“I needed another finger”: Eddie Van Halen explains why he developed his two-handed tapping technique
Eddie Van Halen’s famous tapping technique was created because he felt like he needed “an extra finger” for guitar solos.
In an unearthed interview with Eddie, he shows how he decided to incorporate two hands into his soloing as he felt he could only go so far by using just one. The technique is the most recognised associated aspect of his approach to guitar, although many artists over the years have disputed that he was the original inventor.
READ MORE: Joe Satriani recalls David Lee Roth’s “crazy” attempt to recruit him for a Van Halen cover band in the ‘90s: “I said, ‘But Dave, Ed’s still alive!’”
In the short archival clip, recently shared to YouTube by Hair Metal Revolution, Eddie explains, “I got the idea [because] I wanted another finger, you can only go so far [with one hand]. So I figured if I use this hand, you get more fingers.”
Watch below:
In other Van Halen news, Eddie’s former bandmate Sammy Hagar argued that Eddie “saved guitar players”, and was, in his view, a “music god” whose talents extended far beyond his instrument.
He told Guitar Player, “I can’t imagine where guitar players would be without Eddie. He just took a fuckin’ hard left, man, and we’re going to outer space. There were great guitar players before him: Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix.
“I mean, Hendrix kind of did the same thing – he got that whammy bar in there and changed everything. But Eddie took the whammy bar and the hammer and the frickin’ tapping.”
Van Halen fans are also patiently awaiting more news on a forthcoming album from Alex Van Halen, who is reworking some old Van Halen demos in order to release them. Details are still scarce, but Steve Lukather is assisting with project.
Despite initial rumours, Lukather has strongly denied any guitar playing on the project, and has stated that he is acting as a co-producer instead. Every riff on the record was recorded by Eddie, and Lukather has called them “jaw-dropping”.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
