Slap/pop - Am I missing something?

[The Big]

Before you say it - I've searched. A lot. I've watched countless videos and I just don't understand.

I never really learned to slap, but decided to give it another go for some RHCP cover stuff. I'm facing the same issue as before. My slap tone is so-so, it's alright. But the pop sounds utterly horrendous.

This is the tone I'm trying to achieve:

This here is my tone (it's ear-wrenching for both the tone and my lack of experience):

My bass is a Fender Elite J-bass from 2018, I'm playing on active. I've fiddled with it a lot. Scooped mids, boosted treble, even all flat. I tried passive. Tried bridge, neck, blend... I have fresh strings. I'm recording DI. I literally set up everything exactly like the dude. Maybe my action is a little high, but I lost my wrench.

I'm not sure if my problem is a matter of technique (with which I have a LONG way to go), or if something's fishy about the bass. I'd wager the former, but the difference is just so vast, and I'm left clueless.

 

[two fingers]

Tell us a little more.

How was the EQ on your bass set when you made that recording?

What kind of strings?

What kind of amp/preamp/interface did you record through and how was it set?

At first listen it just sounds "too bright". Too much highs and high mids and not enough booty. You aren't going to be able to EQ the same way for finger style and slap.

 

[The Big]

Tell us a little more.

How was the EQ on your bass set when you made that recording?

What kind of strings?

What kind of amp/preamp/interface did you record through and how was it set?

At first listen it just sounds "too bright". Too much highs and high mids and not enough booty. You aren't going to be able to EQ the same way for finger style and slap.

Yeah that's what I figured. Far, far too bright. So I'm on active mode, day-old nickel D'Ad 105 roundwounds, all EQ flat, amp slightly reduced mid, pups 80% panned to bridge.

 

[Reedt2000]

Honestly, not to come down too hard on you, but sounds to me like it might just be a technique issue. Ive always thought about slap & pop as being two halves of the same motion. As you come down to slap, you set yourself up to pop. The pop happens as you rotate up to setup a slap again. The tricky part IME, is allowing your thumb to bounce off after the slap, without pulling your hand away so you've hooked your index (or middle) finger under the proper strip to pop.

I wouldn't sweat EQ settings all that hard, a J bass with tone and both pickups on full should be able to give you a decent tone for the style. Maybe boost bass and highs a little on your amp if you want to.

Like all technique, practice slow at first, focusing on executing the movements as accurately as possible, then increase speed.

I hope that helps.

 

[The Big]

Honestly, not to come down too hard on you, but sounds to me like it might just be a technique issue. Ive always thought about slap & pop as being two halves of the same motion. As you come down to slap, you set yourself up to pop. The pop happens as you rotate up to setup a slap again. The tricky part IME, is allowing your thumb to bounce off after the slap, without pulling your hand away so you've hooked your index (or middle) finger under the proper strip to pop.

I wouldn't sweat EQ settings all that hard, a J bass with tone and both pickups on full should be able to give you a decent tone for the style. Maybe boost bass and highs a little on your amp if you want to.

Like all technique, practice slow at first, focusing on executing the movements as accurately as possible, then increase speed.

I hope that helps.

That'd be the best case. I'd much rather have to practice more than fiddle with EQ knobs all day. Thanks, I'll look into it more and put in some extra elbow grease, put in those hours... And maybe lower the action, come to think of it. It actually does seem a tad high now that I look.

 

[bass12]

When switching from fingers to thumping live the most I'll change the EQ on my Jazz is to add a bit more high end. Everything else stays the same (and I will sometimes leave the highs as is). I honestly don't know what's going on with the tone in your recording, OP, but the popping does sound odd - as if there is some distortion going on. My knowledge of electronics is extremely limited but it sounds like something is wrong with either your pickups or your preamp. Is the battery in your bass fresh?

 

[two fingers]

Yeah that's what I figured. Far, far too bright. So I'm on active mode, day-old nickel D'Ad 105 roundwounds, all EQ flat, amp slightly reduced mid, pups 80% panned to bridge.

To me, the classic slap sound is both pickups wide open. I wouldn't favor the bridge pickup.

 

[The Big]

When switching from fingers to thumping live the most I'll change the EQ on my Jazz is to add a bit more high end. Everything else stays the same (and I will sometimes leave the highs as is). I honestly don't know what's going on with the tone in your recording, OP, but the popping does sound odd - as if there is some distortion going on. My knowledge of electronics is extremely limited but it sounds like something is wrong with either your pickups or your preamp. Is the battery in your bass fresh?

I got the bass used and it arrived just yesterday. It was apparently pretty much unused by the previous owner, no modifications, no damage. I changed everything but forgot the battery. That's a trip to the store for sure. If it ain't the battery though... Then I really don't know.

 

[The Big]

To me, the classic slap sound is both pickups wide open. I wouldn't favor the bridge pickup.

Here's a normal fingerstyle sample, nothing flashy, just a runthrough of all the frequencies. Active on, EQ flat, pups equal. As user bass12 mentioned, maybe something's wrong with the electronics? I really can't tell, I've played firewood since day one, this is the first "professional" bass I've owned.

 

[bass12]

I got the bass used and it arrived just yesterday. It was apparently pretty much unused by the previous owner, no modifications, no damage. I changed everything but forgot the battery. That's a trip to the store for sure. If it ain't the battery though... Then I really don't know.

How's the pickup height on your bass?

 

[The Big]

How's the pickup height on your bass?

Very uneven. Whoever owned it prior to me lifted up the treble side and pushed down the bass side. Haven't adjusted it yet, getting a new screwdriver at the store today along with wrenches for the bridge.

 

[SunByrne]

My guess is it's more technique than knob fiddling.

In fact, I think you might be having the same problem that I have when I'm not concentrating enough on what I'm doing.

If I pop by just kind of pulling the string up with my finger, I don't get that hard percussive pop sound. Blander, quieter.

The trick for me is to remember that it's not a finger movement—it's a wrist movement.

If the next thing I'm going to do is slap, this is much more natural; I want my hand rotated up anyway. But when I'm playing successive pops, I feel like I want to cheat and keep my hand down and pop mostly by just moving my fingers. It doesn't work very well, I get that weak pop tone. I particularly catch myself when I'm playing scales and there are three pops in quick succession.

Gotta twist that wrist up every time on the pop like the next thing I'm going to do is slap... even if I'm not actually going to slap.

Give that a try.

 

[The Big]

My guess is it's more technique than knob fiddling.

In fact, I think you might be having the same problem that I have when I'm not concentrating enough on what I'm doing.

If I pop by just kind of pulling the string up with my finger, I don't get that hard percussive pop sound. Blander, quieter.

The trick for me is to remember that it's not a finger movement—it's a wrist movement.

If the next thing I'm going to do is slap, this is much more natural; I want my hand rotated up anyway. But when I'm playing successive pops, I feel like I want to cheat and keep my hand down and pop mostly by just moving my fingers. It doesn't work very well, I get that weak pop tone. I particularly catch myself when I'm playing scales and there are three pops in quick succession.

Gotta twist that wrist up every time on the pop like the next thing I'm going to do is slap... even if I'm not actually going to slap.

Give that a try.

Just did and it made a difference! It's nowhere near where I want it, still far too much bite, but it's not quite as bad as it was.

 

[two fingers]

In

Here's a normal fingerstyle sample, nothing flashy, just a runthrough of all the frequencies. Active on, EQ flat, pups equal. As user bass12 mentioned, maybe something's wrong with the electronics? I really can't tell, I've played firewood since day one, this is the first "professional" bass I've owned.

All the difference in the world. Much beefier and rounder tone. I would still level the pickups but this is much better.

 

[Sub-hoo-fer]

I bet the pup height being so high has something to do with it.

I can maintain a bass once it is in good shape but I personally struggle to get a used instrument where I like it without help. It sounds like whomever owned your instrument last had some specific requirements. If you're not a set up wizard, I would invest the coin in a pro set up. That will take the action and the pup height out of your way to focus on technique.

 

[The Big]

In


All the difference in the world. Much beefier and rounder tone. I would still level the pickups but this is much better.

Glad to hear it. It does sound a lot crisper on the low end. The treble side is still messed up but even pushing down the pickup with my finger makes a difference.

 

[RattleSnack]

A good slap/pop is not about EQ or even type of guitar/pickups, although on some it's easier to get it right.
It's about being percussive and in the pocket. I prefer to slap on my 51' P bass, it's not better or worse than my 75' RI Jazz, just different.
My advice, listen to percussionists and drummers, and practise with them on a flat EQ, both pickups on Jazz. When you feel you are grooving and funky, go to EQ fiddling. That's least important part of slap/pop.

 

[The Big]

A good slap/pop is not about EQ or even type of guitar/pickups, although on some it's easier to get it right.
It's about being percussive and in the pocket. I prefer to slap on my 51' P bass, it's not better or worse than my 75' RI Jazz, just different.
My advice, listen to percussionists and drummers, and practise with them on a flat EQ, both pickups on Jazz. When you feel you are grooving and funky, go to EQ fiddling. That's least important part of slap/pop.

Will do. How about string gauge though? I've always used fairly heavy strings, now I'm on 105's, but I've heard 95's are just plain better for this style of bass playing.

 

[two fingers]

A good slap/pop is not about EQ or even type of guitar/pickups, although on some it's easier to get it right.
It's about being percussive and in the pocket. I prefer to slap on my 51' P bass, it's not better or worse than my 75' RI Jazz, just different.
My advice, listen to percussionists and drummers, and practise with them on a flat EQ, both pickups on Jazz. When you feel you are grooving and funky, go to EQ fiddling. That's least important part of slap/pop.

That's how Larry Graham first approached slap anyway. He was playing in his church band. And, if I recall correctly, their drummer wasn't there for some reason, so he started playing "drums" on his bass.

 

[bass12]

Will do. How about string gauge though? I've always used fairly heavy strings, now I'm on 105's, but I've heard 95's are just plain better for this style of bass playing.

Marcus Miller uses .045-.105; Victor Wooten .040-.095, Mark King .030-.090. It really depends on you, your bass and the tone you want. I prefer .040-.100 on most of my basses.