Slap bassists recommendations

[El Bajo]

Been brushing up on slap bass for a couple of weeks using Ed Friedlands Slap DVD. Its really got me into learning about this technique and I would like to listen to some bassists to see how and when it is used.

Can anybody recommend some good music, particlarly funk. I already go chillis stuff and although Claypool is great I just dont like Primus.

[JeffSki]

Larry Graham (Graham Central Station) and Stanley Clarke immediately come to mind.

[ARCtrooper225]

Mark King (Level 42)
Bootsy Collins (P-funk, James Brown, Rubber band, Axiom funk)
Victor Wooten (Flecktones, solo)
Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, solo)
Ryan Martinie (not funk but definitely great, in Mudvayne)
Fieldy (again, not funk, but I just feel like being flamed)

[Dellers]

Marcus Miller
Nathaniel Phillips (Pleasure)

[Tommy el Gato]

Everyone already mentioned plus Jonas Hellborg. This is the guy I talk about the most around here, and for good reason.

You should also check out some of Claypool's solo stuff. (Sausage, Oysterhead, the Colonel Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel, etc etc.) It's much more groovy, less wierdness.

[Baryonyx]

Jonas Hellborg is a real monster. He has applied slap in so many musical contexts! But he is a master of it, perhaps with his finest moment of slapping being "it's the Pits (Slight Return)" from his Elegant Punk album!

Stuart Hamm and Mark King are really good too. Both have incredible technique, and the songs to match! And of course, I must mention Stanley Clarke...he has done some great stuff too!

[doctorjazz]

HUUUUUGE +1 for Larry Graham. Stanley's great too.

[Steve]

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

That guy is always fun to watch

[TheBassBetween]

Wow, that guy is pretty awesome. What's the black thing on his thumb? And more importantly, if I get one, will it make me as good as him?

Also, if you notice, his hand flies after a pop. He doesn't really keep his hand in tight with the bass.

[was3funk]

+1 Larry Graham - check out the song "Hair" among others
Marcus Miller - Free
Al MacDowell (obscure reference!)- check out the song "Offset"

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by TheBassBetween

Wow, that guy is pretty awesome. What's the black thing on his thumb? And more importantly, if I get one, will it make me as good as him?

Also, if you notice, his hand flies after a pop. He doesn't really keep his hand in tight with the bass.

I don't think you realize it, but the two points you made are actually related. This bass player is awesome, don't get me wrong: I LOVE this clip, but you are right: his hands fly quite far from the bass, and because his motion is so big, it isn't economical. Because his movement it isn't efficient, he pounds the heck out of both the bass and his hands to achieve speed. To shield his thumb from the abuse, and to give his tone a certain sharpness in its attack, he wears a thumb sleeve.

The person who perhaps is best known for the thumb sleeve is Mark King. Check out this video of him playing with a black thumb sleeve.

Seeing as El Bajo has the Ed Friedland DVD, and Ed mentions his former school mate, Marcus Miller in it, I thought you both might also enjoy this video. Notice how relaxed he plays, and that he has no thumb sleeve.

I don't know that I am qualified at all to give anyone any instruction, but I will say that I'm firmly in the school of belief that your hands should be as relaxed as they can be as you play, and that your motion should be economical and efficient, allowing you to play quickly without such force.

My style of play is more like what you are told at 4:20 in this video.

But hey, there are plenty of people doing cool stuff who don't follow those rules, obviously, so you can choose for yourself.

By the way, if for some reason, you ever want to feel depressed about your progress as a slap bass player, you should check out this video. Just imagine what this kid will be like in 10 years, when he is old enough to drink! He could at least be polite to us older guys and PRETEND it is hard for him! :-) Then again, here is another example of playing relaxed.

El Bajo, if you want to study more on how the slap techniques the Friedland video teaches are used, just do a search on Marcus Miller on YouTube. Not only is he great with this technique, he is great musically ... very tasteful.

By the way, El Bajo, my wife is from Verwood, which is just outside of Bournemouth.

[Winterpegbass]

Marcus Miller, Larry Graham & Louis Johnson. Sounds like you are into instructional videos. Get the Louis Johnson DVD. There is an excellent thread on Talkbass with links to about 100 funk tunes called Funk 101.

[BassFTW]

Les Claypool's stuff, with and without primus. If you can dig the sound Primus is good, if not he has some more traditional stuff.

[chicagodoubler]

It's great that there are so many resources, including videos, tab, dvd's, etc. However, transcribing by ear seperates the men from the boys, time and time again. Brothers Johnson, Graham Central Station, (esp earthquake!!!!) will get your thumb together in no time. Also Marcus Miller's stuff on Tutu (Miles) and Sanborn's early stuff.

BTW, slappers: flash ain't worth a dime if you can't play Carwash and Glide by Pleasure! These days, my double thumping and lh hammer on flash stays in the bag until someone asks for it. Gotten fired from enough gigs for bad taste...

[StanFan]

Billy Gould of faith No More. Simple but effective slap bass.

[Rano Bass]

Infectious grooves!
Robert Trujillo at his best IMO.

[OrionManMatt]

Originally Posted by chicagodoubler

Brothers Johnson

+ 100

The Reddings
This guy http://www.youtube.com/user/MarloweDK