learning slap bass lines

[CalEliteCoach]

I'm trying to learn "A Certain Shade of Green" by Incubus for a cover band. How do you go about learning someone else's bass part? I'm having trouble finding the coordination and timing of the verse (the slapped part). It combines the thumb slap, a percussive left hand, and a pop accent. Any tips?

 

[Nebadon2000]

Good Luck

There have been a couple 'Slap' lines in songs I thought no way[I am not a Slap player other than Octave pops] but with 'Mind Numbing' and time consuming repetitive practice for coordination and timing I could get by with a few concessions for my skill level

I am to old and tired to try that one.

 

[JonathanPDX]

I'm trying to learn "A Certain Shade of Green" by Incubus for a cover band. How do you go about learning someone else's bass part? I'm having trouble finding the coordination and timing of the verse (the slapped part). It combines the thumb slap, a percussive left hand, and a pop accent. Any tips?

If it's a really technical piece I start by looking for live videos so I can watch their hands. Sometimes seeing the position they play in, even if you can't decipher exact fingerings, makes it a lot easier to wrap your head around. You can also look for isolated bass mixes, or even tutorials from people who have already transcribed the part.

A quick search brought this up, but I can't vouch for it's accuracy:



There are a lot of foundational slap techniques and patterns that you can learn, too, and that often gives you a big leg up. If you study an artist you can go back to listen to the stuff they studied and often that unlocks the key. If you want to understand Victor Wooten you need to study Marcus Miller and Stanley Clarke; he has his own sound and approach but to hear where it comes from you have to go back to where he discovered it.

 

[Nebadon2000]

Seeing that Video it looks more achievable than it Sounds on Incubus Vid; percussive ghost notes should come with practice time.

 

[Lowendchamp]

I slap often as I have built up muscle memory for certain techniques but even after all these years a cover sometimes is hard. I find my only help with covers is to get into that players groove first and feel it before I work out the technicals. Good luck!

 

[Les Fret]

First learn basic slap technique. Maybe get a beginning slap book. But better yet combine that with a teacher. Then this song will come easy. It takes some years to really master slap, so take your time.

There are also lot of new modern advanced slap techniques that you can learn, like four finger slapping, double thumb, percussive thumb, hybrid slap/tap, wrist mute, Chapman Stick imitation , triplet rolls etc. It’s up to you how far you want to take it.

 

[tshapiro]

Okay, being an accomplished slapper, I find the main riff of this song to be fairly simple. There’s basically two components to it. The first part, the couple of thumbed notes, followed your basic 16th note percussive filler. Run that through a Darkglass B3 type distortion and you’re really close. Given this, I think one of the most critical things anyone learning slap should do is practice 16th note muted fillers. This is very similar to a funk guitarists 16th note scratch pattern that underlies many, if not most, funk guitar rhythms. With bass, simply mute all strings. Alternate between thumbing the low E or B string (4 or 5 string bass) and the G string (all strings muted). I used to goof around with them a bunch. A way to really fast track this is to use the classic snare drum instruction book ‘Syncopation’. Thumbing is Right hand, plucks are left hand. Work your way up to the 16th note stuff. Just remember to mute all the strings. It’s actually very easy once you get the hang of it. Then, start replacing some of the muted low string notes with actual notes that ring out. With this approach, you’ll be playing riffs like this Incubus one fairly easily. Maybe not exactly the same, but close enough that most people won’t be able to tell the difference.

An advanced technique that I’ve sorta fallen into is the way I mute the G string. Barely mute it. Try it, you’ll see.

 

[CalEliteCoach]

First learn basic slap technique. Maybe get a beginning slap book. But better yet combine that with a teacher. Then this song will come easy. It takes some years to really master slap, so take your time.

There are also lot of new modern advanced slap techniques that you can learn, like four finger slapping, double thumb, percussive thumb, hybrid slap/tap, wrist mute, Chapman Stick imitation , triplet rolls etc. It’s up to you how far you want to take it.

I understand the basic concepts of slapping, but it doesn't come up often when playing rock and metal covers. This particular song requires some double thumbing, ghost notes, and accented pops. I am having a problem finding how to incorporate the pop.

 

[Les Fret]

This particular song requires some double thumbing, ghost notes, and accented pops. I am having a problem finding how to incorporate the pop.

Acually the techniques in this song are pretty standard slap techniques. No double thumbing or other ‘modern’ slap techniques. The difficulty here is the speed.

 

[TOOL460002]

I understand the basic concepts of slapping, but it doesn't come up often when playing rock and metal covers. This particular song requires some double thumbing, ghost notes, and accented pops. I am having a problem finding how to incorporate the pop.

What are "accented pops?"

 

[Killing Floor]

Thumb thumb palm palm all day long. Just jet that simple thing down. Then go faster. All day long. Get it down. Then add a couple pops. Get that 2 hand rhythm down.

Then learn the song you want to play.

Cart-horse

 

[CalEliteCoach]

What are "accented pops?"

The right-hand finger pop