God I hate ........ slap bass

[BottomE]

A room full of slappers sounds like fun

But seriously - a room full of anything loud and disjointed is gonna sound crap. Bass, keys, horns - fill a room full of people playing loud unrelated music and it is going to be aurally challenging. The secret has to be to apply a technique that best suits the song.

[foal30]

I'm getting back into it
I don't know why

[foal30]

that's right I want to make a You-Tube tutorial

[risingson]

[quote name='Clarky' post='1160068' date='Mar 13 2011, 12:43 AM']I absolutely agree. However this bears next to no relation to the slap pyrotechnics at today's Bass Show![/quote]

I can only imagine Clarky! I like the pursuit of new sounds on an instrument, but my favourite bass players are more traditional in their approach to bass, and I think it shows in my own playing. I prefer to keep things grounded, I always felt that whilst slap works on the off occasion, most of the time it detracts from what else is going on. Posted this a while back that more or less outlines what I feel about it all! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=113490&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=113490&hl=[/url]

[kevbass]

Slap bass? Love it.

[OzMike]

Hmmm ... like all techniques, good in context and when not over-used. If people 'hate' the entire technique, it makes me wonder how much music they've listened to. No Larry Graham? No Miles Davis (The Man with the Horn w/ Marcus Miller)? No Bill Withers (again with MM on Just the Two of Us)? No Stanley Clarke (Silly Putty + a bunch of other tunes)? No Reddings (The Awakening). No Chaka Khan? etc.

If you haven't listened to the (IMHO) classic and tasteful use of the technique, and 'hate it', then it's a matter of not being educated and informed. To be a reasonably well-rounded bass player, and to get the most out of bass, it's a good idea to listen to as much 1) bass playing as possible and 2) music in general.

Edited March 13, 2011 by OzMike

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='OzMike' post='1160123' date='Mar 13 2011, 05:04 AM']If you haven't listened to the (IMHO) classic and tasteful use of the technique, and 'hate it', then it's a matter of not being educated and informed.[/quote]

Ha ha ha ha...love it,

[martin8708]

Hey ,I love Le Chic and Sister Sledge and watching an old video of Duran Duran live in Rio some 25 years ago was what made me take up bass guitar, but I think if Ozmike were to spend 5 hours in the Bass show trade hall , he will understand the flavour of the thread.
I can do slap bass myself, but apart from using it on one song ,about 10 years ago in a covers band, I rarely ever use it and it will probably get you thrown out of more bands rather than Muso's rushing up wanting you to join their band ( unless your a Level 42 tribute band )

[JPS]

I really enjoyed the show yesterday, thought Mark King was quite witty and entertaining and the gear on show was lovely. However, it did occur to me that there must be some unwritten bye-laws applying to Bass Days which I'm not aware of

1. Play as loud as possible.
2. Play as fast as possbile.
3. Play as busily as possible.

In fairness it wasn't just people playing slap either. I actually came away thinking that I'm quite happy with my less than virtuoso style of playing and my modest gear setup as well (just as well as I'm skint!).

[Sawtooth]

[quote name='SisterAbdullahX' post='1159908' date='Mar 12 2011, 09:50 PM']I may be in the minority here, but I say if people wanna slap, let them slap! it's just another way of playing the instrument. Obviously, listening to a roomful of people making a din by slapping at a trade show or bass day won't give you a particularly representative example of it's merits, but that shouldn't make you think it's some kind of anti social behavior any more than people who tap on bass, which personally I'm not a big fan of but can appreciate that some people have found their voice on the instrument by playing it that way. Lets not get small minded here, people![/quote]

wise words.


[quote name='martin8708' post='1159948' date='Mar 12 2011, 10:27 PM']Obvoiusly they did not attend the TM Stevens workshop, he emphasized the role of the bass player was to make the other musicians sound good , [i]not draw attention to themselves[/i].[/quote]

I'm not knocking the guy [i]but[/i], you mean this T.M. Stevens?

[martin8708]

Is that not normal dress code for gigging bass players ,then ?

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='paul_5' post='1159854' date='Mar 12 2011, 09:03 PM']Don't get me wrong, I can slap, and enjoy doing it, but it's a guilty secret, and never makes it to rehearsals or gigs[/quote]



Same here I'm afraid. I use it simply as an exercise along with various other solo styles. Never had to use them in band format though.

Dave

Edited March 13, 2011 by dmccombe7

[witterth]

QUOTE (OzMike @ Mar 13 2011, 05:04 AM)
If you haven't listened to the (IMHO) classic and tasteful use of the technique, and 'hate it', then it's a matter of not being educated and informed.
[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1160135' date='Mar 13 2011, 06:17 AM']Ha ha ha ha...love it,[/quote]


He's most likley gonna get his head shot off for that
INCOMING!!

Edited March 13, 2011 by witterth

[lozbass]

QUOTE (OzMike @ Mar 13 2011, 05:04 AM) *
If you haven't listened to the (IMHO) classic and tasteful use of the technique, and 'hate it', then it's a matter of not being educated and informed.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1160135' date='Mar 13 2011, 06:17 AM']Ha ha ha ha...love it,[/quote]
Hahaha - me too: brilliant! Condescending, patronising and ironic in equal measure!

Edited March 13, 2011 by lozbass

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='lozbass' post='1160387' date='Mar 13 2011, 12:28 PM']Hahaha - me too: brilliant! Condescending, patronising and ironic in equal measure![/quote]

And also correct!

[Raggy]

Totally agree with the OP. It did grate after, well a few seconds really.

[ezbass]

[quote name='Marvin' post='1159707' date='Mar 12 2011, 06:50 PM']A time and a place for everything. And less is more and all that stuff.[/quote]
I give you Chuck Rainey on Peg, mostly fingerstyle and then a slapped chorus because it just works, from about 1:12 onwards. Not having a hugely scooped sound helps too.



I think the only fingerstyle I heard yesterday in the hall (bar upper fret noodling) was the upright player on the EB stand. There may have been others but it was lost in either in slapping and popping (TBH it's the popping that grates the most) or massively distorted mush.

Interestingly Mark King made mention of the din in the hall and his dislike of it. Now which UK player is probably more responsible for 'that' style of playing? Hmm........

Edited March 13, 2011 by ezbass

[Sawtooth]

[quote name='ezbass' post='1160479' date='Mar 13 2011, 02:07 PM'][/quote]

Absolutely wonderful. Thanks.

[lozbass]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1160397' date='Mar 13 2011, 12:39 PM']And also correct![/quote]
'Honestly haven't time to get into a discussion of semantics, but I don't think we're operating in the world of definitives here

[Austin7]

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='1159554' date='Mar 12 2011, 05:10 PM']I have the greatest respect for those who can do it well, but it just doesn't interest me. I can't think of a single song that has slap bass on it which I like. Very impressive, but I don't care. And I agree it seems pretty dated these days. Each, of course, to their own.[/quote]

+1

[BenTunnicliffe]

I'm one of the many people here who's not been to a bass bash or bass day of any kind and I think a lot of the attacks aimed at slapping in particular in this thread are a tad unfair really.

I've heard just as many if not more people play distasteful fingerstyle playing on records as I have slapping and have seen just as many people bore me or brutally attack my lugs with O.T.T. jaco licks and heavy rock playing in shops as I have with slap.

Granted if I was naturally not a big slap fan I'd switch off quicker (which I do) hearing a bit of thwackity thwack but that's not really an observation on slapping and much more my own opinion.

As was pointed out by Doddy the need to slap within context does occassionally pop up and most bassists who do stuff in cover bands will need to have a bit of a grasp of the technique if they're going for really recreating particular songs like they were on the records.
The super fast chops of Vic, Stanley and mr King haven't ever popped up in my day to day gigs but I believe that covering my ass by being able to play slightly above what generally pops up is always wise seeing as I never really know what's in tomorrow's gig.

I think the whole bass day thing is an instant turn off to me as a huge majority of the people there demo'ing seem to be without drums and further accompaniment FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN so both having someone playing fingerstyle or slap wouldn't really float my boat.

Some of the guys playing those 32nd note triplets on new gear in our usual shops might only want to sit at home playing along to Mark King though and they have the right to test out gear 'till their hearts content in my eyes but those players aren't really my bag so I certainly wont be sitting down and listening longer than necessary.

[bubinga5]

Why are people basing there hate around the slap bass they have seen at some show.?..baffling...?? as far as im concerned slap bass used properly and with taste has its place, like any other technique...sorry but this is a pointless thread..

[Doddy]

[quote name='ezbass' post='1160479' date='Mar 13 2011, 02:07 PM']Interestingly Mark King made mention of the din in the hall and his dislike of it. Now which UK player is probably more responsible for 'that' style of playing? Hmm........[/quote]

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1160626' date='Mar 13 2011, 04:10 PM']Why are people basing there hate around the slap bass they have seen at some show.?..baffling...?? as far as im concerned slap bass used properly and with taste has its place, like any other technique...sorry but this is a pointless thread.. [/quote]

I totally agree with this post. I can imagine the racket at the show, and hate 'machine gun' slapping that's all technique and with no musical content whatsoever, but how can you criticise the style when it's played like Marcus Miller on something like 'Run For Cover' or Me'shell on 'Boyfriend'?. Even more complicated stuff like Primus' 'Tommy The Cat' and Larry Graham's 'Pow' are amazing grooves.

I think Bubinga posted a thread a while ago showcasing musical slap grooves. Might be worth resurrecting.

[Clarky]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1160749' date='Mar 13 2011, 05:31 PM']I totally agree with this post. I can imagine the racket at the show, and hate 'machine gun' slapping that's all technique and with no musical content whatsoever, but how can you criticise the style when it's played like Marcus Miller on something like 'Run For Cover' or Me'shell on 'Boyfriend'?. Even more complicated stuff like Primus' 'Tommy The Cat' and Larry Graham's 'Pow' are amazing grooves.

I think Bubinga posted a thread a while ago showcasing musical slap grooves. Might be worth resurrecting.[/quote]
Chaps, I take you back to my comments as I wrote the OP. I was not demonising slap, just the mindless pursuit of machine gun, pyrotechnic slapping at deafening volumes at bass shows ... which frankly spoil it for most attendees (take niceguyhomer's comment - he came armed with moolah but didn't buy as he couldn't hear the gear the wanted to try out over the ear-splitting din)

Edited March 13, 2011 by Clarky