About Me
TAPPING
Tapping is a guitar technique where you tap the fingers on the strings/fingerboard. The result is a more piano-like arrangement compared to traditional guitar techniques. The advantage is that you can play separate parts of the melody with each hand.
Stanley Jordan made tapping famous, and it was he who inspired Ole Staveteig to start tapping and to develop the style further into one that is all his own.
HISTORY
This is how it all started. Told by Christer Falck; C+C Records Oslo, Norway
TAP
It started one day in May 1995. I was on my way home from work at Aker Brygge when I suddenly heard the distant sounds of Little Wing. Jimi Hendrix was my hero at the time, and Blue Note was the record company of all record companies. However, this was a version of "Little Wing" I had never heard before and I had the complete works of Stanley Jordan at home. Thats why I turned around, to find the source of the Jordan bootleg someone was playing at full blast over Lektern (a watering hole on Aker Brygge).
When I got closer I spotted a bald guy playing like a madman, and as the sound got better I could hear that he could easily give Stanley Jordan a run for his money. My only problem with Jordan is that I always think he plays more than necessary, while the bald guy knew the importance of air and how to pause for effect. He had the time Loads of time.
Ive always been conceited, so I sat down to listen to the rest of his set, hoping he would look my way. Then I would nod wisely back at him and send a look that would say: Im in the business and I think you have a great sound(or something along those lines). But the bald guy didnt look my way. Nor in the direction of anyone else for that matter. He was in a world of his own and had more than enough with himself and his music. After the set, he came walking towards me, and I managed to say something like: Really cool version of Little Wing, like he hadnt heard that a million times before. Thanks a lot, he said modestly, and we talked about music and guitar techniques. Afterwards, he went up for another set, while I sat there with huge eyes and thought to myself: I just talked to a future star.
The next day (I remember it was a Sunday), I went down to the record shop again to get the orders ready for Monday and there he was again. OK, I thought. I have time for a couple of tunes before I go to work. I sat down in the same spot as the day before, and first he played one of his own songs (later, I found out that it was called Ny tid). When he saw me, he smiled in recognition and went straight into "Little Wing" which I interpreted as being in my honour. This time it was like listening to Keith Jarrett playing the guitar. Its probably the best version of Little Wing I have ever heard. After the set, Ole came up to me, and by then I had heard more than enough within 24 hours to call myself a fan. "Can I release your record?", I blurted out while at the same time realizing that I had made a fool of myself.
You dont just release records. I didnt have a record company, didnt know a whole lot about marketing, didnt have a lot of money and most importantly: What made me think that Ole Staveteig, THE Ole Staveteig, would bother with a 25 year old know-it-all and record pusher from Aker Brygge? Frantically, I tried to regain my composure when I heard a Yes, that could be fun in the background. Suddenly, we were shaking hands and we had a deal. I wandered back to the shop proud, but mainly terrified. What on earth have I done, I thought while getting stuck into the orders for Monday.
The next day I asked my colleague, who is also called Christer, if he would like to take part in the release and suddenly C+C Records was in the making.
One week later, we sat down together and discussed his material. The result was TAP, which in 1995 became one of Norways best selling instrumental albums, and which has gone from strength to strength ever since. The album was entitled TAP because it describes Oles technique, but also because tap (as in loss of money) reflected some of our attitude towards the record: Were not doing this to get rich, but to have fun.
"BE WHO YOU ARE AND SAY WHAT YOU FEEL, BECAUSE THOSE WHO MIND DO NOT MATTER, AND THOSE WHO MATTER DO NOT MIND." - Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss)
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