Funky Dunky

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1481703603' post='3194343'] As it turns out there's a Wikipedia article that seems to cover the topic pretty well: [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping"]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping[/url] While I'm here, I thought I'd post up something by one of my favourite players: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK91tuIQTVE"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK91tuIQTVE[/media][/url] [/quote] Lucky enough to have seen Guthrie play on numerous occasions, and have met him several times, too. Peerless? Maybe, actually....

As for EVH....can't really abide the man's lead playing, but I think as a rock rhythm guitar player he is pretty amazing. His rhythm parts are always really colourful, and superbly executed.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1481539926' post='3192986'] Ah yes. That would be this man then... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7T9fuf1bLE"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7T9fuf1bLE[/media][/url] If I'm honest I'm not really a Gambale fan myself (although I don't have an issue with sweeping as such). As always though, it's not the technique so much as the way it's used. [/quote] Frank Gambale's sweeping technique has the least wasted motion I've seen. He really took that technique and made it clean (wee sweeping pun for y'all there). I saw Frank play at a music show once. I got in for nothing, but he had toupee.

Bum-diddy bum-diddy bum-diddy I can't get them consistent, even, or fast enough. Any tips for RH technique here? This is a technique I have really struggled with and it's making me mad!

Stunning bass, love that finish. She's an absolute peach, congrats fella

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1480602018' post='3185762'] Based on the replies here it seems there's not a lot of love for funk, 'cos if you love funk it's inevitable you're big fan of slap bass. Slap is what largely brought the bass from out of the shadows and helped dispel the widely held belief it's the easiest instrument in a band. Sure musicians recognise the skills fingerstylists like Ox and Jack Bruce but it was noted thumpers like Mark King that brought it to the masses. [/quote] Well said. Being the glue that holds the rhythm and melody together, I can't quite understand the vitriol towards bassists who explore the rhythmic side of the job. It can - correctly - be argued that "that's the drummer's job" but the two can exist in harmo......er....unison....both tastefully and musically.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1480496291' post='3184769'] To be fair, it tends to be the thing people pull out of the hat to impress people in a solo environment, which I guess is pretty much the dictionary definition of 'party piece'. [/quote] I would split hairs with you and say that you make a fair point, but I would contend that your definition is a bit harsh - context is a big deal.

Please stop describing slap bass as a party trick. It's quite insulting.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1480360050' post='3183723'] In my experience it's very much a 2 handed technique where the muting or complete deadening of notes is just as important as slapped or plucked note. [/quote] Yeah, this is an important point. The host on Talking Bass said something about muting which was a bit of a gamechanger for me - think of the muted strings as your starting point, and open up to allow a note through, rather than the open strings as the starting point which you then choke off to mute. This really helped me get my muting together and helped me kill a lot of that unwanted noise you get when slapping if your muting isn't up to scratch. He's the only person I have seen who spins it on its head that way, and I have to say, it helped me understand immensely. Wish I had thought of it that way sooner - I reckon I would be further ahead with my slap playing if I had.

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1480359316' post='3183703'] I do find it annoying that every single bloody bass or amp demo online is dominated by slap bass playing. Maybe I want to to hear what it sounds like on fingerstyle, or played with a pick with a bit of overdrive? [/quote] I don't find this at all, and I watch a lot of reviews. I find it maddening when a demo DOESN'T include a little bit of slap, actually, as I DO want to hear what the bass sounds like slapped. There are loads of videos out there which are all pick playing, and that bothers me just as much. Ed Friedland knows what he's doing - always shows off pick, fingers and slap in a demo.

[quote name='sammybee' timestamp='1480358663' post='3183691'] I tried to sell mine @ £675 but not a sniff of interest. Ended up trading it with a dealer who punted it out for a lot extra. [/quote] That's bizarre, I would've expected you to lose a hand offering a MMJB at that price!

Hi, I'm looking to explore walking basslines on bass guitar and wondered if anyone could share some good online resources on the subject. So far I've learned some of the more clichéd lines and have taken to inventing some lines of my own with more of an unpredictable bent to them. Any pointers would be appreciated, especially tips on turnarounds. Thanks

Scott Whitley is immense! Shame on me for not including him in my list of channels to follow for slap. Great player and a damn fine instructor too. As for to slap or not to slap? My position is this: Be as well-rounded as you possibly can. Learn all the techniques, then it's up to you when and whether to use them. I believe we should have as few limitations as possible. There are things which don't necessarily appeal to me, but I still plan on being able to do them just in case the need should ever arise. Be the most complete musician you can be.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1480336206' post='3183409'] No one likes slap riffs anymore For me, Flea is the worse reference because it just isn't funky. [/quote] Erm.....whit??

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1480333972' post='3183385'] I love funk and I love slap but there are those slappers who have groove and those that don't. The faster you try to play and the groove is lost. [/quote] A great point.

I love slap. Not great at it, working on it, getting there. A surprisingly high amount of bassists are offended by this technique, and I think in bass circles it's the equivalent of shred guitar in that it's often done with neither taste nor restraint. I read a quote by Doug Wimbish the other day, something along the lines of "Learn how to slap properly, then use it tastefully - OR NOT AT ALL." I wholeheartedly agree. I love to go for it at home, but in a band situation it's best to use it pretty sparingly. There are some great starting points on YouTube, the Sklarevski programme is good as it preaches patience and developing accuracy - sloppy slappy is horrific. My tips would be: 1) Accuracy is really really important, along with consistency of attack 2) You don't need to whack the strings as hard as some may think - let your amp do the hard part. Look at players like Marcus Miller, who slap with incredible efficiency and control. 3) Practice simple stuff like octaves and hammer-ons to begin with 4) Make sure your bass and amp are set up in a manner conducive to slap bass. 5) Lighter strings are worth considering. They certainly gave me an advantage when learning. I play standard .45-.105 now and they don't slap anywhere near as easily or as nicely as lighter, lower tension strings do (imo) 6) Check out Scott's Bass Lessons, MarloweDK, Cambridge Bass Lessons and Talking Bass on YouTube. They've been invaluable to me in learning slap bass. Good luck, have fun, and don't let anyone or anything put you off

Getting harder to obtain, definitely. Whenever I've seen them, they go for around £800-900 over the last 12 months. Awesome basses. Get a Sire V7 to tide you over

I was interested in the BA210v thingy as it had cool features and was just within my budget. I thought that, being an Ampeg, surely you can't go wrong. As I do before trying any gear, I read a load of reviews online beforehand, and the biggest problem with these BA models seems to be reliability - lack of, to be precise. Various sites, hosting numerous reviews, had details of power problems with these amps, along with rattles and concerning noises. One review said these are the worst amps Ampeg have ever made. Now, this did put me off, but an equal amount of reviews did state that the amps sounded fabulous, and puh-lenty of bassists appear to be delighted with their BAs, and plenty have had no problems whatsoever. Considering this, and with the warranty providing some peace of mind, try one out and see what you think. It could be that you love tha amp and have no troubles with it. They do appear very inconsistent in build quality terms, so maybe you'll be fine. Sorry to be such a Negative Nick, but I saw enough bad reviews to make me nervous, and it bears mention before you part with your green queens.

Probably either 'Nard, or Marcus Miller's tone. Honourable mention to Paul Turner on 'All Good In The Hood' - a glorious, beautiful, woody Jazz Bass tone.

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1480196419' post='3182502'] Where has the bass been? In car overnight, colder room, warmer room etc, anywhere different to usual? Climate changes can cause issues especially if your bass is adjusted to a super low action. I just use 3.5mm (or more) action at 12th fret, cures 99% of issues dead [/quote] It's been in a hard case in a living room with a comfortable temperature. The action is 3.5mm precisely.

Just pulled my JB out of its case for a play and if I fret any note on the E string, anywhere on the neck, it buzzes badly. The open string is fine, the string tension is fine but fretting any note is just bzzzz central. I last played the bass three days ago, it was perfect, made no adjustments, put it back in its case immediately and haven't touched it since. Any ideas as to how/why this has happened and how to fix it? I reckon raising the saddle a touch might help but the action is still perfect and this problem didn't exist the other day. Help!

Brilliant bassist, really serves the song and his lines stand out for their melodies without stepping on toes. Cites McCartney as one of his chief influences, I think he used Warwicks and Trace Elliot. I love his playing on stuff like It's Only Natural.

The Black Crowes - Amorica. Really got back into them recently, used to love that band, turns out I still do.

[quote name='DorsetBlue' timestamp='1473752233' post='3132699'] Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence [/quote] Ahhh, the Mozart of Metal. God, that fella is a bona fide genius.

Yeah, what is meant by 'witness points', and what purpose do they serve? I've never heard that expression before either but if they provide any advantage, I want to start using them.