A failing in my slapping technique

[Angel]

After a few years in the wilderness, I have rediscovered bass, and am really enjoying it again. I particularly like the fun of slapping, and can do it in a fairly standard way with my thumb and index finger working well together. There's one thing I just can't get right though - it's that very short, percussive 'click' with your index finger. Whenever I play, I seem to get more of a note out of it. It's a short and snappy note, but it's definitely a note rather than a click.

Any suggestions on what to do to get it right

This guy is getting the sort of 'click' that I'm thinking of:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVNUxPQnNc4[/media]

[JTUK]

Try getting it to sound as faint as you want by playing it as a single pluck.
Or play 1-and where the 1 is pull-off and -and- is the thumb an octave down.

Relax the pull-off finger or make it go soft and then lay you left fretting hand across to string to get a damped note

As an aside ... to sound funkier and spikier, try the pulls-off with the middle finger.

Edited March 29, 2014 by JTUK

[humapuma]

Loved the YT clip!

+1 On using the middle finger.

Other than that it's a mixture of not using too much force on the finger snap and muting - fretting hand and/or the back edge of your plucking hand. I personally don't put too much force in the thumb strokes either, which leaves your hand fairly close to the strings for the palm edge to mute.

[Angel]

Hmmnnn ...... thanks for the tips, but I'm still not getting what I'm looking for with my technique. I need to find someone who can do it and sit with them for a while.

[JTUK]

You just want a damped note.... so left hand damp just on the string will get that little 'bic' sound.
If you pluck normally, and fret it, you'll get a sustained pull that rings...you just want to shut that
note down much earlier with a mute

[url="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcnwt2_slap-bass-muting-technique-by-www-i_music"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcnwt2_slap-bass-muting-technique-by-www-i_music[/url]

and in context

[url="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcnx9h_slap-bass-lesson-in-a-by-www-itsaba_music?from_related=related.page.int.meta2-only.7763a30575a7062c0814905a807c9fef139652987"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcnx9h_slap-bass-lesson-in-a-by-www-itsaba_music?from_related=related.page.int.meta2-only.7763a30575a7062c0814905a807c9fef139652987[/url]

[AL-the-Bassman]

try changing your strings to 40-100 if your not already. ( makes it easier to pull the string, do hammers ons and pull offs)
or check the action of the strings ,
sometimes the height of the strings can make a difference

Edited April 3, 2014 by AL-the-Bassman

[AL-the-Bassman]

[quote name='Angel' timestamp='1396524865' post='2414593']
Hmmnnn ...... thanks for the tips, but I'm still not getting what I'm looking for with my technique. I need to find someone who can do it and sit with them for a while.
[/quote]

where are u based... no pun intended

[HowieBass]

When you pop, try using the fleshy pad of your finger pulling the string just enough to get it moving rather than a definite pulling up - you'll get a faster attack that way and have the side of your right hand (assuming you're a right handed player) resting on the string to mute it.

[xroads]

Check out the slap introduction video by Scott Divine - he is very good in explaining that kind of stuff as if you were sitting next to him.
You can find it on y-tube.