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pop - alternating you attack

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by Matthew Bryson, Sep 28, 2001.

  1. Sep 28, 2001 #1
    Matthew Bryson

    Matthew Bryson Guest

    Jul 30, 2001
    I have read in my beginer bass book and on this forum good descriptions of the slap/pop style - but in every case I seem to notice people specify to "pop by curling your right hand index finger..." So.... should one pop notes with only one finger - or should one alternate their right hand attack between popping notes with the index and middle fingers? What do you do? What is right?
     
  2. Sep 28, 2001 #2
    Oysterman

    Oysterman

    Mar 30, 2000
    Sweden
    There's really no "right" and "wrong" when it comes to technique, only "normal" / "not normal" or rather "common" / "uncommon".
    I consistently pop with my index finger, because that feels more comfortable in my opinion. I am, however, trying to learn to "double-pop", which means I first pop with my index finger immediately followed by my middle finger.

    Pick a finger, and stick with it. Or learn to alternate between them. It's all up to you.
     
  3. Sep 28, 2001 #3
    JimK

    JimK

    Dec 12, 1999
    I agree with Oysters-

    You can also Pop with the 'normal' 2-finger plucking action. Position your plucking hand somewhere beween the neck pickup(like, a P-bass or J-bass)& the neck. Pluck 'harder' than 'normal' & you should hear the popping tone you're used to hearing...then again, maybe not. ;)
    BTW, with this technique, it's ALL pop.
     
  4. Sep 28, 2001 #4
    thomas

    thomas

    Jul 26, 2000
    Barnesville, GA USA
    Just to make it more confusing... when I actually feel the need to slap and pop (i like my baby too much to smack her around all the time) I use my ring finger to pop, I just started doing it like that 'cause it seemed natural. Plus since I broke my index finger a few years ago its been kind of useless for plucking, popping, or strumming strings.
     
  5. Sep 28, 2001 #5
    JMX

    JMX Vorsprung durch Technik

    Sep 4, 2000
    Cologne, Germany
    Usually people use just one finger when they alternate slap and pop.

    E.g. thumb-index-thumb-index or thumb-middle-thumb-middle.

    But when you want to pop 2 or more notes then you use index, middle, ring in alternating fashion.