Slapping technique, am I playing wrong or do I just need practice?

[Whiteblooded]

I've been playing bass for about two and a half years now, but have only recently been learning to slap.

I've gone through several phases in bass playing, sarting at metal, then through to punk, and I feel like I haven't really made a great deal of progress with my bass playing purely because I haven't really settled down into a style of playing yet (I probably play for about 3 to 4 hours a week, so I'm not too awful.. but I feel it still hasn't properly clicked).

Anyway, I went a bit off topic there. I've started getting into some slap, as I've said.. however, I just wanted to double check with everyone on here that the technique that I've developed so far isn't 'wrong'.

For a start, punk got me into the habit of holding the bass at a ~35 degree angle, so whenver I slap, my thumb isn't parallel to the string.. And my slapping sounds a bit.. naff. I'll get some really quiet slaps, and some which basically sound like the sting hitting the fretboard (when I wanted a note). It just seems really inconsistant, and slapping just feels wrong.. like, I find it quite difficult to keep a rhythm, because the inconsistancies put me off.

Hmm, I've been playing like this for a good few months now, and feel like my slapping techniques come a long way (I can play several slap riffs, even if they do sound terrible), but I feel like I've hit a brick wall now, and can't get any cleaner. The question I wanted to ask you guys was whether I just need to keep casually practicing some more, or whether I need to alter my technique, and properly crack down and be strict with it. (Times like these I wish I could find a bass teacher who wasn't a guitarist xD)

Also, I do have the most skinny, arms I've ever seen xD I don't know whether having a bulky wrist helps.

[Plissken]

Have you purchased any instructional material on slap bass? Working on boring and redundant slap bass exercises will definitely help.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Whiteblooded

Also, I do have the most skinny, arms I've ever seen xD I don't know whether having a bulky wrist helps.

Ever take a look at Larry Graham? That guy's so skinny he has to run around under the shower to get wet.

It's not your wrists, but good slapping and poping is usually a combination of force + accuracy, and this can take time.

When I was trying to develop my S&P, everything I played was with a slap or pop, and on all strings. Scales, favorite songs, everything. I just substituted S&P for picking and fingering, anything I used to do with my right hand.

[Whiteblooded]

I guess the thing I really like about slap is all the short notes and the muted notes, which I can't really work into the majority of the stuff I know already.

I've been looking through some exercises, but if anyone has any they want to recommend, feel free

Also, does anyone know any simple slap songs? So far I've learnt (though need to seriously brush up on)
- RHCP: Can't Stop
- RHCP: (cover of) Higher Ground .. which btw, sounds TERRIBLE, no matter how much I practice it xD
- Les Claypool: One Better (have learnt most, but sounds sloppy so far)
- Primus: Power Mad (still learning)
There doesn't look that much there, but I've been playing those over and over for quite a while. In hindsight, Claypool stuff was probably a bit ambitious xD

I'm just wondering, does anyone think that I should close my and (rather than slapping with an open hand) and start slapping with my thumb more parallel? Does it make that much of a difference other than your chance of hitting another string aswell by accident?

[algernon]

Hi there
I found Anthony Vitti's lessons on youtube to be quite allright (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReAU3u-CP4)
Another (easier) lesson which I liked : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6AJHeYY5Hw
I'm also in the learning process so the above may not seem much, but it sure helped me As for the correct thumb position, some hold it parallel, others (like Flea) don't; guess it's about the way you're comfortable with.

Good luck,
Adrian

[Whiteblooded]

Originally Posted by algernon

I found Anthony Vitti's lessons on youtube to be quite allright (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReAU3u-CP4)
Another (easier) lesson which I liked : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6AJHeYY5Hw
Adrian

Cheers I'd seen loads of vids explaining this kind of thing, but its always good to hear it agian to double check and learn loads of new little things. I'll definitely check out some of that guys other tutorials, cheers.

[Michael Henson]

Have you tried raising your strap and playing with your bass resting more on your belly? You said you play at a 35 degree angle and I experimented with that when I started slapping and experienced the same issue you are. When I raised my bass and started playing with my thumb more parallel than perpendicular I started getting more accurate and a better sound.

Take a look at guys like Wooten, Miller, Nitti, Clarke, Graham, etc. that are known for their slapping technique and you'll notice that all of them wear their basses higher and slap with the thumb parallel...Just a suggestion.

[Whiteblooded]

Yeah, I could raise it, but then I wouldn't look as cool Lol, just kidding

But yeah, you've got a point. I should probably mess around with my strap length. I tend to find I like it on the losser side and at a steeper angle when playing near the lower frets, and higher on when playing the higher frets. I think it's just because I have short arms xD .. I guess its about time I found somewhere in between.

Agh. I've been playing all day (7.5 hours playing xD), and the song I've been working is getting better. I think the main reason that it's sounding better is because I've started using 1st and 4th for octaves, and using the 2nd and 3rd fingers to mute.. I don't know why on earth I was using 1st and 3rd for octaves O_o

I think a large reason for my slapping sounding naff is because:
a) I'm playing too fast, too soon
b) Using 1st and 3rd for octaves can result in some really annoying muting issues (I've figured that when using these fingers, I'll lift off the fret, but not off the string, and I do this in an attemp to mute it.. needless to say, it sounds awful)

Anyway, now I probably have RSI in my left wrist lol.. I think tomorrow I'll try out the 1st and 4th fingers with Higher Ground, see if I can make it sound half decent.

Cheers for the suggestions guys

[Diogenes]

Point #1:
The bass' position on your body should be dictated by whatever feels the most comfortable to you and your slap technique no matter how "underdeveloped" your technique may be at this point.

Point #2:
Back in the early 80's when I first tried learning to slap I just failed miserably no matter how hard I tried. This was before I learned how to set up a bass and my bass had ridiculously high action. Once I learned how to set up my bass in order to get low action, slapping became extraordinarily easier... almost second nature.

[KOOSEE]

I would make sure that after you slap you pull away quickly, so that it's not muffled and you should get a nice, sharp sound.

[cire113]

so if im getting kinda click sound of the string hitting the fretboard...

i had to relarn slap and now when i slap sometimes i just hear a straight up mute click noise of the string hitting the fret board no ring...

[Whiteblooded]

Originally Posted by Diogenes

Point #2:
Back in the early 80's when I first tried learning to slap I just failed miserably no matter how hard I tried. This was before I learned how to set up a bass and my bass had ridiculously high action. Once I learned how to set up my bass in order to get low action, slapping became extraordinarily easier... almost second nature.

Hey, thanks.. That would explain why slapping on my 4 string is so much harder than on my 5 string.

Now, I'm using the 5 string, because the initial annoyance of "Grr.. I keep catching the B string aswell as the E string" has stopped, but for a while, I was slapping on the 4 string, which is a cr*ppy beginner Stagg BC300... It wasjust awful to be honest xD, I couldn't slap on it at all.. but I have now noticed that it does have a ridiuclously high action (when I was learning fingerstyle on it, I liked the high action because it took away the fret buzz). I've looked at the bridge and seen if I can lower the strings anymore, but they're actually as low as they go :O which made me realise the neck is bending towards the bridge.. so I should probably take a look and see if I can adjust the truss rod?.. I wouldn't want to do that without someone's more knowledgable input from here though.

[BottomE]

Nice thread. Some other things that might help:

Strings - light strings are easier to use for slapping

Action - +1 Diogenes - much easier to slap a bass that has a low action for most people

Sound - having the right sound will make it feel more comfortable - experiment with loosing some Mid and push the Treble up and the Bass up a bit (this is a matter of preference though)

Practice - do all the stuff you normally practice - scales, arpeggios etc but slap and pull instead of using your fingers (or pick). Start slow and build up speed. Use a drum machine or metronome.

Bounce - "slap" is a bit innaccurate a description. Try to get your thumb to bounce off the string as it sounds more percussive. You'll probably do this naturally with time.

Space - actually not playing in certain parts of your lick will make it sound better

MUTING - i used to (and still sometimes) have a problem where i play something that is 90% right - but it lacked the groove. I realised that it was the muted notes that made all the difference. They can be hard to hear but they do make a huge difference.

YouTube.Amazon - there are lots of great slap lessons on You Tube. Type "slap lesson" and see what i mean.

All in all its a matter of persistence like all techniques. I have been playing a lot longer than you but only recently started slapping so i know how you feel. The first few months are the worst but stick at it and you'll be fine.

[Whiteblooded]

What kind of string type would people recommend for slapping? I'd assume roundwound?

I'm quite surprised at what people are recommending on here. I was expecting a lot more people to insist on keeping the thumb parallel to the strings.. whereas it actually seems that there's a lot more to slapping, such as how high your strings are set up, how you're using your fretting hand etc.

In terms of open hand/closed slapping hand techniques... I slap with an open hand, simply because it seems so much easier, and plucking can be done much easier.. Obviously though, closed hand slapping also has advantages. I know some people are really anti-open-hand, I was just wondering what everyone's opinions on this was. Btw, thanks for everything so far guys