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OK, I admit it. I can't slap

redwood

redwood

Oct 3, 2002
427
549
62
Buffalo, NY
#1
So, I'm a very seasoned bassist. Hundreds of local gigs under my belt over the past 35 years. Primarily harder rock, classic rock, some mowtown, pop, even a little country.
I'm primarily a finger style player, pick maybe 12 to 20% of the time when called for.
My problem is, for the life of me, I cannot get a decent slap tone. I think my technique is all kinds of wrong. I work on it a fair amount in my practice regimen, and even more lately as I'm really trying to work on it. It just bothers me that I suck at it.
Anyone else out there that has tried and just doesn't get it right? Watched all the online tutorials. Work on the skill set over and over and it just goes nowhere.
Or, are you maybe a player like myself that has struggled mightily for years then finally ran accross some advice, a specific tutorial, personal lessons, etc., and you're finally starting to get it. Decent technique, good tone....
I'd really like to expand my tool box and get this working for me.
What have you got hivemind?
TIA
 
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#2
It's kind of a tough question to answer without knowing your baseline. For instance, you say you can't get a decent slap tone, but what does your slapping sound like and what do you think is a decent slap tone? Can't tell if your technique is wrong without seeing and hearing it. There are a bunch of different slap techniques. Maybe it's a bad mix of which technique you're using, & the bass you have, & how high/low you're wearing the bass, & what positions your hands naturally go & the strings & amp settings.

My guitarist brother in-law wanted me to teach him how to slap bass. I showed him the 2 basic styles of slap: Thumb slapping through the string; Thumb bouncing the string off of the fretboard. Which are you going for?

I gave a whole bunch of other advice to him for the different styles. But the number one thing i said to do was just pick one (1) single note, and slap quarter notes on it, over and over until you got the thumb technique down consistently. Then slap that same single note and work on controlling note length with your fretting hand. Then pick 1 note on a different string and do the same thing. Don't worry about doing anything more than 1 note with steady 1/4 notes until you can stomp that thumb in your sleep. Then do the same exercise with 2 notes on the same string. 4 of the first; 4 of the second. Then alternating notes 1 2 1 2. Then do 2 notes on different strings, same two exercises.

If you're going for thumb-slapping-through the string: Have you ever played with those little 5 cent plastic jumping frog toys where you push the tab down on the frog's butt and when it squeezes out from under your finger it springs up and "jumps?" That's what you're doing with your thumb on the string.

If you're going for bouncing the string off the fretboard: Have you ever put a basketball on the ground, and got it to bounce from the ground up to chest-height by hitting it once, just right with your fist? Where you have to hit it with quite a bit of force and then quickly bounce your fist up and out of the way? That's what you're doing with your thumb. The string is the basketball and the fretboard is the ground.
 
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#5
FullumMusic said:
It's kind of a tough question to answer without knowing your baseline. For instance, you say you can't get a decent slap tone, but what does your slapping sound like and what do you think is a decent slap tone? Can't tell if your technique is wrong without seeing and hearing it. There are a bunch of different slap techniques. Maybe it's a bad mix of which technique you're using, & the bass you have, & how high/low you're wearing the bass, & what positions your hands naturally go & the strings & amp settings.

My guitarist brother in-law wanted me to teach him how to slap bass. I showed him the 2 basic styles of slap: Thumb slapping through the string; Thumb bouncing the string off of the fretboard. Which are you going for?

I gave a whole bunch of other advice to him for the different styles. But the number one thing i said to do was just pick one (1) single note, and slap quarter notes on it, over and over until you got the thumb technique down consistently. Then slap that same single note and work on controlling note length with your fretting hand. Then pick 1 note on a different string and do the same thing. Don't worry about doing anything more than 1 note with steady 1/4 notes until you can stomp that thumb in your sleep. Then do the same exercise with 2 notes on the same string. 4 of the first; 4 of the second. Then alternating notes 1 2 1 2. Then do 2 notes on different strings, same two exercises.

If you're going for thumb-slapping-through the string: Have you ever played with those little 5 cent plastic jumping frog toys where you push the tab down on the frog's butt and when it squeezes out from under your finger it springs up and "jumps?" That's what you're doing with your thumb on the string.

If you're going for bouncing the string off the fretboard: Have you ever put a basketball on the ground, and got it to bounce from the ground up to chest-height by hitting it once, just right with your fist? Where you have to hit it with quite a bit of force and then quickly bounce your fist up and out of the way? That's what you're doing with your thumb. The string is the basketball and the fretboard is the ground.
Click to expand...

That's a lot to go over in a forum post. WHat I'm getting from that is maybe spend a little time with an expert who can scrutinize my technique first hard (no pun intended) to help find the root of my problems.
Thanks for your suggestions though. I have spent a lot of time doing just that, Single notes. Move up to 2, etc. I might just have a brain
 
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#10
I can slap when I work on it but, the music I play there's just no call for it.

Similarly, I've gigged A LOT over the years and have had no sets where it was needed.

Some do it so effortlessly and yeah, I'm jealous of those that can do a n y t h i n g well that I can't.

I could spend hours - days - weeks learning again but without a use at rehearsal or live, the skill will just fall off again.
 
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#11
redwood said:
So, I'm a very seasoned bassist. Hundreds of local gigs under my belt over the past 35 years. Primarily harder rock, classic rock, some mowtown, pop, even a little country.
I'm primarily a finger style player, pick maybe 12 to 20% of the time when called for.
My problem is, for the life of me, I cannot get a decent slap tone. I think my technique is all kinds of wrong. I work on it a fair amount in my practice regimen, and even more lately as I'm really trying to work on it. It just bothers me that I suck at it.
Anyone else out there that has tried and just doesn't get it right? Watched all the online tutorials. Work on the skill set over and over and it just goes nowhere.
Or, are you maybe a player like myself that has struggled mightily for years then finally ran accross some advice, a specific tutorial, personal lessons, etc., and you're finally starting to get it. Decent technique, good tone....
I'd really like to expand my tool box and get this working for me.
What have you got hivemind?
TIA
Click to expand...

Yep. Charter member of ICSWAD (I Can’t Slap Worth A Damn) club. I can throughly identify with your issue. Me? I’ve mitigated my ineptitude by avoidance. LOL!!! Best wishes.
 
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#12
The first probably ten years of slapping I was doing it wrong. I was just hitting with my thumb by moving my thumb similar to tapping your finger on a table top. Took a couple lessons and was shown the right way of twisting your wrist like you’re opening a door knob and it’s a lot easier. I still keep my old way and mix it up with the proper technique for some rhythmic nuances. Overall, I’d highly recommend getting some lessons.
 
#13
I played guitar for 10 yrs, while noodling with bass. Could never slap. I played bass for a couple of years and still couldn't slap. Couldn't get the coordination nor a tone that sounded like anything anybody else was doing. Just wasn't happening.

Then somebody gave me this VHS video:



I listened to every word he said. I wasn't in any hurry and practiced SUPER SLOWLY until muscle memory kicked in.

Less than a year late I wrote and recorded this song. Which I'm pretty sure is the only slap bass I ever played aside from Aeroplane :) .



One of the things I didn't know in my early playing was that setup, strings and the type of bass count for a lot too. I was playing a real old school Mustang with flats and not so great action when I first started. It made things much more difficult than they needed to be. Fresh rounwounds on a Stingray (or an active bass) makes for a much better slapping experience.
 
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#17
Why not hire a teacher for a few lessons? They can give you direct advice on technique based on watching you attempt to slap. You’ll improve dramatically more, and more quickly, in the sessions that you ever would with 50 sessions following the random advice you’ll get on TB.

I play trumpet (among other instruments) and in the online trumpet community, the very first piece of advice that is given is always “get a teacher,” regardless of age. But for some reason - maybe it’s because it’s not rock and roll to do so - this advice is almost never given here on this forum or in other ones that revolve around bass or guitar. I find it very strange.
 
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#18
@redwood

Yeeaaah ... we're going to need you to surrender all your gear and turn in your gig bag. :smug::laugh:

The only real help I can give (and I can do a little slapping) is that I keep the action on my "slapping" bass a little bit higher than on my other basses.

The lightest possible gauge strings and start simply; octaves, alternating between your thumb and your index finger. Do it slowly. Build the muscle memory. I worked with a metronome.

Then, instead of "thumb, forefinger, thumb, forefinger ..." start doing two or three thumbs and then a forefinger or vice versa.

Josh over at BassBuzz has a couple of (free) videos about slapping that would probably be useful.
 
#19
redwood said:
So, I'm a very seasoned bassist. Hundreds of local gigs under my belt over the past 35 years. Primarily harder rock, classic rock, some mowtown, pop, even a little country.
I'm primarily a finger style player, pick maybe 12 to 20% of the time when called for.
My problem is, for the life of me, I cannot get a decent slap tone. I think my technique is all kinds of wrong. I work on it a fair amount in my practice regimen, and even more lately as I'm really trying to work on it. It just bothers me that I suck at it.
Anyone else out there that has tried and just doesn't get it right? Watched all the online tutorials. Work on the skill set over and over and it just goes nowhere.
Or, are you maybe a player like myself that has struggled mightily for years then finally ran accross some advice, a specific tutorial, personal lessons, etc., and you're finally starting to get it. Decent technique, good tone....
I'd really like to expand my tool box and get this working for me.
What have you got hivemind?
TIA
Click to expand...
I used to slap everything. It's how I learned how to play bass.

It's just been so long since I've actually done it, that I too...suck.
 

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