• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Slap bass: anyone else over it?

Status
Not open for further replies.
adamsmatthewj

adamsmatthewj

May 4, 2013
600
70
#1
Ok, I might be guilty of heresy here on TB, but I'm going to throw it out there:

Anyone else completely OVER slapping? I'm so sick of hearing it, it's not even funny

I got quite good at it in the 90's, and it was quite a bit of fun, but I just found it to not be very useful in today's working-mans bass playing lifestyle. It's almost sounding dated to me at this point, kind of like bad 80's guitar chorus pedals are to our fellow guitarists

Unless your name happens to be Larry, Stanley, Marcus, or Victor, should you really slap in today's day and age?

I find that more and more of the upcoming top tier bassists aren't doing it, either. Seems to me that things like a flamenco-style right hand technique, chording, and melodicism are where the progress of bass guitar is headed

Given, there will ALWAYS be chops-guys out there...
I don't know, I'm just wondering if it's time to evolve?

And there are my random musings of the day lol!
 
#3
Completely over it. I can do it when I NEED to and the music calls of fit, but other than that, I can't stand it. How slapping is the best way to try your bass out unplugged at Guitar Center is beyond me.
 
#6
adamsmatthewj said:
Ok, I might be guilty of heresy here on TB, but I'm going to throw it out there:

Anyone else completely OVER slapping? I'm so sick of hearing it, it's not even funny

I got quite good at it in the 90's, and it was quite a bit of fun, but I just found it to not be very useful in today's working-mans bass playing lifestyle. It's almost sounding dated to me at this point, kind of like bad 80's guitar chorus pedals are to our fellow guitarists

Unless your name happens to be Larry, Stanley, Marcus, or Victor, should you really slap in today's day and age?

I find that more and more of the upcoming top tier bassists aren't doing it, either. Seems to me that things like a flamenco-style right hand technique, chording, and melodicism are where the progress of bass guitar is headed

Given, there will ALWAYS be chops-guys out there...
I don't know, I'm just wondering if it's time to evolve?

And there are my random musings of the day lol!
Click to expand...

After more than twenty five years of playing bass I'm still not "over" slapping - and never will be. The styles you mention though? Great for delicate playing (and aping a guitar) but most of the time I want to hear something a little more authoritative on a bass. Do you also think it might be time to "evolve" away from plucking? I mean, that's much more over-used than slapping. ;) In any event, there's room for it all , so don't worry about it.
 
#7
Nope. I'm still improving my slap/pop chops and enjoy playing and hearing it, but I've become more of a bedroom musician type than gigging weekend warrior these days. That said, I can understand why some find it a bit annoying or dated. I guess I'm a little late to the game (or a bit annoying and dated myself!). :bassist:
 
#10
So sick of these prescriptivist 'I hate slap because some people do it badly' threads. It's just a technique (and a powerful one at that); your loss if you want to rule it out based on others' misuse of it.

Also, slap doesn't have to = chops fest. Check out 'Sumthin Sumthin' by Maxwell. Sweet groove, no flashiness.
 
#11
SteveC said:
Completely over it. I can do it when I NEED to and the music calls of fit, but other than that, I can't stand it. How slapping is the best way to try your bass out unplugged at Guitar Center is beyond me.
Click to expand...

I worked at a music store from '73-'77 and we had guys from the housing project across the street come in, plug in and annoy the hell out of us. You think it's bad when the bass is unplugged, try hearing it louder than the amp can handle, played badly. I guess it could have been OK if they had been playing along with something, but there was no context for us to know what they were playing. FWIW, some of the bass players in MKE are really good at it and for me, it's because they use it sparingly. Since I have always preferred bass guitar to occupy the low end, reinforce the harmonization and rhythm and provide a solid bottom, slap isn't as interesting to me.
 
#14
Slapping, in my opinion, will never cease to be relevant. Unfortunately, it's overly used as a crutch. Even then, most people who use it as such are not even tasteful about it... myself included! I have much to learn and much to develop, but I personally don't think I will be over it any time soon. I just love it.
 
#16
The technique is not going any where ever.

If players are done with the technique, then that's on them.

Don't knock a technique simply because you have personal issues with it.


If a player is done with a specific technique, it's a strong possibility that it's the player not the technique, surely a possible sign that the complainer lacks vision/creativity.
 
#17
When I'm at home and I pick up a bass and I have nothing else that needs playing and nothing to accompany, I slap. Because it's fun.

When I go to a music store and I pick up a bass and I have nothing else that needs playing and nothing to accompany, I slap. Because it's fun.

I've slapped plenty at gigs. I've probably never NEEDED to, but my band and audience have usually seemed to appreciate it. I probably wont be slapping my way through that cover of 'Call Me' though.
 
#18
bass12 said:
Do you also think it might be time to "evolve" away from plucking? I mean, that's much more over-used than slapping. ;)
Click to expand...

+1 :smug:

People can overplay with ANY technique (i.e. - Billy Sheehan with plucking is a great example), so we need to blame the player not the technique. Interestingly enough, Billy hates pop/slap as well because it "Reminds [him] of disco music when they were replacing live bands with jukeboxes in clubs"....what?? :confused:

Another example of technique being used in really different spectrums would be with bass tapping. Victor Wooten uses it as well as the guy from Necrophagist....I'm going to say we've got some VERY different applications of this technique in terms of style, so we can't say anything about the technique itself, just how it's applied.

Just play how you like and don't knock the rest ;)
 
#19
JAUQO III-X said:
The technique is not going any where ever.

If players are done with the technique, then that's on them.

Don't knock a technique simply because you have personal issues with it.


If a player is done with a specific technique, it's a strong possibility that it's the player not the technique, surely a possible sign that the complainer lacks vision/creativity.
Click to expand...

+1

'nuff sed.
 
#20
Had the annoying slap experience at GC last week. Trying out a bass, which I eventually bought, playing and listening to every note on the neck, and trying to get a sense of the instruments nuances. Some dude comes in and starts double thumping on all these basses. But it didn't even sound musical at all, just some exhibition of his half-a** chops. Completely fouled my ears, so I took off and went back he next morning.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back