Slapping 'n' Tapping

[servetakid]

can someone please explain these two techniques to a beginer in simple english

cheers

[RobertPaulson]

Slapping:
Slap the string with your thumb.

Tapping:
Tap the strings with your fingers.

[chicagodoubler]

Both are fantastic techniques in the hands of an expert, but generally, a rapid, shurefire way to get fired from at least 60% of the bands out there.

Fingers and pick. That's where the money's at for most of us, IME.

[OrangeSun]

What genre of music do you play? You will only need to learn slap if you are playing funk music (pretty much) or certain types of rock music. Tapping on a bass is not going to come up in a band context in 99.9% of bands.

Im laughing at the idea of someone in a band asking me to throw in a tapping section in a song. Sometimes it can be a cool trick to reach up and hit a little hammer on tap. Vic Wooten throws these in all the time.

[Psychotic_Hell]

Look at really anything that Stu Hamm has done. It is weird for me to see him finger picking :P

[DerHoggz]

For clarity

Slapping is rotating the wrist back and forth and hitting the strings with your thumb.

Tapping is tapping the strings ON THE FRETBOARD to make notes, this can be done with any number of fingers, including both hands.

[rarisgod]

Originally Posted by OrangeSun

What genre of music do you play? You will only need to learn slap if you are playing funk music (pretty much) or certain types of rock music. Tapping on a bass is not going to come up in a band context in 99.9% of bands.

Im laughing at the idea of someone in a band asking me to throw in a tapping section in a song. Sometimes it can be a cool trick to reach up and hit a little hammer on tap. Vic Wooten throws these in all the time.

What about Dream Theater? Metropolis Pt. 1 as an example...
Just throwing that in there. In general however, I do agree. Tapping on bass is generally not useful, besides for a bass solo in a song or whatever.

Slapping is generally more useful, but as said, usually only in funk music and other types sometimes. Depends.

[insomniac2295]

I've found tapping to be very useful in my playing. In my 3 piece, I use tapping during some leads that I take. I have to admit though, I've tapped in songs where it really didn't belong solely because I wanted to do some tapping during that particular part. It doesn't sound good if you force it.

I believe that a well rounded bassist should at least be familiar with a few different techniques other than traditional finger style or picking. Such as tapping, slapping, false harmonics, or even double thumbing and sweeping. You never know what the gig may call for.

[Alduroth]

haha I tapped some **** at band practice yesterday and they were all thrown out of balance, although it was musically correct and fitted the song good. But then they said ok you can do that for a measure.
Me was happy :> was just a simple chord tap

Anyway try to learn loads of techniques. Cuz as Insomniac said you never know what the gig may call for.