Beginner slap problems..

[homercaholic]

Im just trying to step into the world of slap and pop but im having some trouble learning. Im without a teacher due to work and lack of finances so basically im going by online lessons and youtube videos.

First of all it seems like I cant keep the "turn the knob" technique constant, it seems that after 3 or 4 "turns" my technique just falls apart, I start using my whole forearm and it goes to crap. I believe this is just beginner pains and the rhythm isnt in my memory yet.

Second, im trying to figure out how to "slap through the string", as in hit the E but end up on the A. I can bounce it off all day but going downwards seems to be just like playing a pick, im not slapping the string on the frets. I cant figure out an angle to hit the strings and no videos really show and up top view or explain it, they just expect you to know it after 2 or 3 sentences.

Any help?

[homercaholic]

baby bump, I tried again today practicing to go through the strings but I just cant grasp it, do you go down? in? im pretty lost..

[Revvv]

BUMPING

[WhiteKnuckles]

It sounds like you may be striking straight down with your thumb perpendicular with the string, using your forearm to kind of whip it down.

Try getting your thumb parallel to the string and strike with the boney part. Remember that your not going straight down to the fretboard, but at an angle so that your thumb will strike the string you want to sound, yet come to rest on the one below.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnuckles

Try getting your thumb parallel to the string and strike with the boney part. Remember that your not going straight down to the fretboard, but at an angle so that your thumb will strike the string you want to sound, yet come to rest on the one below.

Maybe so... Try it, if it works out for you, it's o.k.

If it doesn't, a different approach might be:

Initial exercise: Sit sideways next to a table. Rest your elbow and forearm on the table. Stick out your thumb in a 135 degree angle with the forearm. Make a loose fist. Keep your wrist relaxed. Strike the table by turning, not lifting the arm. The boney part of the thumb will hit the table board. See to it that it jumps up right away, like if the table were hot. Try to drum something simple, but strictly in time.
Step 2: the same, but with your hand loosely open, fingers bent. Keep in mind that you are moving around the axis of the forearm. There's no wrist activity.

Step 3: to the bass: try to get your forearm pretty horizontal, almost parallel to the strings. - maybe this means you will have to strap your bass up a little higher. Keep your thumb in a 135 degree angle with the arm. Keep your wrist straight and relaxed, hand open, fingers bent.. Forget about the string below, but try to hit the actual string (wih the boney part of the thumb) very actively, as if it could burn you. If you strike too heavily, you will be damping it.

After that: popping octaves, other intervals.
Later still: clapping the fingerboard with the other left hand fingers.
Finally: slap, clap, pop till you drop.

[Bennet Pullen]

The "through the string" method is a little more challenging to get right but I originally learned it from videos, not a teacher, so it can be done. As for the angle I'd say it's about 45 degrees, or half way between "down" and "in". For me my thumb contacts the string on the side almost right at the point where my nail ends. I know because I have a callus there and when I first started learning this technique it was raw all the time.

I'm trying to remember where I saw it originally but I think it was a video of a clinic by Victor Wooten, not sure if it was on the internet or one of his vids.

I would worry about the actual thumb contacting the string and making the sound your want portion of either technique first. Once you get that part right work on moving your arm etc around that so that you get minimal motion.

Moving your bass is a good idea, how high would you say you normally have it? If on a strap my bass sits just higher than my leg when I sit down, so the bass position doesn't change sitting or standing.

[Darko74]

Try this

http://playbassnow.com/playing-style...ass-technique/

[WhiteKnuckles]

Originally Posted by Darko74

Try this

http://playbassnow.com/playing-style...ass-technique/

This is a better example of what I was getting at.

Granted, I'm not near the monster player that Marlowe is, but my technique is much the same.