how to improve my "snap" timing??

[kramer.j]

Hi,

after 25+ years of playing, I'm fairly confident about my timing... except for one area. I'm satisfied about the groove of my fingerstyle, pick, and slap (thumb!) timing, but I'm sloppy with the snapped notes. So, the notes that are slapped on the lower strings will be ok, but the notes that are snapped on the higher strings tend to be too late.
Anyone have advice to become a tighter snapper???
Thnx, Jaap

[bassplayerbob]

Start by snapping on the snare hits. I read an article with Larry graham saying he used his thumb to mimic a bass drum and popped to mimic a snare snap. Good place to start.

[Arranger]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Just lurking here and learned something really important. Awesome advice.

[Buxtehude]

Snaps are more commonly called 'pops'. Possibly you are digging too much under the string when popping. Hope that helps.

[JimmyM]

Always subdivide the beat in your head. If I'm slapping in 4/4, instead of counting 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, I will count 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a, just like Mrs. Ellmore taught me in middle school band class That subdivides the beat into 16th notes. Really helps.

[conqr]

All great advice, wish I'd known this stuff way back when. Prominent in my memory was the not 'gripping' the string too much, the 'pop' is dynamically much louder (without compression to tame it that is) so you can relax the finger, using mostly the tip/nail. This relaxation helps reduce that delay - clearly you're hearing the right time in your head (some don't)

Sometimes when 'in full flight' you don't even really need a full throated 'pop', I often use little more than a ghost note when popping. This is especially so when you allow a bit of high mid/top end in your tone.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Always subdivide the beat in your head. If I'm slapping in 4/4, instead of counting 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, I will count 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a, just like Mrs. Ellmore taught me in middle school band class That subdivides the beat into 16th notes. Really helps.

I read an old Rocco interview where he talked about the importance of feeling the 16th notes in everything too!

John

[kramer.j]

thanks for the replies, folks!
Slow patterns are ok, but my timing suffers more when the pattern is fast / complex. Probably need to woodshed a bit more...
Jaap

[JTE]

Originally Posted by kramer.j

Probably need to woodshed a bit more...Jaap

Yeah, that's ultimately the answer most of the time. A friend of mine (Andy McRory) used to say "More Mel Bay, Less E-Bay".

John