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Can someone help me out please

E

Erikthejunkie

Apr 17, 2011
34
0
#1
Alright so im sort of a newbie
not totally a newbie i can handle my bass
pretty well in fact

My main technique is slap
I love it
Its my favorite thing to do ain't nothing better than laying down a nice groove,But i would like some help as in technique wise,and practice wise

My set up

Warwick bass
GHS Round Wound Bass strings
And an Acoustic 200b Head And an Acoustic 410 cabs

I understand that tone is in the fingers and the way you play but ideal strings or bass would help

so please help me out here

THANKS!

-Erikthejunkie
 
#2
I myself enjoy a good slap now and then.

Since you don't mention any specific technical issues, I'm going to point you here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f21/slap-bass-welcome-center-298410/

As for an ideal bass/setup (presumably for slapping), you've got roundwounds and a Warwick (though you don't mention which). Plenty of people have slapped admirably with the same. Don't set the action so high that you have to force things to get a clean slap. Don't set it so low that you squash your dynamic range. There's a lot of room for interpretation in between.

General: I DO really enjoy slapping, no matter what some killjoys say around here. I would hate for it to be the only thing I was good at on the bass, though. Awhile back, I told myself I'd go a week without slapping. I didn't succeed, but the attempt really focused me on other facets of my technique, and I realized a small but significant improvement in my finger-funk dexterity. It also made me approach some musical ideas a little differently.

Practice tidbit: If you want to go fast, take it slow and clean it up first.

May the funk be with you.
 
#4
Technique is something you'll develop on your own. Make sure you have proper fretting hand position, as well as slap hand positioning. Your setup sounds ideal, though the exact model of Warwick would help out a bit to know.

I'm sure a few of the more veteran players will be in here soon to help.
 
#6
You'll be fine with what you have if you set it up properly.

Neck relief - Mine is set so there is a gap about the width of a credit card. While holding down the first fret on the E string (low F) and the last fret on the E string (using your right hand), sight the gap that should appear in the middle of the neck between the top of the fret/s and the bottom edge of the string. I get that gap down to the width of a credit card, providing a slightly straighter neck for better action.

Action - I aim for a 2.5 mm gap from the top edge of the last fret on the G string to the underside edge of the G string (may need a little more gap on the the thicker strings). As soon as that is set, I set the rest of the strings to follow the radius curvature of the neck around the same action height. If any fret/string buzzes out anywhere badly, raise that string until that buzz becomes manageable and set the rest of the strings to the same action height and follow the curvature radius of the fretboard. That's as low as the action will get without too much buzz to deal with.

Strings - For slap stuff, medium light round-wounds, usually a .40 on the G string set I find is a good balance and nice tension for different thumb techniques. Can go up to .45 if you like, try .40 first imo and thicken the tone up with E.Q. and a little more volume. I don't think your looking for flatwound tone and tension for slap here.

Work on your style, I aim for a lighter slap style, not too light, but not the Flea type thwack :)
 
#7
Skitch It's suggestions look like a good starting point. While I do slap a fretless P strung with flats, it's fair to point out that it's not exactly your typical "slap bass" setup. The resultant sound, while pleasing and funky to my taste, is certainly different than the slap tone I get from my fretted P/J with EMG pickups, strung with rounds.
 
#9
Erikthejunkie said:
Its a rockbass corvette I think


thanks everyone


Would new batteries/pick ups help?
Click to expand...

Checking your battery won't hurt, pickups - I wouldn't worry about that, what you have will be fine. I should mention that if you drop your action, make sure the strings don't clack against the pole pieces of the pickup after while playing. If so drop the pickup down a couple of mm out of the way, a little more on the bass-side (thicker strings) than the treble side (thinner strings).
 
#11
I like working off the last fret of the neck as it seems that is where the most density of the neck/body exists and I get that "ring" much easier. I (personally) don't pound the living crap out of the strings. I used to slap very vigorously but I found that I can get better control and actually play much faster with greater accuracy when the greatest element of movement is the hand through the forearm, rather than raise my elbow a great deal.
One of the more productive exercises is playing a scale with Slap until I get to the G (or D occasionally) then pop while slowly turning up a metronome or using a slap and finger-style with scales in the same balance of tempo. A friend showed me a fun exercise where you alternate to a double or triplet in a scale & back to a single note causing the scale to become very"drum-like".
 

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