How do you slap and pop? (existing online tutorials suck!)

[Electrosphere]

Seriously, I've been playing for years now, and I just can't slap and pop (only regular finger bass).

And I've seen several online tutorials and they're just horrifically vague and undetailed.

For one thing, how do you "slap" the string? With the side of your thumb? Your palm? Because I've seen slap and pop where the guy seems to slap flat-palmed, while others do it looking like their strumming with their thumb in a downward motion.

I've been slapping strings on my bass a million different ways and I can't get that "slap" sound. Do I have to adjust my dials (either on my guitar or my amp)? Do you have to have your mids or lows or highs or gain or compression set to a certain level?

And when you "pop," do you literally just pull the string away from the neck and release? Should the string hit the neck when it recoils? Because I've been trying that and I can't get that "pop" sound.

Please help.

[harry182]

I think its about finding your own way,

Good song to try it out is Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground!

I think its kind of about finding your own way there, I use the side of my thumb around the joint to slap and then to pop just pull the string up with one of your fingers and let it go (best way i can explain it)

literally have to keep practising to get it to sound decent

youll get there, just practice!

[jtroska]

I learned it from this site... It has little short videos showing both slaps and pops.

http://www.howtoslapbass.com/slap-bass-tutorial/

[rust_preacher]

The only way I get a slap sound (a good one) is on my G & L L-1000 with the toggle switch on the single coil, bass boost position. I get the bouncy sound even without hitting the fretboard on the downstroke, side of thumb joint, but there is added aggressiveness when the string does hit the fretboard. Overdoing this, I get the pickup "click" sound. On the upstroke, popping the thinner strings, hooking with my index, I get the "pop" sound, also without aggressively letting the string bounce off the fretboard. That's the sounds. For technique, to make it flow, I need more practice, practice, practice...

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Electrosphere

For one thing, how do you "slap" the string? With the side of your thumb? Your palm? Because I've seen slap and pop where the guy seems to slap flat-palmed, while others do it looking like their strumming with their thumb in a downward motion.

"Slap" may also = FRETTING HAND Slap (this gives a muted/ghosted thing).

Otherwise, you're correct...there are more than 1-2 ways to do it. In the '70s, guys like Louis Johnson & Chuck Rainey described the Thumb/slap as thumping the thumb INTO the body. Later, guys like Wooten, Caron, et al took that & figured they could get twice the mileage by thumping downward & then pulling back upward.

And when you "pop," do you literally just pull the string away from the neck and release? Should the string hit the neck when it recoils? Because I've been trying that and I can't get that "pop" sound.

Basically, yes. Though you need the find the happy medium where you get the Pop you want without running the risk of breaking your G-string every other day. Been there, done that.
Question: What type of strings are you using? FME, back in the day, I could not get the Pop sound I wanted, either. I had a P-bass strung with Groundwound strings. Now, I know a P-bass could get the Pop sound...I had seen many others get it...FWIW, for me, it came down to Roundwound strings over Flats & Groundwound.

[PJSShearer]

Originally Posted by harry182

...I use the side of my thumb around the joint to slap and then to pop just pull the string up with one of your fingers and let it go (best way i can explain it) ....

+1 also:

1. Keep your wrist loose - think in terms of trying to bounce your thumb off the strings so it stays in contact with the string for the shortest time.. If your thumb stays in contact with the string for too long then all you'll get is a dull thud !!.

2. Thump over the neck joint - the sound you are trying to get is mostly caused by the strings bouncing off the frets.

[kesslari]

There are two main approaches to slapping.
1. Strike the string and bounce it off the fret (at the neck joint). Bounce your thumb off the string.

2. Strike the thumb past the string, resting it on the next string - this approach is considered better by people who "double thumb".

[G00D+~VIBES]

www.PlayBassNow.com Thomas a.k.a MarloweDK's site is pretty good for inspiration. I make a daily visit. But, like everything else we do there is no exact way of doing so. It is always about make it work for you mostly via trial and error, and that my friend, is what the ol' woodshed is for.

[steveo33]

Gang,

I've just started the slap / pop; I've come to the point where the thumb is doing what it should, I'm "getting" the left hand ghost/muted note, but I need some advice on amp eq. I've been woodshedding at work with an old Peavey T-20 without an amp. It sounds passable, but I take it home to my amp, or to the Rick 4001, it loses something. The T-20 action is about twice as high as the Rick--I understand you want really low action for a good slap, but the Peavey gets a better ring with a "flat" amp eq. I'm twiddling knobs, boosting mids, compressing, etc. but a few pointers here can keep me from a roadie to Guitar Center to gawk at a Vic Wooten worshipper...

Thanks,
S33

[JimK]

Originally Posted by steveo33

I understand you want really low action for a good slap...

I would say those from the '70s (Graham, Rainey, Louis Johnson, Will Lee, Marcus Miller, etc)& those that still play in that vibe...did/do not have "really low action".
For the double-thumping/thumb/Wooten style...probably yes.
Tapping probably requires "really low action", too.

[killersdude]

Originally Posted by Electrosphere

Seriously, I've been playing for years now, and I just can't slap and pop (only regular finger bass).

And I've seen several online tutorials and they're just horrifically vague and undetailed.

For one thing, how do you "slap" the string? With the side of your thumb? Your palm? Because I've seen slap and pop where the guy seems to slap flat-palmed, while others do it looking like their strumming with their thumb in a downward motion.

I've been slapping strings on my bass a million different ways and I can't get that "slap" sound. Do I have to adjust my dials (either on my guitar or my amp)? Do you have to have your mids or lows or highs or gain or compression set to a certain level?

And when you "pop," do you literally just pull the string away from the neck and release? Should the string hit the neck when it recoils? Because I've been trying that and I can't get that "pop" sound.

Please help.

I didn't have time to read all of the reply posts, so forgive any doubling of thoughts that may occur, but...

Do yourself a favor and learn to slap "through" the string, not just on top! The sick tone that you hear from the modern "slap greats" is generally achieved by slapping through, rather than on top of (such as the style of Flea, which works perfectly if you are looking for that tone!) I'm a huge peppers fan, but I wish that I had learned to slap by listening to someone aside from Flea, despite his brilliance! It's easier to learn to slap through and then step back to slapping on top, than to do it the other way around I've found. Hope this helps!

[Electrosphere]

Originally Posted by killersdude

I didn't have time to read all of the reply posts, so forgive any doubling of thoughts that may occur, but...

Do yourself a favor and learn to slap "through" the string, not just on top! The sick tone that you hear from the modern "slap greats" is generally achieved by slapping through, rather than on top of (such as the style of Flea, which works perfectly if you are looking for that tone!) I'm a huge peppers fan, but I wish that I had learned to slap by listening to someone aside from Flea, despite his brilliance! It's easier to learn to slap through and then step back to slapping on top, than to do it the other way around I've found. Hope this helps!

What do you mean "slap through?" You mean slap it so the string hits the fret board? During the "slap" should my thumb/hand/whatever slide off the side and under my string or stay in contact constantly?

[G00D+~VIBES]

I believe 'slap through' is similar to pluck through only in the opposite direction. Or, when slapping with the thump in a downward motion, it should come to rest on the string below it once the motion is completed.

[pandaman37]

so kinda like the double thumb, but not coming back up? cos ive heard 'slapping through' before, and when i tried it i just got a bit more of a thumpier, almost fingerstyle tone, not really a slap.