A little help from those slap inclined please.

I think it is more about your technique than set-up. But I would say cut the trebel a little, and boost the mid a little.

 

I would boost the lows a bit because the thumb attack in slapping seems to be a bit low end shy. Also I would take out a whole lot around 800Hz-1kHz. That's the clankiness that often needs to be taken out for slapping, IMO.

 

Thats the style i use and probably always will. Use the Onboard controls to fine tune aswell.

 

I've only ever played one Pedulla so I'm not prepared to make this a blanket statement - some basses are better for slap than others. the Pedulla I played sounded very nice when played finger style but didn't slap too well. It was too warm and had no bite. Maybe that's part of your problem?

 

My fingerstlye and slap style Eq settings are pretty much one in the same... because I will go from Slap to fingerstyle in an instant, you really can't keep changing things on your amp and your bass... I always leave my pre amp settings the same.. only adjusting the aural enhancer for the room situation...

On my onboard preamp, I boost the bass and treble and slightly cut the mids... I used to boost the mids but I could never get the Tone I was looking for... until one day i met a bass monster and he played my Elrick and boosted the bass and treble and it just sang to me.

 

I'd concur with that. While there's much more to it than just the tools available, they can make a big difference.

Is there anyway you can get a local slapmeister to try your setup? That will give you a clue as to how much help or hindrance your basses will give in the development of your technique.

Also, are there any particular players or songs whose tone you'd like to achieve? 'Slap' is a pretty broad heading and one answer won't cover all the bases.

Wulf

 

It really is dependent on each person's individual tastes, but I agree with those above about the smiley-face EQ curve. Cut the mids, slightly boost the lows and highs. I use an EQ pedal live to kick in and out on the slap songs, and sometimes just use my pinkie finger to roll back the mids on the bass itself.

Technique can handle much of this for you, just as you can change the tone with your fingers . . . you can also change the tone with your thumb.

 

The marcus Sound. Jazz bass, new strings ( or just broken in)slight bass boost, Favor the neck pick up slightly. Thump lightly just over the end of the fret board.

AJ

 

-use both pickups on your bass (bridge p/u gives clarity, neck p/u gives booty) leave the bass's tone controls relatively neutral at first

-new roundwounds (dead strings or flatwounds sound bad IMO, you'll never get "the sound")

-proper technique is essential, getting your thumb to drive the string against the fretboard properly allows two things, 1) the added percussion when the note sounds, and 2) the string vibrates with a richer harmonic structure

This is what works for me, YMMV.

 

1) new strings
2) new strings
3) new strings

Strings will overcome many lesser-slap-bass tone issues. Of all parts of the slap tone, EQ is the least important to me, either I hear myself well from the get-go or I spend the whole gig/practice trying to eq myself to death.

 

I'm sure you get the tone thats to kill (and you may not even consider what im saying but do it anyway)but I find theis quote slightly misleading from one of the basic things alot of guys do wrong.

You dont want to strike the string directly into the fretboard it sorta chokes the note and tone. Instead you want a slight downward motion when you want a Full of note sound.For more percusive and faster stuff you tend to attack more Directly towards the bass. You'll find that you float in between directions depending on the tone your after. the becomes more obvious when you trying to coax a nice pitch out of the G string with your thumb.

AJ

 

I also have a Pedulla Rapture and slap almost exclusively. This is a great slapping bass. New strings do make a huge difference, as does proper setup (low action).

There's no right and wrong regarding slapping over the fretboard or towards the bridge ... just get the string vibrating, experiment, and find the sound you like.

EQ: on my Pedulla, a touch of bass boost sounds good.

I personally don't like Ampeg amps for funk or slapping. Maybe try a hi-fi amp (SWR etc.)

 

Be careful of the smiley face EQ....it will sound great without the band......but will bury you in a live mix!

 

Well, I see your point, I guess I relate slap to the way a percussionist hits a conga / bongo / djembe ... His fingers ensonify the head without choking the sound because he is striking with a bounce , so to speak, not a hit. You have to set the string or drumhead in motion without following it through....

Does that make sense?

If a basketball player's hand traveled with the ball all the way to the deck, how much bounce would he get? I think of hand drums and slapping bass the same way.

Sorry, my technical writing skills may not be the "light that shines" on the subject.

Your turn. I tried. i just wish I could teach in person instead of using this POS keyboard and internet...

 

On your Thunderbolt, turn the thunderguts switch off, blend both pickups even, and dial in the tone to taste.

I agree with Jerry, it is difficult to have a great slap tone and great finger tone at the same time. The only bass I've had that I felt sounds good both ways without fiddling with tone is a Stingray. The Thunderbolt 4 I had was actually pretty good both ways, too. I've had two Thunderbasses that were not great slappers, maybe the difference between bolt-on vs. neck-through.

 

I get around that with a simple EQ pedal. Turn it off for fingering, turn it on for slap. Easy..........

 

I use the Pan slightly bridge for fingers slightly neck for slap.

sure makes perfect sense



AJ