Guitar tapping is one of the most beautiful techniques. It lets you speed up your playstyle, but why can’t you get any noises out of the instrument? Before giving up on this timeless classic, there are plenty of things to consider. From here on out, you don’t have to worry about not making enough noise with your tapping methods.
Your guitar tapping isn’t making a sound because you aren’t tapping hard enough, the action is off, or you aren’t employing the correct pull-off technique. Other reasons include inaccuracy, device issues, incorrect hand placements, and a lack of practice.
Throughout this post, you’ll learn all of the corrections you need to make to fix your guitar tapping issues. By the end of this article, you won’t have to worry about why your guitar tapping isn’t making sounds.
Related: best online guitar lessons and best guitar channels on YouTube. For the full overview, see our guide to learning guitar by yourself.
Why is Your Guitar Tapping Not Making Sound and So Quiet?
If your tapping on the guitar is not making enough sound, there could be several reasons why. Here are some common issues that can cause your tapping to be quiet:
- Low Amplifier Volume: If you are playing through an amplifier, make sure the volume is turned up to an appropriate level. If the volume is too low, your tapping may not be audible.
- Weak Attack: Tapping requires a strong and sudden attack on the strings. If your tapping technique is weak, it could result in a low volume sound.
- Fretting Technique: Tapping involves using your fingers to tap on the fretboard to create sound. If your fretting technique is not strong enough or your fingers are not properly placed on the fretboard, it can result in a weak tapping sound.
- Low String Action: If the action (height of the strings from the fretboard) is too low, your strings may not vibrate properly, resulting in a weak sound.
- Old Strings: If your strings are old and worn, they may not produce enough sound when tapped. It is recommended to change your strings regularly, especially if you play often.
To address these issues, try turning up the amplifier volume, adjusting your technique to improve attack and fretting, and ensuring that your guitar has proper string action and fresh strings. If the problem persists, it may be helpful to have a professional look at your guitar to determine the cause.
1. You Aren’t Tapping Hard Enough So Your Guitar Tapping is Quiet
Guitar Gear Finder explains that some of the most common mistakes start with not tapping hard enough. If you don’t put enough pressure on the strings with your right hand, you likely won’t hear anything from the sound hole or the amp.
One of the easiest ways to make sure you tap hard enough is to listen for a tone change. Pluck the string, tap the desired fret, and listen. If the tone changes, you’re headed in the right direction. If it stays the same, fades, or buzzes, you should apply more pressure.
2. The Guitar Action Is Too High Making Tapping Quiet
Having a high action on your guitar means you have to press a lot harder than you should. As you read above, not tapping hard enough can prevent your guitar tapping from making sounds. The good news is that you can adjust the action very quickly. All you need is an Allen key and a ruler to get started.
Follow these steps to reduce the action on your guitar:
- Flatten the neck by adjusting the truss rod. Your truss rod can be adjusted by accessing the adjustment nut. It’s usually found in the sound hole near the base of the neck. Turning the adjustment rod will force the guitar neck in the opposite direction. You should aim to make it as flat as you can without buzzing the strings.
- Test the 12th fret’s height with a ruler. Your guitar’s low E string should be 0.028mm above the fret and the high E string should be 0.020mm above the fret. They can be slightly higher or lower, but the strings shouldn’t buzz or be too difficult to compress. If you’re having trouble, consider adjusting the truss rod a bit.
- File the nut and saddle if necessary. Switching to bigger strings occasionally calls for modifications. The nut and saddle support the strings. If the grooves are too shallow, the strings will be a bit too high above the fretboard. The result is a set of strings that have high action and are too hard to press.
- Stretch the strings to make them more flexible. Hold one string with your left hand and gently bend it up and down with your right hand. Do this motion to each of the strings, tune the guitar, then firmly press the strings between the nut and the tuning pegs. Tune the guitar again if it loses its tune from stretching the strings.
- Tighten the tuning pegs. If the tuning pegs get too loose, they’ll reduce the action. Loose strings tend to dip toward the fretboard, regardless of the bridge, nut, and truss rod. This can also happen if you have worn strings. However, loose tuning pegs can also pull the strings, which makes them higher than they need to be.
3. The Guitar Action Is Too Low Making Tapping Quiet
If the action is too low, you won’t produce enough noise while guitar tapping. This problem occurs because there aren’t enough vibrations coming from the strings. Guitar tapping is useless if the vibrations can’t make it to the bridge. All you have to do is raise the action a little bit to correct this common concern.
Try these suggestions to raise the action:
- Turn the truss rod in the opposite direction. Much like lowering the truss rod, you can use the adjustment nut to raise the truss rod. Use an Allen key and turn it in small measurements. A little bit of an adjustment goes a long way with the truss rod; turning it too much can crack the neck.
- Replace the nut. If the nut is too low, you can add a temporary pad to elevate the strings. However, it’s much more reliable to replace the nut. To do this, remove the strings, lift the nut with a putty knife, and use an adhesive to secure the new like-for-like nut to the guitar. Wait until the adhesive dries to reattach the strings.
- Replace the saddle. Much like the nut, a low-sitting saddle lowers the action too much. Remove the strings, lift the saddle, and replace it with the same make and model from the manufacturer. Many saddles don’t use adhesives. Instead, they sit in a groove on top of the bridge. If your saddle has an adhesive, don’t forget to glue the new one, too.
- Make sure the bridge is secured to the guitar. If the bridge moves around, it’ll loosen the strings and lower the action. It’s very rare for a loose bridge to raise the action. Replace or secure the bridge by placing taping around it. Lay a hot wet towel over the brid