slapping on A, D and G strings.

skaboy · #1 04-12-2002, 04:51 AM

Well i have n't been slapping for very long but i find it harder to slap on the 3 other strings. The most easiest is the E string where there is little or no chance of contact with the other strings since there is open space. As for the other strings often when i slap with my thumb , it tends contact the other strings producing a unclear tone. Am I doing my slapping worng? I've heard it takes pratice and awhile to get good at slapping the other strings.

AllodoX · #2 04-12-2002, 04:58 AM

Use your hand to mute the other strings..

dunno how you call it in english, but it't the thick part of your hand where your thumb is attached.. the thick, muscular part..

while hitting the A string with your thumb, press that part of the hand against the B and E strings..
the higher strings can be muted with the fretting hand..

wulf · #3 04-12-2002, 06:53 AM

Accuracy is what you need. Take some simple exercises - something nice and easy, not jumping all over the place - and try and play it slowly using just your thumb slap.

The goal is that you end up as fluent with your thumb as you are with your fingers and so can swap between them as required. As you get more proficient, you can start to use more complex exercises but as with any technique, it will take some time to assimilate into your vocabulary.

Also, as AllodoX remarked, build your muting skills using the same exercises.

Wulf

Bassin' · #4 04-12-2002, 08:39 AM

I would also suggest that you use as little motion in your right hand as possible. Beginning slappers have a tendency of letting there hand drift too far away from the string before any downward stroke. Instead, you should keep your thumb as close to the string your going to slap as you can. This will help with accuracy. Once you become comfortable with the technique, you can add as much motion as you want.

skaboy · #5 04-12-2002, 04:02 PM

Hmmm... how about the G string? It's extremely hard to slap out a clear tone, the string is probably to thin to support all this slappin...

LifeSpitter · #6 04-12-2002, 11:22 PM

generally you will be popping on the G string....if you dont know what "popping" is then just ask.

Goodluck

wulf · #7 04-13-2002, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skaboy
Hmmm... how about the G string? It's extremely hard to slap out a clear tone, the string is probably to thin to support all this slappin...

No - you should (

) be able to slap quite happily on all four (five, six... whatever) strings. Some people just seem to learn to slap on the E and A and pop on the D and G, but the technique is more versatile than that.

Practise, practise, practise.... and don't expect to master it overnight. Now I can pull off some reasonable slapping, but for years it was something I wanted to do but couldn't get into my 'toolkit'. Patience, grasshopper!

Wulf

ldiezman · #8 04-14-2002, 09:00 AM

Its all a matter of tightening up on your technique. instead of trying to do alot of slab bass solos when you are practicing. Sit down with a metronome and slap every string in rythem for a certain amount of time, do this until you can hit all four strings and get clear sounds out of them, then increase the tempo. This will help you alot. its boring i know, but it works

Bap Bap Battica · #9 04-15-2002, 01:52 PM

Yeh. So shut up lifespiter. You obviously dont know your bass from your base. You need to beef up on your slapping skills before postin' weak a$$ responses to kids lookin' for help.

**john turner** · #10 04-15-2002, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bap Bap Battica
Yeh. So shut up lifespiter. You obviously dont know your bass from your base. You need to beef up on your slapping skills before postin' weak a$$ responses to kids lookin' for help.

this is your only public warning. another disrespectful outburst like that and you will be banned.

**Pacman** · #11 04-15-2002, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by john turner

this is your only public warning. another disrespectful outburst like that and you will be banned.

what he said.

MatW · #12 04-16-2002, 07:11 AM

I clearly remember having problems with this when I first got into slap. I know it's tedious, but the way to resolve it is to start slowly (use a metronome) get the technique down and then increase speed as you get more and more comfortable.

Bruce Lindfield · #13 04-16-2002, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bap Bap Battica
Yeh. So shut up lifespiter. You obviously dont know your bass from your base. You need to beef up on your slapping skills before postin' weak a$$ responses to kids lookin' for help.

It's the "Big Battle" :

Bap Bap Battica vs. Bubba Peanut

How bizarre - but it seems to be going on all over the place - can't we settle this once and for all - in the ring?

Bap Bap Battica · #14 04-16-2002, 01:56 PM

I'm game. I'll battle it out with Bubba Peanut.

P.S. Lindfield, you da bomb.

Aquinas · #15 04-21-2002, 11:43 AM

I think it's best if you just stop posting for a while, it's fairly irritating, and no one wants to see you say, "you da bomb".

yawnsie · #16 04-21-2002, 08:17 PM

Sorry to further contribute to this thread being dragged off-topic, but I wonder if FiElDy RuLeZ is reading this... his DB question has finally been answered.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/member...o&userid=22574

**embellisher** · #17 04-21-2002, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yawnsie
Sorry to further contribute to this thread being dragged off-topic, but I wonder if FiElDy RuLeZ is reading this... his DB question has finally been answered.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/member...o&userid=22574

Good catch there, yawnsie!