How do you slap with your fingers?

duo8675309 · #1 03-26-2006, 07:48 AM

I was at my school's talent show and this one guy was playing slap on a jazz bass. It sounded pretty cool, but he was turned around so i couldn't see him play (they were just filling in while the judges made their decision). When he turned around though, he was playing with his fingers like normal. But it sounded EXACTLY like slap! I don't see how he did it! I don't think you can get your tone like that out of your amp, can you? Is this possible? I know he wasn't faking it, b/c I've seen him play before. I just don't know how he did it!

ignignok · #2 03-26-2006, 09:22 AM

Strike the strings closer to the fretboard and use more attack. On the song "A Chick from Corea", Wooten plays with what he calls "chikin pikin" to get the classical guitar sound, and it sounds alot like slap.

mothmonsterman · #3 03-26-2006, 04:24 PM

seems like he's hitting hard and almost tapping but not quite.

SBassman · #4 03-26-2006, 04:44 PM

Using just regular two finger technique, if you smack at the strings a few inches up the bottom of the fretboard, you'll get a sound that's almost like slap. It's actually my ahem, *technique*

when looking for some slap sounds.

[Have to admit I never really connected yet with true slap technique. Maybe someday.]

chaosMK · #5 03-27-2006, 12:57 AM

Just fool around with it. Most likely his action was set pretty low.

Now that I think about it, I find it kind of hard to imagine it truly sounding like slap, at least the aggressive slap that I like for prog metal. If I use a pretty heavy fingerstyle- nearly pulling the strings and popping them on every note-I can get an almost slap sound on certain ranges of the bass (not B or E as much, but definately A, D), but it doesnt sound like or have the nuance my thumb slapping.

Stanley Design · #6 03-27-2006, 02:19 AM

Yeah you have to sort of tap the string, think of it as tapping but a hammer-on/pull-off at the same time. You hit the string fast and pull away fast, just like you would with your thumb, but instead, with your fingertip. It's just a different style, I know a guy who only slaps that way, and does it very fast, it's cool.

JimK · #7 03-27-2006, 04:54 AM

Stanley Clarke has been doing this for years....Marcus Miller, too.

It's placement of the plucking hand(somewhere between the neck & the neck pickup) + the force of the attack.

anonymous278347457 · #8 03-27-2006, 12:19 PM

this guy sorta does it at the beginning of the video

http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFiles/qbmovie2.html

Joe P · #9 03-27-2006, 01:50 PM

What you were hearing very-well could have been regular-but-aggressive finger-style. I run a very low action, and a good finger-funk whack - especially right-against the neck pup - sounds quite a bit like a pop (did you mean "pop"?), on my Jazz Flats strings, anyway.

Joe

Joe P · #10 03-27-2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedonutman

this guy sorta does it at the beginning of the video

http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFiles/qbmovie2.html

Gads!

Well - uhh... sort-of...

Joe

theroan · #11 03-27-2006, 03:10 PM

Essentially, while you have your index finger and thumb locked on the neck, you "Clap" down on it in such a way to create a percussice sound. So if you're making a note, you're doin it wrong.

Juneau · #12 03-27-2006, 03:13 PM

I saw a left hand bass player playing with George Clinton for a couple songs, and he played a right-handed bass upside down, and was slapping on it. Slapped with his fingers and plucked with his thumb. Youd never know if you werent looking though. Im not quite sure how he did it hehe.

beattycx · #13 03-27-2006, 09:51 PM

I do this occasionally.

Assume regular playing position as far as angle of hand and fingers go. As mentioned slide up towards the fretboard (I play up there alot anyway just because I like a really smooth, full tone).

Now just angle your hand back a little bit so you're slapping the fingers a little more, and just follow through the string like normal so you don't interfere with it smacking the fretboard like a normal slap.

Basically just reduce your playing angle so you're playing "down" through the strings instead of plucking it so it vibrates side to side. Turn up the treble and go.

rymix · #14 03-28-2006, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedonutman

this guy sorta does it at the beginning of the video

http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFiles/qbmovie2.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe P

Gads!

Well - uhh... sort-of...

Joe

+1

(As appears to be the protocol around here.)

Mighty impressive yet...kinda weird. Begs the question: why?

egan3426 · #15 03-30-2006, 09:48 PM

i do that alot. it wasn't originally intentional, i just kept losing my picks and playing neanderthal style fingers so hard that i kept bouncing the strings off of the neck. go to vide.google.com and type in either john entwistle or 5:15. he does the "typwriter" whip is kind of like that.

TheJimster · #16 03-31-2006, 06:17 AM

as all have said two fingers smacking 1 1/8 inches below the fret board will give you a slappish sound.

Corbow · #17 03-31-2006, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedonutman

this guy sorta does it at the beginning of the video

http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFiles/qbmovie2.html

Hey, guys do you know what equipment he uses? Because I really love the sound!!!

SBassman · #18 03-31-2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corbow

Hey, guys do you know what equipment he uses? Because I really love the sound!!!

Well, that's a new twist for me. Never saw anybody play like that. I like it. [but, he should be running two channels - a lead channel, and a fatter, legitimate bass channel]

Meehaw · #19 04-01-2006, 07:51 AM

Wasn't it more like the technique Doug Wimbish uses? It looks much more like tapping than the chicken picking AND sunds much more like slapping.

Figjam · #20 04-01-2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corbow

Hey, guys do you know what equipment he uses? Because I really love the sound!!!

Maybe you should play electric guitar then

IMo the beginning is too lead like for me.