About Slapping!(?)

[jonzon]

Hi, just a question from me as a beginner..

Can every bass be slapped/pop'd? Or is there different basses that are easier to play slap/pop on?

I have this one;

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbas...1/6/268516.jpg








EDIT;

Thanks alot.. now I can sleep tonight ;p

[Slax]

You shouldn't have a problem slapping on that bass.

I could only see problems if you had a pick up cover... but even those you can work around.

[omega9]

In my experience all basses (or every bass I have played) can be slapped/ pop'd, but some sound a lot better than others do. My Yamaha fretless with a P style pick up that I don't think sounds good slapped, but I have a Ibanez sound gear with the same J/P pickup arrangement as yours and it sounds great slapped. Hope that helps.

[joelc1319]

I'd say anything with frets can be slapped, but so can a fretless, but yielding a different sound. Then again slapping was invented on the double bass anyway, so go figure.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by joelc1319

I'd say anything with frets can be slapped, but so can a fretless, but yielding a different sound. Then again slapping was invented on the double bass anyway, so go figure.

but isnt slapping on a double bass practicly a completely differant technique from slapping on electric bass?

[joelc1319]

Originally Posted by Chili

but isnt slapping on a double bass practicly a completely differant technique from slapping on electric bass?

I think it is yes...(I don't actually play stand-up unfortunately)...good point. I guess its best to say that the idea is, regardless of type of bass, to get a percussive feel and sound to the notes. It is also something that is unique to only basses as far as I can tell. Of course theres slapping and popping and guitars and such but you don't get the same feel because the frequency of the notes are higher on a guitar.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by joelc1319

I think it is yes...(I don't actually play stand-up unfortunately)...good point. I guess its best to say that the idea is, regardless of type of bass, to get a percussive feel and sound to the notes. It is also something that is unique to only basses as far as I can tell. Of course theres slapping and popping and guitars and such but you don't get the same feel because the frequency of the notes are higher on a guitar.

yeah, i've heard slapping on a guitar, but i dont like how it sounds at all, slap really does seem to be the bass's home technique, if that makes sense lol, listening to a bass being slapped sounds right to me, a guitar doesnt....to me

[KsToaDangr]

the first bass I ever got was pretty much a black version of the same one you've got. there's no problem slapping with that bass. slapping on a fretless bass always sounds kinda strange to me, but any fretted bass should be able to be slapped.

[FireArm]

That bass should be fine to slap on, having said that there are some basses that are more difficult to slap thunderbirds for example.

[dulouz]

Originally Posted by Chili

yeah, i've heard slapping on a guitar, but i dont like how it sounds at all, slap really does seem to be the bass's home technique, if that makes sense lol, listening to a bass being slapped sounds right to me, a guitar doesnt....to me

That Nashville "Chickin' Pickin'" sound that Brent Mason does sounds pretty good to me. That is basically slappin' on the guitar. Check out his album "Hot Wired", that is some serious guitar playing!!!

[Linkert]

Do you know how to lower the strings of your bass? (if they ain't already low?) If not sercharound on google and youtube on how to do it. I noticed that the biggest problem i had was the string height from the factory setup.
When i watch newbes playing bass on youtube i see them taking force from the gods of valhalla before they slap the string to get a slap tone.

[EADG mx]

Originally Posted by joelc1319

I'd say anything with frets can be slapped

Even a mandolin?

[Linkert]

Originally Posted by EADG mx

Even a mandolin?

I actually tryed to play 'Pow' on a mandolin. I only got the poping right.. :P

[roflol]

squire p-basses are kinda bad for slap in the sense they have really **** action

[makaky]

You should be alright slapping with that bass, I learned that technique on a very crappy bass a long time ago.

I STRONGLY suggest getting this book, its one of the best there is..

www.slapit.com

Good luck

[Liten]

Just about any bass can be slapped.. "poped" is another matter.. some new instruments come with ether bad placed pickus or with ramps between the neck Pickup and fretboard.. those are not easy to "pop" at all..

Just fingered on an old Gibson Victory bass.. where the neck pickup is so close to the fretboard I can't get my fingers through.. definetly not a popper...

[joelc1319]

Originally Posted by makaky

You should be alright slapping with that bass, I learned that technique on a very crappy bass a long time ago.

I actually learned to play bass (fingerstyle, slap/pop, everything) on a '94 Ibanez Silver Cadet bass. I don't even know if anyone has heard of such a model, but I bought it used from a friend. It's quite junky and not very good (I've since converted it to fretless after getting my Warwick). Although it may have not been the best idea in the world, I found that playing a lot on a crappy bass made me much better when switching to a high-end bass. It's also always important as a musician to be able to play on the worst of equipment and make it work, because you may find yourself in a position where that is the only thing that is available. If you can rock on junk, you can rock on anything.

[joelc1319]

That's not to say that the Squier is junk =P

[SuperDuck]

Set the action low and get some nice, bright strings. You'll be slapping just fine.