Slapping techniques, ways?

[Bassopotomus_2]

hey there m8s.

i was trying out some mudvayne tabs,
and i figured almost everysong is basiclly slapping and popping.
i allready asked my m8 (a excellent bass player) how to slap properly, he showed me and it seems to work.

but in one song im doing this..



F|------8-|-
C|--------|-
G|--------|-
C|--0-0---|-
S S P

Im finding a little difficult to slap the bottom C twice then popping the top F. it seems easy, but i find it difficult when ive gotta peform that in used 1 second.

he told me you should slap with your thumb.

is there any other slapping techniques, ways?

i find this way very uncomftable also.

thanks guys..

Jay!

[JMX]

I don't really know what to respond to this poll and post...

You really have some learning ahead of you.
Go here for a start:

http://www.aic.se/basslob/lessons/index.html

[Blackbird]

Thread seems out of place.
Seems to belong somewhere else.
I'll move it to "Technique"

[BassistJ]

Umm...no offence chum...but what the hell is up with this thread??? Why on earth would you have that poll with a slapping question??? It does'nt make sence...too much...head imploding...

[lump]

Originally posted by BassistJ
Umm...no offence chum...but what the hell is up with this thread??? Why on earth would you have that poll with a slapping question??? It does'nt make sence...too much...head imploding...

Not to mention the tuning.

Hello...a bass isn't supposed to have a C string. And it's supposed to be tuned in fourths. It's not a violin.

Why does every new band have to invent new tuning? Don't their instruments have frets? I don't get it.

I hAtE ThAT aLmoSt As MuCh aS I HAte THiS.

[fleabass89]

Originally posted by lump


Not to mention the tuning.

Hello...a bass isn't supposed to have a C string. And it's supposed to be tuned in fourths. It's not a violin.

Why does every new band have to invent new tuning? Don't their instruments have frets? I don't get it.

I hAtE ThAT aLmoSt As MuCh aS I HAte THiS.

CGCF is a form of drop D. Who says basses aren't supposed to have a C string. What a narrow minded post. Their instruments do have frets, but they want to use that tuning. The want a low C but want to have it open because it makes playing some things alot easier. A lot of bands use that tuning, they didn't invent it. My band plays in Eb,Ab,Db,Gb and Db,Ab,Db,Gb. My bass will be tuned like a violin if I want it!

PS. that's not violin tuning anyway!

[lump]

A violin is tuned in fifths. The bass is tuned in fourths. Neither is tuned in a combination of both. Why not add a third and just make it a guitar, which seems to be what most of these guys really want to play anyway?

I'm sorry, but all of this detuning and open-string playing is faddish and stupid. If people spent as much time practicing fundamentals as they did trying to get their bass to function correctly with a tuning it was never constructed for, they might actually be able to play something other than eighth notes on their "C" string.

In my narrow-minded opinion.

[Stingray5]

Originally posted by fleabass89
CGCF is a form of drop D.

Some may even go so far as to call it a 'drop c' tuning huh?

I vOtEd foR fieLdY cUz FiEldY ruLeZ

[Traveler]

Here we go again........

[fleabass89]

Originally posted by Traveler
Here we go again........

Er... well, I'm giving up on this thread for now. One more thing..

Bassopotomus, just do a search on slapping, you'll find a huge resource of information. Slapping seems to be a topic of choice among the people at this forum. Also, here's some sites that might have some information, no promises, though.

www.libster.com

www.bassplayer.com

By the way, the tuning isn't really called drop C, it's simply "Drop D one step down"....Basses weren't meant to have C strings? 6 string basses have C strings. 5 string basses have B strings. JT has a bass with an F# string! Basses aren't supposed to have them, huh? A bass has to be EADG, am I right?

I've probably said too much. I'm a stupid kid Peace, everybody

[hujo]

Originally posted by lump
A violin is tuned in fifths. The bass is tuned in fourths. Neither is tuned in a combination of both.

Actually, it is quite common to tune violins in combinations of fitfths and fours. I often tune my violin E-A-D-A, instead of E-A-D-G, and my viola A-D-A-D instead of A-D-G-C. if you play in the key of D, or A, the low strings ring with the high strings, giving you a bigger sound, and if slightly untuned, it can also give a great chorus effect! ;-) Many players use it, not so much in classical music, but folk-music and jazz players have adopted it. Especially viola players find it convienent, since they don't have to change fingering as much when playing the same melody an octave down.

[lump]

I stand corrected then, in the case of the contemporary violin.

However, on bass I stand by my opinion that for anything beyond drop D, it's a passing fad. And even in your case alternate tunings are used only in certain keys. Either way it reduces your flexibility, IMO. Personally, I'd rather be able to pick up my axe and play in any key, than to have to retune for every song. It just doesn't make any sense to me. And I think as players progress, it won't make any sense to them either.

[hujo]

Originally posted by lump
I stand corrected then, in the case of the contemporary violin.

However, on bass I stand by my opinion that for anything beyond drop D, it's a passing fad. And even in your case alternate tunings are used only in certain keys. Either way it reduces your flexibility, IMO. Personally, I'd rather be able to pick up my axe and play in any key, than to have to retune for every song. It just doesn't make any sense to me. And I think as players progress, it won't make any sense to them either.

I agree with you, it definitely reduces your flexibilty, but it also has some advantages... I know this is a bass forum but... On the violin, since being fretless and tuned in fifths, some intervals are much harder to play than on the bass, as thirds or fourths - in some cases. Sure, my technique is lacking, but when you're in the sevent position alternating between large and small thirds at a high pace, you kind of appreciate that alternated tuning. On the bass though, i almost never use any other tuning than the standard, or maybe a dropped D, if i have to... What i love about the bass, is that almost every key is the same! In most keys, you can use the same fingerings, just change position! (ok, ok, please don't give me some horrid examples of Eb superlocrian or whatever, i'm trying to keep it simple here;-) ).


I do think what Michael Manring is doing is pretty cool, chaning tunings in the middle of chords and so on, but that's a different subject. Violin fingerings are too, but what the heck! ;-)

[fleabass89]

Originally posted by lump
I stand corrected then, in the case of the contemporary violin.

However, on bass I stand by my opinion that for anything beyond drop D, it's a passing fad. And even in your case alternate tunings are used only in certain keys. Either way it reduces your flexibility, IMO. Personally, I'd rather be able to pick up my axe and play in any key, than to have to retune for every song. It just doesn't make any sense to me. And I think as players progress, it won't make any sense to them either.

If you're talking about different keys, then you have a good point. But just try playing a song that needs an open detuned string, for example Greenday's Longview without tuning down half a step. You can just play it as you would normally, but it will be in E instead of Eb. Moving down one fret would be a logical thing to do...But unless your fingers are 9 inches long, you're gonna have a hard time.

[VoodooChile]

alternate tunings are a fad? tell that to michael manring

[hujo]

Originally posted by fleabass89


If you're talking about different keys, then you have a good point. But just try playing a song that needs an open detuned string, for example Greenday's Longview without tuning down half a step. You can just play it as you would normally, but it will be in E instead of Eb. Moving down one fret would be a logical thing to do...But unless your fingers are 9 inches long, you're gonna have a hard time.

If i did alot of work in those kind of keys, i'd buy a five-stringed bass.

[NewWaveBasser]

...following up on the 5-string...Why the F would you drop to C when a "fiver" gives you an extra B string!!!!! Detuning too much has to F up the strings, man!

(F here is...not a note guys)

As for slap and pop...I'm a self-learner and I try to emulate what I see from the pros, but I do recognize the need for lessons. When I get the cash (me unemployed at this moment, dang!) I will correct my slap.

If you wanna slap real good... even if don't do it (yet)... take lessons.

[lump]

Originally posted by VoodooChile
alternate tunings are a fad? tell that to michael manring

A seasoned pro like Michael Manring pushing the envelope with alternate tunings is not a fad.

A million teenagers who can't even play a major scale, running around with their basses tuned CGCG because their idol plays one tuned that way, is.

If I were one of those dudes, I'd tune my bass differently for every song, just to f*** with you guys. Or maybe that's what they're already doing...

[Edited to change "pusing" to "pushing." ]

[ZuluFunk]

I'm going to start tuning in B-E-B-E-B.
No one will be able to play my stuff no matter how they try. I'll win best new bassist in Bass Player Magazine. I'll do studio work for every band around because they will all want me...RHCP, Rush, Yes, Fishbone, Dream Theatre...I'll rule the bass world...

Mwaahahaha.

[Yvon]

I tuned D-A-D-A for a while....