When I tried to play the guitar right after the amputation, I was surprised at how little control my stump really has. Even now the prosthesis is no match for the string control I want to achieve. But lucky me, Eddie Van Halen established all of that already and today, hammer-on an pull-off go a far way.
So after you listened to some initial samples, here is how I tried to do that.
Check out the video:
00:09-00:13 – slow part using hammering/ pulling
00:30-00:45 – you see how bass and rhythm is possible but requires a very high degree of precision: you don’t just place your fingers in time and then pluck when you are ready, but you have no chance than to hit the note right.
There are a lot of bloopers and I am showing this intentionally slow – but you see that this is possible with enough practice.
Now check out the following video.
00:00 to 00:24 – Bass / rhythm section play, starting slow so you can see how it is done.
Rest of movie: trying various ways of tapping, slow or faster. i was never a fan of fast shredding but i could get a decent blues going and that is where i want to get back to.
I feel particularly encouraged by Bill Clements, a one handed bass player from Michigan. His video show that as bass or guitar player, there is no room for negotiation. You just gotta do it.
Material: Aria Les Paul Copy, Boss GT 8, Hughes & Kettner Matrix 100.