Slapping and tapping

[Greenman72]

Agree or disagree:
Slapping and tapping is mostly for show, and is virtually useless in a real-life setting--unless you're specifically trying to steal the show.

 

[Gorn]

Primus sucks.

 

[Greenman72]

I'm a 100% pick player. If I can't play it with a pick, then I'm not playing it.
But I'm also not a "pro" or in a band or anything. I'm a bassment bassist, and I only play for my own amusement.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Ehhh, might wanna brush up on some of Ryan Martinie's stuff before you formulate an opinion lol.

All depends on your role and aspirations as a musician. Met plenty of guitarists in church bands that did nothing but strum chords for years on end. Gets you by, however it's not exactly a balanced approach. I'd toss "Straight 8th Roots only" Bassists in a similar camp, but if you don't need/want to do more then why bother? I'll add that probably wouldn't hold you over for too long in a church doing Gospel instead of CCM.

Style and complexity of the music could dictate what works best in that context. Wouldn't approach something like "Carolina in My Mind" the same as "Those D&$% Blue Collar Tweakers" ya know?

 

[Docduval]

I don’t get why people feel the need to gate keep. Play how you want. It either sounds good or it doesn’t..

 

[SteveCS]

Agree or disagree:
Slapping and tapping is mostly for show, and is virtually useless in a real-life setting--unless you're specifically trying to steal the show.

As always, it depends. Back in the '80s slapping was the done thing - it was expected, everyone was at it and I was sufficiently proficient to get away with it. Then I started playing the Chapman Stick, so also became reasonably adept at the tapping thing. Although the Stick has a completely different feel to the electric bass, a lot of the technical insights into the "tap and hold" approach cross over.

Fast forward to 2026: I rarely play the Stick, except at home for my own indulgence. On the electric bass I do tap out the occasional chords/arpeggios with my right hand or tap a low note whilst sustaining some other notes with the left hand high up the neck. I no longer slap with my thumb but I do throw in the occasional I 'pop'. I also use left-hand pizzicato from time to time.

I guess it's a question of investment - tapping and slapping need extensive practice to really get under control. If I hadn't played the Stick all those years ago I don't think I would now invest any significant time for the amount of notes I tap. Most of the thumb-related slap skills I once had are gone, but I do still work on integrating the popping aspects into an otherwise almost exclusive finger-style approach.

 

[Wasnex]

Agree or disagree:
Slapping and tapping is mostly for show, and is virtually useless in a real-life setting--unless you're specifically trying to steal the show.

The answer varies with the type of music you play.

For me:

Totally disagree on slap. I have used it extensively. I have been asked to slap and I have had composers write original music that required me to slap. I also play pick when appropriate...but have played slap more than pick.

If slap is good enough for Bonne Raitt and Ricky Lee Jones, it's good enough for me.



I sort of agree with tap, with one exception. I have some very basic tap skills that I have occasionally messed around with...just in case. Never been asked to use tap and the only tap technique I regularly integrate into actual performances is hammer ons, which are second nature to me and used fairly regularly. I use hammer ons with slap, finger-style, and pick. There have been occasions where I tapped out chord tones over a low pedal tone at the end of a song. A bit gratuitous, but sounds cool. Sometimes you can throw a harmonic in as well .

Aside from hammer ons, slap and tap are pretty different techniques. Slap itself is made up of a fairly wide variety of techniques. Players like Victor Wooten and Bill Dickens seamlessly integrate several tap techniques so that it seems like one seamless skill. While I can use several of the techniques, it's not always easy for me to integrate all of them without putting in the work. There are definitely some crazy licks that VW and BD can play that are beyond me.

 

[Les Fret]

Totally depends on who is doing it and how it’s done. Any technique is useful in the right hands and if done tastefully.

I wonder what is the reason or motivation behind this topic?

 

[iqi616]

I'd like to be able to tap but mostly for the satisfaction of being able to choose not to do it. Whilst I admire people with technical prowess, I notice that they rarely feature in music I listen to because their music rarely stirs my emotions.

 

[Karl Kaminski]

these are techniques... if they help you express yourself and serve the music all the better. If they don't, its meaningless.

 

[Dincrest]

While Victor Wooten famously said something to the effect of "you're not getting paid to double-thumb. You're getting paid to hold down a groove" I feel like it's great to have various techniques and skills in your toolbelt because you never know what gig is going to call for it. You never know if that's the technique that will make the song sound better. Maybe a tap-slide is what will give the song that extra pepper it needs.

Better to have and not need than need and not have.

 

[MojoPin]

I wonder what is the reason or motivation behind this topic?

Probably heard some slap and had to express their disdain. I get it, but listen to some Marcus Miller for a bit, and you'll see how slap can easily be useful. One of the most, if not THE most, tasteful slap players out there. I hate his live tone often though, his studio tones have all been nice to my ears for the most part.

We are making sounds, any way to make those sounds are valid. If the song doesn't call for a certain sound, it should not be used. ANYTHING is open for use though, and I do mean even a washtub bass. But it has to work to make the song better or do something that benefits it in someway, adds to it, NOT subtracts because you want to show off your chops. Thanks for coming to my TED talk, see yourself out.

 

[HolmeBass]

I voted carrots.

Absolutes and music, or really any art, don’t go together very well.

As so many others have eluded, it’s not what you do but how you do it that counts.

Anyone with a solid command of those techniques can probably find ways to express themselves using them.

But not mastering those techniques does not prevent you from playing music. There might be styles, or bands/writers you can’t play without those techniques, but as long your band is ok not hearing that, then all is well.

 

[Jefenator]

I've never been asked to tap yet – but slapping does come up from time to time.
It's a sound that's been incorporated pretty widely in pop music over the last half century.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I voted "Carrots"
If you like slap and tap,and the music you play uses them,then use them.

 

[Wyvern]

One of my Favorite bassists, Geddy Lee, does not use a pick, doesn't tap and doesn't slap. His music is incredibly complex, energetic and even aggressive.

One of my other Favorites Ryan Martinie combines finger style with slap and his own tap technique. His music is complex, energetic and aggressive, sometimes even jazzy.

You don't NEED to have a certain strumming technique to be a talented, well seasoned bassist.

 

[Les Fret]

Ask Victor, Michael or Stu…,.

 

[logdrum]

I only tap in certain chordal work where you can reach the note while holding some, and I will tap a high as well as low note. and usually at pauses or end of a cadence or the piece for that matter Certainly in musical context and specially when I am a bassist as a function IN a band, no double tapping. I only do it for solo and certainly very very brief.

Slapping. Let us just say that I can incorporate harmonic and melodic etudes to what would be drum patterns that drummers use. Some drummers can get disoriented though so best to keep slapping simple. Again it should serve the song or convey a musical statement and not just for show. A drummer can out play you easily, Keep in mind

This would have been the option I would like to see in your poll

Partially agree - TAP is useful on specific occasions but SLAP comes in handy and is necessary for some styles.

 

[Element Zero]

Oh… this old argument?

 

[Greenman72]

I wonder what is the reason or motivation behind this topic?

OP here. To answer your question:
I'm a beginner/intermediate. Never done either of these two, and I'm wondering whether I should learn.
If the poll is all over the place (as it is now), then I'm not necessarily inclined to spend a lot of time trying to learn something that's not really useful.
But if it was 90% "Yes, you should learn to slap & tap", then that might change my mind.

And I specifically didn't include "it depends on what you want to do and what kind of sound you want to make. Serve the song", because that's a useless truism, and doesn't say anything profound.