As working bassist? yes, but not the crazy you tube slap fest stuff.
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Is slap necessary for a working bassist?
- Thread starter thmsjordan
- Start date
If you are playing covers and the original is slap then yes. As far as originals and songs without slap originally, slap is kind of like effects, it adds something to the tone, but it also takes something away. Sometimes it works, but it depends on the situation.
Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s I used it quite a bit but not since then at all in a long professional career. I’ve let it go entirely now. As Acidic Pool’s post says, turn up the treble and play aggressively.
I agree with this and keep in mind that bandmates can be annoying at times as well...
No. I rarely hear slap in the clubs around here. Thank God!
For me, slap, is a tone, and by far my favourite one 
I actually am more comfortable at slapping than any other technique, that was just my choice and what I decided to practice the most out of my love for the slap tone, not caring about what others may judge of it!
No regrets!
I actually am more comfortable at slapping than any other technique, that was just my choice and what I decided to practice the most out of my love for the slap tone, not caring about what others may judge of it!
No regrets!
IMO slap is a useful tool to have at your disposal, but unless you are playing music that requires that type of playing or are playing tribute to a band whose bassist uses that style of playing its not required to be a competent bassist that gets gigs.
I don't slap..ever felt the urge to develop that technique to any extent and frankly with few exceptions I don't care for the vast majority of slap bass I hear. Most of it doesn't even sound very musical.
IMO even if you never use it live, who doesn't want as many techniques as possible under their belt? Check out Mr. Navarro down here chopping it up. I wish I was this good.
I don't have a lot of experience as a "Working musician" but believe I can hold my own with the right group of musicians. Tend to play fingerstyle. Could use a pick with a little more precision likely. 8 years since picking up bass I'm only just now starting to feel comfortable with slap bass. It was a matter of finding the right exercises.. the first being a simple thumb thumb thumb pop exercise to a metronome, first in quarters, then 8ths. That's the first time I recognized what it felt like to do it correctly.
Surprisingly, I saw a guy palm muting and alternate plucking with his thumb and index, playing as well, probably better, than my own finger style. I starteed writing a little jam of my own trying to mimic that style, and while it utilizes different muscles.. my slap technique had leveled the next time I attempted it.
I'm not doing any show stopping high tempo 16th/32nd notes or anything, but I'm able to have fun with slap at this point.
I don't have a lot of experience as a "Working musician" but believe I can hold my own with the right group of musicians. Tend to play fingerstyle. Could use a pick with a little more precision likely. 8 years since picking up bass I'm only just now starting to feel comfortable with slap bass. It was a matter of finding the right exercises.. the first being a simple thumb thumb thumb pop exercise to a metronome, first in quarters, then 8ths. That's the first time I recognized what it felt like to do it correctly.
Surprisingly, I saw a guy palm muting and alternate plucking with his thumb and index, playing as well, probably better, than my own finger style. I starteed writing a little jam of my own trying to mimic that style, and while it utilizes different muscles.. my slap technique had leveled the next time I attempted it.
I'm not doing any show stopping high tempo 16th/32nd notes or anything, but I'm able to have fun with slap at this point.
full time bass player and bass teacher here...
i can honestly say I can't recall being "asked" or required to slap. similar to the OP, i've played nearly any genre of music you can think, anything that i could make a buck doing. including lots of funk and soul and all that. im sure there were slap tunes here and there, but I seriously think i could have done every gig i've ever had without slapping.
that being said... i think you'd be crazy not to know it. if a RHCP cover band (or even one song in a generic cover band) comes up, you'd want to nail it!!
the "double thumb" triplet thing is particularly useless, btw. technique i went crazy working on to master when i was a teenager, in love with vic and all that. it's super cool and all, but seems to be almost literally useless if you are looking to play in a band.
i can honestly say I can't recall being "asked" or required to slap. similar to the OP, i've played nearly any genre of music you can think, anything that i could make a buck doing. including lots of funk and soul and all that. im sure there were slap tunes here and there, but I seriously think i could have done every gig i've ever had without slapping.
that being said... i think you'd be crazy not to know it. if a RHCP cover band (or even one song in a generic cover band) comes up, you'd want to nail it!!
the "double thumb" triplet thing is particularly useless, btw. technique i went crazy working on to master when i was a teenager, in love with vic and all that. it's super cool and all, but seems to be almost literally useless if you are looking to play in a band.
+1. At some point aren't we answering a different question? If you play in a 70s horn funk band (for example), no doubt you can get through the gig without slapping if you define an effort to do so. But if you do, are you playing the gig authentically and accurately, and more importantly are you meeting the expectations of the bandleader and the audience? Playing that gig without slapping would be like going to an after hours club and not dancing. Possible, but you'd be deliberately avoiding the main point of the activity.
We're 9 pages in now and I'm not sure there's anything new to say. Since slap bass was at one point a prevalent playing style and is around now a little more than it gets credit for on this board. If you want to be a chameleon bass player able to work well in any gig, you should be able to do it. I also think you should be able to play upright, using all the same logic.
I play all 3 - finger style, pick and slap. however, when it comes to slap style, I am not a tap dancing centipede - I play the groove and KISS. Finger style is the standard here, and TOP is considered to be Jazz (LOL). I have been asked to so slap on some "Smooth (yech) jazz" gigs and 80's music, and a couple of Stanley Clark songs, but that's it. I'd suggest learn the basics of slap, just enough to get by and be solid.
Check out SC with Chick C on Cantaloupe Island Live, BTW.
BTW, for some fun, take a TOP like "Drop it in the Slot", and play it slap style..
Check out SC with Chick C on Cantaloupe Island Live, BTW.
BTW, for some fun, take a TOP like "Drop it in the Slot", and play it slap style..
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Honestly that stuff just does not impress me. What impresses me on bass is when you lay a groove that instantly makes me nod my head. That's what bass is for me. Anyone can practice loads and get really good technically, but not everyone can lay down a stanky groove and make people move
Here’s are good example of his slap tone. Very clean and excellent technique...
