We’re Levelling Up! In this advanced multi finger tapping lesson we’ll break down a Phrygian Dominant tapping lick that switches between a 5 and 6 finger pattern across two strings. We’ve written a short piece of music for this solo which you can download as a backing track to practice these ideas. Player 1 Press Start!

There’s some cool ideas packed into this multi finger tapping lesson so lets get into it! This 5 & 6 finger tapping T2 T3 tapping idea using the three octave Phrygian Dominant mode. For reference; Phrygian Dominant is mode #5 of its parent scale which is Harmonic Minor. Using and adapting three octave scales makes licks really easy since they simply repeat across the neck in big octave jumps every two strings. This also means you can cover a large part of the neck really quickly.

Advanced Multi Finger Tapping Ideas Using The Three Octave Phrygian Dominant Mode

Because we’re utilising a three octave shape there’s only going to be two different patterns. So the mechanics of this lick means that we’re going to ascend, descend then ascend again. This is a great way to set up a big lick like this because it buys you some time to transition between shapes.

T1 = Middle finger of picking hand
T2 = Ring finger of picking hand

Heads Up! Make sure to use a smooth legato technique on the ascend and pull off the notes on the descend.

Multi Finger Tapping Sequences Demonstration Video:

Phrygian Dominant Tapping – Shape & Sequence #1

This first pattern is a four and five finger shape. Three fingers on the fretboard hand using a half step interval and a minor third interval and then two tapped notes paying a whole step. To play this in key there should also be a half step between your pinky on your fretboard hand and the first tapped note with your picking hand.

Watch Out! Both of these shapes have a single tap on the first ascend and the T2 T3 tap on the second ascend. So watch closely in the example and download the tab book at the end.

Phrygian Dominant Tapping – Shape & Sequence #2

The second pattern is a five and six finger shape. This uses all four fingers on the fretboard hand. It uses a whole step interval, half step, whole step type shape and then two tapped notes paying a half step interval. But to play this in key there should also be a whole step (major 2nd) interval between your pinky on your fretboard hand and the first tapped note with your picking hand.

Running It In Octaves – Remaining Positions.

We’ve done this idea before in other lessons. Once you’ve got your sequences down and under your fingers all you need to do is then jump it through octaves across the neck. The following fretboard diagrams show the positions on on the neck for the octave jumps.

Ending The Sequence: B7 Descending Arpeggio

To bring this lick to a close we can descend a B7 arpeggio. If you know your harmonic minor harmony you’ll know that from the note B you can derive a dominant 7 chord and arpeggio. The clue is in the name for this mode ‘Phrygian Dominant’

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