Are you physical????

[millsbass5]

Who on here has what I would call a really"physical"slapping technique?I see some players slapping and it seems their technique is really efficient.By that,I mean it looks like they aren't attacking the strings hard at all,very minimal hand movement,but,their tone is awesome.As for me,I would consider myself a really physical player,when it comes to popping and slapping.I would have to say my technique is somewhat similar to Flea or Les.It seems that I just don't attack the strings,I attack the whole bass.I've tried to "calm down" my slapping & popping approach,but,when I get settled into a groove,I'm right back to being a physical player.I used to attack the bass any way I played.But,when I started doing a considerable amount of studio work,clean playing really stuck with me.It helped me immensely.How about you guys and gals?Do you play like a rabid gorilla,or,do you have a feather-light touch?

[Cyber Soda]

Feather light. I don't want to sound stereotypical but I dig in with a bit of speed. When I gallop though it's a bit more aggressive. I don't like that, hopefully that'll change with experience.

[JimmyM]

I personally hate to hear a bassist who slaps like a girl. Larry Graham said it best...(paraphrasing) "If you want it to sound big, you gotta hit the strings hard." OTOH, there is such a thing as too hard. You can actually defeat your purpose by playing too hard. You can hit it so hard that the note won't even come out. Doesn't sound like your problem, though. I'd carry on as before if I were you.

[Buskman]

Here's a good take on "physical' playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spaw8bCZMHc

[Ubersheist]

Originally Posted by Buskman

Here's a good take on "physical' playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spaw8bCZMHc

Ug.

I'm trying to be less physical. The tones are there with a lighter touch, and there's techniques you can use to get full, aggressive tones without being super physical.

I think Flea and some of the other guys are actually a whole lot less physical of players then most people think. They just ham it up a whole lot in front of people, and if you were to actually pick out their playing (especially in the studio), they're really attacking the strings a whole lot less violently then they look like they are.

Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZILSRswCNdE
At about 1:15, he starts playing. Mind you, the lines he's playing are very aggressive and physical, but not nearly as physical as he usually appears to be.

[millsbass5]

It's not like I'm against being a "physical" player.It just seems if I would limit the motion of my plucking hand,I could pick up EVEN MORE speed.But,JimmyM,Larry was right,your tone definitely sounds beefier if you attack the strings harder,IMO.

[low-endz]

Really it depens on the song & how strong of of slap pop accent needed.

But, when I'm on stage Ive notice I swing my thumb up to my right ear area & slap (not really hittimg as hard as it looks) for stage flair this done rarely though it feels cool.

[bearshimmy]

it depends, if I'm doing super fast, percussive slap I use a lighter attack, if not I slap harder because it sounds better.

[MNAirHead]

Guess the first step is to ask if you've paid the $$$ to have your frets, neck, intonation and bridge set up.

I had no clue how easy it could be to slap until trying a Status - the difference is all in the setup

[marksmith85]

I'm probably more on the physical side of slapping, but I'm trying to lighten it up a bit so I can get some more speed in. I only found out about the Wooten-esque style of slapping a couple of months ago. I did it over the pick guard and with a lot of force, but no I'm trying to get it over the fretboard and get the upstroke too for those doublet and triplet muted notes. Still got a long way to go!

[chaosMK]

I beat the crap out of my strings, but it's a real percussive attack with my thumb not a dig-in-and-leave it. I use a 35" scale bass and DR Lo-Riders (extra stiff, slightly fatter gauge, so a little more tension)... all of this is to accomodate my overly/rightfully aggressive style. I've spent years figuring out how to cut through articulately in low-tuned metal, part of it is using a lot of slap and getting the percussive attacks to really come out.

If I am recording I'll play a little more carefully and scale back a bit so more tone comes out.

This is what our music sounds like live (fast fwd to around 3:30 for the more aggressive playing, the first song is a snoozer with no aggressive slapping)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTEN_...eature=related

[millsbass5]

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

Guess the first step is to ask if you've paid the $$$ to have your frets, neck, intonation and bridge set up.

I had no clue how easy it could be to slap until trying a Status - the difference is all in the setup

I've NEVER paid to have my bass set-up.Come to think of it,I've NEVER taken a guitar to the shop.I do all of my own set-ups.Also.I do the guitar player's setups in the band I play in.I've saved alot of $$$$ over the years.

[Ubersheist]

Originally Posted by low-endz

But, when I'm on stage Ive notice I swing my thumb up to my right ear area & slap (not really hittimg as hard as it looks) for stage flair this done rarely though it feels cool.

I do the same sort of thing.. Stage flair. I'll bring my hand up to eye level or higher and as quick as I can bring the hand back down. However, the brunt of the force is the meaty part of my palm hitting the bridge. I'll still hit the strings pretty hard, but not nearly as hard as it looks like I'm hitting them.

The guitarist has been doing the same thing lately. He'll wildly swing his arm like Pete Townsend, but doesn't actually hit the strings nearly that hard. Fun, not functional.

[chaosMK]

It's funny... there are times where I'll do the "over extended pick maneuver" except I'm playing finger style. =P

[Grizzly700]

I change constantly, I can barely pluck the strings or I can really dig in. It all depends on the situation