Any tips for slapping and popping?

[COOL AND DEADLY]

I play predominantly reggae and have been for five years. Recently I have began expanding my horizons listening to Jaco, Marcus, Victor, etc. I'm also trying to learn music theory as well. I have also begun experimenting with slapping and popping. This is very foreign for me and I really can't get into a groove, or even get good sounds from it. Any advice on how to do it properly or how to build up my technique. It seems I can't generate enough strength on the slap to get that sound. I also have troubles slapping individual strings without getting unwanted tones from the other strings. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Blueszilla]

Some good info here.

The Slap Bass Welcome Center

Good luck.

Start slow, and if you give it even a minimum of practice time, you should see results rather quickly. It's not a particularly difficult technique, but does require some repetition and proper thumb placement to get a usable tone. I use my left hand for muting the non-thumbed strings.

[Mushroo]

Economy of motion. Keep your hand and wrist relaxed and your thumb close to the strings at all times. This should help you hit the correct string. It will also help you get a better sound; hitting too hard is a common rookie mistake--it really takes very little strength. A good teacher will be able to look at your hands and give you specific suggestions.

Also, try thinking of slap as just another technique, like pick or fingerstyle. Try playing bass lines you already know well using the slap technique, in addition to learning slap-specific bass lines.

Good luck!

[sir juice]

One thing I'd recommend if you are having problems hitting strings, is to keep your thumb at an up angle rather than down. It may feel odd at first if you're used to doing it "flea-style", but the majority of slappers at least I like go at an up angle (like you mentioned, Victor and Marcus).

[mothmonsterman]

Practice, practice practice,
Also if you like buy "Slap It"
Greatest slap book EVAH!
Adjust the height of your strap, your EQ, and your angle of attack all play a roll.
If your bass is set up properly you really don't have to hit the strings very hard, which will also help with un wanted tones.

[Ewo]

Ditto the suggestions in the above posts.

For me, the hardest thing is the muting (left hand fingers, and the butt of the right hand)--but when you get it down it's so cool how you can use dead notes to set up syncopations, or just to put particular chord notes on particular beats.

I know of a couple DVDs you can check out. (I found 'em helpful.)

Alexis Sklarevsky http://videoprogressions.tv/download...products_id=39 (available on Amazon.)

Beaver Felton http://www.basscentral.com/2003/sc4bass.shtml (check "Slap Happy" out. email him or call the store.)

[zac2944]

I don't know about popping, but for the slap I like to use this technique:





Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Ric5]

My advice for slap and pop on bass is don't over do it and don't scoop out the mids.

[mothmonsterman]

Originally Posted by Ric5

My advice for slap and pop on bass is don't over do it and don't scoop out the mids.

I played for 6 years with a smiley face on my EQ.
On a wim decided to even everything out and just boost everything a little bit.

My amp is no longer cranked up half way, empty beer cans dance to the beat, i'm getting yelled at to turn down, and i knocking things of shelves up stairs, mids they're a good thing.

Not to mention my warwick sounds like a warwick now

[BuffaloBass]

A few things: 1.) get a drum beat in your head, and then plaY IT ont eh bass.

Remember, orignal slap technique was to fill in the drums void.

The pluck is done by hooking the string with your finger, adn USING YOUR WRIST to pluck it, NOT your finger. Much louder snappier sound. Although YOUTUBE has made the wrong technique popular.

This is cool, as it helped ALL my playing, and I rarely slap for pay. ( funny sentence), when you have the proper orientation of your right ( neck) hand, with your knuckles near perpendicular to the fretboard, you will easily be able to drap your fingers right across the strings. I say easily, since I play 5 exclusive, and I've hear cats say, oh well your hands are big. BS. Aint that big, hand size is of NO issue. Anyway, you;ll be having to play with this hand orientation as the fingers draped across the fingerbaord mute the strings.

Also. I use a reggae wrap on the nut, which if I am going to slap or want to mute the strigns somewhat, I'll pull down to the 1/2 fret. A chic hair "scrunchy" works.

Now I dont think $50 for 20 daily lessons is bad. If you agree, check out Anthony Wellington at www.musicdojo.com for Slap 1. Or, if you are anywhere near MD, drive there adn get a lesson personally. Nothing like spending a few hours with a master. Bring notepad, recorder,e tc.

[COOL AND DEADLY]

Wow, thank you all for the tips! I'll keep at it and take a look at links and that book when I get a chance. I think you all helped me understand a little bit better. I also enjoyed the cartoon. Thanks again, any more tips, tricks people feel like posting would also be appreciated. This site is the best. Stay out of treble, C & D

[mothmonsterman]

Originally Posted by BuffaloBass

A few things: 1.) get a drum beat in your head, and then plaY IT ont eh bass.

Remember, orignal slap technique was to fill in the drums void.

The pluck is done by hooking the string with your finger, adn USING YOUR WRIST to pluck it, NOT your finger. Much louder snappier sound. Although YOUTUBE has made the wrong technique popular.

This is cool, as it helped ALL my playing, and I rarely slap for pay. ( funny sentence), when you have the proper orientation of your right ( neck) hand, with your knuckles near perpendicular to the fretboard, you will easily be able to drap your fingers right across the strings. I say easily, since I play 5 exclusive, and I've hear cats say, oh well your hands are big. BS. Aint that big, hand size is of NO issue. Anyway, you;ll be having to play with this hand orientation as the fingers draped across the fingerbaord mute the strings.

Also. I use a reggae wrap on the nut, which if I am going to slap or want to mute the strigns somewhat, I'll pull down to the 1/2 fret. A chic hair "scrunchy" works.

Now I dont think $50 for 20 daily lessons is bad. If you agree, check out Anthony Wellington at www.musicdojo.com for Slap 1. Or, if you are anywhere near MD, drive there adn get a lesson personally. Nothing like spending a few hours with a master. Bring notepad, recorder,e tc.

+10
on the scrunchy, it really cleans up the sound on open strings and helps them not ring all over the damn place if you miss a mute.
How come not many people do it?
I get people asking me why i have a pink hair tie on my bass all the time. But it really is a nice tool to have, granted i went to about 10 pharmacies to find the right one that'll work.

http://www.scunci.com/product_detail...10&pid=25&lp=5

[Funkdrawer4]

When you say have the proper set up , what may that be?

[COOL AND DEADLY]

Excellent advice from all. I have been getting much, much better results now. Pointing my thumb up, not slapping too hard, boost the mids. I havn't tried the scrunchy yet, but will do that. Now I have a lot of practicing to do. Thank you

[mothmonsterman]

Originally Posted by COOL AND DEADLY

Excellent advice from all. I have been getting much, much better results now. Pointing my thumb up, not slapping too hard, boost the mids. I havn't tried the scrunchy yet, but will do that. Now I have a lot of practicing to do. Thank you

question now,
"pointing thumb up"?
pic or explanation?

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by Funkdrawer4

When you say have the proper set up , what may that be?

Usually a proper set up for slap and pop is to have nice low action and wider string spacing at the bridge, although you can get away with any string spacing with proper technique and smaller fingers. I have hot dogs at the end of my hands so I like 19 mm spacing.