bubinga5 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 (edited) i was with a guy earlier whos been playing bass for a while, that i had a conversation with about bass playing.... he started talking about slap playing.. he showed me his slap chops.. he was very talented in (what i call) a slap show case.. basically a slap riff that is repeated over a few bars...... i didnt want to be a dick and show him some slap wisdom.. as i couldnt.. but i know what is musical, and what is musical is really for the chords, feeling and timing.. it should be engrained in anyone taking up bass.. imo....' make sure you play for the music' ... i said maybe he should learn how to turn that great technique into something fantastic like reading music or.. i dont think he wanted to take it that far.. there is so much to be said about the musical approach to slap and i know its very obvious to some more experienced guys/girls, but i come across people who think its some sort of vehicle to attract attention... he was great doing his thing, seriously, he was amazing in his speed and note definition, he really blew me away, but missing the point is very easy when the ego is involved.. there is no right or wrong, but there is music and its boundries.. like i said this is obvious to lots, but not to others Edited January 6, 2012 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 (edited) Very nice thought there, and I agree. I was like that when I was 16 and thought flea was the best thing to approach bass. Then I got musically more educated and realised that the bass does more than thump and thwack along for the sake of impressing. I discovered Norman Watt Roy, Chuck Rainey, Bernard Edwards, the bloke from Maroon 5. And it's about taking part of the music and making it one with it self as a listenable piece for the audience, be it the masses or the niche. But then music is there to be played by what ever means that makes it fun, and yes, there is no right or wrong way really. Look at the bloke who plays bass like a violin! Dan Edited January 6, 2012 by pietruszka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I had a similar experience once in my guitar teaching days. He turned up with his Ibanez Jem and proceeded to play these amazing Steve Vai licks - absolutely flawless. I was on the point of saying 'Why do you need me?' when he told me he wanted to get some 'musical background' to what he was doing. I spent the next six months trying to teach him the fundamentals of melody and harmony, scales and arpeggios, and how they worked in the stuff he was playing, chord voicings, etc. etc. At the end of it all he understood it about as well as he had the day he first walked through my door. It was one of the stranger experiences I had as a teacher, and thinking about it again now I still don't understand how someone can be that good as a player (and he was...) without any apparent understanding of what it all meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I know I've been down the fast/complex/impressive slap route, and it's been invaluable as a learning experience. I now have a better appreciation of what is TOO much, but the practice I put into the technique means it's easier just to think about the music and contribute something tasteful. Regarding tasteful slap, I think some of Marcus Miller's stuff is good - his cover of Boogie on Reggae Woman where he does the melody with slap/more percussive bass is beautiful and tasteful (IMO). Lefty, regarding your student, I know exactly what you mean! People like that give creedence to the idea that knowing theory is a waste of time, because if you can do it you can do it.... and simultaneously gives creedence to the idea that knowing theory is a bad idea, because he couldn't apply it any more musically than he could before. I've seen a lot of bedroom guitarists develop amazing solo chops, but they lack a band to try out and experiment with fundamentals (e.g. rhythm playing, write their own stuff, tackle things outside their own comfort zone). I know I've been in that position - I had chops, I had theory, but it took being in a band and playing guitar regularly with that band (rather than bass) to glue the two together to get some decent music out of me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 So we're all agreed! Hahaha! Shall I put the kettle on?! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungle Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Was listening to the latest M83 album yesterday and pleasantly surprised to find a really nice musical sounding bit of slap bass on one of the tracks. I guess my opinion is that I appreciate it can be an interesting technique and provides a different sort of musical texture when used appropriately, but it rarely fits with any of the sort of music that I listen to or play regularly. I can't really think of a time in my originals band where I've thought "a slap bass line would really fit here". Here's the M83 track with it, the line starts at about 1:15. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLdX2gjKyV8[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 [quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1325844321' post='1488508'] So we're all agreed! Hahaha! Shall I put the kettle on?! Dan [/quote] I don't think I can add any more to what has been said as it all slots in with how I feel about music. I did come across this clip of Ed Friedland doing a clinic. Loved his comment on slap a short way into it. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy-9v5dQkA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy-9v5dQkA[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 [quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1325845059' post='1488524'] I don't think I can add any more to what has been said as it all slots in with how I feel about music. I did come across this clip of Ed Friedland doing a clinic. Loved his comment on slap a short way into it. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy-9v5dQkA[/media] [/quote] The only Slap Action Ed get's is on his head...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I think Ed Friedland summed up (very well) the usage of slap on gigs. The only band I can think of where it's a crucial part of their sound is Level 42, but that would be (IMO) the exception to the rule. As a "display technique" a la the London Bass Show last year, it went way overboard. I would rather have heard 99,000 interpretations of "Donna Lee". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 [quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1325846921' post='1488561'] I think Ed Friedland summed up (very well) the usage of slap on gigs. The only band I can think of where it's a crucial part of their sound is Level 42, but that would be (IMO) the exception to the rule. As a "display technique" a la the London Bass Show last year, it went way overboard. I would rather have heard 99,000 interpretations of "Donna Lee". [/quote] Only in Ed's world...... He's not really a go to bassist for any band that falls into Genre where Slap bass would be appropriate..... and there's plenty of them, though maybe not as many as Country Music. there are loads of bands out there that have Slap as a crucial part of their sound but maybe not as upfront as Level 42 as Mark was the Frontman wielding a bass under his chin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 [quote name='bungle' timestamp='1325844864' post='1488520']Here's the M83 track with it, the line starts at about 1:15. [/quote] That's nice! It actually sounds very like Marcus Miller in tone and style... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1325864901' post='1489057'] That's nice! It actually sounds very like Marcus Miller in tone and style... [/quote]im on your channel there.. totally did.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecoldbass Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I know what you mean, but I ask you: in what context was he playing? Was he just jamming away with no backing or was he with a band? I have learned to reserve judgement on players until I hear them in a few musical situations. It could well be that in a band he lays down a deep, tasteful slap pocket and on the occaision you saw him he was just 'chopping'. We are all guilty of it, and it's not a bad thing. It's hard to play 'for the chords' etc when it's just you! [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1325828370' post='1488375'] i was with a guy earlier whos been playing bass for a while, that i had a conversation with about bass playing.... he started talking about slap playing.. he showed me his slap chops.. he was very talented in (what i call) a slap show case.. basically a slap riff that is repeated over a few bars...... i didnt want to be a dick and show him some slap wisdom.. as i couldnt.. but i know what is musical, and what is musical is really for the chords, feeling and timing.. it should be engrained in anyone taking up bass.. imo....' make sure you play for the music' ... i said maybe he should learn how to turn that great technique into something fantastic like reading music or.. i dont think he wanted to take it that far.. there is so much to be said about the musical approach to slap and i know its very obvious to some more experienced guys/girls, but i come across people who think its some sort of vehicle to attract attention... he was great doing his thing, seriously, he was amazing in his speed and note definition, he really blew me away, but missing the point is very easy when the ego is involved.. there is no right or wrong, but there is music and its boundries.. like i said this is obvious to lots, but not to others [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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.