Max Normal Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 A little advice from anyone in the know would be appreciated. I'm by no means a beginner, I have been performing fingerstyle for decades and I'm pretty proficient at most types of bassline. I can play a bit of slap too, slaps, snaps, left-hand slaps etc. But I never got really good at it, I'd probably rate myself at intermediate. I have the basics down and I can make basslines that work. So I'm looking for an online course that runs in steps all the way from intermediate to advanced without just getting dribs and drabs from Youtube etc so that I can really progress. I have had a look at Scotts Bass Lessons and The Bass Wizard slap course but not signed up yet as they are both expensive and I want to know which would be the best. Any experiences of these (with regards to slap only), or any other suggestions? Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Does Stuart Clayton do online courses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 (edited) This guy is one of the best tutors on youtube. He starts with the basics but he also does some more advanced lessons. Also Scott Whitely. Don't let the 'Bassics' title fool you, the lessons quickly progress in to more advanced territory. He also does a series on 'advanced' techniques. Edited February 26, 2018 by Cato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Stu Clayton's book is a good starting point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share Posted February 26, 2018 Brilliant, thanks guys i'll check them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 (edited) Big thumbs up (no pun intended) for Scott Whitley's course of videos. Starts with absolute basics and takes you through to pops & snaps and hammer-ons/ pull offs. Very comprehensive. As EBS Freak advises, Stu Clayton's book is good but TBH I only looked at it a few times as it covers similar ground to Scott's videos. Both Scott and Stu are members here. Edited February 26, 2018 by TheGreek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burno70 Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 2 hours ago, EBS_freak said: Stu Clayton's book is a good starting point. This. Last year I was in a similar position as the OP, I could slap a little but not really great at it. I'm about 1/3 of the way through Clayton's book and am so much better than I was this time last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 13 hours ago, Max Normal said: A little advice from anyone in the know would be appreciated. I'm by no means a beginner, I have been performing fingerstyle for decades and I'm pretty proficient at most types of bassline. I can play a bit of slap too, slaps, snaps, left-hand slaps etc. But I never got really good at it, I'd probably rate myself at intermediate. I have the basics down and I can make basslines that work. So I'm looking for an online course that runs in steps all the way from intermediate to advanced without just getting dribs and drabs from Youtube etc so that I can really progress. I have had a look at Scotts Bass Lessons and The Bass Wizard slap course but not signed up yet as they are both expensive and I want to know which would be the best. Any experiences of these (with regards to slap only), or any other suggestions? Cheers! So... it could be said that you need a darned good slapping. I think you'd be lucky to find such a niche thing taught in isolation but good luck anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Davey Pollitt's stuff is great; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Scott Devine, Mark Smith and Davey Pollitt's slap lessons are all on YT. Another good one i use Josh Fossgreen. He's American but dont hold that against him . He's got some nice unusual slap licks there. His approach is quite chatty, a bit like Scott if you don't mind that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 Thanks Barking Spiders, I like Scott's videos but I find the Youtube ones pretty low on content as they are really ads for his bass academy. I really want a complete course that I can work through over several weeks. It's a bit of a gamble to sign up for the academy for the slap content alone, but feedback from any subscribers would be of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 @Spondon, there are actually a few pay to view slap courses out there as i mentioned, but they are expensive so I was interested in people's opinions of them before I took the plunge. And I'm the one who will be doing the slapping 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 3 minutes ago, Max Normal said: Thanks Barking Spiders, I like Scott's videos but I find the Youtube ones pretty low on content as they are really ads for his bass academy. I really want a complete course that I can work through over several weeks. It's a bit of a gamble to sign up for the academy for the slap content alone, but feedback from any subscribers would be of interest. Well then, Mark Smith's Talking Bass is the place. Check this out. Mark's a top player and explains really well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 No gamble Max. You can join Scotts Bass Academy for nothing for two weeks. In that time you'll find out if he's the man to help you. if not you just cancel your trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 7 minutes ago, lownote12 said: No gamble Max. You can join Scotts Bass Academy for nothing for two weeks. In that time you'll find out if he's the man to help you. if not you just cancel your trial. Didn't realise! I'll sign up thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 9 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: Well then, Mark Smith's Talking Bass is the place. Check this out. Mark's a top player and explains really well Some great info here to keep me busy, thanks a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 2 minutes ago, Max Normal said: Some great info here to keep me busy, thanks a lot nae probs. I've managed to take my slapping from an upper intermediate to a more advanced level pretty much entirely due to Mark's courses. Hope you find these do the trick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Pop to The London Bass Show this week. There will be no shortage of folk showing you they are better than the next person at slap bass lol. #ProudToBeASlapFreeZoneAtLBGS 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 5 minutes ago, dood said: Pop to The London Bass Show this week. There will be no shortage of folk showing you they are better than the next person at slap bass lol. #ProudToBeASlapFreeZoneAtLBGS all too true too many kids trying to slap their thumbs too bvggery while totally forgetting about working on getting a slinking groove going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) 25 minutes ago, dood said: Pop to The London Bass Show this week. There will be no shortage of folk showing you they are better than the next person at slap bass lol. #ProudToBeASlapFreeZoneAtLBGS Lol, I know, sometimes slap bassists can be a bit like guitar "shredders" who just widdle up and down arpeggios at lightning speed, but having played lots of different fingerstyle stuff for years, getting good at slap I will be a more rounded bassist and musician, I don't need to try and impress anyone at all it's about the music. Besides, I love music from the grunge and funk-rock era and driving slap basslines from the likes of Flea really work. I want to play good slap basslines, posing with flashy slap solos is not of interest to me. Slap seems to require a level of control and dsicpline that some other techniques don't have too, so it can only be good for timing and timbre in general. My lifetime goal is to be able to play absolutely anything on the bass. I know I'll never really get there, none of us will, but decent slap eludes me right now, and this is an annoyance. Edited February 27, 2018 by Max Normal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 37 minutes ago, dood said: Pop to The London Bass Show this week. There will be no shortage of folk showing you they are better than the next person at slap bass lol. #ProudToBeASlapFreeZoneAtLBGS That'll be like Saturday mornings in Dublin in the eighties. We'd go and drool over the expensive instruments in a music shop on the quays on our way to the rehearsal rooms. It seemed at times as if everyone was trying to prove they were the best slapper in the house. None of this was amplified yet the noise was almost palpable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 18 minutes ago, Max Normal said: Lol, I know, sometimes slap bassists can be a bit like guitar "shredders" who just widdle up and down arpeggios at lightning speed, but having played lots of different fingerstyle stuff for years, getting good at slap I will be a more rounded bassist and musician, I don't need to try and impress anyone at all it's about the music. Besides, I love music the grunge and funk-rock era and driving slap basslines from the likes of Flea really work. I want to play good slap basslines, posing with flashy slap solos is not of interest to me. Slap seems to require a level of control and dsicpline that some other techniques don't have too, so it can only be good for timing and timbre in general. My lifetime goal is to be able to play absolutely anything on the bass. I know I'll never really get there, none of us will, but decent slap eludes me right now, and this is an annoyance. Good man! Slap is just another tool to have in the toolkit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 1 hour ago, Max Normal said: Lol, I know, sometimes slap bassists can be a bit like guitar "shredders" who just widdle up and down arpeggios at lightning speed, but having played lots of different fingerstyle stuff for years, getting good at slap I will be a more rounded bassist and musician, I don't need to try and impress anyone at all it's about the music. Besides, I love music from the grunge and funk-rock era and driving slap basslines from the likes of Flea really work. I want to play good slap basslines, posing with flashy slap solos is not of interest to me. Slap seems to require a level of control and dsicpline that some other techniques don't have too, so it can only be good for timing and timbre in general. My lifetime goal is to be able to play absolutely anything on the bass. I know I'll never really get there, none of us will, but decent slap eludes me right now, and this is an annoyance. fear ye not, you'll probably be quite surprised at how quickly your can progress . Scott Devine does this beginners stuff well. To my ears and many others slap is meant for funk and it should be used to propel dance rhythms. Slapping at high speed without swing doesn't cut the mustard if the ladies can't shake their booties to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Normal Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: fear ye not, you'll probably be quite surprised at how quickly your can progress . Scott Devine does this beginners stuff well. To my ears and many others slap is meant for funk and it should be used to propel dance rhythms. Slapping at high speed without swing doesn't cut the mustard if the ladies can't shake their booties to it. Signed up to Mark Smith today as Scott's website is down for maintenance (I'm on strike so a good time to work on my music!). Seems pretty good, gone back to basics and found lots of bad habits already so it's already worth it. I'm completely self taught up till now but for slap watching an expert seems pretty important. Hopefully there'll be a lesson that helps you keep your rhythm while distracted by shaking booties! Edited February 27, 2018 by Max Normal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.