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What have you got against slap bass?


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On 11/05/2020 at 09:37, ubit said:

but it is harsh and tiring to listen to when used all the time. Pretty much like talking in capitals would be!

Exactly. Uppercase bass.

There are a few numbers I like that contain slap, but as far as funk goes give me Rocco's finger funk any day...

And no, I can't do it. Nor is my bass equipped for it, as it sounds bad slapping with flats...IMHO.

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As a technique it can be impressive, but I agree that there aren't many tunes where it works (and I love funk). The best examples are usually where it's used sparingly and the tune has a bit of space and the bass player uses the slaps/pops as syncopation within the groove e.g.
 

 

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14 minutes ago, Telebass said:

Nor is my bass equipped for it, as it sounds bad slapping with flats...IMHO.

Yep, this is true. Flats can sound OK for slap with a bit of EQ tweaking, but not the best.

I do deps for cover bands, and usually find that I might need to use slap for just a couple of numbers out of a whole evenings playing. And I'm not going to change from my usual  PJ with flats just for the sake of a couple of numbers !

By the way, the most common covers I come across that really do need slap are Forget Me Knots, or Somebody Else's Guy (Jocelyn Brown)  or Never Too Much (Luther Vandross)

 

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16 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

The next topic will be entitled: "What have you got against bass players wearing shorts."

Where would you like me to start? 😉

Unless you are under 10 or on holiday somewhere hot, no-one wants to see your pallid, hairy legs and knobbly knees. Keep the covered up in public, and while your at it go and tidy your bedroom. It's a mess!

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3 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Where would you like me to start? 😉

Unless you are under 10 or on holiday somewhere hot, no-one wants to see your pallid, hairy legs and knobbly knees. Keep the covered up in public, and while your at it go and tidy your bedroom. It's a mess!

100% with you on this one :D

 

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5 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Where would you like me to start? 😉

Unless you are under 10 or on holiday somewhere hot, no-one wants to see your pallid, hairy legs and knobbly knees. Keep the covered up in public, and while your at it go and tidy your bedroom. It's a mess!

However my delicious knees atop their toned, tanned legs and finely turned ankles have often got their own encore, and anyway no shorts/knees means no Angus and no AC/DC ... I'm assuming he gets a pass?

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I was at a jam night, a few years ago, and a singer/guitarist and a bassist got up to jam with the house drummer.

They played three U2 songs, which the bassist proceeded to slap over the top of.

I cannot begin to describe how awful it sounded.

 

 

Edited by gjones
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1 hour ago, Ricky 4000 said:

That was the same Aztec Camera song.

 

 

 

😄

Ah yes - best if you just count me out.

(Actually, the lyrics to that song are quite dark - I always thought it was a happy song!)

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6 pages of largely negative posts. Which I largely agree with, but I think you're all pointing out examples of bad choices and bad bass playing. It's not the technique's fault that people don't use it with good sense and taste. 

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Just now, chris_b said:

6 pages of largely negative posts. Which I largely agree with, but I think you're all pointing out examples of bad choices and bad bass playing. It's not the technique's fault that people don't use it with good sense and taste. 

The posts are negative because in my OP I ask WHY do so many BCers not like slap. I wasn't expecting to hear from people who like slap as their reasons are probably similar to mine

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26 minutes ago, prowla said:

Ah yes - best if you just count me out.

(Actually, the lyrics to that song are quite dark - I always thought it was a happy song!)

(Yeah, it sounds happy enough. Reminds me of Haircut 100)

(I can't actually remember one Prefab Sprout tune, from all their 10-odd albums and Mercury prizes)

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3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Where would you like me to start? 😉

Unless you are under 10 or on holiday somewhere hot, no-one wants to see your pallid, hairy legs and knobbly knees. 

...and especially if at the end of them there are socks and Jesus sandals...even if it's 50 deg C in the shade!

Edited by Barking Spiders
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11 hours ago, Cat Burrito said:

It doesn't come up in the majority of music I play or listen to but there have been a couple of recordings over the years where I have used the technique. It seems crazy to ridicule any technique (the pick vs fingers debate always makes my eyes roll!) when you are better off having more skills to make you a better player.

I do wonder if a lot of it stems from when we first learnt to play. I recall going into music shops, having semi mastered the most rudiment of Ramones bass lines to try some budget bass, only to be "treated" to a slap masterclass by the shop assistant just prior to handing me the bass, whilst simultaneously looking down his nose at me - usually before I had even plucked my first string! Not a fair reflection on the technique but I was probably scarred by that for a fair while.

I had similar at The London Bass Guitar Show, tho being in my punky 50s it didn’t bother me. Plugged in a bass and played Warhead by The UK Subs whilst the slap mingled into the background. Some of the slap players looked at me as if I was some form of Neanderthal, and disrespectful to their slap time. Yep to both 🤣

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