Slap

[thegregga]

Hi

I am looking to polish up my slap skills.

I can pop and slap fine but find it hard to construct lines using the style. Any suggestions? I was thinking of learning some covers around the style to get ideas?!?

[RaNoFuNkY]

I am by no means any good, but I found playing along to Aeroplane by RHCPs helped me out. Probably because its simple (?!) octave patterns and a damn fine tune that was fun to keep on playing!

[Jam]

I know it's probably going to be a really controversial reply, but I felt learning lots of Level 42 songs really helped my slap technique and improv improve so much.

Like them or hate them, King's lines are really fun to play once you get them.

[arabassist]

Higher Ground?

[JBassist]

brick house by the commadors got me good at slappin

[51m0n]

Learning a lot of covers is a good start. I just got Ultimate Slap Bass (never too late to increase your 'vocabulary' as far as I'm concerned), its been highly recommended, and at first glance looks like a great place to go (comes with a couple of CDs) as it covers a huge amount of ground.

I got it from here, cheap price, turned up next day, what are you waiting for???

[url="http://basslinepublishing.com/Books/UltimateSlapBass/tabid/69/Default.aspx"]Ultimate Slap Bass[/url]

They also do a Level 42 book for a tenner....

[velvetkevorkian]

+1 for Ultimate Slap Bass.

[thegregga]

Cheers will check that out.

Higher ground - can play that - just want to be able to create some cool original slap pieces rather than just octave - let let ya know hpw I get on

[Doddy]

Why not take lines that you play with your fingers and play them with the thumb instead?
Too many people view slapping as a style of itself,when in actual fact it is just another way of
hitting the string.
If you approach the technique in this fashion you will be able to construct lines without the confines
of alternating octave thumps and plucks.
Don't let your plucking hand dictate what notes you play.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='JBassist' post='546665' date='Jul 21 2009, 04:20 PM']brick house by the commadors got me good at slappin[/quote]

Didn't get you good at spelling, by the look of it.

[arabassist]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='549149' date='Jul 23 2009, 04:52 PM']Didn't get you good at spelling, by the look of it. [/quote]

ouch

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='arabassist' post='549836' date='Jul 24 2009, 10:15 AM']ouch [/quote]

I put the smiley face on there. = joke

[beardybass]

[quote name='Doddy' post='547042' date='Jul 21 2009, 09:38 PM']Why not take lines that you play with your fingers and play them with the thumb instead?
Too many people view slapping as a style of itself,when in actual fact it is just another way of
hitting the string.
If you approach the technique in this fashion you will be able to construct lines without the confines
of alternating octave thumps and plucks.
Don't let your plucking hand dictate what notes you play.[/quote]


+1 on that, I'm no kind of slap demon, but when I got to a certain point, I found I'd hit a wall, just ran out of ideas, so that's exactly what I did, I learned to play everything with my thumb as well, once you get into that, you'll be amazed how quickly things start opening up.

Edited July 31, 2009 by beardybass

[The Funk]

In 1998 as an eager-to-learn 19-year old, I asked someone exactly what he was playing with all the ghost notes. It took him 2 minutes to slow it down and explain it to me. At the same time, I'd also taken a rhythm/percussion studies book out of the library and was working on that. Over the next 11 years all that stuff finally filtered through.

So my unpatented, unscientific formula is:
Ghost Notes + Rhythm/Percussion Studies + Noodling + Jamming + Gigging = a cool slap style (after a few years).

Edited July 31, 2009 by The Funk

[JBassist]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='549149' date='Jul 23 2009, 04:52 PM']Didn't get you good at spelling, by the look of it. [/quote]

lol

[carlitos71]

[quote name='thegregga' post='541550' date='Jul 15 2009, 07:11 PM']Hi

I am looking to polish up my slap skills.

I can pop and slap fine but find it hard to construct lines using the style. Any suggestions? I was thinking of learning some covers around the style to get ideas?!?[/quote]

[url="http://playbassnow.com/category/playing-styles/slap/"]http://playbassnow.com/category/playing-styles/slap/[/url]

that should keep you busy...

[JamieBenzies]

I think that before people get too deep into playing Flea's stuff they should consider learning the other methods of slapping. When I started slapping I did the whole Flea thing and the technique obviously comes hand in hand with their songs, but the thing is that a lot of time it really doesn't work quite so well as the other techniques used by the likes of Wooten and the traditional style used by Larry Graham, Marcus Miller etc.

I tend to find that the traditional style and Wooten's kinda thumb plucking style give you a much nicer tone and more control over your rhythm.

I don't mean to bash Flea or anyone who uses his style, I just remember clearly how much my sound and precision improved when I stopped doing his style and started to slowly build up the Wooten way of doing things (If anyone knows who invented his particular technique please tell me, because I haven't a clue).

On the other end of the scale many people are perfectly happy with Flea's technique and it often sounds fine. The other benefit is how easy it makes the transition from slap to finger style, or the other way round.

Enjoy slappin'

Edited August 13, 2009 by benzies123

[munkonthehill]

[quote name='benzies123' post='568101' date='Aug 13 2009, 03:59 PM']I think that before people get too deep into playing Flea's stuff they should consider learning the other methods of slapping. When I started slapping I did the whole Flea thing and the technique obviously comes hand in hand with their songs, but the thing is that a lot of time it really doesn't work quite so well as the other techniques used by the likes of Wooten and the traditional style used by Larry Graham, Marcus Miller etc.

I tend to find that the traditional style and Wooten's kinda thumb plucking style give you a much nicer tone and more control over your rhythm.

I don't mean to bash Flea or anyone who uses his style, I just remember clearly how much my sound and precision improved when I stopped doing his style and started to slowly build up the Wooten way of doing things (If anyone knows who invented his particular technique please tell me, because I haven't a clue).

On the other end of the scale many people are perfectly happy with Flea's technique and it often sounds fine. The other benefit is how easy it makes the transition from slap to finger style, or the other way round.

Enjoy slappin'[/quote]
larry graham i believe takes credit for this style

[Pete Academy]

I first heard slap bass in the 70s, with Stanley, Larry etc. I didn't really know how they were doing it. One night I switched on The Old Grey Whistle Test and there was a Crusaders live film on. I watched 'Pops' Popwell (fantastic player!) and he was slapping. However, to me it looked like he was playing with his finger ends. So began weeks of me trying to 'slap' with my finger ends. After weeks of sore fingers I (thankfully) discovered how it was done.

On the subject of Larry Graham, he is credited with inventing the style, but Louis Johnson claims he was playing with his thumb without ever hearing Larry play.

[geilerbass]

Another recommendation for Ultimate Slap Bass. Loads of great exercises in there.

[BB3000S]

Just ordered Ultimate Slap Bass and some Level 42 books from [url="http://basslinepublishing.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx"]Bassline Publishing[/url].
Thanks for the tip guys, this will be loads of fun!

Edited August 13, 2009 by BB3000S