Need advice on slapping technique/setup

[RiK2718]

So, i've been playing bass for about 2 years now and i think i've been doing pretty good. anyways, i decided to start trying to learn how to slap and such, but i keep coming into a problem. i have a peavey grind 4 string with passive soapbars. i want to be able to slap out some good old fashioned funk tones, but i can't seem to find it. whenever i try to slap it always just sounds like i'm punching my bass. i thought maybe it was technique, but i've read enough and watched enough videos that i'm pretty sure my technique is near dead on, so i believe it's just a matter of tone. any suggestions for eq setup or anything else would be much appreciated. i've also read that active pickups may be better for slapping...? should i change my passive soapbars? and if so, do they make any active soapbars? i would really hate to have to do any kind of body modification to my bass, i'm in love with it. but anyway, any tips to improve my tone would be much appreciated.

[Spencer!]

The tone is all in the fingers.

Try slapping more lightly. It's just a slight wrist motion.

[Tony Oppenheim]

Originally Posted by RiK2718

... whenever i try to slap it always just sounds like i'm punching my bass...

Rik,

When you practice slap what do you practice?

It's important to spend some time, especially at the beginning, working on just playing single notes with your thumb.

Woodwind players do something similar playing "long" tones to warm up.

In my book, Slap It!, I have a couple of exercises that are just played on a single open string. Just varying the timing of the notes. Starting out with a single quarter note in a bar and gradually working up from there.

These exercises are really important because they give you the time to think about the sound you're getting with each stroke, and then to internalize it into your muscle memory, so that as you're moving on to playing more complex music you still get that sound without having to think about each note.

So the key is to slow down and concentrate on your stroke. Once you've got it, it's like riding a bike, you won't have to work so hard to get the sound you want.

Cheers!

Tony

[RiK2718]

Originally Posted by Tony Oppenheim

Rik,

When you practice slap what do you practice?

Tony

Well, i've started trying to practice a basic octave slap/pop like an A5/G7 type thing but the slap always sounds -much- louder than the pops. i've tried varying my slapping strength, thinking maybe i was hitting the string to hard, but it either sounds to loud, or i don't get the slap sound because i'm not hitting hard enough. also, i don't know if it would matter to much, but i put the heaviest gauge elixer strings on my bass when i first got it with the intent of forcing me to improve my hand strength. could the heavier gauge strings be forcing me to slap to hard...? also, i've read some things here and there on the net about using compressor/limiters to smooth out the diffrence in tone between slaps and other notes...? and, btw, the thing that makes me think it's a tone problem is that when i practice slap on my acoustic, i can get the octave slap/pop to sound pretty good, i mainly have problems trying to get my electric to sound right. i guess i'm aiming for that old stanley clark-esque funk tone.

[Tony Oppenheim]

Originally Posted by RiK2718

Well, i've started trying to practice a basic octave slap/pop like an A5/G7 type thing but the slap always sounds -much- louder than the pops. i've tried varying my slapping strength, thinking maybe i was hitting the string to hard, but it either sounds to loud, or i don't get the slap sound because i'm not hitting hard enough. also, i don't know if it would matter to much, but i put the heaviest gauge elixer strings on my bass when i first got it with the intent of forcing me to improve my hand strength. could the heavier gauge strings be forcing me to slap to hard...? also, i've read some things here and there on the net about using compressor/limiters to smooth out the diffrence in tone between slaps and other notes...? and, btw, the thing that makes me think it's a tone problem is that when i practice slap on my acoustic, i can get the octave slap/pop to sound pretty good, i mainly have problems trying to get my electric to sound right. i guess i'm aiming for that old stanley clark-esque funk tone.

Rik,

I also recommend playing octaves, but not until you are able to really control the single note thing I was talking about in my prior email.

I can't imagine the heavy guage strings are helping. I'm not familiar with the brand you're using, so I don't know what guages are in their heavy set.

I'd go with light or medium strings. I've used Ken Smith's strings for many years. I think he calls the set I use Round Wound Mediums.

They are guaged:

G 44 , D 63, A 84, E 106

I don't know if Ken makes this exact set anymore. I haven't purchased new strings in quite a while.

I also used to use Roto Sound strings, they sounded great new, but didn't hold up very long.

Hand strength is important, but like a dancer you want to be firm and flexible, not muscle bound (If you want to be quick).

It's also important not to over stress your fingers, you'll pay a price for that later.

A compressor can be a good finishing touch, but I wouldn't base my technique on it.

Your sound should be in your hands first.

Good luck!

Tony

[SLaPiNFuNK]

slapping is easier on 24 frett basses... you have to do more work on less frett bass's imho...

there is a great book...

FUNK BASS by Jon Liebman

It helps with basic technique and teaches you basic grooves and some advanced stuff...

It may be old... been a while since ive been into the edjamakation thing...

[Warwick19]

Funny you should say that Rik, the pop is almost ALWAYS louder than the slap heh.

[Phlintlock]

I have no idea how to slap properly, I've tried and just get the sound of my string hitting the fretboard, but pops I can do, and yeah they seem to be ALOT louder than anything I'll get out of a slap when I can finally do it.

[jady]

Originally Posted by Tony Oppenheim

Rik,

When you practice slap what do you practice?

Victor wooten once said in a Bass Day DVD that you should practice everything you know fingerstyle and slapped, that way you arent limited to "funk in E" when you want to slap.

I agree, slaping is most commonly thought of as only a funk bass technique but in reality it is just another tonal weapon in you arsenal like palm muting, tapping, harmonics, etc. Also, you dont need to pop to slap, I have used my thumb for walking bass, classical etudes, and wherever I need a more marcato attack.

I would say, practice the funk lines you like, but also practice scales, arpeggios, and anything else you would normally practice, but just use your thumb until it is as comfortable as using your fingers. It's pretty easy to pop strings but getting a strong accurate thumb takes work.

Originally Posted by Phlintlock

I have no idea how to slap properly, I've tried and just get the sound of my string hitting the fretboard, but pops I can do, and yeah they seem to be ALOT louder than anything I'll get out of a slap when I can finally do it.

I have found that the only way to get a more ballanced volume between slaping and fingerstyle is to adjust my fingerstyle right hand. I have a tendency to pull real hard with my right hand and there is no way that slaping can keep up. I've had to lighten up my touch a lot. It's a a lot better on my hands and I tend to get a better tone altogether, let your amp get the volume, not your hands. If you need more volume, get a bigger amp.

[Phlintlock]

I actually don't pop hard at all, just enough to get the sound, it just usually ends up being loud. I also play strings really quietly, mainly because I normally practice alone and don't want anyone else being bothered by what I'm doing.

[Kosko]

+1, try to slap so that you can finger funk and slap/pop at the same volume letters. Then you can switch between the two smoothly. You can also mute the strings with the right side of your right hand while slapping to dull the sound.

By the way, Tony is the man. If you want a series of slap studies from beginner to too hard to play, Tony's book is the way to go.

[iplaybassguitar]

i had the same problem with a jazz bass i had, ive played others and they sound great when slapped, but i could never get the slap tone to equal other basses ive played, i changed the setup to everything possible and i tried every possible turning of the knobs on my eq but nothing worked
so i bought a better bass
: )

[J.Christ]

I'm having a very similar problem when it comes to slapping. (I've been playing for a little over 6 months, and every teacher I've seen said I've been doing very well for my playing time, and keep telling me to look into popping and slapping.) I can pop like nothing, but when I slap, I tend to get more of a rough -Tick- sound than the smoothe bass lick I've been hoping for. Any suggestions? I've tried slapping softer, harder, in different areas surrounding my pickups, I've checked to see if my string is hitting any of my frets, or my pickups. And so far all of those dont seem to meet my problem. Help please? Sorry Rik for disturbing your thread but I felt it would only make sense to use a thread thats already been started, and maybe we are having the same problem.

Edit: I also get the same sound when I am tapping, If this helps. I've thought that maybe its my strings? Or my fretboard? Or something, Still unsure.

[SamJ]

Originally Posted by Tony Oppenheim

Rik,

I also recommend playing octaves, but not until you are able to really control the single note thing I was talking about in my prior email.

I can't imagine the heavy guage strings are helping. I'm not familiar with the brand you're using, so I don't know what guages are in their heavy set.

I'd go with light or medium strings. I've used Ken Smith's strings for many years. I think he calls the set I use Round Wound Mediums.

They are guaged:

G 44 , D 63, A 84, E 106

I don't know if Ken makes this exact set anymore. I haven't purchased new strings in quite a while.

I also used to use Roto Sound strings, they sounded great new, but didn't hold up very long.

Hand strength is important, but like a dancer you want to be firm and flexible, not muscle bound (If you want to be quick).

It's also important not to over stress your fingers, you'll pay a price for that later.

A compressor can be a good finishing touch, but I wouldn't base my technique on it.

Your sound should be in your hands first.

Good luck!

Tony

I would listen to anything Tony has to say on this subject! Tony nice to see you posting here..

BTW.. I have no problems getting great slap bass out of a Fender Jazz... after all I'm sure well more than 1/2 of the old school slap bassists of the 70's funk and disco era were playing Jazz basses or P basses.. It's all in the action, and a good setup.

[funkymnk9]

ive been playing for almost 2 years and I got pretty good at slap in about a month by basically going on my own and trying to learn the old red hot chili peppers songs, like higher ground, fight like a brave, etc.

[J.Christ]

Just to clear things up, I'm a moron. I figured out what I was doing wrong. I was more-less 'slapping' the string inward towards the fretboard, rather than in a downward motion. All is well and I'm attempting to learn some slower slap/pop bass pieces. =]

Edit: Still missing the concept on slapping mute notes, though. Help? =]

[labgnat]

eq wise i want my treble fairly high and bass at 2 or 3, and tone on my bass as bright as it will go, and both pick ups all the way on. if your strings are dead you'll never get what's considered a good slap tone. just fiddle with the knobs a while and you'll find something nice, but it is defintely easier if you know what function those knobs serve. and Tony's book is supposedly the best to learn slap bass with so his advice is defintely great

[iamlowsound]

Slapping muted notes, lay all of your fretting hand fingers so they are touching the strings so to mute the strings and slap like you would a normal note.

lowsound

[GSRLessard14]

Tony's book r0xx0rs my s0xx0rs.

[J.Christ]

Are there any popular songs, (preferrably slower), that a beginner to slap/popping can look into? for practise? I mean, I've been playing basic bass scales and lines that I used to learn to play standard, but they dont seem to jump around enough to play both slapping and popping at the same time