Is slap necessary for a working bassist?

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Hey you wacky hipsters

I just wanted to say that this post was inspired by the venerable Dr Cheese who inspired me to ask this question. In his thread "What aspect of your technique impresses you the least?" I noticed many players bemoaning their poor slap technique. I am 61 now and have had a very busy freelance career doing Show work, Jazz gigs, and Classical orchestral work to the point where I never learned to "slappa da bass". I recently left the Eastern US and relocated back to my home town (fairly good sized city btw) to spent my later years with family. I gotta say I was never asked to use it by anyone who hired me and only close friends I play with are asking me to play more contemporary jazz stuff that has it in the original recording. So I am considering putting the student hat on after all these years to learn.


NOW - this is not a post to either endorse or discourage slap technique but rather to ask: What do you gents and ladies think? What is your experience? Is it a necessary part of a working bassists tool kit? Please include what you do in your answer. Are you a bedroom bassist? Session player? Weekend Warrior? Teacher? etc.

I already have my answer. My experience has been that I never really needed it and I know of lots of UBER FUNKY players such as Jimmy Johnson, Paul Jackson, Rocco Prestia, Jaco Pastorious etc. who got by without it and there are numerous examples of players who use it well. It is always interesting to learn new things and so I want to hear from all or you.

I'm a total amateur musician.
Zero resume that would impress anyone.
But if you call yourself a pro bass player, you should probably be able to pull off 12 bars of perfect sounding slap, minimum.

 

[Koshchei]

I'm a total amateur musician.
Zero resume that would impress anyone.
But if you call yourself a pro bass player, you should probably be able to pull off 12 bars of perfect sounding slap, minimum.

That’s an oddly specific criterion. I’ll bite.

 

[Aidenn7]

I learned slap by ear.. as a kid.. it wasn't that hard.. the right hand techniques were always easy.. my left hand isn't that good.. did a band of a while now just play for the fun.. and so I don't lose what little talent I got..

 

[devnulljp]

I've done a slap/pop thing exactly once in almost 40 years of playing out, and that was in the 80s (and even then it was just a double thumbed open E and a snappy octave thing), so no I'd say it's not *necessary* ... unless you're in a Marcus Miller cover band I suppose.
I don't do it very well, don't practise it, not really my thing. Really enjoy listening to it done well though, but a lot of people do it badly and I don't want to be one of them.
I am kinda working on a Willie Dixon triplet slap on upright for an old timey project but that's a different thing altogether.

 

[electracoyote]

What kind of work do you want?

How much work do you want?

If you're like me, to get good work in a sufficient amount, yes, I need to be proficient at slap. It also helps in my situation to be proficient with a pick.

Obviously, YMMV.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

One perk of it, whether you use it much or not, is it really helps improve your left-hand muting. THAT is necessary for a working bassist, bar none.

 

[bherman]

Depends if you like it and want to get work playing music that requires it. Personally I hate most slap - I’d put it in the category of fingernails on chalkboard unless done really well and sparingly (think Anthony Wellington) but that’s me. I’m 65 and have been playing since I was 12, never needed it but would learn it if I liked it and wanted to use it.

 

[packhowitzer]

I play a version of this (I'm nowhere near as good as this dude [who i believe is a fellow tb'er]), but I make it work for my needs and it sounds syncopated like slap, but I can control it a lot better.

For the music I play and the setting I'm in, it works very well. I liken it to mix between slap/pop and finger picking a guitar.

 

[MNAirHead]

Upright=yes
Electric=no

 

[Chickenwheels]

Hmmm. I have always aspired to be a busy working freelancer (Goal achieved btw) and that has meant doing what is asked of me. If I insisted on playing slap all the time because that was my conviction, I think I would need to re-calibrate my aspirations. Playing a musical like Godspell and insisting on slapping/not letting anyone tell me what to do while the conductor is trying to re-create the sound and experience of the original 1960's musical would have been a fast trip to the unemployment line. I appreciate the spirit of what you are saying but there are other considerations too.

Not trying to diss you here but: No one here is telling anyone that they need to do anything a certain way. I was just checking in on peoples experiences with using slap in professional settings.

When you’re doing a gig, you do what is right for the gig. That’s a given. That’s the right attitude.
Wanting to know if anyone else slaps bass on whatever gigs they’re doing isn’t a crime. However, the obvious answer is some will and some won’t, depending on their convictions, abilities or musical situation.
Furthermore, if other players don’t have a technique down, they most probably won’t have the confidence to attempt to use it, or may even feel that technique isn’t important enough for them put the time in to master. That doesn’t that mean that technique is bad/wrong/useless/outdated. It just means that that particular player either can’t do it or doesn’t want to do it.
Don’t let that sway your own concept.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

Ask this question to Larry Graham.

 

[Rib 13]

Some points to consider:

- Slap bass is both visual (its flashy) and audio entertainment.
- Im there to entertain the audience, not my fellow band members

 

[singlemalt]

Tony Oppenhiemer’s “Slap It” is a well organized slap study with audio examples.

Mark at Talkingbass.com has tons of free lessons, plus a course you could buy. Or try the free 25 slap line challenge.

Scott’s Bass lessons also has courses and lessons. From the most basic strike on through to advanced.

I mention these because they are structured, including set up tips and amp and eq advice, not just random wankfests.

A good compressor is nice to have, along with various muting tools like a Gruv gear fret wrap.

Its tons of fun, add in a good drum machine and a looper.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

When I was doing cruise ships, it was good to to have as we were doing hundreds of songs, at least one or two had slap in them. It's the same thing as using a pick, it's another sound and a form of expression.

 

[Stinsok]

I'm a terrible slapper (the peak of my ability is Larry Graham Hair), but I'm in an 80's band that plays corporate gigs, private parties, bars and events, so I have to be able to play some relatively simple slap. In fact, I play a little slap in another band that is Americana, Rockabilly, etc. (on shotgun and a couple others). I wouldn't have to, but I want it to sound like that, so it's good I can.

On the one hand, I feel like if you're in a band that never requires it, then why would you have to be able to. On the other hand, I wonder if it is like not being able to play brushes for drums. I think most musicians try to be generalists to some extent, but for some reason a lot of bassists make some sort of of moral issue out of abstaining from some styles, which is weird.

The band recently added "lessons in love", and I can't do it, so there is that. I don't think I'll physically be able to, ever, so I feel like that's a failure. I'm not going to try to justify it in any way.

I'm not a pro but play as much as I want without a single slap. It just depends on the music.

 

[thmsjordan]

No.......by the way, I’m not a “hipster”. I’m a praise bassist with a penchant for old school jazz standards. No sandals, no “edit knot”, no PBRs.

PBR? Pabst Blue Ribbon?
Plant breeder's rights?

 

[Johnny StingRay]

PBR? Pabst Blue Ribbon?
Plant breeder's rights?

Saying this with completely positive and non-threatening thoughts.....You’ve never been to Detroit have you? Pabst Blue Ribbon is the preferred beer for “hipsters” roaming around the Cass Corridor and Mexican Town.....consider yourself lucky!!
To be honest, if hipsters drank Strohs or Black Label, I’d have more respect for them!!!! Haha!

 

[Hounddog409]

But those 25 are sweeeeeeeet

....and all sound the same.

 

[thmsjordan]

Saying this with completely positive and non-threatening thoughts.....You’ve never been to Detroit have you? Pabst Blue Ribbon is the preferred beer for “hipsters” roaming around the Cass Corridor and Mexican Town.....consider yourself lucky!!

HA! I had no idea and no I have spent zero time in Michigan.

 

[Rlbragg15]

I'd argue that a moderate level of slap style can be beneficial, i.e. just beyond the basics, but not necessarily Victor/Marcus et al. In my view, its part of learning the instrument - that being said, tapping is not on my agenda so this is just my 2 cents. I really don't enjoy playing with a pick and it doesn't come natural, but I've worked at it to the degree that I am relatively proficient (for my standards). I'd encourage maybe the same mentality for slap. I agree with others that slap is best reserved for song specific needs and/or used sparingly for most players.