Slapping on a p bass

[jerry]

Especially from 3.00 mark. Killer.

(Will Lee)

More Will Lee flanged slapped P-goodness:
When I used to see Will in the clubs he would sometimes slap that part over the top of the fingerboard. Most of his 70's work was a P-bass.

 

[SgtHulka]

Slapping on a p bass sounds horrible.

 

[selowitch]

Ed Friedland is such a great musician, bassist, teacher, and all-around cool human. I'm a big fan of his!

 

[SgtHulka]

I don't know for a fact that this a P-bass, but my P-bass sounds just like this when I slap it. (well, this is more of a snap than a slap, but the sound is inescapable.)

Lol dude that's just a hammer on.

I have now heard at least 3 clips here where you can't really tell whether the person is slapping or not.

 

[Chickenwheels]

That is most likely Stuart Zender on his PJ Warwick Stream

I read an interview where he said he used a couple of old Precisions and a StingRay on the album. The Warwick’s made the photo shoot, though!

 

[Stranger Danger]

P basses are 100% legit for slapping

Rickenbackers? Not so much

 

[Chickenwheels]

Slapping on a p bass sounds horrible.

Ouch.

 

[lermgalieu]

Slapping on a p bass sounds horrible.

Must depend who’s doing the slapping ;-)

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I read an interview where he said he used a couple of old Precisions and a StingRay on the album. The Warwick’s made the photo shoot, though!

Shows how much I know!

 

[SgtHulka]

here, on the Jazz you can hear the entire range of sounds from the slap to the pop. On the P Bass the slap sounds compressed and muted until you get to the pop.

 

[jd56hawk]

Do people do it? How do you think it sounds? I have heard it and personally prefer a jazz for slap. Thoughts? Feelings?

It's been done on Thunderbirds, so I guess you can do it on a P bass.

 

[Lava]

When EQed right, the P can be a slap monster. IMO, roundwound strings help as well. Jamareo Artis from Bruno Mars' band was using a Fender P a while back and it sounded great.

 

[bass.slinger]

This illustrates very well how a P-Bass often sounds when slapped:

However, MarloweDK could make a wet noodle sound funky...as could all the cats listed in this thread. I think it is just a different sound than a jazz or stingray and they all sound great.

 

[lancimouspitt]

In my limited P experience ( playing on a PJ mind you , not a pure P), slap sounds awesome up to a point. If i start on more complex double thumbing there some loss of clarity along the way.... Sometimes that can be a good thing too though.

 

[avvie]

This is a great tune, always liked it. Is that David Hungate? Yes, just answered my own question:

99 (song) - Wikipedia

This tune has always been one of my fave Totos and has major nostalgia triggers.

Also, despite what that Wiki says, it was pretty common knowledge back in Ye Olde Daye that the song was about Get Smart's Maxwell Smart and Agent 99.

 

[bobyoung53]

P basses are 100% legit for slapping

Rickenbackers? Not so much

Rics sound great slapped.

 

[chanson]

It can sound great but I think the jazz bass slap sound is what most people are used to hearing, therefore it seems to inherently sound better. Love some good P bass slap tones though, but it has to be a slower more groovy bassline.

 

[red_rhino]

Lol dude that's just a hammer on.

Well of course it's a hammer on. You've watched slap videos, right? Ever notice the number of hammer ons? But you'd still call it "slap", wouldn't you?

The hammer on isn't important. What's important is what it starts with. Which is why I said...

well, this is more of a snap than a slap,

Some people like to call that a pop instead of a snap. A slap is typically going to involve the thumb. However, most every slap line on every type of bass typically involves some popping/snapping/hammering/whatever as well. I tend to think of slap as the term that encompasses all of that. The point is, you can do it on a P-bass and it still sounds great.

Now a Rick on the other hand....

 

[Chickenwheels]

Shows how much I know!

I’m probably wrong. Just ask my wife!

 

[drumvsbass]

Slapped fretless P with flats and a foam. That would be me. I was doing a demo with a guy from Ivory Coast and he said he'd like me to try. He liked it.

If you also said 'through a dual 15 with a bit of amp grind' I'd say you have the key to all the kingdoms of funk.