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Why Slap?

#61
Well as the RHCPs have only released about one album in the last 10 years and none of this stuff gets played on radio or TV nowadays, presumably the next generation won't have the same influences. Today's 14,15 or 16 years olds won't be hearing any slap in the playground (!) and will presumably not even know what a bass is!

I mean - OK I know who Fieldy is from discussion pages like this and because I look out for publications like Bass Player - but your average Brit teenager will have no idea who Korn are, surely!
 
#62
Originally posted by arther daily

I started playing bass (or trying to) in 1990 and have been a peppers fan since 87/88, so the 1st bassist I was 'amazed by' was Flea - obvioulsy I began slapping like a madman. I'm 26 now which is probly about the same age a most of the bands on MTV.
Click to expand...

This is undoubtedly the answer to my question - just me getting old (when the Policemen start looking young!). I'm assuming that the people I see in music stores are about 16 but they're probably in their mid 20s and are "remembering" RHCP albums from the early '90s over a decade away now!

Just call me "Victor Meldrew"!
 
#63
My girlfiend calls ME Victor Meldrew! - she's only 22 (wa-haaay!)

It is fierce tho isnt it... I mean I feel old remebering seeing the peppers on tour in 1990!

I went a local gig the other day and there were loads of 12 or 13 year old kids wrecking, moshing, violenmtly dancing or whatever you wanna call it? - Aaaah, look at the l'il moshers, sweeet!
 
#64
Slapping dead? yea maybe so, but still listen to Sly and the Family Stone,George clinton, or the old RHCP. With songs like Jungle Man (most have never heard of this song because it was never released as a single), Give it away,Aeroplane and some Sly classics like Thank you (for lettin me, be myself, Again), There are some great Slap and pop songs out there. But nowadays no one listens to that stuff anymore and most bands are just trying to make trendy crap to make it onto TRL. There are still some bands out there like Fieldy and Primus trying to revolutionize slapping (or bring it back, whichever you may choose) but not much else is happening with slapping any more, unless you consider Jazz, but not many people listen to it anymore.I personally consider Slapping to be a great technique because it makes a great, funky sound (and songs) if used properly. But most kids who get into bass just wanna start playing korn and limp bizkit right away without even learning a basic C scale, so where would the room to learn different techniques other than picking and rest strokes. To summarize this very messy and unreadable paragraph into a nutshell, I would say that slapping is alive, but dying due to the lack of it not being shown in Mainstream TV and Radio anymore. Slapping is a great Technique and is the backbone of many great songs, but will probably never reach its possible potential due to the lack of any interested players.
 
#67
I slap because it's fun. That's why I play bass, for fun and enjoyment.

Playing with other people is really fun, and in many situations, slapping does not fit, but it can work.

If you're practicing by yourself, why not do what you consider to be fun? Playing straight ahead root 5 rock basslines is really boring to me, but if someone enjoys it, thats great.
 

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