Slap bass and harmonic problem

[dash rendar]

Hi all. I'm a complete newbie, so please be gentle!

I've been playing the guitar for a couple of years and would consider myself intermediate, but I had a bass guitar as a present this Xmas, so I've only been playing it a few days. It's interesting being a complete novice again! The guitar is an Ibanez SG400, in case that makes any difference.

Anyway, I've been trying to play some slap bass... My first goal is to play Hot Water.

The problem is that most of the time, when I slap the strings with my thumb, I hear the harmonic very strongly, but not the actual fretted note. So, basically, all I'm hearing is the much higher-pitched harmonics, which vary in pitch depending on where I slap the string at the pickups. But I never strongly hear the note I want to hear.

I thought it might be my amp setup... since I don't actually have one! I know it's a bad idea to use my regular guitar amp, and I don't have a bass amp, so I've been plugging my bass into a POD, which is plugged into a PreSonus interface, which is then monitored through my computer speakers. But if I play the bass unamplifed, I can still hear the harmonics and very little else.

Is this a common problem? Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks guys.

[phil.i.stein]

check that your pickups are screwed down properly. if they are loose, you get a definite 'squeak', it happened to me recently, and it was doing my head in until i figured it out..
edit - sorry forget that, i didn't read the bit about it being the same when unplugged !

Edited January 9, 2010 by phil.i.stein

[Doddy]

I think it's just a case of working on your thumb technique-after all it's only been a couple
of weeks.
You don't need to hit the string hard,but you need to do it hard enough so that the fundamental notes is clear.
If you hit the string quite lightly you tend to get a effect the same as 'tapped' harmonics. It also helps if you
hit the string right at the end of the fingerboard.
It's difficult to explain in writing-try to find someone who can show you where you are going wrong.

[dash rendar]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I also raised the action slightly on my E and A strings. I think it may have helped a little. But then dinner arrived so the missus ordered me off the guitar.

I'll give it a try at the end of the fretboard too.

[Pete Academy]

I agree with Doddy. It's probably more a technique thing. Slap bass is quite hard and takes a fair amount of time to perfect, so you'll expect to hear those harmonics. When I first started slapping, I sounded horrendous (my brother's comment). Stick with it - it will improve, believe me.

A few lessons with a good teacher would be a good investment.

[Conan]

If you are thumbing it onto one of the frets with a strong harmonic (e.g. 24, 21, 12 etc) it is far more likely you will get this effect. As others have said, try to hit the edge of the fretboard...

[Conan]

Although if you are hitting the 12th fret, you are definitely making life hard for yourself!!

[samkeen]

Hi there!

There are a couple of ways to produce the slap sound using your thumb - you can either bounce it off the string, or you can 'thumb through'. They both work really well, have a look at players like Mark King for the 'bounce', and Victor Wooten for thumbing through. Here's a vid of thumbing through if you're not sure what I mean (watch Victor's thumb, it glances off the string and comes to rest on the string below: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7IxvfOxTQ&feature=related)"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7IxvfOxTQ...eature=related)[/url].

I like to use both techniques at different times, depending on what's needed. I find the bounce gives me a bit of a brighter sound, but thumbing through can be really useful for certain lines.

I'm guessing you're trying to bounce? If so, you should try thumbing through (you might prefer it, and it'll get you slapping), but I also recommend you try to make the bounce as fast as possible, so the thumb doesn't get a chance to mute the string too much. Make sure you're hitting the string with the boniest part of the thumb joint, and work on rotating your wrist, it's this motion that gives you speed, rather than moving your whole hand.

Hope that helps. If you run into trouble keep posting - most of us are friendly!!

Sam

[dash rendar]

Thanks, that's really helpful stuff. I've been doing it the "bounce" way, and it's getting better as the harmonics are mostly gone, although I still get them sometimes on the higher strings. I'll take a look at the thumbing-through technique.

I've been trying to keep my hand relaxed, but after half an hour of playing, I'm finding my shoulder and hole arm is aching, so I guess I haven't got it down yet! Must try harder...

[samkeen]

That's completely normal when you begin to learn, don't worry! As I said try to get as much action through rotation of the wrist, once that feels natural you'll find it pretty comfortable, fast, and not too tiring.

Little hint; don't do too much popping when you begin, as blisters are inevitable! Take it easy

[dash rendar]

Thanks for the great advice.