I simply cannot slap...

[Combinator]

Felken,

I know you weren't specifically looking for advice on the double thumping substyle of slapping, but my feeling is that is you learn the mechanics of this kind of approach, mainly using a rest stroke rather than free stroke with your thumb, you can add in the double later if you want. This video slows it down, breaks it all down, explains the motions and has close ups!

 

[Jensby design]

I find that the set-up of your bass has a lot to do with it. If you get your action low enough everything is slap.

 

[Badwater]

The one thing that made it easy for me to do slap and pop was the experience from playing guitar. Rhythm strumming on a guitar is the foundation for slapping. It's the exact same thing but without holding a pick. In extreme cases where people just can't get the hang of slapping, I recommend develop the right hand coordination from strumming guitar. And here's why:

Holding a pick properly uses the same angles and muscles as the position of your thumb and index finger when slapping and popping. And you use the same twist of the wrist to alternate the slap and pop as you would strumming up or down on the guitar with a pick.

The Slap on the E or A string is the same as strumming a guitar on the down beat with a pick. And you use the same thumb pressure, and coordination.

The Pop is the same upstroke on the D or G string using a pick. And you use the same upstroke with the index finger, and the same amount of pressure and coordination.

ARE YOU STILL WITH ME HERE? if so continue.

The smoothness and flow of your slap is the same as it would be strumming a guitar with a pick. If you are jerky and tense, with strumming a guitar, you'll have the same effect on the slap and pop with bass. If you have good smooth rhythm and finesse strumming a guitar, you'll have that same smoothness and elegance on the Bass when you slap and pop.

So if you want to learn slap. Do like Larry Graham did, start out strumming on a guitar, and get smooth with your strum. Then use that guitar strumming technique and apply it to the bass.

 

[Felken]

OP hasn't signed in since posting this thread. Maybe this was all rhetorical. Carry on.

I've been playing bass for 3 years, but have been a musician for over 20. I really wanted to learn slap, and started learning slap when I started learning bass. For me, it took years to get to where I am today, which is still miles behind some other slappers. But I don't care to go much further with slap technique. It's fun, but you probably won't gig too much with it, which is why so many people say don't worry.

Felken,

I know you weren't specifically looking for advice on the double thumping substyle of slapping, but my feeling is that is you learn the mechanics of this kind of approach, mainly using a rest stroke rather than free stroke with your thumb, you can add in the double later if you want.

I find that the set-up of your bass has a lot to do with it. If you get your action low enough everything is slap.

Hello all. Thanks for the help, and sorry for reviving an old thread.

Update, it is now close to 4 years later. I can now slap. This is a huge plus given that I play in a jazz fusion band, where my time is split between both fingerstyle and slap playing.

Here is a clip me and the band recorded last week. It's a live rehearsal. This song is a cover of a japanese jazz fusion band, and it's exclusively slap bass. The Solo still needs work, but man is it hard to get those sixteenth notes at that tempo.

 

[RyanOh]

Nice man! I remember this thread well

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I hate to say this but it's about practice, practice, practice...

There are many videos teaching how to slap. There were not many when I started and we kind of had to figure it out ourselves. In fact, the way I slapped changed years after I discovered Victor, so there's more than one way to it.

Also, it would be very beneficial if you show a video of your playing so we can pinpoint things.

And lastly if you want to slap, ignore people who tells you not to.

Good luck!

Edit: just saw post #184, that's great!

 

[Felken]

I hate to say this but it's about practice, practice, practice...

There are many videos teaching how to slap. There were not many when I started and we kind of had to figure it out ourselves. In fact, the way I slapped changed years after I discovered Victor, so there's more than one way to it.

Also, it would be very beneficial if you show a video of your playing so we can pinpoint things.

And lastly if you want to slap, ignore people who tells you not to.

Good luck!

Edit: just saw post #184, that's great!

Hahaha thanks man, appreciate it!

 

[BAG]

Well done! You guys sound great.
I remember when this thread started. I gave it another go and gave up.
As you showed, it is possible if you put the time and effort in but even if I did there would only be about 30 seconds in any one month where I might want to use it (if that) so I'll continue to concentrate on other things.

 

[casbonano]

I just started this video and am to exercise4 towards the beginning and one thing that hasn’t been addressed is whether or not the palm should rest or not rest on the strings. When my arm rotates for a slap the meaty part of my palm below the thumb naturally makes contact with the E/A strings, and as it rebounds for a pop the other side of my palm makes slight contact with the D/G strings. Any insight into this? Should I basically have my hand floating at al times. I feel like palm contact assist string muting but at the same time perhaps my left hand should be doing all of this.
Thanks!

 

[Felken]

Well done! You guys sound great.
I remember when this thread started. I gave it another go and gave up.
As you showed, it is possible if you put the time and effort in but even if I did there would only be about 30 seconds in any one month where I might want to use it (if that) so I'll continue to concentrate on other things.

Well I'll be honest, the 3 years after I made this thread I still couldn't slap. It's only about a year ago that it suddenly clicked, and I could play some stuff. And from there it was an exponential growth. Still have a long way to go to make it cleaner. Maybe it's just a matter of getting it to "click".

 

[Felken]

I just started this video and am to exercise4 towards the beginning and one thing that hasn’t been addressed is whether or not the palm should rest or not rest on the strings. When my arm rotates for a slap the meaty part of my palm below the thumb naturally makes contact with the E/A strings, and as it rebounds for a pop the other side of my palm makes slight contact with the D/G strings. Any insight into this? Should I basically have my hand floating at al times. I feel like palm contact assist string muting but at the same time perhaps my left hand should be doing all of this.
Thanks!

I don't think there's any wrong or right way to approach this, especially in slap where technique varies a ton from person to person. I don't seem to rest my palm when I play slap though personally.

 

[casbonano]

I don't think there's any wrong or right way to approach this, especially in slap where technique varies a ton from person to person. I don't seem to rest my palm when I play slap though personally.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Spidey2112]

Any insight into this?

I have none. I was just passing along a video I thought might be helpful.

I still suck at slap, so please direct all questions to @Felken!

As @MYLOWFREQ said, practice, practice, practice.

 

[Wretched Banana]

Well I'll be honest, the 3 years after I made this thread I still couldn't slap. It's only about a year ago that it suddenly clicked, and I could play some stuff. And from there it was an exponential growth. Still have a long way to go to make it cleaner. Maybe it's just a matter of getting it to "click".

Yeah, learning to slap was an interesting experience. The learning curve was way steeper to learning guitar or bass in my case. I still can't tell whether it's because the technique is completely different or because I couldn't calibrate my expectations for a reasonable rate of progress. Also, fwiw, I hit that exponential growth period when I finally said f.u. to all videos prescribing "correct" techniques and just did my thing, but of course making intelligent choices along the way.

Great song & playing btw. I'm a big fan of 80/90s Japanese fusion bands, but I don't recognize this one, what's it?

 

[Nightman]

It certainly isn’t easy, but I was finally able to. I’m not a slap happy guy and I slap as a tasteful nugget to a groove. What I found most helpful to me was to not try that technique with a bass with low action or flat strings.

 

[daveyo]

If you want to slap keep on practicing and trying
I slap myself but I personally think it’s way over done
By the way I don’t think slap makes a good bass player
Good luck
Davey

 

[Groove Doctor]

Well done @Felken

Very nice playing!

 

[Charlotte2306]

Help. I just can't slap. I don't know how to begin, where to begin. I've tried but I can't.
(Don't show me Scott's bass lesson on slapping, I've tried it, he just isn't helping)

Lol I'm new to all this and don't even understand what slap is!!!!

 

[casbonano]

For me it was necessary to start out by thumping the living crap out of my bass in order to “get it”. Now I don’t have to hit it quite as hard to get the desired effect.

Oh, and spending a lot of time thumping and actively listening. Pure technique practice.

I still cannot use it in a musical sense; right now it’s just a technique I am getting familiar with it. But really slapping those notes like my life depended on it has given me my first personal break through moment.

 

[Felken]

Yeah, learning to slap was an interesting experience. The learning curve was way steeper to learning guitar or bass in my case. I still can't tell whether it's because the technique is completely different or because I couldn't calibrate my expectations for a reasonable rate of progress. Also, fwiw, I hit that exponential growth period when I finally said f.u. to all videos prescribing "correct" techniques and just did my thing, but of course making intelligent choices along the way.

Great song & playing btw. I'm a big fan of 80/90s Japanese fusion bands, but I don't recognize this one, what's it?

Ohhh we'd get along well with our musical tastes, I absolutely love Japanese jazz fusion.

This particular song is Domino Line by Casiopea


Off the album Mint Jams, which is an incredible live album (you can't even tell it's a live album, the playing is perfect)