Teacher told me I slap wrong

[Grueber]

Ever notice how pretty much every perpendicular player uses this pattern?

G|-------------|
D|------5---5--|
A|-------------|
E|-3--3---3----|
The note durations being e-s-s-s-s. It's in too many RHCP songs to count.

no, if you just talking about flea then you shouldn't say everyone

Slap is like using a pick in a way. Why downpick everything when you can alternate? Same amount of notes, half the effort.

yes, double-thumping is great, but i thought we were talking about parallel and perpendicular

 

[Grueber]

That's fine. If I'm teaching someone a given skill and say that there aren't rules/guildlines for what you're doing, I feel that I'm setting them up to fail.

I feel that there should be a good example given along with a clear procedure.

Joe

why would perpendicular fail? Please give an example where something could only be played using the parralel method

 

[WalterBush]

why would perpendicular fail? Please give an example where something could only be played using the parralel method

And after you've given that example, go listen to Stanley Clarke's solo stuff from the '70s, and tell me he's slapping too slow.

Granted, I have no idea how he slaps now, or what Larry Graham may have picked up later in life, but both of them seemed to do fine with the thumb in the upright position.

 

[BassoProfondo]

Not sure about Stanley Clark, but what I did notice from Larry Graham in his instructional video is that he's double jointed.

While he's thumb is in a perpendicular position, the upper joint of his thumb points up.

AT one point years ago, I made a conscious effort to extend my thumb out all the way making it perpendicular to the strings. It was uncomfortable at first, but after adjusting, I found that I had greater control, accuracy and sustain as my thumb would instantly snap back because I was rotating my wrist more and not using my forearm as much. YMMV

 

[JAUQO III-X]

That would be fine if there were rules in slapping.
As far as I know, there aren't any.

 

[Drake Kennedy]

I find it ironic how the cover of Slap It! it shows incorrect technique. However, just to show the other side of the argument, Adam Nitti uses the perpendicular style, and he sounds incredible. He says it's just a comfort thing. To each his own, but I think it's valuable to be able to use both styles of parallel playing.

 

[Bassist4Life]

why would perpendicular fail? Please give an example where something could only be played using the parralel method

Honestly, you guys really need to read a little more carefully. It said nothing about perpendicular style failing... (this is exhausting).

I was speaking from the perspective of an educator. Students need clear procedures and a good model/example from which to learn. If I don't provide these, then I am setting my students up for failure.

I have an entire post that speaks to teaching slap bass in a certain way. I am not going to teach my students to play with their thumb pointing down. They can do that on their own if they want to. They might come up with some really cool things, but I am going to teach them parallel to the string.

This thread has been a little exhausting for me. I feel that I'm repeating some things over and over in defense of things that I'm doing with my students. I also feel that some of the things I'm saying and sharing are getting read out of context (the reason for this post).

I also feel that readers/posters of this thread are looking for opportunities to pounce on any statement that looks contrary to what they think or practice. That's fine. It's an open forum and people get to read the posts and make their own decisions.

I tried to be helpful by posting links to slap lessons from pro-bassists. These guys are amazing musicians: Bunny Brunel & Michael Dimin. IMO; if you want to be highly successful, then you study the work of successful people. I know that this statement is going to bring examples of people that slap with their thumb down, and that's great.

It might be a little more productive if we offer each other examples of excellent musicians rather than debate the direction of the thumb. Then, we can make our own informed decisions. But as for me and my students, we will slap parallel to the string.

I sincerely hope that I did not hurt any feelings in this post.

Joe

 

[Bassist4Life]

I find it ironic how the cover of Slap It! it shows incorrect technique. However, just to show the other side of the argument, Adam Nitti uses the perpendicular style, and he sounds incredible. He says it's just a comfort thing. To each his own, but I think it's valuable to be able to use both styles of parallel playing.

Here's an image of Tony Oppenheim's hand in slap position.

Joe

 

[Bassist4Life]

This is the best one I could find of Adam. Actually it's hard to tell if he's slapping or playing chords.

Joe

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I find it ironic how the cover of Slap It! it shows incorrect technique.

It's not incorrect technique at all if the player is able to put in and get out what they want and if the approach is comfortable and not causing any physical problems or effecting the timing of the music why not continue to develope the technique even more.

But as for me and my students, we will slap parallel to the string.

Why ?

 

[Jazz Ad]

I wonder if Ike Turner slaps parallel or perpendicular.

 

[Bassist4Life]

Why ?

That's a really great question and it made me pause to think about it.

I feel that I can give my students the best chance of success slapping parallel to the string. Like Bunny Brunel explained at the start of his slap video (the one I posted a link to earlier), I looked at some of the best players and what they're doing.

I feel that the a parallel thumb provides a stable position for the repetetive rotation of the forearm. There seems to be better economy of motion in that position (IMO).

Slapping is a very very small part of what I do with my students. Most of the time we are playing fingerstyle (index and middle finger).

Joe

 

[Grueber]

Honestly, you guys really need to read a little more carefully. It said nothing about perpendicular style failing... (this is exhausting).

Sorry your getting exhausted, you should try typing at a 90degree angle(more economy of motion)

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Most of the time we are playing fingerstyle (index and middle finger).

Don't you think that that in itself is potentialy limiting for your students ?

 

[Bassist4Life]

I hope this is clear enough...

I was talking about teaching any given skill. In this case, slap bass. I'll say it again: If I'm not giving my students a procedure and an example, I am setting them up for failure.

Another example: If I am teaching someone to drive a car and I don't give them a set of procedures and an example, I am setting them up for failure. I don't just hand them the keys and say, "Here, let's go for a ride, you've seen me drive before." You're likely end up in ditch or under a truck.

It is commonly said that there are no "rules" in music. I believe this to be true on an artistic level. Some parts of learning and playing music are an exact science; for example, rhythms. That could be an entirely different thread.

Jazz Ad's said:

That would be fine if there were rules in slapping.
As far as I know, there aren't any.

I believe that when teaching/practicing any skill, you need to set up guidelines (or rules) for instruction to be clear. It's difficult to learn anything when you don't know what the expectations are and how to achieve them.

Joe

 

[Bassist4Life]

Don't you think that that in itself is potentialy limiting for your students ?

Sure. But most of my students are younger and learning the basics. More advanced students absorb things like a sponge. It's so cool to see that happen. They pick up things from all over the place and make it their own. Those students learn things like comping chords using their thumb along with their index, middle, and ring fingers.

I don't feel that playing with two fingers on the right hand is limiting early on. I feel as if it is providing a firm foundation.

Joe

 

[Grueber]

I hope this is clear enough...

I was talking about teaching any given skill. In this case, slap bass. I'll say it again: If I'm not giving my students a procedure and an example, I am setting them up for failure.

Another example: If I am teaching someone to drive a car and I don't give them a set of procedures and an example, I am setting them up for failure. I don't just hand them the keys and say, "Here, let's go for a ride, you've seen me drive before." You're likely end up in ditch or under a truck.

It is commonly said that there are no "rules" in music. I believe this to be true on an artistic level. Some parts of learning and playing music are an exact science; for example, rhythms. That could be an entirely different thread.

Jazz Ad's said:


I believe that when teaching/practicing any skill, you need to set up guidelines (or rules) for instruction to be clear. It's difficult to learn anything when you don't know what the expectations are and how to achieve them.

Joe

Then you could benefit from learning both techniques. That way you can gauge your teaching more to the individual student.

 

[Bassist4Life]

Sorry your getting exhausted, you should try typing at a 90degree angle(more economy of motion)

funny.

I wasn't talking about my hands/fingers though.

Joe

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I don't feel that playing with two fingers on the right hand is limiting early on. I feel as if it is providing a firm foundation.

I agree.

 

[clavefa]

Hey guys, this what I've noticed over the many years I have been playing and using the slap technique:

Depending on how each individual player has his or her bass strapped on dictates their apporoach to slapping:

i.e. the lower it is the more likely you are to use the fingers pointing down, the higher it is the more likely you will use the perpendicular style.
I just seem to notice that. Just my .2cents

P.S. What ever works for you is what matters
Peace,
Oz