Geez, Claypool, why slap there?

AmazingGracePlayer · #1 03-11-2007, 05:07 PM

I've been watching a lot of live videos of Les Claypool, with Primus and his side project bands. I noticed that sometimes when Les slaps the E string, his right hand (slapping hand) slaps near the 15th fret on the neck... Why does he do it? I tried doing it and it sounded pretty much the same as slapping near the 24th fret of the end of the neck...

grooVWy · #2 03-11-2007, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htotheh

I've been watching a lot of live videos of Les Claypool, with Primus and his side project bands. I noticed that sometimes when Les slaps the E string, his right hand (slapping hand) slaps near the 15th fret on the neck... Why does he do it? I tried doing it and it sounded pretty much the same as slapping near the 24th fret of the end of the neck...

maybe he just plays with a feel.

JLW · #3 03-11-2007, 06:00 PM

what the guy above me said.

Snerek · #4 03-11-2007, 06:27 PM

he does it cause it makes him a great player..

if you do it too you will be great just like les!

OrangeSun · #5 03-11-2007, 06:43 PM

actually, if you have low enough action, slapping on the fret board will prevent clicking sounds that might happen if you slap over the pickups. Im not sure if this has anything to do with it, but i've noticed this in the past. More likely its just a live thing, kind of like when he does the strum where he alternates between strumming over the pickups and the neck with each strum. (many guitarists also do this)

HELLonWheels187 · #6 03-11-2007, 06:51 PM

It might be easier for the popping not the slapping.

I think I'm onto something

the_fonz · #7 03-11-2007, 07:01 PM

he does it because he's les claypool and therefore allowed to do anything he wants

santucci218 · #8 03-11-2007, 07:07 PM

he kinda has a technique where he double thumbs without double thumbing pretty much. his hands are really lose...REALLY lose. i personally can not do it...he does it in my name is mud. he slaps around the 10th fret on the DVD i have. good luck *rolls eyes*

HELLonWheels187 · #9 03-11-2007, 10:19 PM

maby its so he can tap faster.

Booneman · #10 03-11-2007, 10:27 PM

[quote=htotheh;3939380]I've been watching a lot of live videos of Les Claypool, with Primus and his side project bands. I noticed that sometimes when Les slaps the E string, his right hand (slapping hand) slaps near the 15th fret on the neck... Why does he do it? I tried doing it and it sounded pretty much the same as slapping near the 24th fret of the end of the neck...

[/QUOT

Thats how learned to slap. Not all basses are ideal for this technic. Medium frets seem to work best.

GSRLessard14 · #11 03-11-2007, 10:32 PM

Because his main four string is a 32" scale with 29 frets and the fingerboard is crazy long.

Cactusgrant · #12 03-11-2007, 10:33 PM

I heart Les.

Alun · #13 03-12-2007, 01:18 PM

Isn't it just showmanship? I'm not sure it's done for any musical reason if I'm honest, just because it looks cool.

Not dissing Claypool, I really like his playing but I don't really see any "technical" reason for it.

Alun

AmazingGracePlayer · #14 03-12-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alun

Isn't it just showmanship? I'm not sure it's done for any musical reason if I'm honest, just because it looks cool.

Not dissing Claypool, I really like his playing but I don't really see any "technical" reason for it.

Alun

That's what I think... because there's really no difference in tone when he plays it or when I play it.

Erlend · #15 03-14-2007, 06:01 AM

easier to slap on the neck if you are going to tap stuff in between. plus its easier to do the "muscle-spasm" slap where the strings dont have that much pressure.

PrimusNut · #16 03-15-2007, 10:16 AM

Maybe he just feels more comfortable playing up there? He is Les Claypool, I don't think anyone truly understands that man, and anything he does.

fryBASS · #17 03-15-2007, 10:51 AM

In My Name Is Mud, basically the only song that he does it on for just about the whole song, is because I think that it gives it a more "muddier" (excuse the pun) sound.

On other songs, I'm pretty sure he's just in the moment and goin crazy

Try it sometime.

OrangeSun · #18 03-16-2007, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSRLessard14

Because his main four string is a 32" scale with 29 frets and the fingerboard is crazy long.

wow I never knew that?

Hows that carl thompson? Damn id kill to play one of those.

Baryonyx · #19 03-16-2007, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by santucci218

he kinda has a technique where he double thumbs without double thumbing pretty much. his hands are really lose...REALLY lose. i personally can not do it...he does it in my name is mud. he slaps around the 10th fret on the DVD i have. good luck *rolls eyes*

I thought what he was doing in "My name is Mud" was slapping in the middle of the board. Well, not really slapping, but using his thumb to produce the "muted" note by playing so far up the board. I know what you mean as I have the "Animals should not try to act like people" dvd, and you can see him doing it there. I find that part of "my Name is Mud" to be more about the left hand than the right.

chaosMK · #20 03-16-2007, 02:30 PM

I wonder about his sound and playing techniques he uses. Some of it might be enabled a bit by all the compression he uses.