E7 Fingertapping

ActionTab

Quick Reference

This handy chart tells you what every dot in the ActionTab system means. If you don't understand some of them don't worry - we have video lessons that explain them in the members section.

Fretboard & Capo

The fretboard is the area of your guitar where you play

Some songs require a capo. A capo is just a clamp which you can place on any fret. This effectively moves

the 'nut' of the guitar, allowing you to play 'open' chords higher up the fretboard. In ActionTab the capo is represented by the black bar on the left.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Space, K	Pause/Play
Home	Rewind
End	Go to End
	Step Forward
	Step Backward
M	Mute/Unmute
F	Fullscreen
H	Toggle Help
S	Save Settings
R	Restore Defaults
O	Toggle Loop
D	Toggle Delay Start
X	Toggle Light Strings
W	Flip Fretboard
C	Fretboard Color
T	Tablature
N	Normal Speed Window
B	Bookmark Position
,	Set Loop Section Start
.	Set Loop Section End
/	Clear Loop Section

Strumming Hand Dots

Fingerpick

Fingertap

Downstroke

Upstroke (Palm muted)

Pinch Harmonic

Color Codes

Applies to both hands

Thumb

1st (index) Finger

2nd Finger

3rd (ring) Finger

4th (little) Finger

Fretboard Hand Dots

Hold finger here

Bend note down

Bend note up

Hammer On

Pull Off

Slide dot this way

Prepare note

Mute note/string

Harmonic

Vibrato

Open string note (no finger)

Song Notes

This exercise is from our Core Skills section on Fingertapping.

In this exercise we will do some more simple tapping, but start working towards doing those fast rock tapping licks. Here we consistently fingertap the E octave (12th fret) with the 2nd finger (blue dot). Meanwhile, we shall also be playing E7 scale notes along the top open E string (using hammer ons and pull offs) with the other hand.

Tap the 12th fret with your second finger as indicated. Remember the tapping action must be fast, and the string released quickly again. Also, aim to get accurate at hitting the fret in the right place. If you don't, you will end up with buzzing, muffled or dead notes.

Watch and listen to the ActionTab so that you are familiar with how it should be played. As always - the Normal Speed version (found in the ActionTab menu) will show you how it should sound at full pace.

NB - In this example do not worry about the fact that the open E note is visible throughout the ActionTab. We did it in this tutorial to keep it a little easier for you to keep your eye on the finger actions. The open string is constantly tapped or pulled off to - but of course isn't technically 'sounding out' whilst your fingers are playing notes higher up the same string!

For your own reference, the E7 scale is:

E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E

It is a standard major scale, but with a minor 7th note rather than a major 7th.

We start by descending through the scale here, so the notes appear in this order:

E - E - D - E
E - E - C# - E
E - E - B - E
E - E - A - E
E - E - G# - E
E - E - F# - E

Then keep your 1st finger in position over that 2nd fret (F#) and ascend / descend through the last part of the scale / exercise.

Notice the tapping pattern. It is:

TAP NOTE - OPEN NOTE - SCALE NOTE (played using hammer on / pull off combo) - OPEN NOTE and repeat. This gives us a series of 4 notes per time.

Notice how the TAPPED and OPEN NOTES give us constant 'E notes'. Only the SCALE NOTE changes, this is the note played by your fretboard hand using the hammer on / pull off combination.

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