What are good beginner slap songs?

[Noobai]

Ive been trying to learn slap for over a month and I still can't get the technique down :\

The fact that I have completely dead strings doesnt help, but oh well, shouldnt be long until I get a new bass. (Im not wasting money on my current one).

So, about the only song, slapwise I've ever played is "The Antipop"

Can you guys reccomend anymore? Thx

[Noobai]

Sorry if this is a pre-answered question. Im completely new to these forums, just started yesterday, so bear with my please

[Fetch Da bass]

Welcome Noobai ,,, there's a good one to start out on, Spanking Your Monkey by Spanking Your Monkey
Sorry I can't think of anything else at the moment...

[Woodchuck]

First of all, you'll have to change your strings! You'll never get what it is you're desiring with dead strings. As for easy slap tunes, there's "Thank You For Lettin' Me Be Mice Elf" by Sly & the Family Stone. If you can't learn this one, then slapping's not for you. Also, RHCP's version of "Higher Ground", another VERY simple riff: open E, E octave (2nd fret on the D string), G, G octave, A, & A octave. Voila! Instant Flea! "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside is another simple one, but let's just stick to the first 2 for now!


BTW, this belongs in Recordings.

[Noobai]

Thx!

Heh, Im not changing strings dammit! The popping is fine, I just cant hear what I thump Its quite funny really, lol.

[Basso Gruvitas]

Woodchuck's got it!! Change your strings. Listen to Marcus. His strings are so bright it's stupid. You will REALLY FIND that new, bright strings will make your instrument easier to play.

More stuff for you to think about. Get "Slap It" by Tony Oppenheim. This is a great slap method book. It's not the newest book on the market, but it's clear, it's easy to understand, and it gets you slappin' to a respectable level!

[Albemuth]

Try Classical Thump by Vic Wooten

[Scott Green]

You should check out "the Slap Bass Program" It is a video from Alexis Sklarevski. It has alot of very good material on it. You will get more out of seeing the various aspects of this technique than trying to struggle through a song. Good luck.

[pyrohr]

Hey, Ive been around along time and personnally know marcus miller. We met in the early seventies when he lived in rochdale village queens. First of all ,the original style was called thumping and popping. What I see alot of people do is just alot of noise. You MUST change strings to get the proper tone and diction . Thumping is done useing the boney part of the thumb, while popping is done with the the index and middle finger. Victor Wooten has an execellent video were he shows the proper way this is done. What ever you do please dont just slap at the strings.

[Noobai]

Oh, I have proper technique. Ive shown bassist and they said your technique is fine. I slap with the top joint of my thump, I pop with my index and middle, all by the book, Im just not good at it. At all :\

Hmm, I have to look into this video. Any clue where I could find it. Think any library in America would have it?

[maui-san]

Try "Love games" from Level 42, great slap line and it's fairly easy to master. Good luck!

[dudemeister]

Aeroplane by Red Hot Chili Peppers is also quite easy. Octaves over two chords with some passing notes here and there.

[jzkorppi]

hi there! One of the best slap songs for a beginner is Victor Bailey's Graham Cracker . You know, Victor Bailey is not much of a soloist, so there's not too many difficult parts...

[DigMe]

Originally posted by Noobai
Oh, I have proper technique. Ive shown bassist and they said your technique is fine. I slap with the top joint of my thump, I pop with my index and middle, all by the book, Im just not good at it. At all :\

Hmm, I have to look into this video. Any clue where I could find it. Think any library in America would have it?

you can get the video online from www.videoprogressions.com

This is the company that puts out the video I think. I'll warn you it's not cheap. It's also considered to be one of the definitive slap resources out there. You can see samples at the site.

I agree with whoever above suggested Higher Ground as a good beginner slap part. The trick on that one though is to get the proper rhythm and timing. I've heard so many people play that with the wrong rhythm in music stores.

brad cook

[dudemeister]

Another good slap song is <A HREF="http://www.montypython.net/scripts/fishslap.php">The fish-slapping dance</A>.

[Noobai]

Alright, Ill take a look thx! And I learned Higher Ground, Im so proud, lmao!

[Stewbone]

Go find a recording of "Hair" by Graham Central Station. (Larry Graham. You know who he is, right?) It sounds nuts, but it's really strightforward. Just get the riff- there are four parts- and go at it for a year (ie., a long time). Get inside it, know everything about those four parts, how you do it, how to get the music out: "What is that funky thing?" That's your approach: Get the music out. Whatever you play, it should be music.
And get some new strings. If you're going to ask, and someone who knows what they're talking about gives you the answer, you can't very well go and tell them you're not going to do it!

Stewbone.

[Testin'positive4thefunk]

Yes, "Thank you falettin' me be mice elf" by Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone is a good starter - wasn't it THE FIRST "thumpin' an' pluckin'" song?

[malthumb]

Try "Strawberry Letter 23" by the Brothers Johnson. Cool thumpin' and poppin' and it's not at a jack hammer pace, so you can actually nail down the technique and the groove.

Peace,

James

[Sprinkler]

reggea octave:



G--------------4---6-----------------
D-----4---4--------------------------
A------------2---4-------------------
E---2---2----------------------------
----S-P-S-P-S-P-S-P


slap
pop