Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
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- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
...and here's another argument: slap 'n pop is not a style, it is a technique. Discuss...
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In Defense of Slapping
- Thread starter Bassist4Eris
- Start date
Of course I agree; I posted this thread under "technique" for a reason.
Style? One can use it for funk (Larry Graham), rock (Flea), metal (Fieldy), jazz (Victor Wooten) or even unclassifiable freak music (Les Claypool). I'm sure I've missed some too.
Me'shell Ndegeocello is one of the best bassists on the planet especially if you measure by groove, and she also does both simultaneously.
Rapping is another of those skills where haters have no interest in exploring because they are so turned off by the lowest common denominator.
Hmm, you know how "Jewish" can be either a religion or an ethnicity or both? I think it's like that. I'll support this with an example that ties into my lowest common denominator theory.
Listen to mid-budget action movies from the 80s. As opposed to the AWESOME suspense and action music from the 70s, the 80s film composers were often lazy and used slap 'n pop as a genre. They help to ruin two things at once: synthesizers and slap bass. Now people have trouble using either of these things without people making associations with 80s cheese.
Cheesy associations cause nothing but pain for musicians. I know a saxophonist who played soprano sax for years since he was influenced by Coltrane. Then Kenny G came along and the rest of his life is ruined by hearing "You're even better than/almost as good as Kenny G!!!" because that's the only reference point Common Joe has with that instrument.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Do you mind explaining how some of the music from the 80's ruined slap bass?
I know a lot of bass players and none musicians who seem to not have an issue with slap bass and do not at all associate it with 80's cheese.
"that was the first time I ever heard anyone say anything bad about the technique"
Really ??? I guess we have different memories. In my world, by the mid-seventies, Larry Graham had popularized the technique and almost everyone who followed was lambasted for copying what was viewed as a 'gimmick'. Many viewed it as something that should be left to Larry as his thing, but should not be performed by others. (the same way that tapping became widespread in the guitar world after EVH exposed the technique to the masses)
Really ??? I guess we have different memories. In my world, by the mid-seventies, Larry Graham had popularized the technique and almost everyone who followed was lambasted for copying what was viewed as a 'gimmick'. Many viewed it as something that should be left to Larry as his thing, but should not be performed by others. (the same way that tapping became widespread in the guitar world after EVH exposed the technique to the masses)
This is a guess on my part, but what Kragnorak might have been referencing in movie soundtracks might be related to my experience with television soundtracks, specifically, the TV show "Seinfeld" that came out in the late 80's. I've never been much of a TV watcher, and in fact I haven't watched any TV at all in the past 10 years (which has been very liberating). But back in the 80's, I watched some TV, however, whenever the show "Seinfeld" would come on, I would have to leave the room in my attempt to get away from that ultra-lame, dumbazz, barf-inducing slap and pop bass that they would chime in with over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Talk about working better than syrup of Ipecac! Prior to that, I never really had an opinion either way with slap bass, but after that, every time I hear slappin and poppin, the bile wants to bubble up. I can't help it. I guess I'm just a product of society, so please don't blame me for it. It was the dorks running that TV show. I wish it would have never happened! But it did. So now, whenever I hear Flea or Larry or Victor or Les or the typical 15 year old Guitar Center twink or anyone else playing that technique, I react with "uuuggghhh".
So perhaps that phenomenon is what Kragnorak was referencing.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
The power of a keyboard line. I do not let any technique dictate to me how I listen or should listen to a technique.
I have heard some vocalist that I felt just didn't sound good and I have not held it against the art/technique of singing.
That was well stated, Jauqo.
I'm a lost cause, but there may be others out there who are not, and for those folks, this thread may help them to recognize and appreciate the benefits of this particular bass playing technique.
I encourage everyone to pursue what they like! That, in my opinion, is what life is for.
There aren't many universal truths to something as subjective as people's preferences in music. However, if there was one Truth, it would be that you can't make everyone happy. Some people love slap, some people hate it. If you like to do it, or listen to it, awesome; go crazy. If not, don't do it and don't listen to music that uses it.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in life is to waste their time on people that are never going to like them or what they do, no matter what. "F" it and move on.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in life is to waste their time on people that are never going to like them or what they do, no matter what. "F" it and move on.
Neither do I, but I was specifically talking about associations in my last two posts. In the 70s, slapping was associated with Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, etc. Those are COOL associations.
In the 80s, slapping was often used in correlation with digital synths and drum samples, both of which were extremely sterile-sounding back then. So for many people if you use the technique along with certain rhythm patterns you are going to have a negative association. Usually it's mild or subliminal but according to SactoBass it can even be bile-inducing!
Speaking of Stanley, he's a great example. One of my biggest influences, but even I can't watch Passenger 57 without being irritated by the soundtrack! I especially remember the music at the end and over the credits being irritating.
- Jan 12, 2011
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In the world that I'm from if you can't slap you can get Back!!!! Thus you have folks who hate it because they can't get it. It's easy to hate something that you just don't quite get. Sound familiar???? Just sayin. The point that I harp on is that for people who can slap and do it well, you don't see them constantly naggng about how much they hate some other technique. People have been playing fingerstyle and with Picks for a long time and I can't recall a slapper saying to me, man I just can't stand hearing that fingerstyle, or the pick style, or that tapping, or thaty Jaco sound, or chords on bass, or distortion. When I see someone slapping and struggling with it, I give them encouragement and tell them to keep at it. It took me years to get to the point where I am and there is stuff I still can't do. That's something else the haters of slap don't realize. When you hear a player that can do it, and do it well, that player has invested a lot of time into developing the technique. It doesn't happen overnight.
I have never ever heard this in my life!
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Wow! Not only hated by many, but misunderstood and misinformed!
By the mid 70's there were millions of funk, soul and pop bass players adopting the 'thumpin' & pluckin'' style! Not just here, but all over the world! Not a gimmick! A style born out of necessity! An innovation!
I wonder what you heard regarding Jaco!!
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Wow! Not only hated by many, but misunderstood and misinformed!
By the mid 70's there were millions of funk, soul and pop bass players adopting the 'thumpin' & pluckin'' style! Not just here, but all over the world! Not a gimmick! A style born out of necessity! An innovation!
A couple of our brothas from Japan.
I agree, but think it's funny considering people hate classical music because they are so turned off by the highest common denominator
I don't remember this about Larry, but DEFINITELY remember this about Eddie Van Halen.
I don't take any notice of people who try to define what is or is not "cool" or even "good" about slap (or about fretless bass with chorus). It's just personal preference after all. People who think there's such a thing as being right or wrong about such things are delusional.
I enjoy a bit of slapping at the right time in the right song. If you click the link in my sig, you'll hear me attempting some rudimentary slapping in my big band's cover of an old George Duke tune (jump to 10:10 in the video). I just can't imagine this tune working at all with anything other than a slap bass line. And it's not even in E!
I enjoy a bit of slapping at the right time in the right song. If you click the link in my sig, you'll hear me attempting some rudimentary slapping in my big band's cover of an old George Duke tune (jump to 10:10 in the video). I just can't imagine this tune working at all with anything other than a slap bass line. And it's not even in E!
