Slap?

im in the same boat as u mate. Ive been play for about 13 months and im also really into slappign at the moment. I learnt to slap watching psychedelic sex funk live from heaven by the chilis. What I would recomend you learn are these four things.

The Seinfield theme tune. (easy and fun)

Aeroplane by rhcp (harder but impresses the hell out people and well worth learning)

Higher Ground by rhcp (itll help u get some speed in ur slap)

Killing in the name of by ratm (its not meant to be slapped and popped i think, but it should help u with ur learning)

good luck and have fun

 

Try this link-
www.bassplayer.com/z1998/9809/larue.shtml

Larue's exercises incorporate BOTH hands into the slap/pop equation. IMO, that's a direction you'd want to explore.
Slowing Larue's pattern down abit(his examples are in either 1/8th note or 1/16th note grooves).
T=Thumb
X=Fretting Hand Slap
P=Pop

Count 1-2-3-4
Play T-X-T-P

You can practice this "pattern" with the strings muted...
THUMB the OPEN "E"
SLAP the strings agianst the neck w/ fretting hand
THUMB the OPEN "E"
POP the muted OPEN "G"

So, it's Thumb-Slap-Thumb-Pop
Later, you can mix it up-
Thumb-Pop-Thumb-Slap
Thumb-Thumb-Pop-Slap
Etc...

Another exercise-
1)Mute the strings with your fretting hand
2)Play a consistent & even Thumb-Pop-Thumb-Pop(1-2-3-4). Once that's comfortable, you can begin eliminating certain Thumbs/Pops as YOU hear fit.
IMO, this concept is used on a tune like "Aeroplane".

 

I learned to slap primarily by listening.
I only ever had one bass lesson, and it was from a guitar player who only sort of knew how to play bass. He showede me that if the note you are playing is the root. Then one string up and two frets over is the fifth, and two strings up and two frets over is the octave. If you can recognize and play fith and octave patterns your gold.
Whatever you do just don't stop practicing. After a couple of months you can really cook.

 

The way I learned to slap initially, was to play drum patterns on my bass.
E string = kick drum
A string = floor tom
D string = mounted tom
Muted G string = closed hi hat
Open G string = cymbal crash
Muted E & G strings while hitting them with your fretting hand = drum rolls
It may sound crazy, but it REALLY helped me.
Once you get that down, you'll be amazed at how easy everything else comes to you.

 

I always try to play everything with slap technique.

So you don't get stuck in the old e minor slap stuff or root, fifth octave stuff but you learn to adapt it to everything.

Plus, you come up with new ideas and tricks.

 

off to general instruction as this is not about bassists.

 

...I figured that was coming.

I like your post, Warwicknut...I think OPEN/MUTED G as my snare, though. I, too, attempt the drum/percussion beat thinking.
Combining what you said + the "Left-Hand Slap" yields some interesting counter rhythms(cross rhythms/polyrhythms)possibilities.

More "drum logic" is @www.victorwooten.com...check out his lesson on achieving a flam-like effect.