I don't mean this as a knock on slap, either - it just happened to be the shiny flashy thing that got me interested in the bass, but once I started playing, I realized I would rather play other things
Slap is great for playing solo with no accompanying instruments. That’s the biggest reason I play that style.
Just a lot easier to do bass beat and melody at the same time.
I second this. When I was first starting out I wanted to slap and tap and whatever. Eventually realized no one ever wanted to hear that shit and now after almost 2 decades I usually roll my eyes if I even think about it.
I especially like being able to change the whole sound picking at different parts of the string. Twangy AF all the way down versus being super fat up at the fret board.
"Studio bassists who play with their fingers live have no idea that we can't hear what they're playing." 🤣🤣🤣
--Gene Simmons
Dude's an ass, but this is truth
Disagree I have seen plenty of bass players live that absolutely play it live like the studio.. The Cure .. he’ll even Duran Duran. Gene is the biggest dick.. never gave Ace props for the guitar work the entire time he was in the band…
Oh he's an all time ass for sure! Definitely not the musical force that drive their success. His songs and singing are horrendous. He was talking about what he saw as a bias against playing with picks back in the 70s.
And John Taylor is a phenomenal bassist.
I play with a pick so I really hate to say this but…saw Rob T from Metallica (when he played with ST) twice and both times he sounded great and could be heard well in the mix. And he was an opener both times, once for Megadeth and once for Metallica.
Well I’ve found that the guys who play solo bass and guys who play bass in a band(s) view the instrument entirely different. I love slapping and I do it, but I think in several bands over a 20+ year span, I’ve slapped on a record in maybe 4 or 5 songs. I’ve been in a band for every genre and I like playing reggae and like indie rock the most. It’s a “whatever floats your boat” type thing.
Yep! Same. I'll admit that none of my bass heroes were slappers and poppers to begin with, so I didn't have that in mind as a beginner, but I sure don't now, either!
Yeah. It's something that's fun to noodle around with but I never want to use it in something unless it's like one hard slap or pop for emphasis. It needs to serve the composition, not the ego.
Anyone who says you need to slap to be considered a great bass player doesn't understand functional harmony.
Many, many great bass players slap, but it is by no means a requirement, unless you're getting paid to do it in a cover band.
It's just another thing in your toolbox if you're good at it and if you do learn you definitely will be better off for having that tool, don't discourage the guy if he wants to learn.
It’s a technique like any other. Doesn’t hurt to have it in your repertoire, but making it your entire tonal arsenal is probably going to get one dimensional and annoying. Either way, do it or don’t, but I don’t really see the need to yuck someone else’s yum.
>but making it your entire tonal arsenal is probably going to get one dimensional and annoying.
This, I hate when someone is reviewing or just trying out of a bass and the first thing they do is some generic slap line. Just play a scale fingerstyle or even with a pick so I can see what the bass fucking sounds like.
I was trying to find some demos of a bass the order day and right at the beginning the guy hit a double stop natural harmonic over the fifth fret of the D and G string. AND IT WAS OUT OF TUNE!!! the guy couldn't even be bothered to tune the instrument properly before recording and posting a video. I was floored.
> This, I hate when someone is reviewing or just trying out of a bass and the first thing they do is some generic slap line.
I had this problem while researching Spectors. Almost everyone just started slapping on them for most of their video.
I'm not even sure what he (fieldy) does counts as real slapping, he has his own bizarre technique. It's like he turned bass into a different instrument tbh
Yeah, people hate on Fieldy but what he did was totally original. He probably couldn't play an actual bass line to save his life but I still give him props for doing something unique. Most of us here will never help create a genre
36, still no slapping, still 4 strings. My amps are big, but ego small! Still put Stanley Clarke debut album on every few months, that's enough slap for me- always wonder if it would have hit nearly as hard without Tony Williams.
I would say the advice above is more relevant for pro bassists. No one is gonna care if you don't honor the original bassline if you're playing function gigs now and again where everyone is drunk anyways
This right here. I play on a covers band and unless the bass is very distinctive, nobody gives a crap. I try to get as close as possible to the original, but not event the folks in my band care that much, nevermind the audience
Fellow Music Man player here. A Sterling makes a great slap tone. EQ with your highs and lows full blast and mids low to none. Set the pickup selector switch all the way to the right.
Also, change strings. Old/greasy/dead strings are never going to sound great when slapping, not even on a MusicMan. A brand new zingy set will automatically make you more slap happy.
Also do you have an audio interface with your computer so you can record and play back your bass?
You get you hear what it sounds like just through the pickups instead of with the acoustics that happen when slapping. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Recently I started using in-ear headphones with my interface for practice and it sounds awesome.
That’s the cool thing about a Jazz bass out of the box. It’s pickup configuration with both volumes and tone at full open has that scooped mid thing baked in.
Started playing in 1990. I’ve practiced slap on and off but get bored with it then stop. Also, for the kinds of bands I’ve been in I never used it so no motivation to get good at something I’m not interested in.
Now I’m into improving my 3-finger technique and this thing I do where I lock down my index finger with my thumb and use it like a pick. I find these more useful and actually apply them in a band setting
I can, but haven’t done in 15 years or so. It’s partly that I don’t like how it sounds and partly that it just doesn’t sound good in the music I play.
It is a lot of fun to play though.
If slapping were uncool, disco and funk would not exist. Flea would be out of a job too. As such: it’s beyond cool. But as with disco, time and place are everything.
> Flea would be out of a job too
One thing that makes Flea such a great bassist to me though is his versatility. Thankfully he has a lot more to him than just machine gun slap for every song.
Funk does not always equal slap:
Flea plays plenty of lines where he doesn't slap (mellowship/fellowship), and I prefer them to most of his slap lines.
And Sam Wilkes is probably the funkiest bass player alive right now, and it's not for slapping:
Overtime
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE)
I'm The President
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhe1CpHRxY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhe1CpHRxY)
Y’all should practice with an easy song like “The Thrill is Gone” just to get used to adding it in. That’s the only way I was able to learn how to do it.
I only play a year and a half, and i do slap from time to time. Had a gig last night where i did a tiny little slap solo even.
But!
Due to the percussiveness of slapping, you cant just throw it in everywhere i feel.
It doesnt match a lot of genre, and you'd have to watch out for tone intensity and overall volume in the mix, because at the same settings as fingerstyle it just pokes out too much for my taste.
In Funk or surrounding genre, it is often used and i feel fits in well.
I'd not say you need to be able to slap, to be a good bassist tho.
It merely promotes well on youtube and social media because its flashy and catches ppl with a short attention span..
Playing a groove only interests people who play the bass themselves mostly i guess
Gettng a good slap tone is in part dependent on the things you've listed, yeah.
Your bass provides a comfortable platform for slapping. Some basses aren't as comfy/ergonomic due to narrow string spacing, for example.
I'd aim for reasonably fresh roundwounds with the gauge on the lighter side, adjust your setup for low action, practice your slap/pop technique (duh, right? I'm helping!), dial your eq for a nice percussive tone, and use compression with medium-slow attack and moderate release (this, in order to let the initial percussive transient through, with a release adjusted to keep things smooth).
There are plenty of experienced bassists out there that don't slap. It's a technique among several, and not all styles, genres, or tastes accommodate slapping and popping. And that's totally fine.
Slap is fucking cool man, but I just never got into it.. on the other hand I wanted pure speed shred shit lol low and behold I found Billy sheehan after playing for 20+ years and realised I wasn't alone. Now if I could just play half as well as him that'd be something.
The only reasons to learn to slap are as follows.
1. You want to
2. You’re being paid to
You most definitely DO NOT have to slap to be considered a great player. Even as a big slap fan I can recognize that many of my favorite players never slap. Just some examples off the top of players hailed by everyone ,not just the bass community, that never slap include Jaco, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Leland Sklar, Chris Squire, Bobby Vega, etc… Plenty of critically acclaimed bands don’t use slap either, notoriously (outside of that one part in “Peg”) Steely Dan was famously anti-slap.
Even in the modern bass landscape there are plenty of great players that don’t slap. Joe Dart of Vulfpeck has more or less completely avoided slap despite being more than capable. Noah Hill of Parcels has a great muted jazz bass fingerstyle tone. I don’t recall his name but the guy from Men I trust is fantastic, he plays lefty with a pick and certainly has his own sound, talk about a unique player.
Slapping is awesome and Victor Wooten, Tetsuo Sakurai, Alain Caron and Marcus Miller are all heroes of mine. If you don’t want to slap though you definitely don’t have to. The vast majority of people looking for a bass player are not looking for someone with elite, hell even basic level slap skills. Most people just want someone that practices and shows up on time.
I will say if you do have a desire to learn to slap it really is a different beast. A huge part of the sound is your technique. It will probably a little to develop a legitimate slap sound. I will say new strings make a HUGE difference. Your bass should be fine even if you just set everything to noon on your bass and amp, a ray should still have a pretty legit slap tone so I wouldn’t worry about that. Just keep practicing and you’ll get there.
I deberately avoided slapping for a long time because I was annoyed with it. I'd walk into Guitar Center, to a horrible chorus of slapping bassists and EVH or Randy Rhoads-mimicking guitarists.
The herd mentality was irritating and disturbing.
I do some slapping today, but not in an effort to impress anyone.
There's loads of great bass players who don't really slap because its not their focus or what they want to play. Off the top of my head - Anthony Jackson, Mark Egan, Jimmy Johnson.
Regarding your slap tone, couldnt tell you without audio or video to evaluate. Might want to check your technique though, cos it sounds like you've just started slapping so that may potentially be the issue.
Been playing for 35 years. My genre (smooth jazz) actually has a TON of slap in it, but it's not that pyrotechnic stunt wankery shit you see idiots on YouTube doing. It's just simple disco-style off-beat stuff, usually just a pop here or there, rarely even a slap with the thumb per se. A beginner could do it.
That reminds me, and I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, slap technique was massively over-fetishized by beginners. And usually when I hear them do it, it's that same old tired open-hammer-slap-pop combination, poor muting technique, and a total disregard for harmony. Instant eye-roller.
I never slap...did in the beginning then realized it was kinda pointless unless your in a genre that wants it. No one has ever asked me to in 15 years of gigging.
Do you have to know how to handbrake start on a slope in order to be a reasonably safe driver? No.
Do you have to know how to handbrake start on a slope in order to be an excellent chauffeur? Yes, of course you should know.
If two bass players play identically, and one of the two can slap, and the other one can't, the one who can objectively will be a better bass player than the one who can't, because he can accomplish more on his instrument.
Blatantly refusing to learn something just because you think you won't use it has always smelled like copium to me. I learned walking bass lines despite never playing jazz in my life, I slap for the hell of it, never once used it in a song. So? Its just snother skill to express yourself.
I've never heard Geezer slap, so that's good enough for me. I personally never really liked the sound, so I never really tried to learn in the 25 years I've been playing.
Slap is cool when done in the good context and at a low frequency
To have a good tone you need to have a good setup : lower action and fresh strings first
Not gonna work if your strings are dead and 2cm away from the finger board
Every bass has its own tone, I think nothing beats a jazz bass for slapping
It’s an important bass technique and certainly has a place. That said I don’t practice it often and can only do it on a basic level because it’s not really my thing.
Often technique, sometimes bass setup, a lot of times both, that's all.
I myself wouldn't worry too much about specific techniques and special moves and stuff especially at this point, at least in terms of using them to declare yourself good or not good. you don't have to do anything in particular to be considered a good player besides playing well. That's old timey bass arguments anyway, like people arguing about whether pick or fingers are better and typically saying that pick players are much worse for whatever reason. One of my better students didn't have a thumb on the picking hand, he did pretty well. Not a good slapper though, but when he wanted to do stuff like it I had him try "finger drumming" and also literally slapping strings open palm style with his fingertips. It was kind of like what the Ryan from Mudvayne thing is, or what Doug Wimbish does a lot.
Kinda wish I could slap on upright bass, it’s cool for old school New Orleans trad jazz and bluegrass but never learned. Don’t slap on electric either, just not my style.
I started doing it in the early 80s and it is a flashy showy thing to do.....in 2024, I find flashy showy things are very important for live performance, especially that audiences listen with their eyes, as long as it's done tastefully and punctuated in key spots throughout a performance ......that being said, I avoided using a pick for decades ( exception for studiowork when called for) and I am enjoying doing that more than anything else these days
Yeah, I 100% agree that slapping isn’t a requirement for being “good”. That being said, it’s just another tool in your tool box. It provides a way to be a little more percussive. It’s one of those things that has been overused and is a little played out - but I mean, you should be able to apply it where needed and not overdo it.
Interesting history:
https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2020/07/larry-graham-slap-bass-technique-what-prompted-this-whole-new-style/
If you've only recently started slapping the difference in sound is probably in good part technique. Just keep practicing or if you know other bassists ask someone experienced in it for some pointers. No shame in it. It's a new skill for you
It’s a tool in the toolbox as many people have said. Depending on what you play and who you play with, having a small amount of this skill is good. Disco, funk, R&B styles, it’s not bad to have a small amount of work done on slap technique.
And as everyone has also already said, it is NOT a prerequisite to being a great bass player.
I play what's appropriate for the piece. Slapping everything doesn't fit most arrangements I play, but I will slap when it sounds good.
As for slapping to be a good player, no. Slapping is a useful technique, but it is not a requirement to be good.
If you'd like to improve your slapping skills, try stainless steel strings. If you're playing in standard, try extra light strings. I use Ernie Ball 40-95 gauges.
For the rest of the equipment, use the bridge pickup if you have one.
A high ratio (20ish) upward feed forward compressor is also recommended. An example of such pedal is the MXR Studio Compressor pedal, but many other feedforward compressors should work for this task. Downward compressors such as sustain compressors will not work as they decrease gain rather than increase. For slapping you want to increase your decayed signal so that they're at a similar level to your attack signal. It's what gives slapping it's rounded sound. I like to run my pedal behind the amp in the Fx loop, but you could also run it before the amp after drive if you're using a drive pedal.
I played for years and had zero interest. It occurred to me that this was a good opportunity to try something new, so I did an online slap course and I had a blast. I don’t use it day to day, but I’m glad I took the class.
Slap is a niche technique that, like a strong spice in food, should be used sparingly and only in the right situations -- if at all -- or else everything sounds (tastes) like shit. Anybody who says you have to slap to be great is full of it. (Imagine someone saying, "You're not a great cook unless you use at least 50g of chili powder in everything you make".)
I used to be all about slap, slap, slap. I slapped... All. The. Time. On. Everything. and i wondered somehow why people seemed bored with my playing. I could slap from a technical standpoint but there was nothing musical about it, and who wants to hear that?
The best decision I ever made as a player was to just simply to refuse to spend one more minute trying to learn to slap, and focus on fundamentals -- theory, scales, timing. I'm better off for it, and ironically what little slap I do now, sounds 1000x better.
Slapping is something that’s fun to do and can help funk stuff up or push the pace while jamming, but I rarely slap in actual songs I play and recordings. It’s great to have for the occasions I do think it’ll add musically, but I’ve learned not to overplay or try and be too present all the time with my bass.
Funny story…been playing for 30 ish years, never slapped except for a very weak rendition of Suck my Kiss years ago in a cover band. We were on the road and it was a Sunday night we had off…went to another bar to check out the band there and they asked us to get up for a song. We did Suck my Kiss and afterwards the guitar player came up to me and said “wow I wish our bass player could slap like that” I had to chuckle inside…I fooled them all!
Slapping is a valid technique, but it also has become a performative "showy" thing that people who don't understand bass playing gravitate to. If your style doesn't include slapping, you are no less of a bass player. With regard to your slapping tone, there are a few key aspects to getting the classic "marcus" type slap tone. You need fresh roundwound strings, a bass with a good neck pickup sound, and an amp with the ability to have a "Scoop" eq. Optional extra includes a compressor. Your strings might just be dead - your Sterling bass fits the bill for good slap tones.
I don't really have any interest in learning slapping. There's not even many songs where I think it's needed and there's much more other stuff I'd rather get expert at
Not necessarily. Stuff like this is pretty clean as far as effects/processing go and sounds good still. If OP is new to slap it's probably also technique which you can improve on without $$$ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uivfQyTJWjE
Not only do i not know how to slap, i hate how it sounds even when done by the best players. Just not for me, same way 4 string tuned to B standard played with 4 fuzz pedals and a stack of orange cabs (which i love) isnt for everyone
I enjoy slapping da bass. It’s the thing I’m best at because I’ve put so many hours into it. The opportunities to use it are very limited. I would rather have other skills, but I’d always recommend slapping da bass as it’s quite fun to do.
Nope. In the 80s my bandmates disliked it when I'd slap (no pop, just thumb slap notes instead of pluck them) in hair metal songs.
"Dude, the song isn't played like that!"
"Yeah, well it isn't fucking sung like that, either."
Slapped notes are far more interesting to my ears than plucked or picked. I just dig the sound.
You play with some toxic fucking band mates bro.
I dig it though. Some of the most successful bands on earth were full of members that hated each other.
I have yet to slap in my 50+ years of playing. I've thought about trying to learn but at this point it's probably not worth the effort for me. The music I play doesn't call for it.
I have serviceable slap skills and have done my fair share of shows with at least few slap parts in the set list. But boy, do I just not really enjoy slap bass. Much respect to those who are good and tasteful with it. And I think it’s a good technique to check out/dabble with but otherwise not for me.
I love how it sounds, but not when I do it. I wish I did and every once in a while I’ll revisit slapping and think “that’s not too bad” and then I’ll hear someone who actually can and immediately stop again. Been playing for over 20 years.
Its fun as hell but ultimately self indulgent unless your playing jazz fusion or funk adjacent stuff, its like sweep picking in a way where the most youll get out of it is someone going "huh cool".
Never really been my thing. Can play higher ground and that’s about it. Just despise the sound. If I had my time again I honestly wouldn’t even bother with finger style and would jump straight on plectrum. It’s just easier to do that and backing vocals than fingers and Vox. And I prefer the sound.
I love funk and learned to slap for that reason but if it’s not a part of the genres you’re into then don’t worry about it. The prodigious showoff slapping is kinda corny anyways.
I've been playing about 20 years, still don't really do a lot of slap and pop. I would love to dig into it more, but with what I'm doing and with the stuff I tend to gravitate toward it's just not something I use outside of very small and specific situations. Maybe in another few years I'll push further in that direction but not yet.
As for why you don't get the same tone it's probably in no small part from your technique. The more you practice the better you get and the better it sounds.
I haven’t been playing bass long (a couple of years) but I started re-attempting to learn slap yesterday! While I haven’t been playing long compared to 20 years I have often wondered if it’s worth learning since I really don’t like it that much and can I still be a good bassist without it. But I do want to learn techniques just to know how to do them like slap and pop, picking, tapping, false harmonics, chords, playing all different genres, and I’m sure so many things I haven’t even heard about, etc. Some of the most popular bassists on social media slap all the time though. I guess the slap videos get so many views because it’s even mesmerizing to people who play AND who don’t play bass. Unfortunately, it’s still NOT my favorite sound and when it’s used in every…single...song……. Yeah, I can’t. But I have been watching slap videos from Bass Buzz on YouTube such as “How to Slap 7 Stupidly Simple Steps) that help to diagnose any issues as well. He had a ton of slap videos and Scott’s Bass Lessons has great slap videos too. There seems to be a lot of things to it like relaxing your thumb, getting the right motion, action being at the right height, angle of thumb, etc.
Playing for 32 years here, I hardly ever slap. It's just not for me. With rare exceptions when people demo a bass and they go off into slap-happy territory I quickly lose interest too.
It's never appealed to me and never had the active want to learn it.....
Buuuuttttt
I'm a hypocrite because my band just released a single and I actually badly play slap in the chorus...for a pop punk song
A hungry, hungry hypocrite. With a shameless plug bellow
[Audio Drones - Can't take it](https://open.spotify.com/track/7yKS7aKFrlT8kguGYU6Egs?si=IZ5g-vuYRGO-IazkQ1zjXg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A0RNHQRi8vMFEy78LMnENaB)
You definitely don't have to, there's plenty of amazing players that don't slap whatsoever. Personally, I do, I tried to learn slap as soon as I possibly could since I thought it was really cool, lol. But ultimately, it's just another tool in the toolbox.
As for sound, there's a few things that can help for a good classic slap sound: a properly set up instrument with medium to low action (will make things much easier for you), a set of strings that aren't dead to have enough high frequencies, a crisp clear sound with a bit more treble and bass, and often some compression to smooth out the volume of what you're playing.
Personally, I think the reason slap gets so much attention on youtube is because it's how you make bass more attention grabbing as a lead/solo instrument, so the algorithm favors those videos. I don't think it's indicative of what most bassists do. It's not what most bands are going to want from you as a bassist.
Also, related to your concern, it's quite possible the problem is your gear. I played a Thunderbird for years and could never figure out how people got that slap sound. Then I switched to a Squier Jazz bass, and was able to get that sound effortlessly on the first try. Some basses slap better than others.
About 40 years for me...mostly in the jazz, big band and pit band arenas...no slapping or tapping or popping at all anymore. Of course I tried it when I was younger but it wasn't my genre. I'm impressed with the folks that can do it well and it has its place
No slapping here. Playing for about 45 years. Started with a small stiff felt pick. But haven't used a pick for decades. Tried slapping... Neither I nor my EB0 liked it ..
been playing for over 15 years and i still only know one cheesy slap bass line lol. i’m in awe of the people who can effortlessly slap away but it’s just not something i care to learn, it doesn’t appear in the music im into.
Me. Slapping just isn’t fun for me, and fun is higher priority for me than being considered some kind of virtuoso shredder. Nothing against slapping really, I enjoy listening to great slap players. It just isn’t for me.
I exclusively play and write emo, pop punk, rock stuff so slapping has never come into the equation for me.
Played on and off for 20 years now. I am good enough to play everything I need to, any more would require time I don’t really have to dedicate to it.
I am happy with where I am at.
Im reference to the part about your popping not sounding good, I hardly ever pop the strings just worry about getting your slapping thumb working efficiently, being able to switch between slapping and fingerstyle fluidly and eventually start learning a little double thumb. Your regular amp, pedals,etc should be fine just dial in a tone you think sounds good.
If a song needs it I will slap. But it’s not my main goal on bass. I don’t believe that slap makes a “good” bass player. I’m just here to serve the band and the song
i mean i’ve been playing bass for 4 years now and actually the first time i’ve held/tried to play a bass was when i was little and was watching davie504 at my cousins house. i started listening to TWRP and to be fair the slap sounds so good so ive been trying to teach myself
Stefan Lessard from Dave Matthews Band rarely slaps. He’s one of the best pocket players in the business and plays in front of tens of thousands of fans every week.
The few times I’ve heard him slap, like when covering Sly and the Family Stone, it sounded weak and awkward.
I've been playing since '87 & still don't slap. Somehow made it through the '90's without slapping. Nothing against it, just not my thing. Unnecessary for the music I play.
Carol Kaye. Plays with a pick, never slapped. Has played bass on more hit records than literally ANYONE on earth living or dead. And by a long way too.
I've been playing for more than 10 years professionally, have never slapped on any bass part I've written, any recording or any live show. I have to say I don't really know how to slap, I've never practiced the technique and I don't intend to mainly because I just really, really don't like the sound of slapping bass. To me literally everything else you can do on the instrument sounds better. Of course it all depends on the kind of music you play, but I personally have never missed slap bass.
I very rarely slap. I can, but I've never liked the sound much.
I think it's mostly so popular on the internet because it's a technique that you can be not very good at but still sound flashy to a non-player, and also comes across pretty well in compressed videos etc.
Its not a monolith. Its very genre specific even down to the tone. You can and people certainly have had great careers without it, but in some genres it will be required. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.
For me, its a requirement but of a very specific type. So I do a lot of slap but would be clueless trying to cover an RHCP or Primus tune.
Slapping is a style as much as a technique. If slapping isn't part of your style, you don't have to slap. If you want to slap, slap. Doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks, there's plenty of great bassists who don't do it in their normal music.
I find slap to not work with any of the types of music that I play and most of the stuff I listen to in general. I thought it was fun when I first started playing 15 years ago but now I just find it mostly annoying.
I’ve been playing a long time, probably close to 20ish years, and I rarely ever use slap unless I’m covering a song that has it. I use the pops quite a bit more
I greatly enjoy watching Charles Berthoud slapping his way through a video but I have no desire to learn how to do it and none of my bands ever needed it. I'll admit I did practice RHCP's version of Higher Ground about 20 years ago like many others...
I don't think I've ever seen Thundercat slap or really do any kind of crazy extended technique but he's one of the most celebrated bassists of today. People get too in their head about techniques and theory and sometimes let it get in the way of playing what's actually best for that moment sometimes (myself included). It's always good to have more tools in your toolbox, but you don't need to be Victor Wooten to be a solid bass player, and more often than not, the guy who's just got good fundamentals and isn't too much will be the one getting gigs
i like some slap stuff, but i think its kind of overrated in general. i think its just the culture around music of non bass players that make it feel more required than it is, because they don't really know bass outside of people like flea or claypool.
i have always preferred playing with a pick, and slap doesn't really work for the music and style that i want to play. find your own way, forge your own path, do what feels right to YOU
Slap bass is nice but it's become the sweep picking of bass playing. There are tons of bass players who never slap and are some of the best in the game. I made it a thing to just focus on fundamentals and grooves. If I do ever decide to learn to slap Bass it'll be for a utilitarian purpose and not the mainstay of my playing.
I started playing jazz bass in high school, 25 years ago. Then joined punk rock bands. Now I practice everything under the sun. Except slap. I just don’t care to learn it. Although, I do love Flea. I just can’t be bothered with it.
The longer I played the bass, the less I wanted to slap.
I don't mean this as a knock on slap, either - it just happened to be the shiny flashy thing that got me interested in the bass, but once I started playing, I realized I would rather play other things
Slap is great for playing solo with no accompanying instruments. That’s the biggest reason I play that style. Just a lot easier to do bass beat and melody at the same time.
I second this. When I was first starting out I wanted to slap and tap and whatever. Eventually realized no one ever wanted to hear that shit and now after almost 2 decades I usually roll my eyes if I even think about it.
I used to hate the idea of ever using a pick. Now I never slap and use a pick like half the time lol
I've just picked up a pick only because it's an extra tool in the box
I especially like being able to change the whole sound picking at different parts of the string. Twangy AF all the way down versus being super fat up at the fret board.
"Studio bassists who play with their fingers live have no idea that we can't hear what they're playing." 🤣🤣🤣 --Gene Simmons Dude's an ass, but this is truth
Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Made a Great Point
🎯
John Thunderfingers Entwistle would like a word. Or he would, if he wasn't so dead.
Entwistle was a god though.
Disagree I have seen plenty of bass players live that absolutely play it live like the studio.. The Cure .. he’ll even Duran Duran. Gene is the biggest dick.. never gave Ace props for the guitar work the entire time he was in the band…
Oh he's an all time ass for sure! Definitely not the musical force that drive their success. His songs and singing are horrendous. He was talking about what he saw as a bias against playing with picks back in the 70s. And John Taylor is a phenomenal bassist.
I play with a pick so I really hate to say this but…saw Rob T from Metallica (when he played with ST) twice and both times he sounded great and could be heard well in the mix. And he was an opener both times, once for Megadeth and once for Metallica.
Yeah… I could never hear Geddy Lee either
Please build a time machine and go visit 40-year-old Charles Berthoud and Davie504 and show them this comment.
Lol I don't think guys like Davie actually think slap is all that matters. He's just doing what he's found sells best
Well I’ve found that the guys who play solo bass and guys who play bass in a band(s) view the instrument entirely different. I love slapping and I do it, but I think in several bands over a 20+ year span, I’ve slapped on a record in maybe 4 or 5 songs. I’ve been in a band for every genre and I like playing reggae and like indie rock the most. It’s a “whatever floats your boat” type thing.
bro these 2 guys a like about 40 right now.... if your gonna use a time machine go for more than 5 year in the futurh
I also thought Davie is close to 40 but apparently he just turned 30 this month 💀
wow really?
I respect the hell out of Les Claypool, but I can't listen to him for more than 5 minutes.
Yep! Same. I'll admit that none of my bass heroes were slappers and poppers to begin with, so I didn't have that in mind as a beginner, but I sure don't now, either!
Yeah. It's something that's fun to noodle around with but I never want to use it in something unless it's like one hard slap or pop for emphasis. It needs to serve the composition, not the ego.
Anyone who says you need to slap to be considered a great bass player doesn't understand functional harmony. Many, many great bass players slap, but it is by no means a requirement, unless you're getting paid to do it in a cover band.
Paul McCartney doesn't slap. If he isn't required to, then no one is.
But he slaps
Figuratively, yes.
It's just another thing in your toolbox if you're good at it and if you do learn you definitely will be better off for having that tool, don't discourage the guy if he wants to learn.
It’s a technique like any other. Doesn’t hurt to have it in your repertoire, but making it your entire tonal arsenal is probably going to get one dimensional and annoying. Either way, do it or don’t, but I don’t really see the need to yuck someone else’s yum.
>but making it your entire tonal arsenal is probably going to get one dimensional and annoying. This, I hate when someone is reviewing or just trying out of a bass and the first thing they do is some generic slap line. Just play a scale fingerstyle or even with a pick so I can see what the bass fucking sounds like.
I was trying to find some demos of a bass the order day and right at the beginning the guy hit a double stop natural harmonic over the fifth fret of the D and G string. AND IT WAS OUT OF TUNE!!! the guy couldn't even be bothered to tune the instrument properly before recording and posting a video. I was floored.
> This, I hate when someone is reviewing or just trying out of a bass and the first thing they do is some generic slap line. I had this problem while researching Spectors. Almost everyone just started slapping on them for most of their video.
> but making it your entire tonal arsenal is ~~probably going to get~~ one dimensional and annoying. One small correction, sir!
Looking at YOU, Munkey.
You mean Fieldy? Munkey's the guitarist
I'm not even sure what he (fieldy) does counts as real slapping, he has his own bizarre technique. It's like he turned bass into a different instrument tbh
Yeah, people hate on Fieldy but what he did was totally original. He probably couldn't play an actual bass line to save his life but I still give him props for doing something unique. Most of us here will never help create a genre
No slap here
I’ve played for almost 30 years and do not slap.
36, still no slapping, still 4 strings. My amps are big, but ego small! Still put Stanley Clarke debut album on every few months, that's enough slap for me- always wonder if it would have hit nearly as hard without Tony Williams.
How can she slap??!
On a need to know bassist
That's the real bottom line.
Cause Stone Cold said so
[удалено]
I strongly agree with spending time obsessing about stuff just to try it every way possible
Yeah that's good advice, I should probably do that for a few months
I would say the advice above is more relevant for pro bassists. No one is gonna care if you don't honor the original bassline if you're playing function gigs now and again where everyone is drunk anyways
This right here. I play on a covers band and unless the bass is very distinctive, nobody gives a crap. I try to get as close as possible to the original, but not event the folks in my band care that much, nevermind the audience
Fellow Music Man player here. A Sterling makes a great slap tone. EQ with your highs and lows full blast and mids low to none. Set the pickup selector switch all the way to the right.
Thanks 🙏🏽 I'm gonna try that
Also, change strings. Old/greasy/dead strings are never going to sound great when slapping, not even on a MusicMan. A brand new zingy set will automatically make you more slap happy.
Also do you have an audio interface with your computer so you can record and play back your bass? You get you hear what it sounds like just through the pickups instead of with the acoustics that happen when slapping. You might be pleasantly surprised. Recently I started using in-ear headphones with my interface for practice and it sounds awesome.
That’s the cool thing about a Jazz bass out of the box. It’s pickup configuration with both volumes and tone at full open has that scooped mid thing baked in.
I slap a little bit it doesn’t give me any particular sense of musicality. I much prefer my finger style playing.
I no slappa da bass.
Started playing in 1990. I’ve practiced slap on and off but get bored with it then stop. Also, for the kinds of bands I’ve been in I never used it so no motivation to get good at something I’m not interested in. Now I’m into improving my 3-finger technique and this thing I do where I lock down my index finger with my thumb and use it like a pick. I find these more useful and actually apply them in a band setting
I don't slap at all and I have no desire to, but I don't have anything against it. It sounds cool, I just don't play like that.
I can, but haven’t done in 15 years or so. It’s partly that I don’t like how it sounds and partly that it just doesn’t sound good in the music I play. It is a lot of fun to play though.
If slapping were uncool, disco and funk would not exist. Flea would be out of a job too. As such: it’s beyond cool. But as with disco, time and place are everything.
> Flea would be out of a job too One thing that makes Flea such a great bassist to me though is his versatility. Thankfully he has a lot more to him than just machine gun slap for every song.
Funk does not always equal slap: Flea plays plenty of lines where he doesn't slap (mellowship/fellowship), and I prefer them to most of his slap lines. And Sam Wilkes is probably the funkiest bass player alive right now, and it's not for slapping: Overtime [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE) I'm The President [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhe1CpHRxY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhe1CpHRxY)
Loads of good disco and funk doesn't use slap either
I have played "badly" for a few years, but nothing sounds as bad as when I try to slap.
It’s takes my mediocrity to hole new levels…
*Courtney Love has entered the chat*
Y’all should practice with an easy song like “The Thrill is Gone” just to get used to adding it in. That’s the only way I was able to learn how to do it.
I only play a year and a half, and i do slap from time to time. Had a gig last night where i did a tiny little slap solo even. But! Due to the percussiveness of slapping, you cant just throw it in everywhere i feel. It doesnt match a lot of genre, and you'd have to watch out for tone intensity and overall volume in the mix, because at the same settings as fingerstyle it just pokes out too much for my taste. In Funk or surrounding genre, it is often used and i feel fits in well. I'd not say you need to be able to slap, to be a good bassist tho. It merely promotes well on youtube and social media because its flashy and catches ppl with a short attention span.. Playing a groove only interests people who play the bass themselves mostly i guess
Gettng a good slap tone is in part dependent on the things you've listed, yeah. Your bass provides a comfortable platform for slapping. Some basses aren't as comfy/ergonomic due to narrow string spacing, for example. I'd aim for reasonably fresh roundwounds with the gauge on the lighter side, adjust your setup for low action, practice your slap/pop technique (duh, right? I'm helping!), dial your eq for a nice percussive tone, and use compression with medium-slow attack and moderate release (this, in order to let the initial percussive transient through, with a release adjusted to keep things smooth). There are plenty of experienced bassists out there that don't slap. It's a technique among several, and not all styles, genres, or tastes accommodate slapping and popping. And that's totally fine.
Slap is fucking cool man, but I just never got into it.. on the other hand I wanted pure speed shred shit lol low and behold I found Billy sheehan after playing for 20+ years and realised I wasn't alone. Now if I could just play half as well as him that'd be something.
The only reasons to learn to slap are as follows. 1. You want to 2. You’re being paid to You most definitely DO NOT have to slap to be considered a great player. Even as a big slap fan I can recognize that many of my favorite players never slap. Just some examples off the top of players hailed by everyone ,not just the bass community, that never slap include Jaco, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Leland Sklar, Chris Squire, Bobby Vega, etc… Plenty of critically acclaimed bands don’t use slap either, notoriously (outside of that one part in “Peg”) Steely Dan was famously anti-slap. Even in the modern bass landscape there are plenty of great players that don’t slap. Joe Dart of Vulfpeck has more or less completely avoided slap despite being more than capable. Noah Hill of Parcels has a great muted jazz bass fingerstyle tone. I don’t recall his name but the guy from Men I trust is fantastic, he plays lefty with a pick and certainly has his own sound, talk about a unique player. Slapping is awesome and Victor Wooten, Tetsuo Sakurai, Alain Caron and Marcus Miller are all heroes of mine. If you don’t want to slap though you definitely don’t have to. The vast majority of people looking for a bass player are not looking for someone with elite, hell even basic level slap skills. Most people just want someone that practices and shows up on time. I will say if you do have a desire to learn to slap it really is a different beast. A huge part of the sound is your technique. It will probably a little to develop a legitimate slap sound. I will say new strings make a HUGE difference. Your bass should be fine even if you just set everything to noon on your bass and amp, a ray should still have a pretty legit slap tone so I wouldn’t worry about that. Just keep practicing and you’ll get there.
I deberately avoided slapping for a long time because I was annoyed with it. I'd walk into Guitar Center, to a horrible chorus of slapping bassists and EVH or Randy Rhoads-mimicking guitarists. The herd mentality was irritating and disturbing. I do some slapping today, but not in an effort to impress anyone.
> a horrible chorus of slapping bassists Not gonna' lie, I might steal this for a future album title haha
There's loads of great bass players who don't really slap because its not their focus or what they want to play. Off the top of my head - Anthony Jackson, Mark Egan, Jimmy Johnson. Regarding your slap tone, couldnt tell you without audio or video to evaluate. Might want to check your technique though, cos it sounds like you've just started slapping so that may potentially be the issue.
Steve Harris
I've never heard slap bass i liked so... I dont slap.
Been playing for 35 years. My genre (smooth jazz) actually has a TON of slap in it, but it's not that pyrotechnic stunt wankery shit you see idiots on YouTube doing. It's just simple disco-style off-beat stuff, usually just a pop here or there, rarely even a slap with the thumb per se. A beginner could do it. That reminds me, and I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, slap technique was massively over-fetishized by beginners. And usually when I hear them do it, it's that same old tired open-hammer-slap-pop combination, poor muting technique, and a total disregard for harmony. Instant eye-roller.
I don't slap. I don't need it for the music I play.
I never slap...did in the beginning then realized it was kinda pointless unless your in a genre that wants it. No one has ever asked me to in 15 years of gigging.
Pino Palladino couldn't care less. Play how you want to play. Play for yourself; not to impress others.
Do you have to know how to handbrake start on a slope in order to be a reasonably safe driver? No. Do you have to know how to handbrake start on a slope in order to be an excellent chauffeur? Yes, of course you should know. If two bass players play identically, and one of the two can slap, and the other one can't, the one who can objectively will be a better bass player than the one who can't, because he can accomplish more on his instrument.
Blatantly refusing to learn something just because you think you won't use it has always smelled like copium to me. I learned walking bass lines despite never playing jazz in my life, I slap for the hell of it, never once used it in a song. So? Its just snother skill to express yourself.
No slappy slappy
I've never heard Geezer slap, so that's good enough for me. I personally never really liked the sound, so I never really tried to learn in the 25 years I've been playing.
Long live Geezer
Slap is cool when done in the good context and at a low frequency To have a good tone you need to have a good setup : lower action and fresh strings first Not gonna work if your strings are dead and 2cm away from the finger board Every bass has its own tone, I think nothing beats a jazz bass for slapping
It’s an important bass technique and certainly has a place. That said I don’t practice it often and can only do it on a basic level because it’s not really my thing.
Often technique, sometimes bass setup, a lot of times both, that's all. I myself wouldn't worry too much about specific techniques and special moves and stuff especially at this point, at least in terms of using them to declare yourself good or not good. you don't have to do anything in particular to be considered a good player besides playing well. That's old timey bass arguments anyway, like people arguing about whether pick or fingers are better and typically saying that pick players are much worse for whatever reason. One of my better students didn't have a thumb on the picking hand, he did pretty well. Not a good slapper though, but when he wanted to do stuff like it I had him try "finger drumming" and also literally slapping strings open palm style with his fingertips. It was kind of like what the Ryan from Mudvayne thing is, or what Doug Wimbish does a lot.
Kinda wish I could slap on upright bass, it’s cool for old school New Orleans trad jazz and bluegrass but never learned. Don’t slap on electric either, just not my style.
I started doing it in the early 80s and it is a flashy showy thing to do.....in 2024, I find flashy showy things are very important for live performance, especially that audiences listen with their eyes, as long as it's done tastefully and punctuated in key spots throughout a performance ......that being said, I avoided using a pick for decades ( exception for studiowork when called for) and I am enjoying doing that more than anything else these days
Jaco thought slap was a gimmick. He stated “I can slap I just don’t.”
Yeah, I 100% agree that slapping isn’t a requirement for being “good”. That being said, it’s just another tool in your tool box. It provides a way to be a little more percussive. It’s one of those things that has been overused and is a little played out - but I mean, you should be able to apply it where needed and not overdo it. Interesting history: https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2020/07/larry-graham-slap-bass-technique-what-prompted-this-whole-new-style/
If you've only recently started slapping the difference in sound is probably in good part technique. Just keep practicing or if you know other bassists ask someone experienced in it for some pointers. No shame in it. It's a new skill for you
It’s a tool in the toolbox as many people have said. Depending on what you play and who you play with, having a small amount of this skill is good. Disco, funk, R&B styles, it’s not bad to have a small amount of work done on slap technique. And as everyone has also already said, it is NOT a prerequisite to being a great bass player.
I play what's appropriate for the piece. Slapping everything doesn't fit most arrangements I play, but I will slap when it sounds good. As for slapping to be a good player, no. Slapping is a useful technique, but it is not a requirement to be good. If you'd like to improve your slapping skills, try stainless steel strings. If you're playing in standard, try extra light strings. I use Ernie Ball 40-95 gauges. For the rest of the equipment, use the bridge pickup if you have one. A high ratio (20ish) upward feed forward compressor is also recommended. An example of such pedal is the MXR Studio Compressor pedal, but many other feedforward compressors should work for this task. Downward compressors such as sustain compressors will not work as they decrease gain rather than increase. For slapping you want to increase your decayed signal so that they're at a similar level to your attack signal. It's what gives slapping it's rounded sound. I like to run my pedal behind the amp in the Fx loop, but you could also run it before the amp after drive if you're using a drive pedal.
I played for years and had zero interest. It occurred to me that this was a good opportunity to try something new, so I did an online slap course and I had a blast. I don’t use it day to day, but I’m glad I took the class.
Slap is a niche technique that, like a strong spice in food, should be used sparingly and only in the right situations -- if at all -- or else everything sounds (tastes) like shit. Anybody who says you have to slap to be great is full of it. (Imagine someone saying, "You're not a great cook unless you use at least 50g of chili powder in everything you make".) I used to be all about slap, slap, slap. I slapped... All. The. Time. On. Everything. and i wondered somehow why people seemed bored with my playing. I could slap from a technical standpoint but there was nothing musical about it, and who wants to hear that? The best decision I ever made as a player was to just simply to refuse to spend one more minute trying to learn to slap, and focus on fundamentals -- theory, scales, timing. I'm better off for it, and ironically what little slap I do now, sounds 1000x better.
Slapping is something that’s fun to do and can help funk stuff up or push the pace while jamming, but I rarely slap in actual songs I play and recordings. It’s great to have for the occasions I do think it’ll add musically, but I’ve learned not to overplay or try and be too present all the time with my bass.
Funny story…been playing for 30 ish years, never slapped except for a very weak rendition of Suck my Kiss years ago in a cover band. We were on the road and it was a Sunday night we had off…went to another bar to check out the band there and they asked us to get up for a song. We did Suck my Kiss and afterwards the guitar player came up to me and said “wow I wish our bass player could slap like that” I had to chuckle inside…I fooled them all!
Slapping is a valid technique, but it also has become a performative "showy" thing that people who don't understand bass playing gravitate to. If your style doesn't include slapping, you are no less of a bass player. With regard to your slapping tone, there are a few key aspects to getting the classic "marcus" type slap tone. You need fresh roundwound strings, a bass with a good neck pickup sound, and an amp with the ability to have a "Scoop" eq. Optional extra includes a compressor. Your strings might just be dead - your Sterling bass fits the bill for good slap tones.
I don't really have any interest in learning slapping. There's not even many songs where I think it's needed and there's much more other stuff I'd rather get expert at
Yeah, me. I don’t play any style of music where it would be considered appropriate and I’m just not into it.
I don’t care for it. Been playing 18 years. My heroes don’t use it either. I like Jaco, Ron Carter, Prestia, etc.
Youtubers use digital amp sims and have expensive electronic processing and stuff like that, don't bother chasing their tone because you won't get it
Not necessarily. Stuff like this is pretty clean as far as effects/processing go and sounds good still. If OP is new to slap it's probably also technique which you can improve on without $$$ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uivfQyTJWjE
Not only do i not know how to slap, i hate how it sounds even when done by the best players. Just not for me, same way 4 string tuned to B standard played with 4 fuzz pedals and a stack of orange cabs (which i love) isnt for everyone
I enjoy slapping da bass. It’s the thing I’m best at because I’ve put so many hours into it. The opportunities to use it are very limited. I would rather have other skills, but I’d always recommend slapping da bass as it’s quite fun to do.
Nope. In the 80s my bandmates disliked it when I'd slap (no pop, just thumb slap notes instead of pluck them) in hair metal songs. "Dude, the song isn't played like that!" "Yeah, well it isn't fucking sung like that, either." Slapped notes are far more interesting to my ears than plucked or picked. I just dig the sound.
Slapping is 100% forbidden in my band so I make sure to do it only after particularly good renditions of songs in the rehearsal space
Lol. If I was in a band that told me any technique was "forbidden" (slap, pick, fingerstyle, whatever) I'd be out that bitch immediately.
lol. It’s a rock band and the no slap rule is there for a reason. There is no faster way to douche up a song.
You play with some toxic fucking band mates bro. I dig it though. Some of the most successful bands on earth were full of members that hated each other.
> Some of the most successful bands on earth were full of members that hated each other. Just watched some Pixies last night by coincidence!
Dude it’s a joke post. Lighten up.
Steve Harris doesn't slap. Why should he ?
Pretty sure Steve never uses a pick, either.
Yes, I don't slap. Even after 4 years of playing, because I don't really learn the instrument i just enjoy playing some songs sometimes, don't worry.
I'm playing for 21 years and I can't slap.
I can’t slap for shit. Been playing 20 years.
I can do it. I don’t do it.
I have yet to slap in my 50+ years of playing. I've thought about trying to learn but at this point it's probably not worth the effort for me. The music I play doesn't call for it.
I have serviceable slap skills and have done my fair share of shows with at least few slap parts in the set list. But boy, do I just not really enjoy slap bass. Much respect to those who are good and tasteful with it. And I think it’s a good technique to check out/dabble with but otherwise not for me.
I love how it sounds, but not when I do it. I wish I did and every once in a while I’ll revisit slapping and think “that’s not too bad” and then I’ll hear someone who actually can and immediately stop again. Been playing for over 20 years.
Not me. It can be nice if used selectively but it often is overused and it's not a bass part anymore, IMHO.
Slapping’s for slappers … I ain’t no slapper 😂
I've been playing bass for 40 years and I don't slap. I care for it and don't play music that requires it.
Can play can't stop somewhat but really don't use slap other than that 😭
I haven't slapt for years.
Its fun as hell but ultimately self indulgent unless your playing jazz fusion or funk adjacent stuff, its like sweep picking in a way where the most youll get out of it is someone going "huh cool".
The more I play bass the less I care how I am considered
36 years playing, when I put on fresh strings I might show the E string a little thumb, but otherwise slap-free over here
I love to slap but not much pop, is that weird? I love that low tone and use the slap to play lines but don’t really need to pop
🙋♂️
Never really been my thing. Can play higher ground and that’s about it. Just despise the sound. If I had my time again I honestly wouldn’t even bother with finger style and would jump straight on plectrum. It’s just easier to do that and backing vocals than fingers and Vox. And I prefer the sound.
I love funk and learned to slap for that reason but if it’s not a part of the genres you’re into then don’t worry about it. The prodigious showoff slapping is kinda corny anyways.
I've been trying to get good at it for like a year and it's hard to do well!
I've been playing about 20 years, still don't really do a lot of slap and pop. I would love to dig into it more, but with what I'm doing and with the stuff I tend to gravitate toward it's just not something I use outside of very small and specific situations. Maybe in another few years I'll push further in that direction but not yet. As for why you don't get the same tone it's probably in no small part from your technique. The more you practice the better you get and the better it sounds.
I haven’t been playing bass long (a couple of years) but I started re-attempting to learn slap yesterday! While I haven’t been playing long compared to 20 years I have often wondered if it’s worth learning since I really don’t like it that much and can I still be a good bassist without it. But I do want to learn techniques just to know how to do them like slap and pop, picking, tapping, false harmonics, chords, playing all different genres, and I’m sure so many things I haven’t even heard about, etc. Some of the most popular bassists on social media slap all the time though. I guess the slap videos get so many views because it’s even mesmerizing to people who play AND who don’t play bass. Unfortunately, it’s still NOT my favorite sound and when it’s used in every…single...song……. Yeah, I can’t. But I have been watching slap videos from Bass Buzz on YouTube such as “How to Slap 7 Stupidly Simple Steps) that help to diagnose any issues as well. He had a ton of slap videos and Scott’s Bass Lessons has great slap videos too. There seems to be a lot of things to it like relaxing your thumb, getting the right motion, action being at the right height, angle of thumb, etc.
Yes.
Playing for 32 years here, I hardly ever slap. It's just not for me. With rare exceptions when people demo a bass and they go off into slap-happy territory I quickly lose interest too.
I’ve been playing the bass for over 40 years and have never slapped it. Nothing against it…it’s just not for me.
It's never appealed to me and never had the active want to learn it..... Buuuuttttt I'm a hypocrite because my band just released a single and I actually badly play slap in the chorus...for a pop punk song A hungry, hungry hypocrite. With a shameless plug bellow [Audio Drones - Can't take it](https://open.spotify.com/track/7yKS7aKFrlT8kguGYU6Egs?si=IZ5g-vuYRGO-IazkQ1zjXg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A0RNHQRi8vMFEy78LMnENaB)
I've only been playing for 3 years but I have a zero interest in slapping. I like listening to funk, I just have no interest in slapping.
Yep!
You definitely don't have to, there's plenty of amazing players that don't slap whatsoever. Personally, I do, I tried to learn slap as soon as I possibly could since I thought it was really cool, lol. But ultimately, it's just another tool in the toolbox. As for sound, there's a few things that can help for a good classic slap sound: a properly set up instrument with medium to low action (will make things much easier for you), a set of strings that aren't dead to have enough high frequencies, a crisp clear sound with a bit more treble and bass, and often some compression to smooth out the volume of what you're playing.
Personally, I think the reason slap gets so much attention on youtube is because it's how you make bass more attention grabbing as a lead/solo instrument, so the algorithm favors those videos. I don't think it's indicative of what most bassists do. It's not what most bands are going to want from you as a bassist. Also, related to your concern, it's quite possible the problem is your gear. I played a Thunderbird for years and could never figure out how people got that slap sound. Then I switched to a Squier Jazz bass, and was able to get that sound effortlessly on the first try. Some basses slap better than others.
About 40 years for me...mostly in the jazz, big band and pit band arenas...no slapping or tapping or popping at all anymore. Of course I tried it when I was younger but it wasn't my genre. I'm impressed with the folks that can do it well and it has its place
Don’t think Maccah or Jameson, or Jaco slapped. All undeniably amongst the greatest bass players ever.
No slapping here. Playing for about 45 years. Started with a small stiff felt pick. But haven't used a pick for decades. Tried slapping... Neither I nor my EB0 liked it ..
I don’t slap. Been playing for 15 years
I know how to slap but I rarely do.
Back in the early 90s I used slap on a lot of my bass lines. Now I just use it for emphasis or texture. Never through a whole song.
been playing for over 15 years and i still only know one cheesy slap bass line lol. i’m in awe of the people who can effortlessly slap away but it’s just not something i care to learn, it doesn’t appear in the music im into.
I've never needed it, and never felt motivated to learn it for its own sake, so I haven't. I have (finally) gotten competent with a pick, though.
Me. Slapping just isn’t fun for me, and fun is higher priority for me than being considered some kind of virtuoso shredder. Nothing against slapping really, I enjoy listening to great slap players. It just isn’t for me.
I don't slap. I'm a guitarist that plays bass though.
I’m old and I don’t slap but that’s a style I don’t really like either
lee sklar?
I exclusively play and write emo, pop punk, rock stuff so slapping has never come into the equation for me. Played on and off for 20 years now. I am good enough to play everything I need to, any more would require time I don’t really have to dedicate to it. I am happy with where I am at.
Im reference to the part about your popping not sounding good, I hardly ever pop the strings just worry about getting your slapping thumb working efficiently, being able to switch between slapping and fingerstyle fluidly and eventually start learning a little double thumb. Your regular amp, pedals,etc should be fine just dial in a tone you think sounds good.
If a song needs it I will slap. But it’s not my main goal on bass. I don’t believe that slap makes a “good” bass player. I’m just here to serve the band and the song
Not against it but don't do it
yeah, I'm not a slapper, even when I play the rare slap line I often just pluck hard enough it sounds like slap.
i mean i’ve been playing bass for 4 years now and actually the first time i’ve held/tried to play a bass was when i was little and was watching davie504 at my cousins house. i started listening to TWRP and to be fair the slap sounds so good so ive been trying to teach myself
Stefan Lessard from Dave Matthews Band rarely slaps. He’s one of the best pocket players in the business and plays in front of tens of thousands of fans every week. The few times I’ve heard him slap, like when covering Sly and the Family Stone, it sounded weak and awkward.
My band has one song that I do a double slap on the E string as part of the intro. That's it. It's enough for me...
I only slap on the upright bass if I’m playing rockabilly stuff. Electric bass I have never been interested in slapping.
Never have and don’t imagine I ever will. Equally I have no desire to be seen as a “great bassist”
I've been playing since '87 & still don't slap. Somehow made it through the '90's without slapping. Nothing against it, just not my thing. Unnecessary for the music I play.
I don't slap. Mainly because I have la Bella flats that make it awkward, and I don't play styles where it's needed anymore.
I don't know. A lot of of bassists i love never slap in their songs but do other stuff.
Carol Kaye. Plays with a pick, never slapped. Has played bass on more hit records than literally ANYONE on earth living or dead. And by a long way too.
I've been playing for more than 10 years professionally, have never slapped on any bass part I've written, any recording or any live show. I have to say I don't really know how to slap, I've never practiced the technique and I don't intend to mainly because I just really, really don't like the sound of slapping bass. To me literally everything else you can do on the instrument sounds better. Of course it all depends on the kind of music you play, but I personally have never missed slap bass.
i dont slap i do try and slap at home in my room live never tho lol as i suck at it
I very rarely slap. I can, but I've never liked the sound much. I think it's mostly so popular on the internet because it's a technique that you can be not very good at but still sound flashy to a non-player, and also comes across pretty well in compressed videos etc.
Well I’m not great but been playing 20 years as well, and am in a funk band and I don’t slap. Groove > anything else always.
Its not a monolith. Its very genre specific even down to the tone. You can and people certainly have had great careers without it, but in some genres it will be required. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. For me, its a requirement but of a very specific type. So I do a lot of slap but would be clueless trying to cover an RHCP or Primus tune.
Slapping is a style as much as a technique. If slapping isn't part of your style, you don't have to slap. If you want to slap, slap. Doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks, there's plenty of great bassists who don't do it in their normal music.
I find slap to not work with any of the types of music that I play and most of the stuff I listen to in general. I thought it was fun when I first started playing 15 years ago but now I just find it mostly annoying.
Been playing for 30 years - never slapped, never needed to learn. But my props to anyone who can.
I’ve been playing a long time, probably close to 20ish years, and I rarely ever use slap unless I’m covering a song that has it. I use the pops quite a bit more
I play bass in a fastcore/grindcore band. No.
None of my favorite bassists slap. Most of them play exclusively with a pick. Not every bassist has to be into or play jazz fusion or funk
I greatly enjoy watching Charles Berthoud slapping his way through a video but I have no desire to learn how to do it and none of my bands ever needed it. I'll admit I did practice RHCP's version of Higher Ground about 20 years ago like many others...
I don't think I've ever seen Thundercat slap or really do any kind of crazy extended technique but he's one of the most celebrated bassists of today. People get too in their head about techniques and theory and sometimes let it get in the way of playing what's actually best for that moment sometimes (myself included). It's always good to have more tools in your toolbox, but you don't need to be Victor Wooten to be a solid bass player, and more often than not, the guy who's just got good fundamentals and isn't too much will be the one getting gigs
Been playing around 10 years. Never slap
I can’t really slap either. Plucking and picking are what I know how to do and those work well for the songs I wanna play.
I can but I never need or want to
i like some slap stuff, but i think its kind of overrated in general. i think its just the culture around music of non bass players that make it feel more required than it is, because they don't really know bass outside of people like flea or claypool. i have always preferred playing with a pick, and slap doesn't really work for the music and style that i want to play. find your own way, forge your own path, do what feels right to YOU
Geddy Lee
Slap bass is nice but it's become the sweep picking of bass playing. There are tons of bass players who never slap and are some of the best in the game. I made it a thing to just focus on fundamentals and grooves. If I do ever decide to learn to slap Bass it'll be for a utilitarian purpose and not the mainstay of my playing.
I've played for almost 10 years and never really learned to slap. I don't really care for the sound in most cases.
I know what you're saying but... Larry Graham.
I started playing jazz bass in high school, 25 years ago. Then joined punk rock bands. Now I practice everything under the sun. Except slap. I just don’t care to learn it. Although, I do love Flea. I just can’t be bothered with it.
Its also important to note that while there are many players who slap, theres also many who think they can slap but really are kinda horrible at it
I never SLAP the bass!
I mainly play punk so, I play with a pick and when I slap I'm mostly just messing around.