How the heck do you play this slap riff?

It look like you'd want to slap the low note and pop the next two with index and middle. I don't know how Stu does it, but that's what I'd do going on what I know now.

 

Is that the riff that happens at about the 2:26 mark? If it is, you have an extra note each time on the E string. It should be:

---------------------------------------------
--------7-----------9---------10---------12-
------7-----------9--------10---------12----
-5-----------7----------8---------10---------

Then you just hit your thumb on the E string, and use thumb and index on the two notes on the A and D string.

 

why dont you just use the same finger for the 2nd and 3rd note?

or am i missing something here?

 

maybe u can thumb slap the E and A string, then pop the on the D.

iono, i havent even heard the song. sorry.

 

I think it's too fast for that.

 

Do what I do: Slap the low note, pluck the second note with the index finger, pluck the 3rd note with the middle finger. Let your hand roll over the strings, creating a triplet. I use this techinque a lot in my slapping and it's always been very good to me.

 

Hmmmm..this looks suspiciously like a tapped part to me. (man I used to know this piece backwards..stupid brain).

try this..

left hand tap the notes on the E string then use your right hand index and middle finger to tap the notes on the A and D strings...that'll get the speed thing going.

(I could be wrong..its so long since I've played this I'll dig it out and listen again..but that root , fifth, octave pattern is a standard stu hamm tapping thingy).

 

Well if it is correct, I'd be willing to bet the second note of each group on the E string is a dead note, because I don't hear a full note. I could be wrong, though. All depends on what time of night I reply and how loud I can listen.

 

------------------------9---
--------------------9-------
-7--------------7-----------

Slap...............slap pop pop

Quaver............sq...sq...sq
.........................triplet


If that makes sense.

sq=semiquaver

 

I'd imagine this would be done by plucking the strings.

You would have to either slap the E string and machine gun the A and D or machine gun them all. As far as I know machine gunning is one name for a technique which involves using 2, 3 or even 4 fingers to do consecutive plucks very quickly.

If you were to machine gun all of it you could achieve a very fast fluid motion but it is a technique that requires time to practise.

Try placing your index around the E, middle finger around the A and your ring finger around the D. Now, rather than individually plucking each finger out. Hold your fingers around the strings quite firmly and sort of twist your arm away from your body, but keep your hand rigid so that you pop each string one after the other. Work on that technique until you can do it fast and that should solve your problem. You can even use your 4th finger for a 4th pluck (with a different song ofc). The next step to developing this technique is doing it backwards. Instead of twisting your arm away from your body twist it back towards your body.The song you are currently doing does not require this but you should still learn to do this as it could come in handy.

This technique may take a bit of time to get right however.

But Good luck with the song!

 

+1

Also, that extra note looks like you might want to use the technique where you slap "through" the low note and then pull your thumb back up to hit it again. I know the term for this but for some reason it's slipping my mind. Anyway, that might work.

 

double thump, or some call it double slap.

 

I don't really know this but I bet its 3 16th note triplets folowed by an Eith note.

Its played
s,s,p. p.
T,T,I. M.
[Trp] 1/8


You hit the low octave twice with your thumb followed by a pluck.

that is prased as a triplet loop just that (put on a metranome hitting where the V is. OR put a drum machine on eigth note high hat pattern (why because sixteenths will be distracting but its this rythm that you wnat to grow this phrase so its strong enough to play against it.) and the V is kick and snare.
v.........v
t,t,i.t,t,i.t,t,i.t,t,i.

this should sound very circular


once you have this simply add a second pluck with your middle finger. then create a small space in the phrase.
v........v
t,t,i,m t,t,i,m,


this rhythm is a common trick in slap and when use sparingly rules! (ie Marcus) and when used too much can be ridicualus.


other common ways of creating this rhythm

thumb,slap the fret board with left hand,pop

Thumb, hammer a note,Pop

thumb,pop,pop



Notice these are groups of threes play the looping first exersise with any of these three (or alternating between two of them!)


Because its cool and common to the style, Every note played can be a true pitch or a dead/percusive sound. Practice these very disiplined make sure that if its dead it is and if it rings it does.You'll sound Huge!



Aj

 

I would thumb all 3 of the notes personally.

 

your on the right lines but not quite .."machine gunning" generally refers to the technique where you (if right handed) slap with your thumb.."slap" the neck with your left hand..mute and slap with your thumb and then "pop"...like this..

------x----------9----
------x---------------
------x---------------
-0----x----x----------


reverse

--9-----x----------
--------x----------
--------x----------
--------x-----0----



I see a lot of dudes talking about double thumbing this part but thats generally not part of Stus "arsenal" (not to say that he cant double thumb if he had to) but generally Stus slap technique is quite simple (when you know what he's doing of course ..he's just very very fast.