Someone Please Spill the beans (slap)

iceshaft07 · #1 06-23-2007, 11:23 PM

I have searched far and wide for playing slap and increasing my speed. Right now, I can only play with my thumb and index finger, bouncing my thumb and then coming back down putting my finger underneath the string to pop it.

There has to be something I am missing out on because I hear people (and see them too) playing with much more ease and twice as fast as myself.

Is there an angle I am coming in wrong (parallel to the string from the normal of the guitar), or am I bouncing too high? Is there a teqnigue for multiple fingers?

I have watch the Victor Wootens videos on youtube, but I haven't figured out how he slaps on the way down, and again on the way up; I only get a thumb stringing sound and then a pop on the way up.

TheBassBetween · #2 06-23-2007, 11:32 PM

Watch Wooten's video a bit closer. You strike through the string (with the thumb) and you end with your thumb below the string, touching the neck. Then you can come back up.

But, with slap you gotta stay relaxed. Establish your basic groove, and the way to make it sound "faster" is by adding in muted notes, and to make it groove just that bit more. Use both your left and right hands to make those percussive sounds. The left hand thump (I'm assuming you're right handed, of course), is a very very very good technique, that involves using your fingers to smack the strings on the neck.

And of course, the more you practice, the more strength you'll get, and the more you'll find a technique and a way that fits you. Wooten's style may work for him, but it doesn't mean it will work for you. Marcus Miller has a very traditional slap technique, at least in his earlier stuff. Check out one of my favorite videos on YouTube of Marcus Miller playing Run For Cover, at Live Under the Sky.

And again, practice, practice, practice.

edit: And of course, The Slap Bass Welcome Center

trasser · #3 06-24-2007, 02:41 AM

I had the same problem. I got Ed Friedlands slap bass DVD, that sorted out my problem. Its a bit hard to explain in text though

John Wentzien · #4 06-25-2007, 10:01 PM

Don't forget adding pull-offs with the fretting hand-as well as hammer-ons..

Dr. Cheese · #5 06-25-2007, 10:33 PM

I always had a hard time playing the really fast octaves on the intro of Marcus Miller's "Lovin' You" until I started thumping side to side rocking my wrist, instead of thumping stright up and down. That technique really increased my speed and the cleanliness of my attack. I also noticed that when I slap the other way, my speed remained.

tswd · #6 06-26-2007, 07:55 AM

The first thing you need to do is lower your strings. The farther the string has to move, the longer it's going to take to move it. That's just physics.

If it takes any effort for you to push the string to the fret board, your strings are too high. When you fret a note, it should ring out a la tapping.

IIRC, my strings are about 2/32 of an inch off the 12th fret. I have to play softer to keep it from buzzing, but I can play much faster. Things that I couldn't do at all with the strings higher are easy now. Then you just need a stronger amp to get your volume back up where it needs to be.

CrazyWallaWalla · #7 06-26-2007, 07:59 AM

i just kept hacking away at it t5ill i got it. practice will get your anywhere you wanna go given time

Christopher · #8 06-26-2007, 08:53 AM

Whatever you do, stay close to the strings and keep your arm and hand relaxed. Those are the keys to speed.

louieeadg · #9 06-26-2007, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceshaft07

I have searched far and wide for playing slap and increasing my speed. Right now, I can only play with my thumb and index finger, bouncing my thumb and then coming back down putting my finger underneath the string to pop it.

There has to be something I am missing out on because I hear people (and see them too) playing with much more ease and twice as fast as myself.

Yeah, it sounds like you're using too much movement. A slap/pop should be all one motion. Slapping the string should leave your thumb by the string then pop on the way up. You wrote, "bouncing my thumb and then coming back down putting my finger underneath the string to pop it."
There should be no, "coming back down to put" your finger under the string, it should already be there. That will def. slow you down.

Go to warwick's website, they have an excellent tutorial about this, its just a typical slap beginner's mistake. No worries....also, check out www.studybass.com. great website...

stedtale · #10 06-26-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Yeah, it sounds like you're using too much movement. A slap/pop should be all one motion. Slapping the string should leave your thumb by the string then pop on the way up. You wrote, "bouncing my thumb and then coming back down putting my finger underneath the string to pop it."
There should be no, "coming back down to put" your finger under the string, it should already be there. That will def. slow you down.

Go to warwick's website, they have an excellent tutorial about this, its just a typical slap beginner's mistake. No worries....also, check out www.studybass.com. great website...

+1

...and don't forget about plucking with index, middle and ring finger for a nice flam emulation. I regularly use my middle instead of my index, but I jump 4+ strings from thump to pluck on my six regularly, and with my hands it just fits better.

Bassman7PM · #11 06-26-2007, 09:48 AM

A couple of things you may want to make note of;

1. RELAX your wrist, can't overstate this enough

2. A good exercise for thumping is to take a drum stick and place it between your thumb and baby fingerwhile the index, middle and ring fingers are in back, now rotate your wrist immulating the slapping/ thumping. This will both strengthen your wrist and get you used to the motion.

3. DON'T SLAP, Thump. Closed hand, extended thumb, extended and curved index finger. What I mean by not slapping, is using the economy of motion and a controlled bounce where your hand isn't flying off out of range from note to note.

4. Action, keep it low.

5. String spacing, if the spacing is too tight you may be having a problem with getting your finger between the strings. I experienced this when I had both a thin neck Ibanez bass and a Schecter Elite, both 5 strings and very good basses, but very difficult for slapping/thumping. I now have a Lakland 55-01 HUGE difference.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice