Recording slap- tips?

[bassteban]

I'm cutting tracks for a demo tomorrow night, & 1 tune is pretty much all slap style. Live I like to throw on some mild compression to cover my admittedly somewhat sloppy technique, but I'm wondering if any of our experienced studio slappers can offer any advice. I'll be playing a passive Fender Jazz 5 w/TI flats(not your typical ideal slap-configured ax I know); I plan on taking my D-180/1X15 rig in case we want to mix live sound w/a direct signal.

 

[jwl]

I'm cutting tracks for a demo tomorrow night, & 1 tune is pretty much all slap style. Live I like to throw on some mild compression to cover my admittedly somewhat sloppy technique, but I'm wondering if any of our experienced studio slappers can offer any advice. I'll be playing a passive Fender Jazz 5 w/TI flats(not your typical ideal slap-configured ax I know); I plan on taking my D-180/1X15 rig in case we want to mix live sound w/a direct signal.

the best thing you can do is clean up your technique. compression can help but it should not be used a band-aid. part of good slap technique is proper muting of unused strings. this is important with a 5 string. if you don't have this down, compression could make it worse.

peace, jeff

 

[bassteban]

Right- I don't mean to say, 'I'm sloppy- what pedal do I buy to hide this rather than practicing?' Although strictly for a recording, I mightn't be so averse to that.j/k... As to 5 vs 4 string, I am considering using a 4. The song is in D, & live I use the(low)D on the B string, but I could drop the 4's E to D or downtune the whole thing(I've done it before & it works pretty well). The 4 is active w/SS rounds, so I would really need to use some restraint.