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To slap or not to slap/why I hate it

To slap or not to slap/why I hate it

  • Total voters
    321
  • Poll closed .
#241
Billy Low said:
That tone of his haunts me to this day!!!! I have always been fan of his tone (and I still can't get it)! I believe that his tone was even more signature to Slave than Steve's voice.
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The Bass player in the clip is strongly associated with Steve Arrington and the groups Aurra & Slave The family Funk(just to name a few)but he's not the Bass player on the Slave tracks,that Bassist with his signature sound that you speak of is Mark Adams.

Here is the bassist Buddy Hankerson in a clip with his own band called The Buddy Hank band (check out his tone) .
Billy Low said:
BTW, I hate slap...CAUSE I CAN'T DO IT!!!!!!!:spit: :bawl: :spit: :bawl: :spit: :bawl: :spit: :bawl: :spit: :hiding:
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BTW sorry to hear that :)
 
#242
JAUQO III-X said:
The Bass player in the clip is strongly associated with Steve Arrington and the groups Aurra & Slave The family Funk(just to name a few)but he's not the Bass player on the Slave tracks,that Bassist with his signature sound that you speak of is Mark Adams.
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Can you believe that this is one of the few times that I have not stood on my own arguement by doing my research! I just argued this a couple of weeks ago w/ a buddy of mine whom I consider a tad more knowledgeable than myself, NEVER ONCE did I even dare pick up one of my old Slave albums to verify!
OOPS!:rollno:


JAUQO III-X said:
BTW sorry to hear that :)
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Uhhmmm, are you sorry enough to help with instruction maybe?;)
 
#247
I can slap decently. I put enough effort into so that I can nail the part when its needed. But I've really avoided making it a big part of my personal style. The primary reason is its become almost cliche (in my opinion).

Remember in the '80s when every guitarist on MTV just had to throw in some two-handed tapping in their big solo and how utterly trite and predictable it got? Most of them didn't really go anywhere or say anything with it. They got obsessed with the technique rather than making a musical statement. It got to the point that the only people I really wanted to hear do it were Eddie Van Halen and a couple of others who had something to say with it.

That's the way that slapping has gotten IMO (although it was much worse during the RHCP heyday in the early 90s). I can listen Marcus Miller slap all day long. But there are a million other slappers that just go out there and recite technique drills and I'm bored with them in under a minute.

D7
 
#249
markjazzbassist said:
i put that i hate it. I don't hate it, i dislike it. I appreciate when other bass players do it and i don't mind hearing it, i just don't like doing it myself. I like fingerstyle. I think that too many bass players do it, and overuse it/overhype it so everyone thinks that slapping makes you good. but i prefer groove style playing and the "less is more" mentality. just my .02. IMO.
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I totally agree. The bass riffs that stop me in my tracks are the 'less is more' players such as the dude from jamiroquai. Syncopation is also an underated technique.

But, yeh I love to slap around when I'm jamming on my own. Practicing that wooten/abe laborial double thump double pop technique. Great for fast solos :bassist:
 
#252
I always think it's not a matter of the technique you choose to use or abuse but whether it's actually grooving or not. If it grooves - no problem - if the intended technique gets in the way of the groove or just kills it dead - then that's a problem.

I like the sound of good slap bass it excites me less and less - I know I was a total Wooten addict just a few years ago but since I've really got into working my fingerstyle up to a better level I rarely use slap in a live context though I'll still muck around with it at home.

The funny thing is audiences still love slap bass solos - they just do - I've seen dozens of gigs and live videos and 9 times out of 10 the bassist will slap on his(occasionally her) solo - if it's not a jazz gig - and the crowd will go nuts... I think from a percussive point of view it still has a dramatic sound and I've seen some great slap solos live - but I've seen some crap ones as well.

There are loads and loads of different ways to pluck the bass - I say try them all - but remember it's not what you play it's how you play it that counts.

Cheers

Mike
 
#253
dumeril7 said:
I can slap decently. I put enough effort into so that I can nail the part when its needed. But I've really avoided making it a big part of my personal style. The primary reason is its become almost cliche (in my opinion).

Remember in the '80s when every guitarist on MTV just had to throw in some two-handed tapping in their big solo and how utterly trite and predictable it got? Most of them didn't really go anywhere or say anything with it. They got obsessed with the technique rather than making a musical statement. It got to the point that the only people I really wanted to hear do it were Eddie Van Halen and a couple of others who had something to say with it.

That's the way that slapping has gotten IMO (although it was much worse during the RHCP heyday in the early 90s). I can listen Marcus Miller slap all day long. But there are a million other slappers that just go out there and recite technique drills and I'm bored with them in under a minute.

D7
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+1 - agreed on all points dude

M
 
#254
Wesley R said:
The turn off to me is; whenever I see a guitard trying to demonstrate his bass playing capabilties, they slap and pop constantly. Most of them have a beat like a cop.
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This is so true, and exactly why I never really wanted to learn to slap. It's cool and useful, but too cliche nowadays. I find it too obtrusive for me personally.

I also hate that the first thing most people say when you have a bass in your hands is, "you do that funky slap stuff?"

I think the trick that most distasteful slappers use is that slapping will wow people in the same way a poorly mixed song turned WAY too loud will wow people. Assault the senses and they'll think you're good.
 
#255
Bassman7PM said:
Are you coming to the Adam Nitti Clinic at BassClubChicago next tuesday? He's awesome at slapping/tapping and has tons of groove.
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Adam contacted me a while ago and mentioned it to me and I may get out there if my time permits.

I have to say that Billy Low did indeed take me up on my offer and we have been getting together and not just concentrating on various slap techniques but more importantly the importance of groove(which I feel is far more valuable than any slap technique),I've even invited him to a couple of rehearsals where he has come in and quietly observed not just the various techniques that I apply but how it all fit's in an actual band setting.

I'm sure he can best explain what he may be getting out of the things we've worked on so far.
 
#256
JAUQO III-X said:
Adam contacted me a while ago and mentioned it to me and I may get out there if my time permits.

I have to say that Billy Low did indeed take me up on my offer and we have been getting together and not just concentrating on various slap techniques but more importantly the importance of groove(which I feel is far more valuable than any slap technique),I've even invited him to a couple of rehearsals where he has come in and quietly observed not just the various techniques that I apply but how it all fit's in an actual band setting.

I'm sure he can best explain what he may be getting out of the things we've worked on so far.
Click to expand...

Got room or time for one more. I feel like I'm kind of stuck in a rut and need some guidance regarding phrasing, soloing, thumping/tapping and just groove in general.
 

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