crez5150 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Wow... 12pages and still going...... I do take offence though that it seems a lot of people on this thread think that Slap bass seems to be rubbish, not to be done, shouldn't be used as it's only for those who are of lesser musicality.... Hmmmm maybe like cover/tribute bands?? I don't think we should be putting people off trying it, I mean it's another style under your belt. There's not many different ways of playing the strings on a bass. Pick, Fingers, Thumb.... er.... tapping...fingers again. Quote
crez5150 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1164413' date='Mar 16 2011, 02:06 PM']The thing with slap,which a lot of people seem to forget,is that it is a technique for getting notes to sound,just like playing with your fingers or a pick. The problem comes when people seem to forget how to use their left hand and how to play in different keys.How many slap lines are in E minor and/or octave patterns? The majority. The fast rhythmic stuff has it's place,but it's just a small part of what the technique is. Unfortunately,'slap bass' is often viewed as a style of it's own,and usually synonymous with funk-It is neither though.No technique is a style of it's own.The technique is usable in any style of music,it's more to do with the way you apply it.[/quote] well put Doddy! Quote
Clarky72 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1164314' date='Mar 16 2011, 12:36 PM']I think there are two elements to this. Once you have the basic slap techniques down, it's easy to play very FAST. Unmusical instrument operators find FAST impressive and they enjoy doing it, and they think others do too. But it becomes a FAST competition, much like competitive athletics. Really musical people know other really musical people will find a single note played with extreme taste much more impressive, and that one note will say more about the player and his personality than thirty two in the same measure ever can. Unfortunately really musical people have always been in the minority.[/quote] I think that says it all. Nice post! Quote
Doddy Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='Spoombung' post='1164362' date='Mar 16 2011, 01:14 PM']Anyway, it seems to be reserved for trade shows and equipment showcases... which is why I never attend them. Thankfully it does not exist in the real world (apart from the odd, naff gig, of course).[/quote] Odd statement-Of course it exists in the real world.It a legitimate electric bass technique. Quote
Clarky72 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Last weekend's show was a veritable slap-fest though... apart from one crazy woman who kept picking up various basses and just hammering the sh*t out of them to a hilarious level. I was waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out at any minute... Quote
purpleblob Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) [quote name='barneyg42' post='1164213' date='Mar 16 2011, 11:17 AM']The last SE bash was (thankfully) very slap free![/quote] You're right, I was at the SE bass bash and there was very little slap bass being played whilst I was there, but certainly no shortage of (what I would class as) noise and distorted high volume bass every bit as bad as Mr Rotosound and his slap buddies appears to have been (imo). Note: this is not a dig at those guys who were at the SE bash making these sounds but more an attempt to point out that denegrating a style of play just because people were doing it as a trade show/bass bash or whatever, seems a little pointless. It's a technique nothing more and it's down to the musician to use it to enhance their tunes just like distorted bass sounds good in the right context or tapping or whatever. EDIT: spelling mistake (as usual) Edited March 16, 2011 by purpleblob Quote
cetera Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='crez5150' post='1164414' date='Mar 16 2011, 02:08 PM']Wow... 12pages and still going...... I do take offence though that it seems a lot of people on this thread think that Slap bass seems to be rubbish, not to be done, shouldn't be used as it's only for those who are of lesser musicality....[/quote] I'm not reading this thread in that way..... I'm seeing many people who acknowledge that, when played well, it has a valid place in certain musical situations....However, the endless, tuneless, 'clickety clack' heard at the Bass Day was annoying and in no way conducive to ascertaining the capabilities/tonal palette of any bass or amplifier.... Quote
Spoombung Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='crez5150' post='1164414' date='Mar 16 2011, 02:08 PM']I don't think we should be putting people off trying it[/quote] Oh, C'mon, Crez. Quote
ezbass Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='Clarky72' post='1164424' date='Mar 16 2011, 02:16 PM']apart from one crazy woman who kept picking up various basses and just hammering the sh*t out of them to a hilarious level.[/quote] I saw/heard her on the Yamaha stand! Quote
lowdown Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1164480' date='Mar 16 2011, 03:01 PM']I saw/heard her on the Yamaha stand![/quote] I misread that at first, I thought it said... I saw/had her on the Yamaha stand..... Garry Quote
MB1 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1164332' date='Mar 16 2011, 12:50 PM']One could argue that those with slap diahorrea are just as blinkered...[/quote] MB1. Slap Diahorrea? Sounds like somebodys been hitting the sennakot! .......The Return of the Handsome Rugged Brown Note? Edited March 16, 2011 by MB1 Quote
Clarky72 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1164480' date='Mar 16 2011, 03:01 PM']I saw/heard her on the Yamaha stand![/quote] Made my day actually!! A lot more than the empty feeling in my pocket after visiting the cafe(ish) place... Quote
51m0n Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Really well played slap bass absolutely rules. Badly played slap bass absolutely sucks. For slap read any technique, for bass read any instrument (believe me, I have kids, and recorder and violin can make bad slap bass sound heavenly!). In short then, bad musicianship sucks, good musicianship rules. Aside from this you may have a prediliction for certain genres that may or may not have certain instruments played with certain techniques that you dont like the sound of particularly (I loathe that horrible rhodesy sound you get on fusak, just makes me puke), or just certain eras may have certain aspects of their produciton that you do or do not like (Phil Collins' sickening gated reverb for instance ). Doesn't the generalism that you hate all slap bass suggest that you a particularly close minded individual though? I love it when its done well, hate it when its done badly. Anyone saying there wasnt much slapping going on at the last SE bash wasn't in the room with me then - fair soiled me keks slapping away like a loon, if you didnt enjoy it, sorry, if you did, great, I had a lovely time though Quote
wombatboter Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I've been to a meeting of different bassplayers (only Precisions allowed) and actually no one was slapping...it got on my nerves too.. A lot of basses (or any instrument) can drive you mad regardless if one is slapping or not. I've been to a couple of meetings in Europe and it's the same thing everywhere...don't know what it is but quite a lot of bass-players just seem to really love the slap-style. I myself like it a lot (I'm not too bad at it) but I keep it mainly in my living-room and rarely use it during gigs. It shouldn't be pushed in an environment where it doesn't belong. I know the feeling of driving home after such slap-fests and hàting the instrument. Luckily that feeling goes away and I find myself doing it again (at home). I like it as much as fretless playing, tapping, chords, harmonics etc.. it broadens my mind and I try to make it groove (I try to stay away from the E-string trap but that's not easy). One of the "advantages" of playing slap is that you have a bit more grasp on the rythm and that you can play more by yourself thanks to the mutes, the pops etc.. That feature pops up when you gather bassplayers in a room.. The only thing which I find is confusing : if there are so many bassplayers occupied with learning and playing slap, why doesn't it pop up in the music I hear on the radio ? Weird that such a "popular" and "prominent" bass-style isn't able to get through again like it did in the eighties (which I loved). It seems to be reserved for slap-fests and bass-meetings but doesn't go any further than that. Quote
Ou7shined Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='51m0n' post='1164497' date='Mar 16 2011, 03:13 PM']....In short then, bad musicianship sucks, good musicianship rules.....[/quote] So how come Hooky supposedly rules? Oh hang on different thread, different set of standards.... coat. Quote
waynepunkdude Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Now I think about it I do slap sometimes on staccato lines but I never pop, I think people get slapping and popping mixed up. Quote
Spoombung Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 It doesn't say much for bass culture when the punters don't like it, the exhibiters don't like it, innocent bystanders don't like it, record producers don't like it anymore... and even the perpetrators ( the players ) don't necessarily like it but still persist in doing it... like someone picking at a scab when they should let it heal - or somebody 'enjoying their own farts but not anybody else's' (to quote Entwhistle) Just do it it private... Quote
wombatboter Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I had a studio-session recently and I knew that the producer didn't like slap at all...He had told me lots of times that he just doesn't want it on the music he produces. I was playing on one of his tracks (a sort of gothic tune with big orchestrations) and there was a middlepart with not too much happening and I couldn't help it but while we were recording I started slapping on those middle eight. I just thought that it uplifted the song and that it added a dynamic.. When the track stopped I was pretty sure I would have to redo that part and use "normal" fingerstyle but he said "You know that I don't like slap but this was really cool, I'm gonna keep it". Sometimes it really suits the song and it's worth taking the risk (same thing with fretless). Quote
ras52 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1164570' date='Mar 16 2011, 04:03 PM'][/quote] Loving your .gif! Quote
Clarky72 Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1169405' date='Mar 20 2011, 12:40 PM'] [/quote] its a dude in a frock! Quote
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 (edited) Oh no I always watch his clips all the way through as I like his playing alot, But he turned around Ooooooooo Edited March 20, 2011 by stingrayPete1977 Quote
ezbass Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 [quote name='lowdown' post='1164484' date='Mar 16 2011, 03:04 PM']I misread that at first, I thought it said... I saw/had her on the Yamaha stand..... Garry[/quote] Steady Ou7shined that coat gif is brilliant!!! Quote
watchman Posted March 28, 2011 Posted March 28, 2011 [quote name='Sawtooth' post='1160282' date='Mar 13 2011, 11:44 AM'][/quote] Well, I like his look. Never really liked slapping though, although I am of course open to revising that opinion if I heard something I loved. And no, I can't slap to save my life. Quote
Skol303 Posted March 28, 2011 Posted March 28, 2011 Slap bass? It's not my cup of tea, but I appreciate it when done outside of the usual "80s funk" context - e.g. I don't mind the likes of Les Claypool, Squarepusher, Flea and so on. Other than that, I just find it too cheesy! No disrespect to the slappers among us here... ;-) Quote
.jpg.2a95db90b70ff3f3317b0f7ee3970acb.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.