Can you get a slap type sound without slapping?

[lownote]

I'd like to be able to achieve a percussive syncopated effect on funky songs without needing to master slap. Also slap is apparently frowned upon in my conservative corner of blues fusion. So can you get the same effect with finger style? If so, how. Many thanks.

[blue]

Yes,

With a pick. For the genre I'm paid to play slapping is not necessary.

Blue

[lownote]

Cheers Blue. I've come across a video clip of Tal Wilkenfeld with Jeff Beck doing it finger style but the camera's only on her for the odd second so I can't make out how she's doing it. This clip at 20.50 onwards [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ndyILodYwM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ndyILodYwM[/url]

Edited December 15, 2016 by lownote12

[Funky Dunky]

Please do - I'd be really interested to see/hear this.

[Cato]

Bobby Vega gets a very similar sound with a pick.

http://youtu.be/MPzwuiJCSbs

I reckon at least 70% of the slap sound is in the ghost notes/mutes. So it should be possible to get a similar effect using finger style.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Cato

[SICbass]

If you do fingerstyle with your right hanf (assuming you're righthanded) near the neck i.e. away from the bridge and then dig in, you'll get a similar effect. Stanley Clarke does it a lot. If you like at around 3:05 on this video you can see it quite clearly. It can also be effective without his phenomenal chops 😉

http://youtu.be/OOVasAri0kU

Edited December 15, 2016 by SICbass

[blue]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1481779560' post='3195040']
Bobby Vega gets a very similar sound with a pick.

http://youtu.be/MPzwuiJCSbs

I reckon at least 70% of the slap sound is in the ghost notes/mutes. So it should be possible to get a similar effect using finger style.
[/quote]

Bobby Vega,

That's nifty stuff.

Blue

[Conan]

Not quite sure what you mean by "slap-type", but playing hard over the neck itself can give that sort of effect.... Probably better without the distortion mind!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jPW0XWuo6g

[FuNkShUi]

Yes it would just be a case of digging in harder really. Rather than trying to make the notes rounded and warm.
You'd want to make it more staccato'd like a slap line would be.
Boosting bass a little and boosting treble would probably help too.

[lownote]

Very helpful, thanks people. What a great forum this is.

[juliusmonk]

Digging in works for 'popping', not so much for 'slapping' (i.e. the thumb thing). But you can do what Doug Wimbish does, which is slapping the strings with your index finger straight on top of the fretboard - that gets a very similar sound, and you keep the hand more in the fingerstyle position.

[gjones]

John Entwistle used a technique where he taps/slaps tap the strings hard with his first two fingers. I've used it myself and with a clean sound It gives a very similar sound to slapping. He gives an example of it in the video below.

http://youtu.be/ASJxApEz_YA

[chris_b]

Entwistle just sounds like he's tapping to me.

Stan Sargeant, bassist with Keb Mo and Al Jarreau does a tapping thing that sounds like a slap. He sounds like he's trying to emulate slapping. He plays a left handed bass strung right handed so I guess you can't do the traditional slap with that set up.

[jazzyvee]

Here is a method Yolanda Charles uses .
[url="https://youtu.be/Hgv8I0xxPOU?t=1m34s"]https://youtu.be/Hgv8I0xxPOU?t=1m34s[/url]

[Monkey Steve]

I use a similar technique to Entwistle - effectively fingerstyle but hitting the strings with the end of my fingers rather than picking or plucking them. Sounds very similar to slapping with a thumb, but allows for much more speed.

the other approach would maybe be some sort of eq adjustment

[bigd1]

I think the main thing is to mute with your fretting fingers. If you use a pick you can mute by resting your hand on the strings near the bridge. I find the best way to get the sort of thing I think you are after (sound wise) is to kind of kill the sound with your fretting hand the best eg in the videos above is Entwistle look what he does to stop the sound.
Not sure if this will help, but you never know

[Ziphoblat]

If slap is frowned upon you might want to consider telling people to grow up.

[GreeneKing]

15 pints normally does it for me

[dannybuoy]

Low action, low tension strings (Dunlop Super Brights are perfect), play close to the neck, and strike hard towards the bass so that the strings hit the frets. Then learn to do it with your thumb and throw the occasional pop in!

Edited December 19, 2016 by dannybuoy

[Musashimonkey]

I like the style of this, and comes close without the standard slapping technique:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1183147988436563&id=103346473083392

[blue]

[quote name='bigd1' timestamp='1481820581' post='3195461']
I think the main thing is to mute with your fretting fingers. If you use a pick you can mute by resting your hand on the strings near the bridge. I find the best way to get the sort of thing I think you are after (sound wise) is to kind of kill the sound with your fretting hand the best eg in the videos above is Entwistle look what he does to stop the sound.
Not sure if this will help, but you never know
[/quote]

Palm muting sounds cool as hell in it's proper space.

I use it sparingly. It fits our rendition of "Stand By Me".

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1481792717' post='3195122']
Digging in works for 'popping', not so much for 'slapping' (i.e. the thumb thing). But you can do what Doug Wimbish does, which is slapping the strings with your index finger straight on top of the fretboard - that gets a very similar sound, and you keep the hand more in the fingerstyle position.
[/quote]

I still say Wimbush would have been a better fit for The Stones. I'm not sure if he was ever considered and if he was, what happened.

I always talk to Doug when he's in Milwaukee, never asked him anything about it.

Blue

Edited December 19, 2016 by blue

[Conan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUjXvAPjO5g

[Earbrass]

[quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1481801010' post='3195227'] I use a similar technique to Entwistle - effectively fingerstyle but hitting the strings with the end of my fingers rather than picking or plucking them. Sounds very similar to slapping with a thumb, but allows for much more speed. [/quote]

+1

[fiatcoupe432]

mate remco is the master

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31QYigjpt54