When did you first start to slap/pop?

[JoBo-86]

Hey peoples, I was just wondering, where along in your music career did you start to play slap stuff (years)? I'm wonderin if im behind or something.

[fleabass89]

Slapping, IMO is not a nessecary skill, and you don't NEED to learn it. I just think it's cool and I started about 6 months after I started playing. I'm at the one year mark now. Don't worry about being behind, just have fun!

[Tyler Dupont]

I didn't start to practise slap until about 2 years after I started.. I still used a pick back then. Then once I learned the theme to "Night Court" there was no turning back

[jazzbo]

I never once practiced slap/pop. Ever. Then, during a gig, I was introduced at the end of the night by the front man, and he asked me to solo. For gits and shiggles I slapped, and it was my first time ever. You can imagine how dreadful this was. The crowd absolutely adored it. My drummer thought it was the coolest thing since Hanson retired, and I was left to believe that it doesn't take much to impress people. I have recently quit doing it, playing more jazzy solos that delve into more complex rhythms. The crowd is usually unamused.

Oh well.

[Nomadic Herder]

The first time I tried slapping was the first time I picked up a bass. THAT humbled me. I tried hitting the open E, but hit all 4 strings and got a horrible "BLAAAAAAAAAAHCHCODDSUDG" sound. Ive only been trying it seriously for a couple weeks.

[malthumb]

I started thumpin' (that's what we called it in the 'hood) the first day I picked up a bass. Actually, that's WHY I picked up a bass. The Brothers Johnson were just heating up and after I heard Louis Johnson blast "Get The Funk Outta Ma Face", I had to learn how to do that. The first song I ever learned and played publicly was "Brickhouse" by the Commodores. now there's a song just begging to be thumped...er, uh...slapped.

Peace,

James

[Dave Castelo]

i studied fingering and slapping at the same time... since i remember having a bass on my hands i have always slapped

but i agree on the "it´s not a necessary skill"... you can live without it but someday the crowd/friends/bandmates will ask you to do it... so be prepared!

i want to buy some videos because i self taught myself to slap but i want to know if my technique is correct or needs some help.

[Usul]

I have been playing a year(just)and never really messed with the slap/pop thing until a few days ago.I sat down and worked at it for a while.I still don`t know how to do it...I know how you are suppose to do it,but I am still in the process of making my hands cooperate.Still....I feel this is progress,I understand the technique andhow it is suppose to work and the mechanics of it.Just not able to do it too well yet.

For me it is not the end all and be all of bass playing.Although I think it is a good tool to have.I will keep plugging away at it.

End of Testemonial.

[Brendan]

I started about 2 monthes after I got the danged bass. Now, mind you, just because....no reason. Come to find out later, slap impresses people. Guess I picked up a valuable skill...

[Toodles]

It doesn't matter when or why you start slapping. So you can't be behind. You can only be behind on skill. Cheers.

[Crazic]

slapping kicks ass

i started playing it about 6 months after i started bassing.
i started playing slap by learning take the power back by rage against the machine and doing octaves up the fretboard on the e and d strings
by doing this octave thingie i got heeps better and i can do that really fast now along with heeps better slap riffs

so do stuff like that if u want to get good at slap

have fun

[Erlendur Már]

I started right away..I didn´t realize that my technique sucked until last year, though..