Hey guys, after 25 years on and off of an "I'll only play metal" mind-set, I would like to learn how the slap technique. After reading several threads on here I see that most here know what they are talking about. Can anyone recommend a place, material, or website to get started out right? Thanks:help: :bassist:

Everyone starts on some Red Hot Chili Peppers stuff... most is pretty basic and really helps with the pop/slap/mute technique.

contemporary.....marcus miller
old skool................larry graham
funk rock ....................mark king, stu hamm

Brothers Johnson....Blam
Michael Jackson......Off the Wall
George Benson........Give me the night

Level 42................Level 42
Paul Young........secret or no parlez

Everyone starts on some Red Hot Chili Peppers stuff....Everyone? :confused:

Everyone starts on some Red Hot Chili Peppers stuff... most is pretty basic and really helps with the pop/slap/mute technique.

Who are the Red Hot Chili Peppers? :hiding:

I would recommend getting a lesson or two from some local slap-god if one exists. There are a couple of folks that teach slap in Portland, OR - they advertise on CL so those refugees from the land 'o slap are out there lookin' to spread the word.

Even though slap is somewhat out of fashion it is one of those techniques that doesn't hurt to have down. It's like having an Octave or Envelope filter pedal - you only turn 'em on once a night or they kinda lose their charm.

Bass player magazine online has some good beginner slap lessons. Look in Bass Player TV

Ed Friedland's Ultimate Slap Bass DVD is very worthwhile IME.

As far as material I would recommend 'Slap It' by Tony Oppenheim. For usually under 20 bucks you get over 100 exercises and an accompanying cd.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Slap-it-Slap-bass-book-Cd-Funk-bass-Now-with-Tab_W0QQitemZ250171642543QQihZ015QQcategoryZ41782Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'd also recommend RHCP, like beginning of Higher Ground, walking down the road and the like (there are obviously som very fast licks which should be later). Just might be up your alley coming from the mindset you stated.

If you want to get a dvd, I seriously agree with the Ed Friedland suggestion. There are a few lessons on youtube, and a more than a few threads in the technique sections. But just start off being able to do easy and smooth 'kick snare' patterns to a solid beat (use metronome if you need to), and then I would either go with the old school funk as some has listed, or maybe you're thinking about going the Ryknow path, which is also a good time.

Everyone starts on some Red Hot Chili Peppers stuff... most is pretty basic and really helps with the pop/slap/mute technique.

Actually, I'd recommend Trevor Dunn as a better example. Go grab the first Mr. Bungle CD and play it over and over and over...

As far as material I would recommend 'Slap It' by Tony Oppenheim. For usually under 20 bucks you get over 100 exercises and an accompanying cd.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Slap-it-Slap-bass-book-Cd-Funk-bass-Now-with-Tab_W0QQitemZ250171642543QQihZ015QQcategoryZ41782Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298410

Marcus Miller is the key.
Avoid RHCP and Primus, that's bad taste slapping.

Try to find Tony Oppenheim "Slap it" or Alexis Sklarevski instructional video.

Those 2 will cover almost everything you`ll need to play slap.

Er Friedland has some great instructional books on it.

Try to find Tony Oppenheim "Slap it" or Alexis Sklarevski instructional video.

Those 2 will cover almost everything you`ll need to play slap.


+1

Listen to:

Stanley Clarke
Marcus Miller
Victor Wooten
Alain Caron
Bootsy
Mark King (Level 42)

Internalize some of their stuff and then run with it!

Even though slap is somewhat out of fashion...

??? You may technically be right in that slap bass lines are very much a minority, but there have always been far more songs recorded with fingerstyle or pick than slap. Slap is still very much alive and well in jazz and its sub-genres, and jazz never goes out of style.

As for OP's question, I concur that a couple of lessons or an instructional video to show you how it's done will definitely be beneficial. You can hear/read descriptions of the hand position and technique, and even see still pictures, but it's the exact motion that's hard to perfect, and seeing it done will get you far farther than any other method of learning.

Try to find Tony Oppenheim "Slap it" or Alexis Sklarevski instructional video.

Those 2 will cover almost everything you`ll need to play slap.

+1 I was going to recommend these when I saw the thread... So keep thumbing!!

+1 for Slap it! by Tony Oppenheim & Ed Friedland's Ultimate Slap Bass DVD

Louis Johnson's slap video is also good.

Funk 101 thread and Slap bass welcome centre thread are great resources.

Check out Marcus Miller, Larry Graham & Louis Johnson by searching on youtube.

Just in case you are interested in watching other slap master bass player that has not been mentioned yet. check the link below.
it's a canadian dude by the name of Alain Caron
enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkOYGlI-zoo

Try "Can't Stop" by RHCP, it is at a steady pace and easy to play.

THe late RHCP stuff are easier, but there old stuff are really fast(get up and jump lol)

Try to find Tony Oppenheim "Slap it" or Alexis Sklarevski instructional video.

Those 2 will cover almost everything you`ll need to play slap.

+ 1000 on the Alex Sklarevshi vid.

I really had a hard time trying to slap on my own. Someone gave me this video and in about a months time I was slappin like it was 2nd nature.

Never saw the other videos mentioned but my guess is they'd be equally as good. I would definitely get a video though as opposed to books, or trying to learn stuff off of recordings. Once you get a few techniques down, the rest comes a lot easier.

Everyone? :confused:

Not me!!!!!!!!!! I started with the originator-Larry Graham. The previously mentioned instructional videos should help. However, you need to listen to as many bassists who have mastered the technique as you can and, obviously, do some serious woodshedding!!!! One really sick dude that very few people seem to know about is Danny Wilson (Jeff Lorber Fusion). He is ridiculous!! Also Melvin Lee Davis (check him out on his website), Bill "how does he do that?" Dickens, Dexter Redding and Nathaniel Phillips. There are some very serious "slappers" in the gospel genre. Check out Maurice Fitzgerald, Andrew Gouche, Fred Hammond, Terrance Palmer, and Darrell Freeman, to name a few.


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!:cool:

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!:cool:

There is my sig!

Hope this makes sence


the First thing you should do is slap a 1/8 note octave disco line at a nice slow tempo. Thumb the low note pop the high. Worry aboout getting good solid tone out of the thumb, put extra enfasis on the length of the note make it HUGE.


Then start adding permutaions of the basic 1/16 note rhythms with pitches and dead notes.

Extra credit for thumbing the high notes and popping 2 1/16ths in a row .Play the line with variations finger style then start alternating between slap and fingers.


Then speed up.


I still practice this.




Aj