How to speed up slap?

[bassit]

So slow when I play in SLAP, when I speed up, everything
is in a mass! so if there is any short-way to speed up the
slap?especially for the right-hand! thanks in advance!

[Suckbird]

Be relaxed when you play, i found out that i get a lot more flow in my playing when i'm relaxed.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

I don't think there is a "short way" to get better. The best thing you can do is practice with your metronome at a tempo you feel comfortable with and speed it up a little bit every day. When things start to sound sloppy, go back until you sound good. For loosening your right hand/forearm, Mr. Michael Dimin shows a great exercise in his website.

Hope this helps.

[Suckbird]

michaeldimin.com still doesn't work for me?

Why?

[Martybass]

You may be lifting your hand too far away from the strings when you're slapping and (probably more common) popping. You really don't have to bring your hand that far away. All you have to do is clear the strings.

[JMX]

Most people hit way too hard, you only need a light touch and small motions, this will enable you to increase your slapping speed.

[ryco]

Originally Posted by JMX

Most people hit way too hard, you only need a light touch and small motions, this will enable you to increase your slapping speed.

So a light touch and a little more volume maybe? Sometimes when I'm slappin' I can't hear it as well as when I'm playing finger style. And what about compressor setting? Thanx

[AuG]

Originally Posted by JMX

Most people hit way too hard, you only need a light touch and small motions, this will enable you to increase your slapping speed.

+1
Tell that to Flea. How many E strings has he broken?

Try hitting farther back toward the bridge, sometimes the tighter tension of the string coming off the saddle allows you to thumb bounce, as I call it.

Oog

[bassist66]

Wow, I'm actually really surprised the slap-bashers haven't arrived yet.

Anyways, you just have to practice alot and it will get easier. Also, it seems that slap doesn't have to be played really fast to sound good, it just has to groove.

[steveksux]

Yup, I wouldn't worry about speed so much now, that'll come with time/practice. Think "Economy of motion". Don't wind up the thumb way off the fretboard, then come crashing down. Small movements. Same for the pop. The less physical distance you have to move, the closer you stay to the strings, the faster you can go with less effort.

For now, work on getting all the subtle rhythmic variations down. Sometimes the same lines switch positions by 1/16 or 1/8th in time, make sure you notice when and can do those.

Make sure you practice with a metronome, and I recommend recording yourself (even cheap tape recorder) and play back. When you're struggling, you don't notice how out of time you are. When you can play with a metronome, and still feel the groove, only then can you snatch the pebbles from my hand, Grass-slapper. Then it is time for you to leave. Go to GC and try out basses.

Until you can play with a metronome, generally you'll be out of time, and drive drummers and bandmates crazy with your slapping attempts. Lots of slapping accents take place on various off-beat 1/16 notes, its gotta be obvious to everyone else when you've changed which ones you're accenting vs you've simply slipped 1/16 out of time. That's when the groove evaporates as everyone drifts around aimlessly iin time (remember the TV show "Time Tunnel"? Don't end up like those guys.... lost forever in the mists of time...) trying to find where you left the downbeat. Gee, it was here a minute ago???

Randy

[bassit]

So many usefull info makes me clean and clear!
Near to string,relax,time/practise , I think I have found the shortest
way to speed up! thank you all! If u can find out the root-truth of the matter, then you have successed a half!