Bass players slapping

[blamelouis]

in the middle of songs !!
Went to see a local band last night , very good apart from the bass player kept playing slap riffs and then back to fingerstyle in EVERYTHING from "i shot the sheriff" to "you need a friend " !
WTF is all that about its like bass tourettes !!!
I saw another well known local basist doing this six months ago and couldnt believe it then either, it has made up my mind im going 100% fretless from now on i dont want to risk sliding on the slippery slope !!

[Stylon Pilson]

I'm struggling to remember a quote that has stuck with me for many years. I can't remember who said it, and I can't remember the exact wording. I think it was in Bassist magazine. Some famous, well-renowned bass player said of slapping "yes, it's technically brilliant, but it completely misses the point" or something like that. I feel that that quote sums up my sentiments nicely.

S.P.

[David Nimrod]

I gotta agree, that does sound pretty naff

I don't like slap at the best of times, although when played really well it can be beautiful.

But too much of it just gives me a headache!

[Bilbo]

The secret is to stay funky. The acrobatics that abound are only of value if they are musical. Mostly they are not. They are macho and brutal and serve no purpose other than to draw attention to the personality. The best slapped lines are not the typewriter techniques the people like Claypool and Wooten espose but the simple, low-down funk.

I play fretless only and rarely slap (if ever). I can do it but don't really like it. The day I hear a slapped ballad that is emotionally satisfying, I may change my mind. Until then...

MWAH.....!

[ped]

Agreed. It can be hatefully tacky and over the top, but a well placed single 'pop' or slap can be pretty groovy. I love the fretless and play it probably about half the time. Mind you, fretless can be equally cheesy when not used tastefully, loads of slides and chorus... gimme a break!!

Cheers
ped

[blamelouis]

[quote name='ped' post='238967' date='Jul 14 2008, 10:17 AM']Agreed. It can be hatefully tacky and over the top, but a well placed single 'pop' or slap can be pretty groovy. I love the fretless and play it probably about half the time. Mind you, fretless can be equally cheesy when not used tastefully, loads of slides and chorus... gimme a break!!

Cheers
ped[/quote]
Slides and chorus

[Bassassin]

"Bass Tourettes" - classic, and absolutely on the nail!

There was a local indie band I saw a couple of years back, whose bassist, though technically good (I suppose) played odiously inappropriate slappy-tappy stunt bass through the entirety of each & every one of their 4-chord strumalongs. As well as doing that idiotic spin-the-bass-over-your shoulder-&-catch-it trick every couple of minutes. Knob.

I've not seen them around for a few years - probably the rest of the band beat him to death with his 'Ray. :ph34r:

Jon.

[Chris2112]

Everything in moderation. A good bit of slap work from the likes of Mark King and Stuart Hamm can be wildly satisfying. When it's overused and played out of context, it does sound bad. Similarly, fretless is not free from the cheese, and can sound as corny and out of place as an over-enthusiastic thumb.

[blamelouis]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='238985' date='Jul 14 2008, 10:48 AM']"Bass Tourettes" - classic, and absolutely on the nail!

There was a local indie band I saw a couple of years back, whose bassist, though technically good (I suppose) played odiously inappropriate slappy-tappy stunt bass through the entirety of each & every one of their 4-chord strumalongs. As well as doing that idiotic spin-the-bass-over-your shoulder-&-catch-it trick every couple of minutes. Knob.

I've not seen them around for a few years - probably the rest of the band beat him to death with his 'Ray. :ph34r:

Jon.[/quote]
Funnily enough this guy had a stingray!

[bassket_case]

Doesn't Bakithi Kumalo play slapped fretless?

[blamelouis]

[quote name='bassket_case' post='238994' date='Jul 14 2008, 10:56 AM']Doesn't Bakithi Kumalo play slapped fretless?[/quote]
Beautifully

[peted]

I am familiar with the technique for slap, but seem to lack the associated rhythms for it. When I try to slap I just feel very silly. I'll stick to my finger-style for practice/gigs and leave the slap for getting the attention of the nearest sales assistant in the music stores

[bassket_case]

[quote name='blamelouis' post='239011' date='Jul 14 2008, 11:19 AM']Beautifully [/quote]

Indeed! Beautiful!

[blamelouis]

[quote name='peted' post='239013' date='Jul 14 2008, 11:20 AM']I am familiar with the technique for slap, but seem to lack the associated rhythms for it. When I try to slap I just feel very silly. I'll stick to my finger-style for practice/gigs and leave the slap for getting the attention of the nearest sales assistant in the music stores [/quote]
And you play a thumb bass !

[bassket_case]

[quote name='peted' post='239013' date='Jul 14 2008, 11:20 AM']I am familiar with the technique for slap, but seem to lack the associated rhythms for it. When I try to slap I just feel very silly. I'll stick to my finger-style for practice/gigs and leave the slap for getting the attention of the nearest sales assistant in the music stores [/quote]

I find plugging in to the nearest amp, turning it way up and hitting random notes works best. (whilst the bass is being played behind your head). Within a few seconds you'll have a sales guy walk up to you.

I find if you pick up anything over a grand, they even run across the shop to you!

[bassmanady]

[quote name='blamelouis' post='238942' date='Jul 14 2008, 09:52 AM']in the middle of songs !!
Went to see a local band last night , very good apart from the bass player kept playing slap riffs and then back to fingerstyle in EVERYTHING from "i shot the sheriff" to "you need a friend " !
WTF is all that about its like bass tourettes !!!
I saw another well known local basist doing this six months ago and couldnt believe it then either, it has made up my mind im going 100% fretless from now on i dont want to risk sliding on the slippery slope !! [/quote]Gets me too,i went to see a friends band and when i walked into the pub,had a good nose at the bass players gear,as you do....GB Rumour bass,Mark bass amp/cabs..thinks.. this is going to be good,they kick off and it was f****n...good,the sound awsome this man could play,but he over did the slapping,and after about an hour,it was totally annoying.

Edited July 15, 2008 by bassmanady

[TKenrick]

Bass Day '07 cured me of slap bass tourettes forever - in the time it took me to walk from the main entrance to the back of the hall (under 30 seconds) I was sick of the sound of constant slapping coming from almost every stand. Luckily I was manning a stand at the back of the hall, away from the majority of gear stalls, but the whole experience felt like spending a day locked in a staple-gun factory...

[bassket_case]

[quote name='TKenrick' post='239039' date='Jul 14 2008, 11:47 AM']Bass Day '07 cured me of slap bass tourettes forever - in the time it took me to walk from the main entrance to the back of the hall (under 30 seconds) I was sick of the sound of constant slapping coming from almost every stand. Luckily I was manning a stand at the back of the hall, away from the majority of gear stalls, but the whole experience felt like spending a day locked in a staple-gun factory...[/quote]

I just remember that day as being a room full of whale noises...!

[cheddatom]

I think you've been a bit harsh on Claypool there Bilbo. Just yesterday I was watching a live video of primus and thinking "what a fienddish slap bass solo, I wish that lasted more than 10 seconds before he went back to fingerstyle". Also, the way in which he slaps the bass at times is quite different to a standard "funk" player. All in all, I think he tends to be quite tasteful and stylish in his playing, although I can totally understand if it's not your kind of music.

[bass_ferret]

Regulare readers will know I detest inappropriate slapping. It's largely cos bass players somehow think they have to be able to slap - it comes up on here all the time - so its a case of I spent hours learing this largely useless technique so I am gonna use it no matter how inappropriate.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='blamelouis' post='238942' date='Jul 14 2008, 09:52 AM']Went to see a local band last night , very good apart from the bass player kept playing slap riffs and then back to fingerstyle in EVERYTHING from "i shot the sheriff" to "you need a friend " ![/quote]

[peted]

[quote name='blamelouis' post='239018' date='Jul 14 2008, 11:23 AM']And you play a thumb bass ! [/quote]
Hey! I find it has quite a nice finger-style tone. It's doesn't have to be a slap monster

[Paul Cooke]

I seem to recall that a gentleman is one who can play the bagpipes, but doesn't

so the modern equivalent would be:

A gentleman knows how to slap a bass, but declines...

and I'm convinced that "slapping & popping" may be one of the reasons electric bassists have so much trouble getting Jazz gigs... people go with the DB sound because they know there's no danger of the bass solo being a slap & pop fest...

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='peted' post='239094' date='Jul 14 2008, 12:54 PM']Hey! I find it has quite a nice finger-style tone. It's doesn't have to be a slap monster [/quote]

I don't slap my Thumb bass either. Or at least only very rarely and for ironic purposes.

I hadn't actually realised that owning one suggests to people that I might be a slapper. That's a worry.

[Galilee]

Hmmm, I slap mine, but not often. I had no idea that the name Thumb signifies that it's built for slap.



edit: I'm referring to my bass throughout the above post, thanks.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Galilee