
with one
hand. You
don't need
to pluck or
strum, because
the impact
of the string
hitting the
fret causes
the string
to vibrate.
Either hand
works, and
you can even
use both hands
tapping simultaneously
on the fingerboard,
performing
independent
parts.
Producing
the sound
in this
way is easy.
But mastering
its awesome
and unexpected
possibilities
is another
matter! It
gives you a
level of musical
and orchestral
complexity
previously
possible only
on keyboard
instruments.
You can create
bass and chord
accompaniment
to your own
leads as a
self-contained
soloist. You
can also perform
complex counterpoint,
such as Bach
two and three-part
inventions.
With a band,
you can use
your hands
together to
play leads
with undreamed-of
speed and
agility.
);)
