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The "correct" slap technique is abnormal for me

#21
The "correct" slap technique is abnormal for me
That's ok.
Develop your own.
I think it is a lot of fun and very educational to work out on your own, what works best for you.
 
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#22
Riki323 said:
Hello! Ever since I have started playing slap,my technique has been the downwards thumb one.I have tried playing with the "correct technique",but it just doesn't seem logical to me,the index finger feels incredibly weird and awkward and slapping all of the sudden is way way harder.Now my question is: Should I force myself to learn and adapt to the correct technique or should I just adapt everything to my own technique? And also,is everything sooo much easier to play once you master the correct technique? (as I have been told numerous times)
Click to expand...

There are a few suggested techniques for slapping. I don't know about a "correct" technique for slapping. For you, the correct one will be the technique that works.
 
#24
Learning how to slap a little myself.
Started with downward thumb and tried to switch but had a really hard time understanding the ergonomics of the thumb up technique.

I gave up a few times and went back to the downward thumb.
What really helped me was to try to strike through the string instead of striking at it.

If you're into Marcus Miller type slap playing, there's just a lot of advanced stuff you just can't achieve with thumb down, such as double thumbing and so forth. My pops are coming along really nice too now that I've adjusted...
 
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#25
I play slap pretty much never. Especially if someone asks me 2. I can slap, but it's just not something I put a lot of time into. Can't stand watching slap videos on YouTube, unless it's one of the greats. Everything else pretty much makes me cringe :thumbsdown:
 
#26
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#29
Nanaki said:
Im pretty sure flea slaps with his thumb down and it works for him. I don't think it'll matter which way you do it unless you want to double thumb as well. If you stick with thumb down now you'll only have to learn thumb up if you want to double later.
Click to expand...

Flea bounces his thumb off the strings, he does not follow through like Wooten or Miller does.

In case this thread has not made it clear, there is no "correct" way to slap like a pro.
 
#31
I was worried about this as well, but then I realized that, since I have a particular set of injuries in my right arm, it's a miracle I can even perform on an instrument to begin with, so honing my own technique should be prioritized above all else.

I play thumb down slap. When I need to double thumb I do it vertically, and I usually use my thumb like a pick in a lot of scenarios, when I am not using it to play chords.

Really, just develop your own technique and get the best out of it. As long as you can perform whatever it is that you want/need, WITHOUT hurting yourself, you're good to go.
 
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#33
pacojas said:
anyone care to comment on thumb picks? is that still Slap?
(asking for a friend)
Click to expand...

It really sounds just like a pick, tho. What you can do, and I've seen a guy do, is get a pretty fat RING, and put it on your thumb. It makes your slap tone way more pronounced with way less energy, you should just make sure to hit the string with the ring and not your thumb for optimal tone.
 
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#37
MyTomomi said:
He discussed the disadvantages of your style of slap bass playing.


Click to expand...


Overall this guy makes some good points, but is also a self-righteous a-hole in general. I have a tendon problem stopping me from utilizing parallel slap bass technique, but I can use my thumb in other ways.

If you want actual bass education by someone who cares about your comfort, you are much better off listening to people like Gary Willis or Scott.
 
#38
First off remember this, there is NO correct way to slap, you slap the way it works best for you. That's like saying that there is only one way to play the bass or the guitar, so that means that Jimmy Haslip, Red Mitchell, Stanley Jordon or Jimi Hendrix played wrong? You have to find your path and what feels best for you. The end result is what it sounds like, not what it looks like. We listen to music, not just watch it. I have a really different slap form then most bass players because I couldn't do it any other way and I was tired of fighting my body to try and do what most bass players were doing, but when you hear it you can't tell what position my hand is in. So with that said, let your body tell you how it wants to do it and get comfortable with the end result as that is always what is most important.......
 
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#40
DiabolusInMusic said:
Flea bounces his thumb off the strings, he does not follow through like Wooten or Miller does.

In case this thread has not made it clear, there is no "correct" way to slap like a pro.
Click to expand...

My point was there is more than one way to approach slapping, also flea uses a position that points his thumb towards the G string (or at least used to when i saw RHCP) not the E and if you want to double thumb its easier at least for anyone I've ever seen do it and myself to have the thumb up towards the E.

I never made any mention of a correct way to do it so ill presume that part wasn't aimed at me :thumbsup:
 
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