What Technique For Little River Band?

[SurferJoe46]

First of all - I haven't wanted to pop/slap any strings before and I think it's time to learn a little of it for this one particular song anyway.

The song is: "Happy Anniversary" by The Little River Band.

I hear a 'pop' or maybe a soft slap in it. Can anyone tell me how that softness is created?

I also hear some E-octaves being played, but I cannot follow it very good.

I know it's in open E pattern and that should make it very easy to get that pop, but then at the same time as the pop, the next note sounds (on the E string) like a B - and then it rises to the A string for a D - then a D# to home E again.

The E box is simple enough and somewhat kindergarten, but there's something else going on in this that has been a bugger to get right.

All the while this E-work is going on with the E & A strings, then there's an octave going on with the D and the B.

Just confusing me since it seems the off rhythm notes are very hard to include.

More practice or is there a trick here that I am not aware of?

I've tried this by using what I call a 'rocking-picking' technique where I whack the bass with my thumb (I can do that already) but this counter-attack is driving me 5150.

[Hoffman6000]

sounds like might be playing in the wrong position.? It sounds like the line is hanging out around the 7th-9th frets for the first figure which is a box E figure, then shifts to 5th-7th for the second part for a box A figure. Most of the line is played with the thumb. Pop those octaves gently while barely fingering the note and they will be nice and muted like on the recording... Hammer on with the left hand from G-A after the position shift...and slide those half steps from Ab to A and from Db to D. I would only play the E string for one note (A on the & of 4)....the key to the smoothness of his playing is slapping and popping softly with low action and roll the treble off a bit...there might be a tiny bit of chorus effect on his tone too...sounds like a 70's Jazz bass on the recording. FUN LINE! and plenty of optional subtle changes thrown in for color!

[SurferJoe46]

Hm. Outta the normal box then? I like it!

Yeah - the octaving is all nuts since it feels like it requires another index finger to pick up those mystery ghosts.

I'll try it there since I get a lot of OOPS notes any other way.