Anyone else find slap overrated?

[hesham8]

Yes, it may be fun, but I prefer the fingerstyle sound. Just that pure low end is my kind of thing (AKA, the majority of Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder). Who's with me?

 

[lunarpollen]

The only (and I mean ONLY) context in which I like slap bass guitar is monster bassist Leigh Gorman's playing in Bow Wow Wow.

 

[BlackLake]

I have to admit I am, and oddly enough I'm currently teaching all of my intermediate/advanced bass students Sir Duke.

About 3 months ago one of them (13) came to his lesson about to blow a gasket about this song he heard on the radio on his way to his lesson. After him describing it, I youtubed Sir Duke. Bingo.

Now they all want to learn it.

Those ending "tweener" licks in the final choruses are just killer!

 

[Ric5]

I play slap bass ... but slap is often over done and sometimes applied inappropriately

 

[Double Agent]

I like slap. I like it a lot actually. What I don't like is guys who can do all this crazy slap stuff with an "oooh, look at me" attitude, but their groove is weak. A little goes a long way in slap IMO, and its better to not do it at all than to do it with no groove or soul. And, I do prefer to play fingerstyle 95-98% of the time.

 

[standupright]

I play slap bass ... but slap is often over done and sometimes applied inappropriately

+1

 

[bassplayertom77]

It's a technique that should never be played until it is mastered.

I played the newer version of "Unchain My Heart" by Joe Cocker with a horn band using slap. Just pounding out a single eighth note over the changes w/ a Sly Stone kinda groove. That, to me, is underrated.

 

[calebbarton]

i dont play slap. there is so much you can do with your fingers or a pick that i dont find it necessary to play with my thumb, this ofcorse is preference. if you want to slap do it. i just dont.

 

[G On Bass]

I'm not a slap guy either, and I thought I was one of the only ones. Every bass demo and most solos these days seem obligated to go into slap-mode. It's almost like something you're expected to do. I just don't care for it, personally.

Slap is fine for the occasional accent, but as others have said, it is often overdone, and done poorly by people who aren't aware of they are doing so.

I'll gladly take a bass line where the notes matter more than the technique.

 

[AlphaMale]

Slap is over done and a bit over appreciated at times especially by guitarists, but it is amazing. I think Guitarists are more impressed by it than anything. It is something that has been a bit overused. but it is a great discipline and has done a lot for the bass instrument and should be respected a lot. Slap bass is almost a completely different instrument (but more of a different discipline), it's amazing.

 

[funkydanbass]

I'm not impressed by cliche's regardless of how they are played...
I love music, not techniques...

 

[REAPER52]

I dont know how to yet- might never do - but i think that it has its place. i think nothing should be ruled out. if it make music and you like it -- aint that what its all about

 

[EliasR]

When I slap, I do it mostly on my fretless, which gives a completely different sound. On slower phrases, I might use my thumb to slap against the fingerboard and then do vibrato with it, adding texture.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273846

 

[Mastermold]

I mess around with slap technique on my own time but never around my band. Surest way to get fired! Those guys hate it bad.

 

[dangerkirk]

i like the sounds it makes if used properly

its just not a style i like to play

 

[lonestarwings]

It's the "shred mentality" as Ed F. likes to say.

I suck at slap and still like to do it. When people say play somthing for me I will probably end up slapping a random 12 bar exercise a few times.

I like how it sounds, don't really care if other bassists think I'm cheesy or a show off. For the past 8 weeks I've spent 80% of my practice time on slap in an attempt to suck less at it.

With that said, when I play with my band, I slap on one song out of about 15, and that song is only slapped in the verses, not the chorus.

 

[quigg]

The first time I heard slap bass I was probably four or five, I woke up early one day and wanted to watch a movie, so I went into my living room and looked at the VCR and the case for "The Land Before Time" was on top of it. That was NOT the movie that was in the VCR, it was a 70's or 80's adult movie that my parents left in the VCR, soundtrack was slap bass. So not only was I horrified when I was that young (parents talked to me and told me about the birds and the bees) but I was even more horrified when I realized what my parents were doing watching that video when I got older. So, to this very day, when I hear slap bass, I can't get that image out of my head. I play fingerstyle or use a pick.

 

[rodl2005]

I've been playing since I was about 9yrs old in 1973 & slap was sumthin male movie stars did to their female co-stars that were hysterical...... that doesn't work either!!!! I HATE slap when it's done in the 'flickity-flickety' style to show- HOW FAST I CAN GO!!! WOW- all speed & NO FEEL!!! Now - I think there's a place for it & when done tastefully-as with pick, fingered & thumbed- it's GREAT!!! I use it probly about 5% of the time. No I aint great at it, but I can do it OK & when I DO use it, (I think at least) I do it minimully & tastefully

 

[bassrique]

The only (and I mean ONLY) context in which I like slap bass guitar is monster bassist Leigh Gorman's playing in Bow Wow Wow.

Huh? Shtick, no?

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Most "shred slap" sounds like crap to my ears. Slap done right is goodness, whether fast or slow. Of course what I think is good others may think is crap.