How to slap like Ryan from mudvayne or Fieldy from Korn?

[anarchipur]

Hi,

I am interested to learn the metal bass slap techniques typical for bands like mudvayne (Ryan) or Korn (Fieldy). It seems to be different from funk slapping but I'm not sure

Regretfully all youtube lessons I could find are too fast.
I would like to see it slow and better explained.

Can anybody help with a link to an appropriate video?
Thanks!

[Von Felgenhauer]

Well that was helpful.... As far as anyone knows, fieldy turns his mids all the way down and his lows and highs all the way up. Then he just thumps with his thumb. I don't think he pops or plucks. And yes, he does have his action Steve Harris low to get part of that clangy metallic sound when the strings bounce off the fret board. Nothing to hard, just takes practice to get it down.

[BinkyBassist]

Well, Ryan's technique and sound are very different from Fieldy style, I think.
Ryan's tone, for me, is amazing and actually present in the mix, with a lot of mid-range growl, not just click.
It would help to learn "typewriter" fingerpicking, as done by Ryan and Entwistle. Hold a chord with your fretting hand and tap it on the strings with the plucking hand, as if you were tapping on a table... I don't know if I explained it right.

[AmadeusXeno]

I've found a hard agressive slap works pretty good for getting the slap style they do. They both use very low action in the studio. Ryan does raise his action up for tours though. A big part of the sound they get is the way they eq everything. Also adding in some gain will help get their tone. For Fieldy's tone no mids all bass & trebel. For Ryan's tone slightly scooped mids with even bass and trebel. That should get you close to the tones you are looking for.

[anarchipur]

Thanks guys! I will try your advices.

any youtube videos as well.?
yeaz..!

[Snuggles]

Here's a youtube video about Fieldy:

YouTube - IMV Trailer: Fieldy, bassist for KoRn

I know you don't want to hear this, but I seriously want to warn you not to look to Fieldy for inspiration in your playing. He has a somewhat limited and awkward technique that definitely restricts him as a player.

[Von Felgenhauer]

But oh know, if it fits a particular song or maybe he's covering it? You never know. There is nothing wrong with learning a new technique. He might even decide its horrible after he trys it, but I say go for it and try it. It would at least be an intro to slapping.

[Rojo Grande]

Originally Posted by HeadyVan Halen

1st: Set action low.
2nd: Sound like sh!t.

Done.

+100....Feldy or whatever his name is does not play bass.

[tttmmoorree]

if you want to be like fieldy...

don't pay a single bit of attention to your tone, in fact the worse it is the better you will be at sounding like fieldy

[panama]

Why do you want to sound like a bass player that you can't hear?

[Nev375]

God forbid anyone take a new approach to playing bass.

If what Fieldy does is not playing bass, then neither is what Michael Manring does.

[tdub0199]

aside from all the negative remarks about Fieldy and his tone.... I don't think Ryans tone is no where near Fieldys.... Ryan has one of the better bass tones in modern metal or whatever genre you wanna call it..... although I find a lack of interest in Fieldy/Korn myself, i'm not going to bash him/them either......

[Tampabass]

Call me crazy, but I think I'd rather slap Ryan or Fieldy than slap LIKE them.

[BobaFret]

Love the open minded peeps around here.

I would suggest just focusing on the technique itself. Ryan is a VERY technical player and his stuff isn't super easy to play even if you know what you are doing. He also uses different tunings so you can't just look at him and copy the licks.

Find some lines that you know now that you like and can play. Now try and play those lines as slap lines.

[makkE]

+1, Nev

I think fieldy tunes down as well, doesn't he?

[AmadeusXeno]

Feildy tunes down one whole step. Ryan tunes in drop C (drop D tuning tuned down a whole step in case someone doesn't know).

[lyes4string]

if you want to play like ryan its gonna take some practice. he started playing classical guitar when he was like 12 and took the technique to bass. hes not truly slapping the strings though its more of a percussive attack with the top of your finger as one post stated the type writer style. imagine the strings are like trampolines you have to use the vibrations you make with your attack to your advantage, and play off the bounce of the string. i know it sounds weird but thats the main way i play and its the only way to describe it. the strings do most of the work by simply bouncing off your fingers. this tech also works best when tuned down naturally, i tune to drop B on my 4string and it gets the job done.

[Joe Nerve]

Wow, a Fieldy hate thread. I thought they went out of style.

Didn't Fieldy gain all his hate after saying in a BP magazine interview that his sneaker choice was more important to him than his bass? Something like that. Gotta love the guy for being who he is and not putting out a bunch of BS.

[chokeslam512]

If you would like to slap like Fieldy, please refer to his early material while he was in the band, "Creep". This was before they tuned to A. See Below:

YouTube - Creep - Soul Suck

In my limited knowledge of musical theory, I would say the only difference between funk slap and metal slap would have to be the rhythm progressions and time signatures. Other than that, the thumping and snapping are pretty much the same.

[Not Okay]

TS: I have found that ryan uses a traditional slapping technique on songs like dig or Internal Primates Forever. Not a lot of left hand tech, but he does tend to bounce his thumb on/off the strings for percussive attack. Fieldy, on the other hand, tends to slap the strings with all four pointer fingers, in rhythm with his thumb and pop. Also, a big tip to make slap sections sound full, when popping twice in a row, come down on the strings with your thumb to make a dead note in-between.

Best of luck.