I've been playing upright bass for about 5 years now, and play with a country/bluegrass string band and would like to start working in some occasional slapping the way Mike Bub did with the Del McCoury Band. I also like the way certain jazz and blues upright players just throw in a few slaps here and there as accents.
I'm kind of afraid to get started because I'm worried that it will hurt my bass, or else that my setup isn't suitable. From reading the discussion of slapping over on the rockabilly forum, I don't feel like I relate because most of those people seem to want to slap all the time, and set up their bass for it. I like my current setup and don't really want to alter it just for slapping purposes. I'm using wound D'Addario strings and they are about a quarter of an inch above the end of the fingerboard. The setup I have now seems to be working well not only for the bluegrassy stuff I'm doing but also for the jazz and classical techniques that I am practicing as well. Am I going to be able to develop some slapping technique without changing my strings or my action? Am I at any risk of messing up my bridge by yanking on these strings? Any advice welcome!
I'm kind of afraid to get started because I'm worried that it will hurt my bass, or else that my setup isn't suitable. From reading the discussion of slapping over on the rockabilly forum, I don't feel like I relate because most of those people seem to want to slap all the time, and set up their bass for it. I like my current setup and don't really want to alter it just for slapping purposes. I'm using wound D'Addario strings and they are about a quarter of an inch above the end of the fingerboard. The setup I have now seems to be working well not only for the bluegrassy stuff I'm doing but also for the jazz and classical techniques that I am practicing as well. Am I going to be able to develop some slapping technique without changing my strings or my action? Am I at any risk of messing up my bridge by yanking on these strings? Any advice welcome!
