I've had several inquiries about how I played the main riff to "Fill In The _____" from my debut CD "Will Landrum", so I though I'd talk about it today. It involves a technique that I call "Piano Tapping" where you do right hand tapping as though you were playing a piano.

You're not limited to right hand tapping on the same string. You can "piano tap" anywhere on the fretboard you want! This is a great technique that can really open up your sound with some practice.

With "Fill In The _____", I combined "Piano Tapping" with "Van Halen Tapping" to create a melodic flurry of notes.

You'll need to position your right hand perpendicular to the fretboard as though you were going to play a piano. I also find it helpful to place my forearm on the guitar body for support.

Even though this riff looks pretty lengthy, you'll quickly see that there's a lot of repetition making it easier to play than you may first believe.

If you have an MP3 player, you can download and listen to this riff from http://www.guitarconsultant.com/fillinthe_____intro.mp3. (Note: This is not the same clip that's published on my web site in the Listening Room)

Your left hand position starts at the ninth fret. First finger, ninth fret, third string and fourth finger, twelfth fret, third string.

Cool! Let's play piano...uh...I mean guitar!

"Fill In The _____" Intro

Right Hand Finger Designations
p = thumb (pulgar) (just FYI. not used in this piece)
i = index (indice)
m = middle (medio)
a = ring (anular)


(ho) = hammer on
(po) = pull off



TABLATURE

+++++++++++++
+ MAIN RIFF +
+++++++++++++

Em
 m   i               i   m   i               i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho
------------------------------------------------------------
-17----------------------17---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--16-------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Em add9
 a   i               i   a   i               i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho 
------------------------------------------------------------
-19----------------------19---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--16-------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Em
 a   i               i   a   i 
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po 
------------------------------------------------------------
-20----------------------20---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--9--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



D
 m   i               i   m   i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po
-14----------------------14---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
-----14--11--7---11--14------14--11--7---11--7--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Am
 a   i              i   a   i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po
------------------------------------------------------------
-17---------------------17----------------------------------
-----14--9---5---9--14------14--9---5---9---5---------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Em
 m   i               i   m   i               i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho
------------------------------------------------------------
-17----------------------17---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--16-------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Em add9
 a   i               i   a   i               i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho 
------------------------------------------------------------
-19----------------------19---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--16-------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



Em
 a   i               i   a   i 
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po 
------------------------------------------------------------
-20----------------------20---------------------------------
-----16--12--9---12--16------16--12--9---12--9--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



++++++++++++
FIRST ENDING
++++++++++++

D
 m   i               i   m   i               i
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho
-14---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------15---------------------------------
-----14--11--7---11--14------14--11--7---11--14-------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



 m   i                   m
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  po  ho~~
-14----------------------17---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
-----14--11--7---11--7--------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
MAIN RIFF TO SECOND ENDING



+++++++++++++
SECOND ENDING
+++++++++++++

D
 m   i               i   m   i               
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po
-14---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------15---------------------------------
-----14--11--7---11--14------14--11--7---11--7--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



C
 m   i               i   m   i               
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  ho  ho  ho  po  po  ho  po
-12---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------13---------------------------------
-----12--9---5---9---12------12--9---5---9---5--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------



B
 m   i                   m   
 ho  ho  po  po  ho  po  ho~~~~~~~slide up
-11---------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------12---------------------------------
-----11--8---4---8---4--------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------

END