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any advice on easyest way to learn to pop and slap?


valentine
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hi im 20 been playing bass now about 3 and a half months ,i play about on average 2 hours a day and have recently moved onto learning how to pop and slap the bass,i can pop the bass well and keep it flowing but i cant do both together and make it flow,any links of tutorial you recommend or any hints of tips as i really want to be rocking on this instrument one day,i also need to some how work on how to recognise the bass in songs by ear,i sometimes struggle with certain types of songs to hear and stay in time with the bass,any stuff you recommend me doing to train my ear to hear and recognise the notes bit better,just any tips really for someone whos kind of stuck between the beginners to intermediate sort of level on the instrument

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lol

i just want to become a really good bassist regardless ,im not into jazz or funk really but it would be really cool to be able to do that stuff my self and im always watching videos of people popping and slapping bass on youtube and really want to be able to do it one day,my tutors showed me a few bits and bobs but we ent done much work on it ,maybe he doesnt think im ready for it yet i dont know


i'll get there,its only been 3 and a half months,probs takes years to become good on this instrument but i'll get there one day for sure =)

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Ignore all these anti slappers matey,if you want to learn slap bass you will need to be into slappy music its as simple as that.Get hold of some brothers johnson and as much obscure funky 70s/80s soul /jazz/funk as you can, listen to anything thats makes you want to groove.However its pointless trying to master a technique if you are not into that type of music.Technique wise its best really to try and develop your own style,if you get into the habit of tapping your thumb and finger (like a bass and snare) on the table then transfer this over to the bass,slap and pop is a bit like playing drums on the bass,also try to keep your hands relaxed so you get a nice snapping action in your wrist,choose simple repetative patterns at first,you will soon be able to open up a barrage.Its worth learning and a brilliant party trick,plus you can blow away annoying lead guitarists,(drummers will love you aswell).

Edited by YouMa
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I would *consider* if you need to... I add this cautiously. If you really want to learn, fine, and it's true that if you aim to have the widest appeal then you probably need to. However, for most situations it ain't worth the effort. I only really say this because I actually think that a lot of magazines and books are really guilty of pushing slap far too hard - I'm not sure why.

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[quote name='valentine' post='240530' date='Jul 16 2008, 12:32 AM']hi im 20 been playing bass now about 3 and a half months ,i play about on average 2 hours a day and have recently moved onto learning how to pop and slap the bass[/quote]

I play a lot (well, a fair amount) of slap/pop. You just haven't been playing long enough. I'd been playing for 4 years before I learnt how to do it properly and then it took another 7 years to get any good at it. And I love funk.

Five possible reasons your teacher doesn't spend much time on it:
1. You're still not that good when it comes to your left-hand technique or left/right coordination
2. You don't have the rhythmic knowledge to use it yet
3. You're not really into that kind of music so it's pointless
4. He doesn't really know how to do it properly
5. He just doesn't think it's that useful/tasteful.

Anyway, it doesn't sound like you're going to wait and not try to learn it now, so just remember this: you slap with your thumb and you pop with your forefinger in one smooth movement. That doesn't mean that every slap is followed by a pop.

The answer to your question of what is the easiest way is this: there is no easy way, only a hard way.

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[quote name='valentine' post='241170' date='Jul 16 2008, 07:15 PM']lol

i just want to become a really good bassist regardless ,im not into jazz or funk really but it would be really cool to be able to do that stuff my self and im always watching videos of people popping and slapping bass on youtube and really want to be able to do it one day,my tutors showed me a few bits and bobs but we ent done much work on it ,maybe he doesnt think im ready for it yet i dont know


i'll get there,its only been 3 and a half months,probs takes years to become good on this instrument but i'll get there one day for sure =)[/quote]

If your objective is to become the best all round bassist that you can, then I agree with the general consensus here - try and get your fundamentals nailed down. Slapping will be easier if you've already learned good coordination, groove and timing and you'll probably find it less frustrating to start making slap sound good. There are few things that sound worse than sloppily played slap bass.

However, if you love the sound of slap, then you should try and learn it. I don't agree with this idea of not learning it because it's not useful in most situations. The latter is true, but shouldn't playing bass be about having fun? Do you have to do everything because it'll further your bass playing career? If you enjoy slapping (as I do) then do it. That's not to say I do it all the time - I rarely, if at all, use it in the bands that I play in. But that's not to say I don't find it incredibly rewarding slapping at home.

Take it slow, focus on the fundamentals, but by all means give slapping a try if that's what you want to do. It won't make you a 'better' or more employable bass player, but you'll probably have a lot of fun doing it.

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[quote name='EBS_freak' post='240690' date='Jul 16 2008, 10:40 AM'][url="http://www.basslinepublishing.com/ultimateslapbass.htm"]http://www.basslinepublishing.com/ultimateslapbass.htm[/url][/quote]


+2 or more for this as i own a copy of this got it the christmas just after it came out, also have seen many slap videos on the internet and also on youtube but there are also some great dvds that you can get from www.musicroom.co.uk.

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[quote name='bass_ferret' post='246555' date='Jul 24 2008, 01:00 AM']For good reason! In 99% of the gigging situations that are gonna come up today it is not needed or desirable.[/quote]


I totally disagree.... As I'm depping covers in bands left right and centre.... most of them require an element of Slap bass at some point.

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i also disagree with the nay sayers. i don't use it (much) in our covers band but i love the sound of it, and its fun to play and i found it improved my dexterity in finger style and overall timing. though i started playing over 10 years ago and its only really recently that i'm getting more of the hang of it, thats not to say you cant do now though it might just take a bit more graft.
if you want to have a go just do it

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[quote name='bass_ferret' post='246555' date='Jul 24 2008, 01:00 AM']For good reason! In 99% of the gigging situations that are gonna come up today it is not needed or desirable.[/quote]

Not true at all. It's required in many working bands these days, and even a lot of theatre shows.

I use it live a lot - not because I want to, but because it's required.

Stu

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I use it because I want to. I slap on a couple of songs in the set (a rock set mainly), and it always seems to go down well with people.

S&P is great when used sparingly, and not on every track. Of course it helps when you can do it as well as Mr Clayton, which I can't.

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