Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Anyone else find slap overrated?
- Thread starter hesham8
- Start date
- Status
I know what your saying. I find myself using it less and less in band and live situations but there are those occasions where it's needed, especially in some of the urban gospel songs my church plays.
To me it's all determined by what the song calls for. I don't play it in 3 out of 4 of my bands. I do play around with it while warming up and getting my levels at the beginning of a rehearsal or show and everyone else in the band and in the crowd usually loves it and wants to write a song around it. I just shrug it off and quit playing until they forget what they were talking about.
One thing I am against is people gaging your bass playing abilities by how good you can play that certain technique. If I went to guitar center and just played around with finger style on a bass and then some other guy was 20 feet over slapping the crap out of a bass I'm sure people would think he was the better bassist. It's a misconception of many non-bassists to think that the ability to slap equals the ability to play. It's just a technique, a good one, but just one of many.
To me it's all determined by what the song calls for. I don't play it in 3 out of 4 of my bands. I do play around with it while warming up and getting my levels at the beginning of a rehearsal or show and everyone else in the band and in the crowd usually loves it and wants to write a song around it. I just shrug it off and quit playing until they forget what they were talking about.
One thing I am against is people gaging your bass playing abilities by how good you can play that certain technique. If I went to guitar center and just played around with finger style on a bass and then some other guy was 20 feet over slapping the crap out of a bass I'm sure people would think he was the better bassist. It's a misconception of many non-bassists to think that the ability to slap equals the ability to play. It's just a technique, a good one, but just one of many.
I mixed up Leigh Gorman with the singer.
================
I was thinking back to the first thump song I learned.
"What it is" from Miles's Davis "Decoy" album. Darryl Jones on bass. Can't find it on YouTube
That's an example of good slap IMO.
+1!
I'm partial to playing slap and I don't have a problem with other people playing it either. As with every technique, it's open to the fact that there are people who will overplay or will not apply it correctly - that's up to them and their musical motivation/education.
FINALLY!!! It's not just me then ... 
I think slap's like the 'fiddly-widdly-diddly' 90's guitar solo's
- if you see an immature guitarist trying out a guitar in a shop, he'll shred the strings and it sounds awful. If you see an immature bassist trying a out a bass in a shop he'll slap the crap out of it and it'll sound awful.
You hear people sound-checking with it at gigs all the time, then they come to try out a song - no slap! Soooo ... completely useless soundcheck then (must drive sound engineer's crazy)!
IMO Stu Hamm's awesome with the softer solo's, but I loathe his slap playing and fart in it's general direction.
That said, some people sound wonderful with it and use their slap powers for good and not for evil - it's tight, skilled and sounds amazing!! Slap can sound wonderful when it's used well and in the right context I think. I get why it's kinda fun to play, but unfortunately it's become the 'cheap-trick-shot' for the self-undulgent ... usually the same guys who'll tell you you're pretentious if you're focused on tone / use effects / have more than 4 strings etc ...
Okay ... rant over ...
I think slap's like the 'fiddly-widdly-diddly' 90's guitar solo's
- if you see an immature guitarist trying out a guitar in a shop, he'll shred the strings and it sounds awful. If you see an immature bassist trying a out a bass in a shop he'll slap the crap out of it and it'll sound awful.You hear people sound-checking with it at gigs all the time, then they come to try out a song - no slap! Soooo ... completely useless soundcheck then (must drive sound engineer's crazy)!
IMO Stu Hamm's awesome with the softer solo's, but I loathe his slap playing and fart in it's general direction.
That said, some people sound wonderful with it and use their slap powers for good and not for evil - it's tight, skilled and sounds amazing!! Slap can sound wonderful when it's used well and in the right context I think. I get why it's kinda fun to play, but unfortunately it's become the 'cheap-trick-shot' for the self-undulgent ... usually the same guys who'll tell you you're pretentious if you're focused on tone / use effects / have more than 4 strings etc ...
Okay ... rant over ...
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
I don't see why anyone would hate a technique/tool. It's like a bunch of carpenters saying they hate nail guns because some carpenters can't use them properly. It just doesn't make sense to me. What I dislike is people who can't play slap very well trying to play slap to cover other shortcomings in their technique.
Heck I've heard a lot of amateurs who suck at plucking let alone slapping.
Heck I've heard a lot of amateurs who suck at plucking let alone slapping.
I think it's overrated, but still love it, old Chilis being a prime example of how it can be great, even when it's a little OTT at times.
People do seem to think that people that can play slap well are oozing talent, while people that can't play any are somehow inferior bassists. I do get asked sometimes to play some slap, and I'm not that great at it, but I know enough to play some cheesy generic Funk which I kinda enjoy sometimes.
Had great fun yesterday actually, my band were playing at a protest acoustic yesterday, and was following a half-caste mate of mine round playing slap behind him saying it was the equivalent of following a fat guy round with a Tuba, everyone found it pretty funny. That kinda one of the down sides of slap for me though, I find it very hard to take seriously alot of the time, some people - sorry to mention them again - like Flea seem to get away with it and make it sound quite aggressive and not really cheesy, although he does sometimes, but that's mostly in their all out funky as funk funk stuff.
Only time I use it in my band though is just using the slap, and not the pop, to get a really aggressive growly sound sometimes when I'm playing a fingerstyle song.
People do seem to think that people that can play slap well are oozing talent, while people that can't play any are somehow inferior bassists. I do get asked sometimes to play some slap, and I'm not that great at it, but I know enough to play some cheesy generic Funk which I kinda enjoy sometimes.
Had great fun yesterday actually, my band were playing at a protest acoustic yesterday, and was following a half-caste mate of mine round playing slap behind him saying it was the equivalent of following a fat guy round with a Tuba, everyone found it pretty funny. That kinda one of the down sides of slap for me though, I find it very hard to take seriously alot of the time, some people - sorry to mention them again - like Flea seem to get away with it and make it sound quite aggressive and not really cheesy, although he does sometimes, but that's mostly in their all out funky as funk funk stuff.
Only time I use it in my band though is just using the slap, and not the pop, to get a really aggressive growly sound sometimes when I'm playing a fingerstyle song.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Slap will always have it's place for me, under use or over use alike.
And if I want to do it at a sound check, by god I will
Why be judgmental of someone else being an assjack?
Play what's appropriate to you then, if you can't stand it.
Just another example of "someone looking down their nose at something, thread".
And if I want to do it at a sound check, by god I will
Why be judgmental of someone else being an assjack?
Play what's appropriate to you then, if you can't stand it.
Just another example of "someone looking down their nose at something, thread".
some gigs I do where its just me and the guitard/singer (no drums) I find that I use slap quite sparingly, like where a drum fill would definitly suit in a certain section, I'll play a percussive that (slap/pop) otherwise its all fingers nailing it all to the floor so that the crowd can keep dancing. Its like a condiment for me...
It is important to remember that slap originated in r&b, and that over the last 10-12 years, slap has pretty much died out in r&b. The only places it is still fairly popular in Black oriented music is Urban Gospel and Smooth Jazz (before you say it, I know Smooth Jazz is not all Black.)
I think slap has been relegated to solos and music store showrooms unless your name is Marcus or Victor.
I think slap has been relegated to solos and music store showrooms unless your name is Marcus or Victor.
Again like Playing with a pick or fingers it should be used in the appropriate place at the appropriate time.
unfortunatley it gets used all to often as a 'Look how great I am' device and it is this kind of use of the technique that I can't stand.
I am still trying to learn to slap properly
unfortunatley it gets used all to often as a 'Look how great I am' device and it is this kind of use of the technique that I can't stand.
I am still trying to learn to slap properly
Slap will always have it's place for me, under use or over use alike.
And if I want to do it at a sound check, by god I will
Why be judgmental of someone else being an assjack?
Play what's appropriate to you then, if you can't stand it.
Just another example of "someone looking down their nose at something, thread".
(Lol @ "assjack" - I'm gonna use that in a board meeting one day!! ... probably my last day ...
)I think most people would agree it's a cool technique, but just happens to be one that gets 'abused' lots and because the people present tend to think it's cool you're left feeling a bit like "Am I the only one who thinks that doesn't sound good?".
I think I'd probably appreciate it more if I understood it more - bit like jazz
- there, I said it ...I play about half slap, half fingerstyle. Theres a place for everything if you make it. And on "not playing the technique until mastered", why play it then? the fun part is learning
The sound that originally drew me to play the bass was actually the slap sound. I have always loved it. So I got myself a bass, learned to slap all fast and flash. THEN I started playing with bands. Boy did I have to rethink my slap mentality. Now, I strive to slap in a way that adds to the groove. Most of that is just practicing with a metronome, developing control over the heaviness of your attack and realising when that flashy triplet WONT fit into the groove and pulse of the band. Nowadays, I love to slap, but only when appropriate. You shouldnt have too much of a good thing! 
There's nothing wrong with slap, and there's nothing wrong with you guys not liking slap. But try not to sound so condescending about it.
But the way I look at it (even though I don't use slap that often in public.... I'm working on it, though) is the audience is the boss. If you play something and they like it, keep doing it. It kinda seems as though we must have something that is liked by many, as our own personal dislike. I don't like Fenders, probably just because everyone else seems to.
But the way I look at it (even though I don't use slap that often in public.... I'm working on it, though) is the audience is the boss. If you play something and they like it, keep doing it. It kinda seems as though we must have something that is liked by many, as our own personal dislike. I don't like Fenders, probably just because everyone else seems to.
Oh boy, here we go again! There's been a few threads on this subject already one which Jauqo posted a link to. I truly hope this thread doesn't get nasty.
Is it overrated? NO! When used in proper context, it can be very musical, creative and it's a beautiful thing when done right! I will say I appreciate those that can play those million note a minute solos but I don't find that very musical. Any solo, whether slapped or played fingerstyle should be musically lyrical and pleasing to the ear!
Also remember, we all come from different walks of life and for some of us, slap bass is what we grew up listening to and have come to love and appreciate. It's part of our makeup. For others, slap bass is not a part of your makeup and you shouldn't be forced to like or accept it. If you don't dig it, fine. Don't knock it though!
Is it overrated? NO! When used in proper context, it can be very musical, creative and it's a beautiful thing when done right! I will say I appreciate those that can play those million note a minute solos but I don't find that very musical. Any solo, whether slapped or played fingerstyle should be musically lyrical and pleasing to the ear!
Also remember, we all come from different walks of life and for some of us, slap bass is what we grew up listening to and have come to love and appreciate. It's part of our makeup. For others, slap bass is not a part of your makeup and you shouldn't be forced to like or accept it. If you don't dig it, fine. Don't knock it though!
+1, DW and I are about the same age and grew up on Graham, Louis Johnson, Clarke, etc. Slap is in my DNA. Slap is not much in current r&b, but it will be back one day.
- Status
