Slap Problem concerning muting

Ryan Mohr · #1 02-21-2008, 01:17 PM

I have been slapping since I began playing bass because it has always appealed to me. I started out playing Higher Ground a lot and consequently I accidently slap a note twice when I only mean to slap it once which can be quite frustrating. Is there anything I should do to correct this? The major problem I am having is muting notes when slapping and popping octaves (example Alright by Jamiroquai - http://youtube.com/watch?v=rND8EqzxcA4), I keep muting when I slap by accident instead of slapping the actual note. I am fretting the note correctly but my right hand is muting it. Does anyone have any exercises or solutions to this problem? Thanks in advance.

dalconthenovice · #2 02-21-2008, 03:33 PM

i'm... not a hundred percent sure what your asking but if its actually slapping and producing a note via slap and your not gettin ganything what you need to do is not slap, the string, but bounce, gotta get a bounce in there

just keep doin it till ya get it, hours and hours of frustration gets the job done, no easy way out unfortunetly

but like i said if its that particular situation i've been there

bounce

jsingles · #3 02-21-2008, 03:42 PM

i realized I used to do that too. I would play Aeroplane with way to many dead notes on the thumb slapping parts. Took a few listens to the song for me to realize flea does not mute the notes and I am not playing it right.

I corrected it by just.. well.. correcting it? I don't know what trouble youre running into exactly but I would suggest playing the slap lines slowly so you can get a feel of the correct muting.

Ryan Mohr · #4 02-21-2008, 05:21 PM

Alright thanks guys I realized it's only going to be corrected through practice.

Ryan Mohr · #5 02-22-2008, 09:02 AM

Any comments about slapping a note twice by accident?

mutedeity · #6 02-22-2008, 11:28 AM

The best thing to do is to take a phrase from the piece you are trying to play and make it an etude that includes the part you are having problems with. Make it a one or two bar phrase and slow it right down. Making sure that you play every note precisely. Slowly speed up, adjusting your technique as you go and repeating at a slower speed when you make a mistake.