Do you Slap? if show how much?

[SongySan]

I slap my bass when it's not cooperative, but I'd be careful about doing it in public. I'm still trying to get my Bongo 5 back from Instrument Protective Services.

 

[LT131]

About 90% of the time I hear a tune with some guy slapping away I think "that song would sound great with some bottom".

I voted never.

 

[AaronVonRock]

Never. Usually the genres of music that feature slapping are genres that I don't enjoy listening to.

 

[orange joe]

I became very proficient with the double thumb technique very early on which is a form of slap bass.I try to use it more like a flamenco guitarist does his finger picking but it still allows me to just hit it a little harder to get the nice "slap bass" sound.As mentioned above I too roll with circles where slap bass is frowned upon so I try to keep it in my pants.

 

[Michael Sayers]

Grew up with JPJ, Geddy. Got turned on to L. Graham, L. Johnson. Loved it, learned it, livin it….Awesome stuff

 

[winterburn69]

I voted the "I dabble but have a long way to go" and even that might be a lie. I'm terrible at it. I've actually considered lessons to improve. I pretty much only use it in brief sections of Duran Duran songs. JT has such a good thing going on with his lines. If it's a simple part I can do it (like Ashes to Ashes by Bowie, Ain't it Fun by Paramore or Sanctified by NIN)

 

[pbass6811]

I'm not nearly as good at it as I wish I was, but I do enjoy it, and I enjoy watching and listening to people that are good at it. My vote was "I dabble, but long way to go". I'm spending more of my practice time working on technique, which, for me, includes all the right and left hand stuff. Slapping is part of that, and I do agree that anybody that really wants to be versatile as a bassist needs to be able to at least do it, even if they hate it. I'm not a pick player and I don't particularly like it, but I am working on it, because it's a legit technique, just like slapping...

 

[gnarlyWarlock]

Gotta love all the "anti-slap" people. Not to be arrogant, but seems to me someone's covering up their insecurities by protesting something so rad and funky.

 

[Altitude]

I sub in a horn funk band - not slapping on that gig would be as bad as slapping on a country gig.

 

[SirMjac28]

I voted "do not use", but honestly, I try to dabble, have since I first heard it, I just can't get it, I'm doing it wrong, or my hand just doesn't work that way.

I can't slap but I can pop like a mofo.

 

[SteveV74]

Only if someone REALLY needs it, but normally I like to try and talk things out first, there really is no need for violence.

 

[gln1955]

Gotta love all the "anti-slap" people. Not to be arrogant, but seems to me someone's covering up their insecurities by protesting something so rad and funky.

So, some one who has no interest in something or even dislikes it is insecure. Really?

 

[metalstorm]

I play music. No one watching cares how i do it. As long as its funky

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I'm not nearly as good at it as I used to be. I use it whenever I can, which these days is pretty much never.

When I was doing originals I could slide it in here and there, but not much use for it playing Blondie covers.

 

[Gizmot]

Whenever I'm walking around the NAMM show or out visiting stores, I usually hear someone slapping away. I go to hear a good bit of live music by bands of nearly any genre - how many guys (including top shelf pros) do I hear slapping when playing in a band context?

ZERO!

I've got nothing against players who slap, I just think they're showing off (or trying to).

 

[Real Soon]

How can you slap???????

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[moshspeggeti]

I slap all my basses.

 

[Humbled]

I think I'm pretty good at slap and pop, nobody bitches, and I use it when a cover song demands it, for the past quarter-century or so...

It's certainly not something I have, or aspire to have, more than a workman's proficiency of.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I used to be proficient at it years ago, but I rarely play the kind of music that calls for slapping any more.

I figured the time spent practicing to maintain a technique that I hardly ever use would be better spent with the bow on upright, or working on improvising over changes.

 

[superheavyfunk]

how many guys (including top shelf pros) do I hear slapping when playing in a band context?

ZERO!

I'm tempted to say that you just aren't listening to enough variety. I can drop a list of twenty top shelf pros who regularly slap, never mind all the lesser or unknown folks who do the same.