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OK, I admit it. I can't slap

#21
A good teacher (who knows how to slap) will be able to observe your bass and technique and set you on the right path. In-person would be best but via Skype could work too. As far as the actual sound is concerned, there’s no reason that, given the right bass and set-up, you shouldn’t be able to produce a good slap sound. It could be your technique but it could also be the bass, the set-up, the strings, etc.
 
#27
Same here! I think my biggest issue starts with my relatively light touch when playing finger style (100% of the time). Switching to slap requires I employ loads of compression which I can never seem to dial in effectively. My preferred choice of light gauge flat wounds also doesn’t help. I’ve tried setting up a Jazz bass with rounds specifically for slap, but the rounds don’t feel right on my left hand. Now that I’m 62, am approaching retirement, and have become less interested in a full gig schedule, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s okay to play the instrument the way on want to and not force myself to do things that don’t feel comfortable. Who knows how many years I have left to be me? I don’t want to waste time being something I’m not.
 
#28
It's ok, you're not alone. I can use slap for accents here and there, but playing "slarppegios" like Wooten or slapping entire songs like Flea? Nope. As a listener I have very little interest in slap & pop, most of it sounds cheesy and dated to me. The list of slap players I enjoy listening is pretty short: Marcus Miller, Fernando Lamadrid, Les Claypool. That's about it.

My cover band used to play Dua Lipa's "Don't start now" and I'd pop the last note of each bar to emulate what the synth is doing in the original recording. That's pretty much the extent of my proficiency with this technique.

I've found that I can achieve a similar effect by plucking crazy hard instead, it saturates the pickup in pretty much the same way and it's way easier for me.
 
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#29
I feel your pain. My "work on" list includes songs that might be played at one of my high school reunions. I graduated in '77. The only slap and pop on that list are a couple of Foghat songs and then he's only using it intermittently. P-bass with flats and it's tough. I can get the slap, but - for the life of me - I cannot get a pop.
 
#31
I was lucky to study with Dave LaRue early on, who has FANTASTIC slap technique. I learned a lot from him. I firmly believe having a good teacher makes all the difference in the world. I also went through the Slap It! book (back when it came with a little plastic record inside), which isn’t mentioned often anymore but it’s also incredible for developing basic slap technique. In fact I’d say that book laid the foundation for me because it starts with simple, musical, but highly targeted exercises to get you slapping while also playing actual music. The exercises in the book are really musical so it was never dull working through them. (No affiliation, that book just really helped me). Having a teacher evaluating my technique while working through those exercises were what got my slap technique launched.
 
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#32
Victor Wooten is the worse person to learn slap from. Find someone who will start at the beginning.

I don't (can't) slap. Deep down I know I would be a better bass player if I were able to slap, use a pick and tap, but I've never played a song that required any of those techniques.

A band leader once complimented me for not slapping. I pretended it was my choice not to!!
 
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#34
chris_b said:
Victor Wooten is the worse person to learn slap from. Find someone who will start at the beginning.
Click to expand...

You are so wrong, Victor Wooten is one of the best teachers there is for all levels. I learned a ton from him early on. Here's him showing more basic slap/pop technique:



Like how the hell are we going to sit here and say the modern day master of the technique is the worst to learn from. You learn from the best, not from the worst.
 
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#36
sean_on_bass said:
You are so wrong, Victor Wooten is one of the best teachers there is for all levels. I learned a ton from him early on. Here's him showing more basic slap/pop technique:



Like how the hell are we going to sit here and say the modern day master of the technique is the worst to learn from. You learn from the best, not from the worst.
Click to expand...

My favourite thing about that video is that they left in the flubs. A lot of players would insist that mistakes not be included in their video but I suspect that Vic was okay with it. Very cool.
 
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#37
sean_on_bass said:
You are so wrong, Victor Wooten is one of the best teachers there is for all levels. I learned a ton from him early on. Here's him showing more basic slap/pop technique:



Like how the hell are we going to sit here and say the modern day master of the technique is the worst to learn from. You learn from the best, not from the worst.
Click to expand...


Just watched and played along with Vic to weigh in on this.

I love what he had to say up until the 1:45 point, and then it was game over for me. As much as I love the guy, I think HIS technique here is for people who want to learn to slap as insanely as he does, and not necessary. Doing what he talks about there, landing our thumb on the bass after the hit might be a great technique, but doing that I think would have made me throw the towel in. Its much more difficult to do that than to just hit the string and either rest there, or back off a little. At least for me. I much prefer the way Alex Sklarresvky teaches this.

I believe too that VW's method may very well have worked best for you.

What I think is important is to not take ANYONE'S word for Gospel regarding this, but to put some time and commitment into several approaches, and see which one clicks.

The most important part of my learning was to go super slowly. At the start I did the simplest gesture of just hitting and plucking to get a good sound for hours (days) before it locked in. If someone practiced any technique for an hour a day, if in 2 weeks there wasn't a significant change in ability, I'd think it a good idea to find another teacher/method.

Vic's video would have frustrated me. And it might be gold for someone else.
 
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#39
saltydude said:
Form believer in it’s an inherent skill you’re either born with or not and it’s something that can’t be taught.
I’m also 100% positive someone will refute my post.
Click to expand...
:) Here to do that.

I couldn't slap to save my life. It just took the right teacher and a lot of patience.

That being said, I feel as you do regarding tapping. Can't tap to save my life. Or haven't yet found the right teacher :) .
 
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#40
Joe Nerve said:
:) Here to do that.

I couldn't slap to save my life. It just took the right teacher and a lot of patience.

That being said, I feel as you do regarding tapping. Can't tap to save my life. Or haven't yet found the right teacher :) .
Click to expand...

Ok lol. It’s not impossible. I do my own stupid versions of it. I’m sure it’s totally wrong but anyway. After many attempts and different styles etc. Perhaps I just don’t feel like it’s important enough to dedicate the time necessary for my slap proficiency level when I go on YouTube and watch an 8 year old blow me away after three months of playing. Hahaha.
 
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