Leonard Smalls Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 58 minutes ago, ubit said: Slap played badly sounds rubbish. Slap played well sounds great. To be fair, that's true of any playing style on any instrument! With slap there's far less room for error than doing the one note derderderderderder so beloved of many bassists... With derderderderderder you're safely hiding in the background - nowt to worry about, you're just providing the rhythmic and root underpinning. With slap you're putting yourself in the foreground a lot more so if you do it averagely or badly it's far more noticeable - just like those guitar players who do the same old tired completely safe solos all the time (or those bands who collectively do the same old tired completely safe songs 😆). However, for some bass players the very idea of playing more than just the root and fifth is anathema, heresy even, and must be derided, finger-pointed, denounced as show-off behaviour. After all, the next stop is (gulps) …. jazz!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 5 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said: To be fair, that's true of any playing style on any instrument! With slap there's far less room for error than doing the one note derderderderderder so beloved of many bassists... With derderderderderder you're safely hiding in the background - nowt to worry about, you're just providing the rhythmic and root underpinning. With slap you're putting yourself in the foreground a lot more so if you do it averagely or badly it's far more noticeable - just like those guitar players who do the same old tired completely safe solos all the time (or those bands who collectively do the same old tired completely safe songs 😆). However, for some bass players the very idea of playing more than just the root and fifth is anathema, heresy even, and must be derided, finger-pointed, denounced as show-off behaviour. After all, the next stop is (gulps) …. jazz!!!!! I cant listen to music where the bass guitarist is just playing 8ths or 16ths on the root, always on the beat, while usually doubling up with the rhythm guitar and playing with a pick. Stand up and take the shame! You know who you are Adam Clayton, Judas Priest bloke, AC/DC bloke, whoever you are in Coldplay and Travis etc. It's possible to keep the lines simple but at least while being ahead or after the beat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 8 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: It's possible to keep the lines simple but at least while being ahead or after the beat Sadly it is. Its something I am trying to correct at the moment. While recording I find that I am always slightly ahead of the beat, unintentionally, its only miliseconds but it shows. I guess live it doesn't matter as I use wireless and people on here complain about the latency - maybe it fixes my playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 20 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: It's possible to keep the lines simple but at least while being played ahead or after the beat There's only one beat you need to be on... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Tried, failed, gave up, so now, I say it's horrible (but still secretly wish I could do it) I would take a pretty safe guess that I'm not the only one like that on here.😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 1 hour ago, leschirons said: Tried, failed, gave up, so now, I say it's horrible (but still secretly wish I could do it) I would take a pretty safe guess that I'm not the only one like that on here.😉 Entirely agree! I just continue in a vein that makes it even more difficult, and so easier for me to say, "Nah, don't play that..." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Surely Slap is the ultimate weapon to fack with annoying guitarists who insist on coming to practice with a 6 chord riff (which is really a bass riff) and ask you to play along leaving little room for you to improvise. "Here's a riff I worked on at home...just work out something out that goes with it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 On 11/05/2020 at 10:46, Lozz196 said: If it fits the song, great, it works exceptionally well - imo - in Ashes to Ashes by Bowie, and This is Not a Love Song by PIL, two artists where slap-bass may not be expected. As an aside...Mark Plati played Ashes to Ashes live instead of Gail Anne Dorsey. Can she slap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 I Can do thumb style on any song that starts in E and stays in E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 12 hours ago, leschirons said: Tried, failed, gave up, so now, I say it's horrible (but still secretly wish I could do it) I would take a pretty safe guess that I'm not the only one like that on here.😉 If you, or anyone else, genuinely wants to master tasteful / usable slap bass technique then I'd very much recommend two simple steps: 1. Set your bass & rig up to accommodate slap bass. Essentially a fresh set of rounds and appropriate EQ: treble boost, a little mid cut and a perhaps a little bass boost 2. Enrol on Mark from Talking Bass' excellent course: https://www.talkingbass.net/product/simple-steps-slap-bass/ . If he's managed to get someone as clueless about slap bass as me, to significantly improve I'm sure that will also be true for many others. It's been the best £60 I've spent during lock-down on bass related stuff by some margin. Most importantly - have some fun learning and playing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Done tastefully I have nothing against it, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 2 hours ago, spectoremg said: As an aside...Mark Plati played Ashes to Ashes live instead of Gail Anne Dorsey. Can she slap? Not sure as I’ve seen clips where she swaps with Earl Slick on Ashes, her playing guitar, him on bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Jinman Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Saw a vid of Larry Graham fronting his own band so naturally all the focus was on the slapping and popping. Impressive obviously, but as a musical experience it was the equivalent of watching popcorn in a microwave. Guess that puts me in the if-the-song-demands-it-then-great camp. Full disclosure: I’m stinky poo at slapping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Jinman Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Hey, basschat changed my expletive to stinky poo... how adorable! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Richard Jinman said: Hey, basschat changed my expletive to stinky poo... how adorable! I love the sweary word filter. It's so funny to see someone ranting and getting stinky poo or pink torpedo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Jinman Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Makes me sound like an angry toddler... I'm stinky poo at slap mummy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Nothing against it if used melodically and for the benefit of the song. I'm not a fan of rapid slap just for the sake of it. It needs to mean something and be tuneful. Its a bit like a drum solo, some drummers keep you entertained whereas others are just trying to hit fast and as many drums as possible which becomes boring. It needs to entertain me. I'm also not very good at it. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Lozz196 said: Not sure as I’ve seen clips where she swaps with Earl Slick on Ashes, her playing guitar, him on bass. Defo Mark Plati. Check out the BBC show he did and his Glasto spot. Edited May 16, 2020 by spectoremg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, Richard Jinman said: Makes me sound like an angry toddler... I'm stinky poo at slap mummy. Don't call me childish you stinky bum poo head! Edited May 17, 2020 by ubit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 I'm interested to see vids put up by BCers showig what they consider to be bad slap 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 I’ve just recorded a quick idea. I’ve slapped on it. I’m going to say 3 Hail Mary’s... should put things right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: I'm interested to see vids put up by BCers showig what they consider to be bad slap I usually like what this guy does but this for me does nothing. There are moments where its good but generally "slap and pop as many notes as i can and as fast as i can" This is just an example and certainly not the worst i've heard. All i could find at short notice to show what i was talking about. From a technical point i guess he's good at what he's trying to do but just not for me. Edited May 16, 2020 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 Whereas i kinda like this one ok. Not 100% sure why i like this and not others. I find this more entertaining. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 17 minutes ago, AndyTravis said: I’ve just recorded a quick idea. I’ve slapped on it. I’m going to say 3 Hail Mary’s... should put things right. You'll rue the day you did that Andy. I'd re-record it with "normal" bass playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 14 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said: You'll rue the day you did that Andy. I'd re-record it with "normal" bass playing It’s alright, it’s been denounced by the band as just “alright”. Better than yesterday’s idea I sent them 1 met with “I don’t get it”. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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