OMG I CAN'T SLAP BASS!!!

[basskid76]

i have been trying for ever but whenever i try to slap on any line except the E string i hit the E string and it ruins everything. I'm starting to get irritated if you can't tell hehe. But can someone give me some tips or do you guys know of any videos that could help me out with slap? (Note:Free online bass lessons would help)

[Ampeg SVT]

I posted in your other thread, ill just post here.

"What do you mean you hit any string and it hits the e string?

I would try to look at some of MarloweDK' stuff, http://playbassnow.com/

slapping takes a while to get down, just be patient about it."

[basskid76]

Originally Posted by Ampeg SVT

I posted in your other thread, ill just post here.

"What do you mean you hit any string and it hits the e string?

I would try to look at some of MarloweDK' stuff, http://playbassnow.com/

slapping takes a while to get down, just be patient about it."

What i mean is, when i hit any other string i accidently hit the E string

[WyrdoBass]

The Slap Bass Welcome Center

stickies are your friend

[Rusty the Scoob]

I'd say the answer is like any technique - simplify until you've got it at it's most basic element. Just take the "Pop" out of it, and do nothing but slap your thumb against the strings until you can accurately hit a single note on any string. Start with something like quarter notes on G on the E string, 3rd fret - thump thump thump thump one thump per beat. Then try the C above it on the A string, get it nice and clean until you can accurately thump only the one note, no extra noise. Work your way up from there to all the strings, try some major scales or pentatonics, etc... then work the "Pop" back into it.

[joelb79]

Yeah and don't sweat slap. I've been playing 14 years and don't know how and I'm plenty successful at playing with anybody.

[JB696]

Unless you're playing in a funk band or you like to hang out at Guitar Center on Saturday morning don't worry about it.

[mwiles30]

Work on your right hand accuracy: make sure you aren't making any excess movement with your slapping hand/arm, and keep everything RELAXED. Also, make sure you aren't beating the living hell out of the string. It only needs to hit the the fret, not grind into it.

And like JB696 said, sub-par slapping technique only makes you look bad if you hang around near some of the gig-less jackasses at Guitar Center.

[thetawaves]

Originally Posted by mwiles30

Work on your right hand accuracy: make sure you aren't making any excess movement with your slapping hand/arm, and keep everything RELAXED. Also, make sure you aren't beating the living hell out of the string. It only needs to hit the the fret, not grind into it.

And like JB696 said, sub-par slapping technique only makes you look bad if you hang around near some of the gig-less jackasses at Guitar Center.

+1

something I found handy when I first learnt to slap was to set a metronone up VERY SLOWLY and slap each string. E, A, D, G and back down again in time with the beat. Speed up, rinse and repeat. Try it with simple octave slapping and 12 bar blues to get the movement betwen strings (sorry for tab, but can't think of another way to show it)

G|-------------------3--------
D|----5------7-------------3-
A|----------------1--------
E|3------5--------------1---

Then do the same but so that you're popping and slapping on each string

pop each open, hammer on the note then slap the note.
G|--------------------0h2-2-------------------
D|--------------0h2-2-------0h2-2-------------
A|-------0h2-2--------------------0h2-2-------
E|-0h2-2---------------------------------0h2-2

mix it up between the strings to get some right hand movement underway

Find some simple slap tunes (RHCP: can't stop, RATM: take the power back) and noodle away!

Hope that's some use

[thetawaves]

Damnit I've just killed a thread.

[bullshark]

Originally Posted by WyrdoBass

The Slap Bass Welcome Center

stickies are your friend

This is good if you can at least get a note while slapping, but useless if, like me, you can't slap a single note not full of harmonics and multiple strings resonating except the one you were trying to slap to begin with.

It's my theory that some peoples, like me, are physiologically incapable of slapping a bass. Even bass teachers, after 3 years, have given up on me. It's a good thing I'm not that crazy about slap tone anyway, except in very rare and very specific context.

[johhn smith]

how are you holding you thumb? is it parallel with your fingers? if it is then i wouldn't slap that way. i have been slapping for 25 years now and i hold my rh thumb at a 90 degree angle ( more or less ) from my fingers and when my hand is over top of the strings my thumb is pointing up at the headstock ( parallel with the strings ) this position will enable you to hit each string separately and puts your thumb in the right position for double thumbing. other than that just practise slowly on one string then move it to another string. maybe try to add some pops once you're a little more comfortable with the thumb,

there are some free lessons here ( with some interesting sound files ):

http://www.activebass.com/lessons/lessdir.asp

have fun