Why Slap When Demonstrating Gear?

[Snaxster]

I've noticed too many reviews of gear using slap only or the majority of the time, when the majority of the time it's not used, thus not getting a good representation of use in the real world.

Notwithstanding this is a perennial complaint here, perhaps you should change the thread title so that it expresses your real point.

Based on the body of your post, your question is not actually 1. Why do people slap when demonstrating bass gear? Rather it is 2. Why do people use slap technique principally or exclusively when demonstrating bass gear?

The answer to 1 is obvious: Because slap technique is widely used by bassists at large, so its inclusion in gear demonstrations is representative.

The answer to 2 is likely: Because meme culture and wanking.

 

[JC BASS 91]

One suggestion (that may or may not be valid): the “real world” today consists of someone making videos in his bedroom hoping to get clicks - and slapping gets clicks.

I agree, i find it super annoying. I quit when I see one.

I have a tendency to leave a video if they start it off with slapping. I also find it annoying. VERY annoying.

I like the ones who do finger, pick, and slap

These are much better, but I will always skip the slap portion of a video.

Overall, I think slap is overused. I have never learned to play it because it doesn't suit the music I enjoy playing. I don't particularly care for the sound/tone of it. I find it irritating.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Bass the world and Nate Navarro start out a lot of videos like this. High gain nonsense right out of the gate. I'm gone in seconds.

What I hate is when an amp is being demoed, and they have the drive on the whole time. Or, 90% of the time.

Turn it off. We play bass. We all have a pedal for that when we want it, if we want it. If we don't have one, it's because we don't use one.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Here's an idea: Try the gear yourself instead of watching youtube videos.

Slapping or not, even when the audio isn't highly processed (which it often is) it won't tell you much about how the gear will sound with YOUR setup and YOUR playing style. Most youtube gear "reviews" (=click bait from influensers/paid endorsers) are utterly useless.

But I do agree that slapping is generally the worst way to demonstrate gear.

 

[HardNHeavy]

slap/gear = painful

slap/bass = wankery

 

[VJP]

I can't stand the ones where every lick ends with the harmonics chord across the 4th fret and then the headstock neck bend thing

 

[bassdude51]

Because "slap" is supposed to be the "ultimate" with bass playing. (Sarcastic tone for "supposed".)

 

[bassliner50]

Soon as slap begins, I'm gone. This is not going to end soon people.

 

[Parzival]

Here's an idea: Try the gear yourself instead of watching youtube videos.

Slapping or not, even when the audio isn't highly processed (which it often is) it won't tell you much about how the gear will sound with YOUR setup and YOUR playing style. Most youtube gear "reviews" (=click bait from influensers/paid endorsers) are utterly useless.

But I do agree that slapping is generally the worst way to demonstrate gear.

While this is the best way of course, and your comments on videos is spot on, trying out gear yourself is not that easy for a lot of folks. I live in a mid-sized city with two large music stores. They rarely have the things I want to try. Folks in smaller areas have it even worse. You can get it from Sweetwater or other place and return it, but that is a hassle and you often get hit with paying the shipping back. Amazon is the best source to get, try, return, but they don't always have everything you want to try.

 

[Barticus]

When we see gear demo, we don't want to see the skills of a bassist, we want to get a good idea of how the gear sounds in a realistic musical context.

This demo below counts for approx 70% on my decision to buy this (expensive) amp. And I know at least another TB member who bought the same amp for the same reason.
It shows the character of the amp, and also its versatility, with 7 distinct tones. There's a short slap sequence, but it's not here to show the great technical skills of the bassist who recorded the demo, it shows rather what a tube preamp brings to a slap tone.

Sounds like an ad for a drum machine.

 

[Andy Marshman]

The first time I ever saw and heard slap on an electric bass, I asked my self WHY? I didn't take up this instrument to sound like a treble-heavy clanker. No music I ever listened to features it. Yes, I know that there's a lot of slap and pop in funk music; that's fine, just not my bag.

 

[Ostie]

It’s even worse when you’re at GC. At least on YT you can hit the pause button.

 

[Parzival]

It’s even worse when you’re at GC. At least on YT you can hit the pause button.

It can be really, really bad too. I have been at GC standing in line and sometimes I will hear it and kind of cringe and at other times I will just LOL.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

It’s almost as if there’s this uncontrollable urge to slap and pop on camera. They just can’t help themselves. It’s like, hey just give me some nice clean whole notes so we can get a sense of the fundamental

 

[p12bassnut]

Slap during a demo should be only ONE aspect of the review not all of it.
Demo: Finger,Pick,Slap in that order. Or just leave out the slap.

 

[rmayer]

I agree with the OP. What I find more annoying with bass demos is when the accompanying drum machine or music track is seven times louder than the actual bass being demoed. Don’t these people have ears?!

 

[Parzival]

I agree with the OP. What I find more annoying with bass demos is when the accompanying drum machine or music track is seven times louder than the actual bass being demoed. Don’t these people have ears?!

That can be good or bad. If it is too loud, but the bass is really cutting through, that is a good sign. But, if the bass is not cutting through, it may not be the bass/effect/amp's fault and you may have just given someone a bad impression of a good piece of gear.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I can't stand the ones where every lick ends with the harmonics chord across the 4th fret and then the headstock neck bend thing

Hahaha, yeah. That stuff is completely inaudiable, useless, mud in a live setting.

 

[rmayer]

That can be good or bad. If it is too loud, but the bass is really cutting through, that is a good sign. But, if the bass is not cutting through, it may not be the bass/effect/amp's fault and you may have just given someone a bad impression of a good piece of gear.

I definitely meant the videos, many by people selling a bass, that you can barely hear the bass. It’s lost in the mix, and mix here = 2 inputs. Not exactly Sgt Peppers.

 

[dhagopian]

I bail as soon as they do it...