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How To Play Slap Bass

How do you slap on a bass?

Flick your thumb in a smooth motion back and forth as an extension of the rotating motion in your wrist. When you play, this turning-and-flicking motion will allow your thumb to hit and bounce off the strings. This causes the strings to bounce off the bass frets, producing the “slap” sound.

Is slapping bass hard?

Slap bass is exactly what you think it is. The hard pulling of strings slap bass technique is frequently heard in the rockabilly and psychobilly genres.

How do you slap bass better?

Slap Technique Be precise with thumb attacks. Only hit the string you want to sound. Muting strings is critical. Muted thumb attacks should be struck with the same intensity as sounded notes. Pull attacks should not be louder or more intense than thumb attacks.

Who was the first slap bass player?

Larry Graham is generally credited as inventing slap bass guitar. Graham has said that he was simply trying to create a drum-like sound to flesh out the rhythm in the then drummerless Family Stone.

How long does it take to learn slap on bass?

You should be able to play slap bass, chords on the bass, and could even become a pro studio musician. There are prodigies who reach this level in just a few years. But the average person will reach advanced level in around 10 years if they spend a good amount of time practicing.

Can every bass slap?

This also makes it more difficult to properly pop strings. Frets – The slap sound you are producing when hitting the strings with your thumb comes from the string hitting and bouncing of a fret on your bass. Fretless basses can be slapped, but they will produce a different sound that is undersired by most bassists.

Is it OK to play bass with a pick?

You can use a pick on your bass guitar if you want to. Both finger plucking and using picks are perfectly normal ways to play the bass guitar. You can find plenty of examples of famous bassists who use either technique, and there is no harm to using a pick. It won’t damage your strings or create an inferior sound.

Can you slap bass with high action?

low action. because if you’re slapping, chances are you’re popping as well, and doing that with high action is not pretty. take my bass for example. great for fingerstyle, but the action just makes popping a real strain.

Who is the best slap bass player?

Thumpin’ and pluckin’: The story of slap bass, told through 10 of the best players Larry Graham. Stanley Clarke. Louis Johnson. Marcus Miller. Doug Wimbish. Flea. Les Claypool. Victor Wooten.

Why do slaps hurt more when wet?

Water is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Hence slapping with wet hand will hurt more. Once the wet palm is in touch with cheek, the transfer of heat is accelerated due to presence of water.

Does a slap hurt?

A slap has a larger surface area, therefore it’s impact is diffused over a larger surface. It may hurt just as much, but has a lower likelihood of causing a knockout. It is more effective to punch someone if you want to knock them out. Why?.

How do you slap the hardest?

Aim for the cheek, making sure the index finger stops clear of the ear ( if you damage the ear the words you use afterwards will not be heard.) Dont pull your hand back too far, make you hand limp, but slightly cupped, so that the clap sound on the cheek is added to the sound of the slap.

Did flea invent slap bass?

Pulling on influences like Larry Graham, the former bass player for Sly and the Family Stone, Flea combined the slap bass method Graham created, with the West Coast punk sound. The foundation of Flea’s bass playing comes from this slapping technique.

Why do bassists slap their bass?

Slapping and popping are ways to produce percussive sounds on a stringed instrument. It is primarily used on the double bass or bass guitar. Slapping on bass guitar involves using the edge of one’s knuckle, where it is particularly bony, to quickly strike the string against the fretboard.

Is Larry Graham Drake’s uncle?

Graham is the father of singer-songwriter and producer Darric Graham. He is also the uncle of Canadian rapper and actor Aubrey Drake Graham, better known as Drake.

Is slap hard to learn?

It’s not good to learn slap unless you can play bass decently already, and most everyone thinks they are decent but there’s no chance in hell you’re decent before 6 months of practice no matter how much you think you are. Slapping is NOT just playing with your thumb.

How long does it take to learn slap hit?

It takes a good 2 years for a girl to become a serviceable slapper. It takes another 2 years for a player to learn how and to become a really solid triple threat at the plate.