Interesting Slap Issue I Can't Fix

[Hippos Melas]

I've done several recordings of myself on YouTube and when I was watching one I did today, I figured out why I have almost no speed to my slap technique. When I pluck the strings, I'm anchoring my hand against the fretboard or the body of the bass and pushing against it to pluck. That's a really weird way to read it, and it'll make more sense if you watch it (don't mind my playing...I rush just about everything ).

Anyone have any issues on how to solve this? It's GOT to be the only reason I can't get my speed up. I've been playing slap for over 3 years now and I have no hope of even trying to play a 16th note based slap line (e.g. "Blackeyed Blonde").

[millerfreak]

You do realize we sort of doing it the same way right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDotbYSw_yE

[Hippos Melas]

Yeah, but if you look at what you do, it looks like you're almost flexing your wrist backwards to pop the string. I'm pushing off of the pick guard with my ring and pinky finger on my slapping hand.

[f'nar f'nar]

I'm no slap expert but I can hold my own. The plucking technique uses the wrist more than it uses the knuckles. When you are slapping you seem to be using the knuckle joint of your index finger, not only will you have a hard time building up speed like this, but you'll also find that your fingers will become tired very quickly.

Check out this Marlowdk vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y57r7...eature=channel

Notice how when he plucks the momentum comes from the twisting of his wrist and forearm and NOT from any noticeable movement in his finger joints!

I hope this helps!

[Hippos Melas]

Originally Posted by f'nar f'nar

I'm no slap expert but I can hold my own. The plucking technique uses the wrist more than it uses the knuckles. When you are slapping you seem to be using the knuckle joint of your index finger, not only will you have a hard time building up speed like this, but you'll also find that your fingers will become tired very quickly.

Check out this Marlowdk vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y57r7...eature=channel

Notice how when he plucks the momentum comes from the twisting of his wrist and forearm and NOT from any noticeable movement in his finger joints!

I hope this helps!

Ironically, I've been having pain in one of the joints in my index finger recently. I'm betting that if I start using my wrist that'll go away and I'll also suck less.

[millerfreak]

Originally Posted by Hippos Melas

Yeah, but if you look at what you do, it looks like you're almost flexing your wrist backwards to pop the string. I'm pushing off of the pick guard with my ring and pinky finger on my slapping hand.

Well it's abit of the brain and the hand. If you're going fast, don't stick your wrist to the pickguard. Loosen up abit.

[Skitch it!]

That Peppers line has a double pop on the index finger as part of the line, that explains why it's a little more difficult to do quickly, needs more force on the finger to double because the hand isn't getting 'snap back' as in when you use your thumb in conjunction with your index at the same time.

For faster stuff, I just tend to lock the thumb and index in position with the hand and all the force/swing/rock/slapback/whatever comes from the wrist, don't get too much finger under the string to pop it, just enough to lift it and release back to the fret board.

[zephyr_words]

I have a hard time with sounding really fast ghost notes\double ghost notes. Has anyone else experienced that? Something like get up and jump or can't stop where they are thrown in all over the place I have a hard time slapping. I can play it straight up no problem.

Get up and jump:

G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----5-----3-----5-----3----3h5----5-----3-----5-----3----3h5---|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3----x-x---x-x---x-x---x-x----3----x-x---x-x---x-x---x-x----3-|

Edit:
Can't Stop

G|-----7---9---------7---9---X-----|-----7---9---------7---9---X-----|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-7-----------7---7---X---X---7---|-5-----------5---5---X---X-------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------------------5---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
   T   P   P   T   T P T P T P T     T   P   P   T   T P T P T P T

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----9---9---------9---9---X-----|-----10--10--------10--10--X-----|
A|---------------------------------|-----------------------------5---|
E|-7-----------7---7---X---X---7---|-8-----------8---8---X---X-------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
   T   P   P   T   T P T P T P T     T   P   P   T   T P T P T P T

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by zephyr_words

I have a hard time with sounding really fast ghost notes\double ghost notes. Has anyone else experienced that? Something like get up and jump or can't stop where they are thrown in all over the place I have a hard time slapping. I can play it straight up no problem.

Get up and jump:

G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----5-----3-----5-----3----3h5----5-----3-----5-----3----3h5---|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3----x-x---x-x---x-x---x-x----3----x-x---x-x---x-x---x-x----3-|

A lot of quick left hand muting involved in the fast dead note stuff, or is it a right hand thing, is that what your saying?

After a listen, that E string is well muted with the unused finger/s of the left hand to keep it staccato.

[zephyr_words]

On Get up and jump I'm pretty sure Flea wraps his hand around where his thumb can mute the E string. It's such a fast song a get hand pile up if I try to mute otherwise.

And yes, muting with the left hand with dead note stuff is my problem. I can slap it fine and even put in notes in the place of ghost notes.

[Skitch it!]

A lot of players take muting for-granted but it's 50% of everything we do, it's not an easy technique to get down to it's optimum. 25 years later I'm still finding stuff that needs an individual approach to muting just for a certain attack. It's well worth practising and getting the touch down, it does real justice to all the stuff you do with the right hand and brings it all together imo ; )

My advice to anyone copping (emulating) a sound or style, youtube a live version, watch the bassists hands, position on the neck and what muting/style you can gather, a lot easier if you can see how/where it's being done (if possible).

[millerfreak]

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

That Peppers line has a double pop on the index finger as part of the line, that explains why it's a little more difficult to do quickly, needs more force on the finger to double because the hand isn't getting 'snap back' as in when you use your thumb in conjunction with your index at the same time.

For faster stuff, I just tend to lock the thumb and index in position with the hand and all the force/swing/rock/slapback/whatever comes from the wrist, don't get too much finger under the string to pop it, just enough to lift it and release back to the fret board.

That's still possible, and you're missing one point. When you do the second popping the thumb doesn't have to hit the string. Mute the string where the thumb hits, and pop again. That way you'll have the ghost notes sort of helping you feeling that space instead of awkward skipping 3rd beat.

It's about filling the space.

And this is something that's usually underestimated, but learn to play slow. Listen to every note that you play, don't play fast. Work out what's happening between your left hand and right hand. There's so much into learning different technique of slapping.

Regarding working out how to do something, if you know the basics, most of the time you don't even need to look at what's the bass player's doing. You just have to listen to it. This, can be achieved by working out every technique that you know, being able to mention every single technical points. Why is that? because we have different approach towards techniques. We have different comfort in playing techniques. So find something that works for you.

[f'nar f'nar]

Just as an extra note, you should check out this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidSin.../0/ZflBTTNjCsE

He does a lot of really excellent RHCP covers, I would say easily the best on youtube! Watch his vid's for pointers!

[IncX]

Get Up and Jump was one of the first "fast" slap lines i learned ...

the first time i did it, i did something like 'palm muting' ... so instead of muting with my left hand, i let the palm of my right hand rest against the strings for the 2 muted ghost notes on the E string.

eventually i ended up double thumping it while still muting the E string ghost notes in my palm... coincidentally, its the same thing i do when i play a slapped version of the intro to metallica's "master of puppets"

+1 to learning how to "slap mute" with your left hand because its one of flea's favorite thing to do (it makes him look he is flying all over the fretboard too).

and oh, i have a really bad video of me slapping something fast (and senseless, but hey, it was one of my first videos):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WCKJWnUgxw

a big part of that sound is triplet combinations with your left hand.

-*-

and oh, i think you are a very tasteful player

[Hippos Melas]

Originally Posted by f'nar f'nar

Just as an extra note, you should check out this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidSin.../0/ZflBTTNjCsE

He does a lot of really excellent RHCP covers, I would say easily the best on youtube! Watch his vid's for pointers!

Way ahead of you dude haha. David's really good. He also uses a different slap technique than I do so it's hard for me to try and convert it over to my own style, which I guess is more Larry Graham-esque.

[pengyou40]

It's apparent right away in the video clip that you are doing the pop part using your finger muscles to pull the string. For me, it's all wrist rocking...back and forth...back and forth. Like a pump or something... Stay with me here... Think of the bass like a drum and your thumb is the kick and your popping fingers (whichever they may be) are the snare. Start slow, then build up fast and keep that faster pace for a minute or two. The coolest part to me is when you start putting in sweet muted notes for percussive effect. So killer. Keep practicing.... I started putting in 10-15 hours a week to finally get on top of the slap technique. Now it's time for me to learn double thumb...YIKES!

[AHbassist]

I can effectively hide my slow slap by doing half the work with my fretting hand, although there are some instances where it doesn't help at all.