To All The Non Slappers, Do You Feel Inadequate Or Feel You're Missing Something?

de la mocha · #1 04-02-2006, 04:58 PM

Last night I let some one borrow my bass to record a song and they were slapping away on my bass and then handed it back to me. I felt like a sore loser and wanted to cry. I can't slap and never got into it, but I can lay a solid groove. Does that make me any less of a Bass Player? I felt if my bass was a woman, she would have cheated on me the way he played my baby with that funk slappin'

Correlli · #2 04-02-2006, 05:20 PM

I'm a finger plucker and tapper.

I don't slap, just like I don't use a pick. No big deal.

flatwoundfender · #3 04-02-2006, 05:48 PM

In order for me to slap I'd have to lower my action, and probably move to light gauge roundwounds. Currently I have the classic sound of Stax and Motown. Slap!=Funk
IMO the funkiest basslines ever weren't slapped. Jamerson didn't slap, Bootsy didn't slap while he was with James Brown, check out I Got To Move off In the Jungle Groove it's just about the funkiest line ever, George Porter Jr. isn't slapping on Pocky Way.
And if anyone tried to slap on my bass they'd probably not do to well and maybe strain their hand.
If your bass was a woman I doubt she'd like being slapped, but I'm sure she'd enjoy some finger funk, if you catch my drift.

markjazzbassist · #4 04-02-2006, 07:45 PM

flatwound fender, you are one funny dude, i thoroughly enjoyed your post.

i agree, i don't feel bad at all. Slapping is kinda like this.

You and a buddy meet a girl and your buddy is all up in her grill and talking and trying to impress her and doing all this talking himself up and bragging and stuff. Meanwhile, you just chill, lean back and act like you don't even need the woman, you're just there cause your plans fell through. Long story short, your buddy ends up home alone, while you got digits and a date.

I love the old school funk where it was more about technique, groove, and skill, rather than sounding "cool". Plus, there's only so much you can do with slapping, whereas the finger funk is unlimited. I'M PROUD TO NOT SLAP!

Mixmasta J · #5 04-02-2006, 07:47 PM

I really enjoy slapping, and although I dont use it all that often, I think that it is just another tool in my swiss-bass-army knife

de la mocha · #6 04-02-2006, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

In order for me to slap I'd have to lower my action, and probably move to light gauge roundwounds. Currently I have the classic sound of Stax and Motown. Slap!=Funk
IMO the funkiest basslines ever weren't slapped. Jamerson didn't slap, Bootsy didn't slap while he was with James Brown, check out I Got To Move off In the Jungle Groove it's just about the funkiest line ever, George Porter Jr. isn't slapping on Pocky Way.
And if anyone tried to slap on my bass they'd probably not do to well and maybe strain their hand.
If you're bass was a women I doubt she'd like being slapped, but I'm sure she'd enjoy some finger funk, if you catch my drift.

Bubba Love · #7 04-02-2006, 08:04 PM

It's not THAT hard to learn... I remember before learning to slap I thought it was an essential skill and that not being able to do it would hold me back. I remember the first lessons with my former teacher where I couldn't get my thumb to hit one string at a time. That lasted a few months, but before I knew it I was accurate and faster than I imagined I could be. More importantly, I was groovin.

You can listen to the people who say it's tasteless and unneccesary, or you can do your own thing and learn. Whether or not you ever use it while playing with others is not important, if it makes you feel good do it! I recommend Tony Oppenheim's 'Slap It!'.

Rocknrolljunkie · #8 04-03-2006, 07:23 AM

i'd rather hear a solid groove than a funky slapthing. imo slap doesnt sound very good, certainly when it's overdone and totally over the top. altho i really respect it and i'm speechless when somebody does hehe. someday i will learn it just to be able to do it. but not at this time.

jzucker · #9 04-03-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

In order for me to slap I'd have to lower my action, and probably move to light gauge roundwounds. Currently I have the classic sound of Stax and Motown. Slap!=Funk
IMO the funkiest basslines ever weren't slapped.

You could make a case for that but if you listen to Louis Johnson's instruction video, tell me that doesn't get your booty in gear!

Seriously, if you want to learn to slap you can become quite good in a couple months. That's about how long it took me to learn the various techniques.

This may be a shameless plug, but a few months back I decided to write a book on slapping, popping and tapping for guitar. Since 90% of the licks were bass licks anyway, I'm going to put out a version for bass later in the summer.

There are also lots of resources out there on the internet to learn the techniques. I look at it as just another set of items in your catalog. Yes, it may be passe in some venues but why not spend a couple months getting the technique down? Everything you learn on the instrument can be used somewhere down the road if you're creative...

bassbully43 · #10 04-03-2006, 10:33 AM

Slapping and popping to me IMO is a fill and added spice to a song not a main stay for music as a whole. Funk R/b etc have the most S/p and rock the heavyer you get the less s/p you hear. I play rock classic for the most part and holding a groove is my game and always will be. All my fav bassists are groovers except Claypool and he is my oddball bassist for his music style is diffrent then others.S/P is great and i can do a bit but its just for fun and wanking for me a soid groove is what bass is all about and is what gets the gigs...i'll take the bottom line and pocket anyday.

jzucker · #11 04-03-2006, 10:39 AM

Why deliberately ignore a part of the vocabulary though? I studied guitar with Pat Martino and used to envy all these guys tapping Van Halen licks in Guitar Center. Then, one day I realized that I should just incorporate that idiom into my playing and with my own slant on things it becomes my own spice and flavors. I just don't see the need to agonize over not being able to do something when you can just put in some shedding and learn it...

Michael Jewels · #12 04-03-2006, 11:25 AM

I don't slap; it's just not my style.

I like it when it's done well, and fits into the song, but I've seen too many people doing it to try and impress others.

To each their own.

Mike

jzucker · #13 04-03-2006, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Jewels

I don't slap; it's just not my style.

I like it when it's done well, and fits into the song, but I've seen too many people doing it to try and impress others.

To each their own.

Mike

Heaven help a musician who trys to impress others!

blindeddie · #14 04-03-2006, 12:20 PM

slapping electric is for sissies!
grab yourself an upright with a set of spirocores, and slap it til the blood starts to fly!

Lord Henry · #15 04-03-2006, 01:25 PM

I think jzucker's got it right: why ignore it? I don't think that you have to be able to slap to be a great bassist, not for one second. But learning to slap gives you a new take on the bass, and it's always there, in the back pocket, should you need it.

Look at it this way, when was the last time you heard anyone say: 'damn, I wish I didn't know how to speak French'? No skill is a bad thing, and most of them help.

Cheers.

de la mocha · #16 04-03-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindeddie

slapping electric is for sissies!
grab yourself an upright with a set of spirocores, and slap it til the blood starts to fly!

Yikes!!!!!!

Suckbird · #17 04-03-2006, 01:31 PM

I dont slap... is something missing? No.

But whenever i hear somebody slap i feel like somethings missing...

Lord Henry · #18 04-03-2006, 01:32 PM

Actually, the point in my last post is really obvious to everyone isn't it? Ignore me, I'm in one of those moods.

Cheers again

rebelbass · #19 04-03-2006, 01:41 PM

During "free bird" I take my hand and slam the body then slam the headstock during the accents. Does this count as slapping??

flatwoundfender · #20 04-03-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindeddie

slapping electric is for sissies!
grab yourself an upright with a set of spirocores, and slap it til the blood starts to fly!

Heh, I've done a little of that on guts, but no blood.

When I said slap!=funk I meant that just because someone is slapping they're not playing funk. There are plenty of funky basslines that were slapped, I just posted to state that there are also plenty of funky basslines, the funkiest in my opinion, that were not slapped. I also stated I don't slap because it's not a viable option with my setup, really high action and big flatwounds that stay on the bass and don't get changed until they break, which generally takes years. That's how I get my sound. My sound isn't roundwounds.