Beginning slap and pop

[cubinicano]

I've been playing bass for a lip while now and I've always loved hearing slap and pop but never really attempted it myself. I wanna know, where exactly do I start? What do I listen to exactly?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

I highly recommend you to buy this book. It's one of the best (if not the best) books on the subject. It gives you the basics for getting a solid foundation on the technique and also has lots of funky grooves.

[dtiii]

Yes. Slapit is an excellent start. I'll add that being patient is extremely important. It may take some time to develop thumb accuracy and get a good sound. The D and G strings are especially tough to get a good sound at first. Just be persistent and it will happen.

Short story... before I began getting the slap thing together I was amazed by it. (Well, I still am as there are some pretty incredible things being done with the style). I knew I wanted to do it, but became frustrated easily when it didn't happen 'over night.' I friend who had it together advised that as long as I practiced it regulary it would happen. He was right. It just kind of clicked one day. The Chili Peppers "Aeroplane" was my maiden voyage tune.

Good Luck
d

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Listen to Larry Graham, as he is credited with inventing the style. As far as your own lines are concerned, listen to great drummers and try to train your thumb to do what their foot does, and your fingers to do what their snare and high-hat accents do

[Stumbo]

TB slap bass references/links
Over 60 slap/funk lessons by MarlowDK
Video lessons w/Dmanlamius

[ryco]

Along with "Slapit!", Slappin' is a great beginner book.

[bassybill]

Mark King is worth checking out, for sure.

[MNAirHead]

I'd buy the video.. OR better yet take a lesson.

There is tons of bad technique and sound for slap.. a quick lesson can get you on the track.

First step? Get a metronome.
Second step? Get your bass setup for the technique.

[Sparkdog]

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

I'd buy the video.. OR better yet take a lesson.

There is tons of bad technique and sound for slap.. a quick lesson can get you on the track.

First step? Get a metronome.
Second step? Get your bass setup for the technique.

That's my cue!

I've been meaning to start working on slap technique for a long time. I gig regularly, but my working basses have what most guys would probably call fairly high action...I play mostly blues and R&B and find that I can only get the deep percussive thump I like by plucking near the base of the neck and having NO fret noise.

I've also found that setup is not slap-friendly at all.

What's the right way to set up a bass for slap and pop technique? I have a nice P/J that I can dedicate for a funk machine.

I'm assuming low action, but there must be more to it than that.

Hmmm?

[tZer]

"Slap it!" was the book that demystified slap for me. 25 years later I still remember many of the exercises.

Back in those days it came with a 'sound page' - a pull-out 45 that you slapped (no pun intended) onto your turntable to hear the exercises! Ground-breaking stuff!

Now it comes with a CD.

[ausf]

Whichever guide you use, as stated above be patient. You're not going to get it overnight. There's a whole new set of muscles that need to be built to build tone. One day, they'll be there and as long as you are careful with technique, a valuable tool will be added.

It couldn't hurt to just do palm muted octaves while watching TV or something else mindless in addition to the studies.

[cap'n crunk]

BIT instructor Alexis Sklarevski's DVD, The Slap Bass Program, deserves mention here as well. Sick stuff if you can stand the clothes and haircuts on him and his band. :P

[MarkMcBass]

Originally Posted by cubinicano

I've been playing bass for a lip while now and I've always loved hearing slap and pop but never really attempted it myself. I wanna know, where exactly do I start? What do I listen to exactly?

Yes! Check out Larry Graham, hes accredited with inventing the style. And Louis Johnson, his rival! Mark King is one of my favorites. I have to mention my favorite other bassist, Jonas Hellborg. Everyone likes Claypool too And Yes the book SlapIt! is great! Or Hal Leonard's advanced bass method got me going..its pretty old but im sure you can find it some place!

[bassdog]

Ed Friedland's "Slap Bass" dvd is really all you need to get started.

[Soverntear]

one thing ill advise, take the time when you start doing the following with a metronome slap open E pop open D slap open E pop open G and do the same with your A till you have good time and tone

[groooooove]

its like anything else. listen, absorb, practice.

the only thing unique to practicing slapping/popping is it needs to be done quietly, and not in guitarcenter

[Grygore]

Louis Johnson's instructional video (I had it on VHS!) is what got me started

[MNAirHead]

Alex's video is the one.

There are some good Mark King short intros on Youtube..

[MNAirHead]

Originally Posted by Sparkdog

That's my cue!

I've been meaning to start working on slap technique for a long time. I gig regularly, but my working basses have what most guys would probably call fairly high action...I play mostly blues and R&B and find that I can only get the deep percussive thump I like by plucking near the base of the neck and having NO fret noise.

I've also found that setup is not slap-friendly at all.

What's the right way to set up a bass for slap and pop technique? I have a nice P/J that I can dedicate for a funk machine.

I'm assuming low action, but there must be more to it than that.

Hmmm?

Depends on the bass.. really does.

The biggest issue I"ve seen is that many folks will take basses to their general luthier dude (or attempt it cold them selves)

To do a correct setup.. there are tons of factors.. it really can't be done over night.

[MNAirHead]

Best single lesson I had on the technique took about 3 minutes.

What was it. have all of your techniques have the same intensity and output.

I can't tell you how many guys pluck then wack their bass (making sound guys dive for the board)

Much of it just takes time (with some coaching)

T.