Lazurus Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 My teacher is doing well with an ageing novice, he is concentrating on my tone and intonation and bowing is very good for this. I much prefer pizz and eventually slapping but follow his sound teaching on the cheap steel orchestral strings currently fitted to my bass. I have a set of Silver slaps ready to go, but if I put them on for pizz and slap practice will I still be able to Arco when required. There are differing reports on the web, the sales buff says you can bow them (but they would say that) So has anyone used them for arco or am stuck with the high tension steels until I finish my initial leanings, this will prevent me from practicing slap as the steels are way to tight, ok for pizz and arco though hence my quandary. I am not looking for orchestral quality with my bowing technique but I have no whish to make it worse. lol. Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Yes, you can bow silver slaps...but it's a pretty harsh sound compared to orchestral strings. You'll need to roughen up the string wrap between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard with some fine grade sandpaper to give the bow something to grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philparker Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 I play 90% arco and I'm fortunate enough to have a couple of DBs, I put some Golden Slaps on one DB and I couldn't even get a half decent quality note with the bow - so from my POV, I would say no, wait until you've finished your studies or by a second DB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Thanks for all the input, I have been recommended Evah Pirazzi Bass Weich (Soft) Set of Strings as perhaps the best all rounders' are these a starting point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philparker Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 [quote name='Lazurus' timestamp='1484728434' post='3217761'] Thanks for all the input, I have been recommended Evah Pirazzi Bass Weich (Soft) Set of Strings as perhaps the best all rounders' are these a starting point? [/quote] I couldn't comment with any authority for slap, but I've found them to be the best hybrid for pizz and arco. they bow just as easy an orchestral string, but they pizz much better than any orchestral string. A good choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I'm not much of a bower. I try now & again. I currently have a set of Silver Slaps on my EUB, and am fortunate to also have an acoustic DB - so they've usually got different strings on each - for different styles of playing. There is indeed, a horrible sound when bowing the Silver Slaps. I thought it was my poor technique at first, but I can get a much better sound out of other strings. However, the Silver Slaps are the best strings for Slap technique IMHO. I tried others - Weedwackers got me started in building up my Slap technique, but I found the E string too weak. Once I'd been playing those 4-6 weeks, I shifted over to the Silver Slaps.... but I couldn't bow either the Weeds or the Silvers Perhaps TheRev's suggestion of roughening the strings may work, but I think I'd be reluctant to do this personally. Would this weaken the strings? Or would it be off-putting or too rough for when you're slapping? - You do hit the strings quite hard with that technique. If you do try this - please let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyjazzer Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 My '2 cents' worth Lazurus. I have tried bowing Innovation strings--they didn't do it for me. [b]But [/b]what I did like about Innovation was that I liked that 'old school' sound I was after--and good for slap. I changed to a used set of Evah Weich's and they are great for bowing / pizz / and slap. Infact I have a 2nd DB and I am thinking of putting on another set of Evah Weichs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Had a chat with my teacher and we have arranged to spend the next couple of months on Pizz and left hand so I put the silvers on, now just need to learn that right hand technique, on top of learning my left, reading the bass clef, guess the arco will wait a while....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBass Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Golden Slaps were good enough for at one for me to get through a couple of ABRSM grades before I gave up, so it can be done if you're not looking for anything too intricate. Rub a little rosin on the bowing area of the string initially, over time it'll build up anyway,that should get enough traction. Steels will sound nicer, but I just don't like em for anything but arco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 As above, my teacher had a play with them on Friday evenings lesson, whilst not orchestral quality sound he was more than happy that they were up to my standard - I think that is a positive comment!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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