Why so much hate for slap??

[tradernick]

Your second paragraph... I have no idea where that stemmed from, but yes.

It came from another post, sorry for the confusion.

I agree with a lot of your post. However, wrt the idea that you can't 'hold down the fort' playing a slap line...we'll just have to agree to disagree. Without being disagreeable.

 

[RickyWoo]

It came from another post, sorry for the confusion.

I agree with a lot of your post. However, wrt the idea that you can't 'hold down the fort' playing a slap line...we'll just have to agree to disagree. Without being disagreeable.

No worries!

No. That's a paraphrase of what I said. I didn't say that a bass player can't hold down the fort while slapping. I said slapping is a percussive technique of playing a bass line, that doesn't hold down the fort on it's own. The bass lines, that are holding down the fort, while slapping are a different story. I'm not sure if my wording makes sense. But I know what I mean! LOL In other words, if you slap the (suitable to the song) bass line, or you play it finger style, it will hold the fort (rhythm) the exact same way. The rhythm doesn't die with or without adding more percussion to it on a bass. It can liven it up/kill the song if it is in/out of place though.

 

[bottomzone]

To each his tone. Those who hate slap have the choice not to like it or listen to it. I've always been down with the technique as long as there is a groove and it's musical. Here are some great examples:











Again, it's a technique that's a choice to like or not to like. Anthony Jackson and Jeff Berlin aren't slappers and neither was Jaco, but they are three of the greatest bassists in history!

 

[Robroy]

To each his tone. Those who hate slap have the choice not to like it or listen to it. I've always been down with the technique as long as there is a groove and it's musical. Here are some great examples:

Again, it's a technique that's a choice to like or not to like. Anthony Jackson and Jeff Berlin aren't slappers and neither was Jaco, but they are three of the greatest bassists in history!

Yes, I think slap has found its way into a lot of genres kinda like rap has. In modest quantities it works pretty well in the right circumstances.

I just realized that I used a little slap in church last Sunday during one song. It was a "bass and drums only" section with vocals.

 

[glenn selwitz]

Just remember what Kenny Rodgers said concerning using "slap"

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Every so often I get that itch again and will work up the very rudimentary slap skills I have acquired. Truth is, I don't really need it for any of the music I play. Then again, I don't need fretless bass either. Or pick playing. And I do both

One of my bands opened for a rockabilly band once, with a guy who was very adept at slapping those triplets and quadruplets or whatever they're called. Everyone was very impressed, myself included. I can't even handle a single slap on the doghouse so watching him in action was awe-inspiring ... until I listened back to the recordings I had made. He managed to be off-beat just about every beat. No pocket whatsoever. But I am sure no one in the audience that night noticed a thing ...

 

[TH63]

So far I have never been asked to play a slap bass line, or even tap, play chords or harmonics.

I play finger style Funk, Soul and Disco in several bands. Seems to work for everyone concerned.

Me too. The last time I slapped my bass it slapped me back, in front of my bandmates. That sucked.

 

[DWBass]

Slap just isn't musical to me. It doesn't groove, it doesn't rock, it's just a showcase technique. Now if a real good player snaps a root or pops a five once or twice it gets your attention and I can dig that. Just play the groove, throw in some expertly executed flash and I'm ok (Gerald Johnson comes to mind)...Call me old fashion.

Doesn’t groove? Really? What slap are you listening to? Check out David Dyson. All the groove you need.

 

[bass12]

Doesn’t groove? Really? What slap are you listening to? Check out David Dyson. All the groove you need.

Seriously. It seems like a lot of people confuse the technique with the player.

Oh, and I just realized that I have "Lady Cab Driver" playing in the background...

 

[crossthestyx]

"hate" comes from ig-norance. I love slap, and it can be used in ANY jondra. The "hate" is just a limiting factor in peoples minds. Done right and with taste, it can be amazing from country to metal.

 

[Big Shrek]

First thing, Hate is never a good thing to associate with anything!
Getting back to the Slapping subject, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Larry Graham Invented this Slapping style to compensate for a missing drummer in an early duo at 14 years old. See this video at the bottom.

I'm new to BassTalk.com so I haven't read all the forums , but A bass to me is a percussion instrument, and whether you pick,finger, slap, elbow ......... you're thinking beats. When I play Bass I'm thinking drums and my contact points are the sticks and both feet. Drum fills, , back beats , bass drum, high hat........., by the way, Drummers will ,"LOVE" you for this! another four letter word for you guys.
Here is that video

Man, they cut it at the interesting part!!

Love when they talk to Bassists that have been doing it for DECADES
Getting the backstory on how certain songs came about

Who was that Big Hair'ed white dude asking the questions?

 

[Big Shrek]

It's certainly possible with some, but I think that being your default belief is more projection (as shown by your math example).

I don't hate slap, but I also no longer spend any real time messing with it either. Has nothing to do with ability to play. There's all kind of stuff (sweep picking on guitar for example) that I can't do well, but still enjoy hearing in the right context. I don't care for slap out of context or poorly played, but that doesn't mean I don't want Marcus or Stanley to break it out if I'm seeing them. But pretending a belief is based on "sour grapes" for no other reason than you don't share the belief seems unfounded (and probably counter-productive)

Ah, but have you tried sweep picking on your Bass?
get some mighty interesting sounds there!

 

[bottomzone]

So these don't groove?





It's not about the technique but how it's employed.

 

[BassLife77]

Its obvious. They can't slap. glad I can

 

[Evil Priest]

Depends on the style of music, if we're playing R&B, funk or contemporary especially if playing cover songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's, it's mostly preferred by the audience and the other musicians, if we're playing heavy metal, death metal or black metal there's no need for it!
However the people that generally don't like it are usually the ones that can't do it.
Before anyone takes offense what do I know, yours truly can't play with a pick, I can thump (slap), pop and finger style, but I can't use a pick, I honestly think using a pick is a difficult technique.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Before anyone takes offense what do I know, yours truly can't play with a pick, I can thump (slap), pop and finger style, but I can't use a pick, I honestly think using a pick is a difficult technique.

Every time I bring my picking technique up to a somewhat decent level, I stop using picks and lose those skills again. So I hear what you're saying! I'm playing fretless exclusively in one band. Am now considering playing pickstyle exclusively in another one. Just need to find another band

 

[glocke1]

So these don't groove?





It's not about the technique but how it's employed.

exactly...Problem is a great many people employ it poorly.

case in point.. but this contains some of the most godawful slap bass playing i've ever heard.

 

[DWBass]

Overused? Who, What and where? Recorded or video examples please! Employ it poorly? Who? Amateurs? Surely not pros who are virtuoso's at it! No groove? Hmmm......again, by who? Examples of non groove slap please?! Please make your points with examples.

I'll be honest and forthright. This site is made up of a high percentage of cats who don't fit the demographic of where slap bass would be incorporated in the music they'd play. And probably wouldn't fit anyway. Therefore, slap gets vilified constantly here. Here's the thing. I don't use pedals and I see pics of some of the pedalboards some of ya'll use and SMH! I don't make a thread about it. I see threads about some of the weird rigs some of ya'll use and SMH. I don't make a thread about it. I don't like Metal. I don't like Punk. I don't like Bluegrass. No threads and I've never seen any posted. Etc, etc., etc. Bottom line is....slap (or thumpin' & pluckin') is very dear to some of us members here and I (we) don't think it's cool for the technique to be constantly criticized. It's a legitimate technique the same as fingerstyle, pick, palm mute, flamenco and any other technique out there. C'mon guys, can we stop with the 'hate slap' rhetoric please?

 

[DWBass]

exactly...Problem is a great many people employ it poorly.

case in point.. but this contains some of the most godawful slap bass playing i've ever heard.

Not a fan of what's in this video but I have heard worse...........by amateurs. Stop judging by youtube videos and kids playing in music stores. Go see some professional bass players.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I haven’t read this entire thread, but I read a lot. Everybody is defending slap and telling why they think so many people hate it - yet - I don’t see anyone here hating it .

Can we stop it now!!!!!!

3 people might hate slap. And they only hate it cuz they can’t do it ! If they could do it they wouldn’t hate it because it’s fun !