Slapping techniques, ways?

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by lump


A seasoned pro like Michael Manring pusing the envelope with alternate tunings is not a fad.

A million teenagers who can't even play a major scale, running around with their basses tuned CGCG because their idol plays one tuned that way, is.

If I were one of those dudes, I'd tune my bass differently for every song, just to f*** with you guys. Or maybe that's what they're already doing...

I agree, Lump. Reminds me of the keyboard player in my first band (*geezer mode on*). He had a Farfisa organ with a "slalom" pedal, a foot pedal that changed the overall pitch of the keyboard. He learned some basic chords but whenever confronted with a key he didn't know, would slide a relative chord he did know up or down to match the band.

Then one day his keyboard broke

But hey...you guys do whatever floats your boat.

 

[JimK]

Originally posted by lump
Personally, I'd rather be able to pick up my axe and play in any key, than to have to retune for every song. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

...that's why capos were invented!
I once played with a guitarist who tuned down a 1/2 step(Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb)...kinda aggravating 'cause I did NOT tune that way(I'm rather used to the string tensions of E-A-D-G...possibly one reason I sold my 5-string basses).
Anyway, with the aforemetioned guitaist, I wrote many a groove in MY "E" thus forcing him to play in HIS "F"...ouch.

Also, lump, some bands tune differently for different reasons-
The Smithereens are a 1/2 step down to accomodate the singer; The Aquarium Rescue Unit tuned to A=432Hz(or something like that)...Oteil's reason was for that was in an early Bass Player mag(something about Egyptian/African tuning).
Hasta-


Brad-
...glad I'm not the ONLY one here who has played with a guy that owned a Farfisa!

 

[Brad Johnson]

Man, you're old

 

[purple_haze]

I believe "passing fad" was how they first referred to Tony Iommi's playing when he invented tuning down for real.

But that was for different reasons - Whoa, necessity really is the mother of all invention.

 

[JimK]

Originally posted by Brad Johnson
Man, you're old

...& you just came to this realization!

 

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by JimK



...& you just came to this realization!

I thought it was just me

 

[A Rock]

is thread about slapping or is about tuning??

 

[nymph]

what no Cliff

 

[bassboy_jordan]

The reason people are always using crap tunings is because they're all wrong.
Mudvayne's bass is not tuned c-g-c-f for a start.
It's meant to be b-e-a-d-g. The tuning you're using is all wrong man. I'm assuming the song is Dig?
I play Dig and it's tuned in standard tuning for a low-b five string. Don't trust Internet tabs!
Find the proper books or really try to use your ears to correct anything that seems a bit wrong.
The start of Dig goes-

pop
g ------6-----
d ------5-----
a ------------
e ------------
b 00----------
slap

I hope i've cleared up some things. Other than that you're just gonna have to keep working on your slap & pop technique.

 

[John Davis]

I thought the beginning of Dig was:

G|-----------------
D|-----------------
A|-----------------
E|-----------------
B|--2-2--2-2--2-2-

Doesn't the guitar do the ping? Thats the way I read it in some guitar mag (Guitar One,or Guitar World).

I slap by just posistioning my thumb over the string and slapping it really fast. But, the string tends to hit the 24th fret and the pickups.

And to comment on the tuning, I don't know anyone who uses any real funky tuning. I mysel use the good 'ol EADG, but if I'm bored I'll downtune to Drop-D.

 

[ThumperCI6]

I don't get the whole tuning thing. I am down with Dropping to D once in awhile...but when you go out and go CGCF thats just messed up. Your bass should have frets and you can play any not on just one string in different octaves...

 

[Orco87]

Since my guitarist is dropped to D, I dropped my bass to B. It actually works pretty good for the fact that we love to play a lot of 311. I've also gotten a wee bit familiar to the upper register in the neck. Is anything wrong with the BEAD tuning? The only thing I can think of is that the strings will be a lil' messed up as well as stuff up in the headstock, but it can't do too much damage, right? I have my other (non-working) bass in the good ol' traditional tuning of EADG, so I'm still familiar with the G-string, thank goodness! With my bass dropped to B, I don't have to do any real funky tuning for anything nor am I in to funky tuning. I basically am just waiting til' I have the funds for a 5 string. Until then, I shall play my BEAD tuning.
Now, as for the real purpose of this thread, Bassopotomus - you should probably go with the few others who said learn from a book, or take lessons or things like that. I'm trying to learn some different slapping techniques as well. Just try different stuff until you find something nice and comfy for you. As you most likely already know, it ain't gonna come over night. I hope that helped.

 

[VoodooChile]

actually i just got back from getting a set six strings to put on my 4 stringer so it's gonna be tuned ADGC for better chording i guess and i was getting bored with the other tuning and then maybe i'll drop some of the strings down on there and do another different tuning

 

[fleabass89]

Hujo, a 5-string won't help you play Longview. You <b>NEED</b> to tune down half a step.

 

[hujo]

Originally posted by fleabass89
Hujo, a 5-string won't help you play Longview. You <b>NEED</b> to tune down half a step.

You're right, but If you're tuning down all of the strings i really don't see the point. just play it in E. Ok, I know what you'll say, "You get a different sound", and so on, but is it really that big of a difference?

During history, the common trend has been tuning up! From the barocque A of 438 hz, (and even lower before that) to todays most commonly used 440 hz. But many orchestras nowadays - symphony orchestras that is - now tune even higher, 442, or 443 hz. This is order to gain access to more overtones, or perhaps just other ones. (?)

 

[CBRStingray]

Originally posted by lump
I stand corrected then, in the case of the contemporary violin.

However, on bass I stand by my opinion that for anything beyond drop D, it's a passing fad. And even in your case alternate tunings are used only in certain keys. Either way it reduces your flexibility, IMO. Personally, I'd rather be able to pick up my axe and play in any key, than to have to retune for every song. It just doesn't make any sense to me. And I think as players progress, it won't make any sense to them either.

I play drop D every so often, but never any lower. however, to say that anything else is just a fad is narrow minded. Who says that players are tuning their basses differently to make it easier to play? I tune down because I have a 4 string a want a lower note than an E. If I really wanted a low C, I would tune down to a low C. In fact, I think it makes me more flexibile because it means I have to think on the fly in terms of the difference in how the strings relate to each other, rather than just remembering patterns. Ie, that an octave is two strings up and two frets across, or a fifth is one string up, 2 frets across, etc.

Oh, and if I decided to detune my bass, I could still pick it up and play in any key, as I'm sure many other people who detune could. But hey, what do I know, I've only been playing for a year half anyway.

 

[fleabass89]

Yes, I see your point. My band tunes down half a step, and then when we play originals in normal tuning, I suggested that we just play half a step down anyway... because it will be easier on the singers and we won't have to get out separate guitars/basses or retune.

 

[Phat Ham]

Then there's my Kubicki with it's two negative frets o the E (or is it D) string. There's this little clip that's like a capo for the E string and when you unclip it you have a drop D, but E is still in it's normal place. If that explanation sucked go to www.kubicki.com

I'm tired I'm going to bed now

 

[lo-end]

actually, youre all wrong.

Rhyknow has a 4 string tuned B-E-A-D.

the intro to Dig goes like this:

D:------------------------------
A:------------------------------
E:------------------------------
B:--00------00------00------00-

the "ping" which is actually called a "tritone" comes from the guitar. A tritone is a 2 note chord that consists of 2 notes that are 3 steps apart (hence the name tritone). you can make one with the fifth fret of the second string and the sixth fret of the first string and playing them at the same time as a chord. (this is just an example. tritones are possible everywhere)

the tritone is associated with satan and was frequently used in medieval music.

Ok everyone I hope we all learned something today

 

[hujo]

Originally posted by lo-end
A tritone is a 2 note chord that consists of 2 notes that are 3 steps apart (hence the name tritone).

A 2 note chord?! Can there really be one?!

Just kidding, I'm not entering that debate.

And I don't want to be anal, but tritones were not used that often in medieval music, which mostly consisted of interweaving melodies, instead of just "laying" chords, like in for example rock. Tritones really became "hip" in the renaissance, and barcque eras, and has since then continued to be used frequently.

As you say, the interval was associated with Satan, and was at times actually forbidden to use in churchmusic. I don't see how they got around that when playing a Dominanth seventh chord!

/Johannes, trying to sound like i actually know something!