Slap Pattern

[Rob Downie]

Several times now I have heard a slap pattern that sounds like an eighth note followed by two sixteenths. Does that pattern involve plucking a string? My understanding of slap is that a string is plucked on the downbeat and one or more slaps occur on the upbeat. Here, however, it sounds like there is a slap on the downbeat and two slaps on the upbeat. I don't hear any string being plucked.

Rob

[Brent Norton]

That "slap" on the downbeat is from the string snapping against the FB - not slapping with your hand. The string is plucked so it snaps back against the FB on the down beat, creating the initial "click" and note, then followed with two hand slaps, creating the two additional clicks... Sounds like "Doon-ticka, doon-ticka, doon-ticka..."

Be sure to check out www.rockabillybass.com as well... Tons of info geared primarily to the slap bassist.

[bonniej]

That is what I've learned as a 'triple' slap, and it is quite fun to play. It astounded me to see a guy doing it really fast, so I practiced it until my palm was bruised! I haven't done it in a while, so I've slowed quite a bit.

Pluck the string with your middle and ring finger hard enough that it clicks when it returns to the fingerboard pulling your entire hand away from you, the hit the string with your palm - close to your wrist - hard enough to hit the fingerboard, then draw your hand closer to your body and hit it again with your palm closer to your fingers. Practice slowly!

I'm gonna check out that link! Thanks!

Bonnie