Can't Slap

[Slight Return]

Can anyone help me? When I hit the strings with my thumb, I just get a dead muted sound or a vague hint of a note obscured by a weird high pitched mute type thing. Basically I believe that I'm doing it wrong. So, can anyone help? I don't want to wank slap (that sounds kind of weird ), but I'd like to use it every now and then. Thanks for the help in advance.

[Chris K]

Pull your thumb away from the string right away, like a "snapping" motion so you don't mute the note.

[mastrrbasser]

Can anyone help me? When I hit the strings with my thumb, I just get a dead muted sound or a vague hint of a note obscured by a weird high pitched mute type thing. Basically I believe that I'm doing it wrong. So, can anyone help? I don't want to wank slap (that sounds kind of weird ), but I'd like to use it every now and then. Thanks for the help in advance.


it sounds like you need to follow through more. If you're going to hit the E string, your thumb should stroke the e string, then land on the A string as if you're going to use it as a springboard to bounce back up. I suggest you practice with a metronome and just work out quarternotes slapping each string for an extended period of time. Then work with eighth notes, then sixteenth notes..etc. Practice and patience will help you a lot on this one. It is frustrating to learn slap at first, but after a while it's a lot of fun.

[Slight Return]

Is there anywhere you have to hit it? I tried taking my thumb away as quickly as possible but it's just a dead note =\

[mastrrbasser]

Is there anywhere you have to hit it? I tried taking my thumb away as quickly as possible but it's just a dead note =\


i'll find you a video one second. Some dude does this video on slapping and it's the best closeup of the technique i've seen. One second.:thumb:

[Slight Return]

okay, thanks

[mastrrbasser]

i can't find it. Maybe someone can help me out. It's this dude who doesn't speak english very well in the video.

[A_Bass_Moment]

Are you sure your hitting the string with the right part of your thumb?
It has to be hit right with the joint of your thumb to make a good clean note

[mastrrbasser]

i just made a video, but there is no sound, it just goes through the motion. it'll be up in a second.

[Down'd Angel]

there are a couple of vids that could possibly help...

http://www.warwickbass.com/basssurvival101/lesson_5slap.htm
http://www.warwickbass.com/basssurvival101/lesson_15pop-clap.htm

[Slight Return]

thanks

[mastrrbasser]

here you go:
http://s64.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=362HLTOODQDTP2GG25UUBQZY7V

it's nothing spectacular, there's not even sound. My amp isn't hooked up to my computer right now. but I continuously slap the e string. Just watch how my thumb lands on the A string so the E string rings out. I also exaggerate the fact that you have to use the A string as a spring board to bounce back up so you can notice it. Hope it helps. :thumb:

[Slight Return]

cool, thanks a lot. I'll check it out right now!

[mastrrbasser]

cool, thanks a lot. I'll check it out right now!


no problem.

[Omega Red]

slap down and through the string
http://www.cyberschoolofbass.com/lesson6/
http://www.cyberschoolofbass.com/lesson7/

[Akira]

Make sure you hit at the end of the fretboard.

[BassVirtuoso]

Meh, I hit the string into the fretboard rather than "aiming in between the strings." I hate the sound you get doing that.

[S-Tin-Gray]

Oh, so that's how it works... I've been using my penis to slap. Developed a nice area of callouses though...

[dubbeatscb]

from personal experience, it was much easier to learn to slap on a new set of strings, it takes a lot less effort to get the sound. THis way you can finesse your techinique until it is developed into muscle memory

[bleeding_fingers]

I don't get the slapping through the strings like you guys are saying. I just slap into the body of the bass.

[Omega Red]

I don't get the slapping through the strings like you guys are saying. I just slap into the body of the bass.
you should slap in and down. so you land on the string below the one your slapping, its the most efficient way to play

[shacklecrow]

also you may want to try making your action a bit higher, i can't seem to slap at all on my tenor because it has such low action but on basses with high action its alot easier.

[sheephead]

you should slap in and down. so you land on the string below the one your slapping, its the most efficient way to play

Hmmm. I tend to bounce with straight slapping. It seems impossible for me to go through the string and not perform the second half of a double thump. I'm gonna be daring and say that my ways more efficient since my thumb doesn't travel as far to perform one slap, but I'm not suggesting there's a right or wrong way to do it... except flea's way :p

[JBass]

think of it as giving like a "rat-tail" to the string using your thumb (a rat-tail is like when u have a wet towel and u hit someone with it by snapping it back and only catching them with the littel end of it, but it stings like hell)...its not how hard you hit the string that gets u a good sound, its how fast you snap it backa nd how clean your cotnact is

[Slight Return]

wow thanks for the help guys

[Biz]

Yeah from all the slap techniques I have seen I don't really like any of them. I got that slap technique bass book by that Bunny Brunel book and it really didn't teach me crap. I like to slap just a little bit more above the pick ups and I have gotten a lot of nice good tone and speed that way. I saw the way that MastrrBassr played it and that way doesn't work for me at all. So I mean I guess it can really be all prefrence, but all I know is that the way I have done it has worked for me for the past 4 years.
-Biz

[Jim Hull]

I'm gonna be daring and say that my ways more efficient since my thumb doesn't travel as far to perform one slap, but I'm not suggesting there's a right or wrong way to do it... except flea's way :p

You're right, there is not a right way, wrong way. Its personal preference. Works well for you...? Then it's the right way.

[sr800bkBassist]

it's a fun style to mess with and show people, but in the end it has proven more rewarding to practice and pollish your fingerpicking/picking style and such.

i practiced slap non-stop a few years back and impressed a lot of people, but i quit after i realized it did nothing for me other than that.

[:amaze:]

also you may want to try making your action a bit higher, i can't seem to slap at all on my tenor because it has such low action but on basses with high action its alot easier.


weird. i can slap so much better when my action is low.




:amaze:

[JBass]

same...i think its much easier with lower action

[Biz]

It is much, much easier with low action. Its mostly just because you dont have to really slap it as hard and to pop it is much easier with low action. Ive tried with high action and it doesnt work. I tried with low action and I sound amazing that way.
-Biz