Slap bass - no longer mainstream?

[Al Krow]

Made popular by the likes of Mark King and with his own variation, Flea.

One of my BC buddies raised the question is slap no longer something that leading bassists use as part of their sets, and should it ever really be used by decent bass players at all? Or is it just a gimmick?

We all know how annoying incessant slapping can be at some of the bass shows we've been to and there is obviously a ton more to great bass playing than being able to slap. But I think the lack of "quality slap" from today's top bassists is not a criticism of the technique in itself which, if done well, can add a lot of percussive goodness to the mix.

For me, it's maybe a broader thing: which is are there just fewer great live bands and top bassists around at the moment, full stop? If so, it's not surprising there are fewer iconic bassists making use of slap bass?

What do you guys all think?

AK

[project_c]

Slap bass has not been anywhere near the mainstream for about 30 years. But don't let that put you off, the 'mainstream' has never been a good measure of quality. I'm not a slap fan, partly because i'm crap at it and party because the music I like to play doesn't call for it, but music consumption is so diverse these days that it doesn't matter whether something is mainstream or not, if you like a particular style it's not hard to find an audience for it.

[FinnDave]

Been playing over 40 years, never played slap, never wanted to, never been asked to.

[AndyTravis]

I do, seems to come out for "Ain't Nobody".

There was a stage in pop (think Britney Spears and All saints) and everything was bass 'pops' here there and everywhere.

It's been a while - i might write a pop tune with a good slap part in it.

[ped]

I bloody love it

[Evil Undead]

I love it, if done well.

[Cato]

Love a bit of slap.

Learning how to play it really helped me get out of the rut I was in at the time as well.

[Happy Jack]

Loathe it.

If it's now dying out, I'll not be shedding any tears.

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1507402679' post='3385297']
Love a bit of slap. Learning how to play it really helped me get out of the rut I was in at the time as well.
[/quote]

Sounds to me like there's an interesting story behind that in terms of getting you out of a rut, if you're up for sharing?

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1507402822' post='3385298']
Loathe it.If it's now dying out, I'll not be shedding any tears.
[/quote]

Why loathe, if played well?

I'm also very interested on your views as to who currently does it well? Here's a couple of thoughts from D.I .Cuzzie he shared with me earlier:

[quote name='Cuzzie' timestamp='1507395891']
Slap done well Doug Wimbish - Living Colour, although he does not really pop and he slaps using his fingers not thumb.
Norwood Fisher - Fishbone [url="https://youtu.be/34OLWhfrjW8"]https://youtu.be/34OLWhfrjW8[/url] And of course Les Claypool Primus [/quote]

Edited October 7, 2017 by Al Krow

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1507403235' post='3385300']
Why loathe, if done well?
[/quote]

When done well, it's almost as good as a very limited drummer.

I already know plenty of those.

Edited October 7, 2017 by Happy Jack

[Cato]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1507403235' post='3385300']


Sounds to me like there's an interesting story behind that if you're up for sharing in terms of getting you out of a rut, if you're up for sharing.

[/quote]

I think it's a pretty common story.

I'd reached a plateau in my progress, I just found myself playing the same old stuff and I was getting frustrated with my lack of progress.

Learning to slap opened up a different, more percussive mind set which actually crossed over in to all the other areas of my playing and refired my enthusiasm for the instrument.

[JapanAxe]

There are some slap fills in Uptown Funk, which is pretty mainstream. I have yet to learn to slap, so when I play Uptown Funk I play non-slap fills with a bit of fingernail, and have never had a complaint. Ditto Car Wash!

A couple of weeks back, for the first time ever in my bass playing life, I missed the opportunity of some dep work simply because I couldn't slap. The band in question actually made a feature of slapping at some point(s) during its set.

[Cuzzie]

I did mean Les Claypool not Lee!
Interludes like in Carwash I think are a good use of slap, but I am not a massive fan of the ‘virtuoso’ slap especially for demo of amps.
We can’t forget Bernard Edwards either and his chucking technique, this can be reproduced with a pick, but he was phenomenal.

Another example is Danny Trujillo when he was in suicidal tendencies, awesome use of slap, he is wasted in Metallica, he has too much groove, and I like Metallica!

[spectoremg]

If it dies out I'll miss it about as much as the world misses smallpox.

[Al Krow]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1507415024' post='3385387']
If it dies out I'll miss it about as much as the world misses smallpox.
[/quote]

Not entirely clear from your comment, but I'm guessing you're not a massive fan?

[gjones]

He likes to slap his bass. He slaps it all day long.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqKTXBK3oPg

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='Cuzzie' timestamp='1507404794' post='3385324']


Another example is Danny Trujillo when he was in suicidal tendencies, awesome use of slap, he is wasted in Metallica, he has too much groove, and I like Metallica!
[/quote]

Rob 😉

[Cuzzie]

Oh crikey, I am such a bell end, thanks for that.

I was thinking of the film Machete at the time.

Silly me

[PawelG]

Somebody once said "learn how to slap and use it tastefully". I like it that way. Too much slap sounds like typewriting machine.

[Bolo]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1507421794' post='3385413']


Rob 😉
[/quote]
This. And even better in Infectious Grooves

[Cuzzie]

Fully agree with Bolo

He has serious chops across the spectrum

[uk_lefty]

It's just gone out of fashion for a while. Remember when all pop songs had some fretless mwaaaaah going on?
It will be back soon.

[chris_b]

I can listen to Larry Graham all day, Marcus Miller for 5 mins and Mark King for 10 seconds.

IMO it's just one of the techniques we should all know in order to become better and more complete players. The best slap players use it sparingly and effectively, ie Chuck Rainey, Alex Al, Reggie McBride and Nathan East.

I have several regrets in my bass playing life and one of them is that I never managed to learn to slap, but I'm in good company, ie Wilton Felder, Willie Weeks and Duck Dunn.

[scalpy]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1507452493' post='3385462']
I can listen to Larry Graham all day, Marcus Miller for 5 mins and Mark King for 10 seconds.

IMO it's just one of the techniques we should all know in order to become better and more complete players. The best slap players use it sparingly and effectively, ie Chuck Rainey, Alex Al, Reggie McBride and Nathan East.

I have several regrets in my bass playing life and one of them is that I never managed to learn to slap, but I'm in good company, ie Wilton Felder, Willie Weeks and Duck Dunn.
[/quote]

This all day long!

[Wilco]

I'd love to be able to slap well, but unfortunately have a massive talent shortage in that regard!!

One of the great things about the bass guitar is it's awesome variation - 4, 5, 6 strings & beyond, fretless, chordal playing, different sounds from pickups & strings, fingerplaying & pick styles & any combination of any of those things. Slap is another variation & is unique to our chosen instrument. As bassist's I thing it is wrong to dismiss it for that reason. Use it if you want to if it musically fits - why the hell not? It's a great sound.

Right, who wants to start the thread about why chorused fretless playing is no longer mainstream?!?! Lol

Edited October 8, 2017 by Wilco