Slapping Technique

[[brenT]]

Alright, I have a decade into finger strength and all around stringed ability. But for some reason I can't seem to slap cleanly. Except on the E string. But any time I try and slap A, D or G i hit 2 or more stings and it sounds like a pile. I've rigga rigged my own technique where I wrap my thumb around and mute all the other strings. Good for metal where you just chug along on a single string. But as I develop a lust to play really groovy funky stuff where slapping numerous strings fast becomes necessary my n00bish technique has become null and void. Thanks in advance for any and all help.

[elpelotero]

I used to do the same thing. I also had a lack of speed and often times my thumb would land on the string and not recoil quick enough, effectively muting the string as a result. From experience, there's no other way around this besides practice. I spent the summer practicing and now I can slap and pop on any string with great speed and efficiency. I'm no Wooten, but I got the technique down. Double popping is hard though.

So, in short, do plenty of reasearch on technique, look at plenty of videos of pros, and get to practice the same way you do scales: slowly! Then pick a song (most people start with higher ground) and give it a go.

[[brenT]]

yeah i definitely need to advance into higher ground a 'lil further. thanks much for the advice man, i appriciate you taking the time to answer such a rook question. see ya around.

[elpelotero]

check out mark king, claypool, and stuart zender. All three of them have classic proper technique. Wooten is famous for the double thumb. And then you have other guys that slap through the string, like Larry Graham. It's really all personal preference. I happen to like the first one I mentioned, but would eventually like to learn Wooten as well.