Need some advice with what i should do with slapping

Chili · #1 07-19-2007, 07:35 AM

hey all, i've been practicing coming back up with the thumb when slapping, but aim to be able to use it like i would use finger style but with more of an aggressive sound, basicly using my thumb like a pick kinda action, but where i get confused is when trying to use this thumbing up and down with slapping and popping, i cant decide wheather i should slap down or slap down and up all the time. i've been thinking about just using the thumbing up and down as a seperait technique and just using it as a more aggressive finger style, but i really cant decide what i should do when putting into slapping and popping. I've been stuck for ages and havnt been able to get anywhere with my slapping becouse i keep changing my mind, can anyone give me any advice if they understand my problem, i'd really apprisiate any advice anyone can give, ill try and explain in more detail aswell if i'm not clear

morf · #2 07-19-2007, 09:53 AM

So you're trying the double thump technique that Vic Wooten likes so much. I suggest you go on youtube, type in double thump, and watch Vic's videos, you'll get new ideas.

Chili · #3 07-19-2007, 11:33 AM

not double thumbing, i'm aware of victor wooten's technique, i'm not that much into double thumbing, i'm looking at more how larry graham would sometimes bring the thumb back up and not just go down all the time.

just say, louis johnson, he always slaps down, so if i take a slap lick from louis johnson, but instead of playing it slapping down play it slapping up and down, but on some stuff it doesnt seem to work to well, and some stuff it does, and i cant decide wheather i should continue to slap down all the time and use the thumbing up and down just as more of a finger style technique, its frustraiting becouse i am standing still with my slapping and popping becouse i cant decide witch road to take....

morf · #4 07-19-2007, 11:39 AM

If you're gonna use thumbing up n down as a fingerstyle technique, that is exactly what wooten does when double thumping as far as im concerned. As for slapping "up" I dont see how that is any different from just slapping down.

Scot · #5 07-19-2007, 11:40 AM

Practice both techniques. Check out Marcus Miller if you haven't already. He does both. He switches between the two mid-stream quite effortlessly.

scootron · #6 07-19-2007, 11:48 AM

Newbie to the site, relative newbie to bass (about six months of serious play).
I switched over from guitar, but have worked hard to learn to play with my fingers. I am very intrigued by slapping, since several of my favorites bassists use the technique.
My simple (probably dumb) question is: how hard is it to learn? Is it something that a rookie should even be considering?
If so, what would be the best way? I have a fairly massive funk library, so audio is not a problem, but little or nothing so far as video goes.
Suggestions? Warnings?

(As an aside, switching to bass has really opened my eyes to many, many things, especially in the context of playing in a band. I'll never see things the same way again, and I feel bad for all the bass players in all the bands I was in before.)

Scot · #7 07-19-2007, 11:53 AM

If the up and down (aka double thumbing) doesn't sound right than play the other way. There's no reason at all to ONLY do one or the other unless you CAN'T do one or the other. The up and down doesn't sound or feel right to me all the time (most of the time, actually). It sounds to me like you CAN do both and that you already know when it's right for YOU to do each.