Slap Bass - Funk Only?

[funkydanbass]

A nice clip with Marcus in support mode...

 

[gotmule?]

Mike Gordon from Phish uses slap quite often. Check out Weekapaug Groove by Phish. There's an awesome slap intro.

 

[nysbob]

I find that slapping and popping are the best technique for trying out all of the basses hanging on the wall at Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon. Everybody else thinks so too.

I LOLed.

 

[Ric5]

I will sometimes use thumb slapping for metal or modern rock ... also for blues ...

The really fun thing is if you have to play a lame ass song like wonderful tonight ... then put some slaps and pops in the wrong place to make the song even cheesier ... then submarine the song so your band never plays it again.

 

[JKT]

No question the technique if tastefully used can be a tool in any genre. I have used it everywhere except perhaps in non-rockabilly style 50's music. It is all over blues music of all kinds.

JKT

 

[Audiophage]

I recommend it as probably one of the best techniques for any genre.

 

[JKT]

.

The really fun thing is if you have to play a lame ass song like wonderful tonight ... then put some slaps and pops in the wrong place to make the song even cheesier ... then submarine the song so your band never plays it again.

Or, someone really inventive that could put some nice tasteful pops in the right places and make the song even better.

JKT

 

[zagralin_arf]

Dirk Schlachter from Gamma Ray and Markus Grosskopf from Helloween have used slap in power metal. Dirk used it in a more original way to get a chunky note to make it stick out more, Markus to reflect Helloween's humor a lot.

 

[Reuben]

I slap a fair amount in some of the Balkan folk bands I play in. The music may not be funk, but it gets pretty funky when I do that. Especially on some of the slower 9/8 tunes that stay on one chord a lot.

 

[mikeswals]

Paige from Orgy does it too, just like others mentioned in heavy-rock and metal, it fits very well and can make riffs sound heavier sometimes too, not to mention very percussive.
Just like anything, the key is to use it tastefully not wankfully.

 

[vene-nemesis]

Oh god Fieldy is like the man in this, you might not like his tone, you might not like his technique but hes tone is IMHO the most recognizeable and cutting through in all the short history of nu metal.

 

[soong]

Check out the song Dig by Mudvayne on youtube, crazy metal band with insane slap bassist

 

[Chipsonfire]

Check out the song Dig by Mudvayne on youtube, crazy metal band with insane slap bassist

+1 that's exactly what came to mind.

Most of my favorite metal bands have some nice slap in them at least from time to time.

 

[sledz]

Try Kobong - great Polish metal band with agressive slap bass... I dig it!

 

[Scot]

The really fun thing is if you have to play a lame ass song like wonderful tonight ... then put some slaps and pops in the wrong place to make the song even cheesier ... then submarine the song so your band never plays it again.

Then you can go home and listen to the sound of your phone NOT ringing.

The technique is fair game for many styles. The trick is to avoid using cliches that are associated with those 70's styles. Try to only use the thumb with no finger plucks.