Just started slappin'!!!! & I got a question - Page 2

dakine · #21 12-19-2003, 11:22 AM

There needs to be a lot of clearance at the end of the fretboard to play slap. If there's a pickup in the way, it can really make slapping problematic. I have much more luck with single-pickup basses.

BustinJustin · #22 12-19-2003, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cods
you can't technically slap on a fretless.

TECHNICALLY your wrong. Broaden your mind bro! Buy a new CD, get out in the world, experience life, put down the pick.

Brilliant Fool · #23 12-19-2003, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BustinJustin
TECHNICALLY your wrong. Broaden your mind bro! Buy a new CD, get out in the world, experience life, put down the pick.

I'm still waiting to see what this guy has to say!!

Maybe he has some... scientifically valid point?

Or something?

I'm dying of curiousity. Then again, he could just be... less than smart.

BustinJustin · #24 12-19-2003, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brilliant Fool
I'm still waiting to see what this guy has to say!!

Maybe he has some... scientifically valid point?

Or something?

I'm dying of curiousity. Then again, he could just be... less than smart.

its killin me too

Boozy · #25 12-19-2003, 02:43 PM

Maybe the dude meant a (fretless) upright bass.. or maybe he was just mistaken and now feels kinda dumb..

I'd like to see a responce though, either way.

Tyler Hole · #26 12-19-2003, 04:34 PM

Eh...my Essex BG205 doesn't have much clearance between the neck pickup and the neck...but I still slap...I'm failing to see what the problem is here?

dakine · #27 12-19-2003, 05:32 PM

A neck pickup can get in the way when you pop the strings. It can also be a problem if you slap hard - the string can hit the pickup.

Try slapping on a p-bass (or single-pickup bass) sometime, it's nice to have lots of room near the end of the fretboard.

dakine · #28 12-19-2003, 05:33 PM

You can definitely slap an upright! Rockabilly baby! Fretless, too.

Tyler Hole · #29 12-19-2003, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dakine
A neck pickup can get in the way when you pop the strings. It can also be a problem if you slap hard - the string can hit the pickup.

Try slapping on a p-bass (or single-pickup bass) sometime, it's nice to have lots of room near the end of the fretboard.

I admit that it is tight between the neck pickup and the neck, but I can pop on it. Also, I have NO problem w/ the pickup getting hit. It's all in how you set it up I guess.

nonsqtr · #30 12-19-2003, 09:02 PM

Yes, a couple of points (2c each):

1. Slap is a technique, not a sound. You can slap on any bass. ANY bass. Period.

2. That famous quote by Jeff Berlin: "any fool can slap a bass". Apparently he's not one of 'em.

3. "Traditional" slap is a very underdeveloped art form, and the traditional slap "sounds" are also very underdeveloped. If you stick with the basses that are considered to be "traditionally" good sounding with slap styles, like J basses and Stingrays and so forth, you will end up with a very "ordinary" sound. If you're a rock solid player you'll be perceived in exactly that way, a rock solid player with a very ordinary sound. If you want something "exciting" or "unusual" sounding, you'll have to look to some of the more newfangled slap basses, like F basses and Roscoes are two of my favorites. And everyone probably knows about Alembic (and Stanley Clarke, and Louis Johnson, and Mark King, and etc etc).

4. If you ever have the opportunity to take any slap lessons, get your teacher to show you "left hand slap". That's the essence and the epitome of the slap style. Everything else (thumbs, popping, and so forth) is just an embellishment.

5. The amp is very important. Frequencies that might not usually be considered as sounding "good" for fingerstyle bass, are essential for slapping. Try dialing up an octave right around 175 Hz (yep, right in the middle of the "muddy" range), and see what that does for the sound of your thumb.

6. Occam's razor: do not use excessive treble! Use only as much as is necessary. Brightness is not an essential part of the slap sound.

Brilliant Fool · #31 12-20-2003, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nonsqtr
4. If you ever have the opportunity to take any slap lessons, get your teacher to show you "left hand slap". That's the essence and the epitome of the slap style...

By 'left hand slap', do you mean muting the string with your index finger and thumping it with the other three fingers to make a muted slap-ish sound?

Please explain.

Matthew Bryson · #32 12-23-2003, 10:47 AM

Usually I prefer my no-name 4 string P bass for slap - steel round wounds, tone turned up all the way. A great tone IMO - plenty bright with lots of bottom. The nice wide string spacing lets me be really aggressive and still not get too sloppy.

Sometimes, I prefer to use my 5 string Ibanez EDB605 - also steel rounds, but active EQ and with a "Luthite" body and neck - the bass has a fairly distinct, somewhat dark sound. I usually scoop the EQ a bit but find I don't want to cut all my mids for slap, in fact, sometimes I crank the mids and the highs and roll of the lows a bit. The fiver has a lot tighter string spacing and the low B to contend with, so I end up focusing a bit more on muting and often end up with kind of a palm muted staccato kind of slap style on that bass. It's a totally different sound, but cool. The fiver also growls more than the P (especially on the 5th string) and of course it is the weapon of choice when going below low E, regardless of style or technique

GobyWan · #33 12-27-2003, 01:17 AM

What's up with this whole "left hand slap is the essence" thing? I've heard that more than once, and I don't quite get it - am I supposed to be smacking the fretboard while I'm slapping with my right hand? I kinda do that already, it's just another percussive thing that adds to the sound. I don't pay attention to it, though, and I don't understand why people keep trying to redefine "slap bass" on us.

Slap bass, technique-wise, is widely accepted to refer to hitting the strings percussively with the side of the right thumb, augmented by pulling other strings up with the right hand fingers so they snap back on the fretboard, which is commonly known as popping. That's what we all know, so don't try to change it on us and tell us that every single bassist we've seen and heard slapping is somehow doing things wrong.

**Pacman** · #34 12-27-2003, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nonsqtr
2. That famous quote by Jeff Berlin: "any fool can slap a bass". Apparently he's not one of 'em.

Apparently, you've never heard "5G".

panazza · #35 12-28-2003, 05:51 AM

It may seem strange but I don't like slapping... I don't like the feel and the tone... anyway I know some basses sound better than others slapped. I think that string spacing is important... more string space=easier to slap. In fact I think that music man stingrays have bigger string spacing than fender jazz basses... I heard the stingray is a slapping machine... I just tried one at the shop yesterday and I found this to be true