Slapping the G string?

[Osiris]

I've been playing bass for more than 30 years but have never learned to slap. To be honest it's a sound and technique that has never really done anything for me.

However, I've recently decided to give it a try to improve and expand my playing. But in doing so I've come to realise that it's actually the octave pull sound that grates on my nerves. I appreciate that it's an integral part of the slap technique but it's one aspect of it that I'd like to avoid. However, I'm struggling to get a successful slap sound on the G string, it comes off sounding more like a harmonic than a slapped note! I appreciate that it's still early days and that I'm still working on my technique, but am I right in thinking that I should still be able to get a usable slapped sound from the G string? And if so, has anyone got any pointers, please?

I appreciate that I really ought to be learning to do octave pulls too, but I find the sound really irritating and that it puts me off learning to do thumb slaps. Maybe once I've got to grips with slapping in earnest I'll revisit the pulls but for now I want to give it a miss

[NickA]

Stan Clarke manages it and I've seen Victor Wooton do a complicated slap and pull move on the G, this guy too:

1min23s in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZoZ7bDv7Gc

You can thumb slap all over the instrument. Never works as well as on the lower strings, I think because the lighter upper strings haven't enough momentum to bounce off the frets.

I can do it on my dolphin, but not sure quite how .. I think it's a matter of hitting hard and fast with the boney bit of your thumb joint and letting your hand bounce off again before the harmonics set in. Go for a fret that doesn't have a natural harmonic if poss (fret 27 on the dolphin is pretty good that way).

The main problem is probably damping the other strings whilst hitting the G which is helped by the Mark King style of wearing the bass in your arm pit and angling your thumb up onto the strings from below (looks terrible IMHO and makes switching back to fingers too hard).

I'm now having your harmonics problem trying to tap (ie hit the strings with finger tips) which allows for great percussive chords - but get a totally different chord from a a tap than from a pluck ...

[ped]

I find slapping a G string sounds better with a lower tension string. That gives the string a bit more bounce and flexibility which helps sound the note rather than sound like a harmonic as you say.

It’s also about technique - practice slapping very lightly across the strings and let the amp do the work. If you are getting a good slap sound from your E but thumping it hard you’ll never balance the G. Use a light touch and lean on your amp.

I also favour a super low action and flat neck so this enhances the ‘clank’ which helps define the note. Again, a light touch is required for playing with this setup, but when you’re done, you’ll probably find your slapping is quieter than your finger style playing.

[Osiris]

Cheers guys, there's some interesting points for me to work on.

[quote name='NickA' timestamp='1509727700' post='3401254']

I'm now having your harmonics problem trying to tap (ie hit the strings with finger tips) which allows for great percussive chords - but get a totally different chord from a a tap than from a pluck ...
[/quote]

I tend to play finger style like that a lot of the time, it's a combination of bad technique, a failed attempt at the John Entwistle typewriter style of playing and a perverse love of fret clank (despite never really warming to slap as such).

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1509729144' post='3401270']
I find slapping a G string sounds better with a lower tension string. That gives the string a bit more bounce and flexibility which helps sound the note rather than sound like a harmonic as you say.

It's also about technique - practice slapping very lightly across the strings and let the amp do the work. If you are getting a good slap sound from your E but thumping it hard you'll never balance the G. Use a light touch and lean on your amp.

I also favour a super low action and flat neck so this enhances the 'clank' which helps define the note. Again, a light touch is required for playing with this setup, but when you're done, you'll probably find your slapping is quieter than your finger style playing.
[/quote]

Sounds like there's a couple of key points where I'm going wrong;
First off I prefer 50-105 gauge strings which I'm guessing are higher tension that the lighter gauges that I understand slappers prefer.
And also I'm tending to slap quite hard on the lower strings so backing off the attack to balance things makes perfect sense.

However a flat neck and low action are something I like in my basses so that should help.

Fortunately it's still very early days for me yet so I should be able to stop myself getting into any bad habits - unlike my finger style playing!

[M@23]

Try to slap 'through' on the G, rather than bouncing off it.

[Osiris]

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1509998371' post='3403167']
Try to slap 'through' on the G, rather than bouncing off it.
[/quote]

Can you clarify exactly what you mean by this, please?
Are you saying that rather than slap in to the string perpendicular to the fret board that I strike it more parallel to the body?

[M@23]

[quote name='Osiris' timestamp='1510035953' post='3403339']


Can you clarify exactly what you mean by this, please?
Are you saying that rather than slap in to the string perpendicular to the fret board that I strike it more parallel to the body?
[/quote]

What I meant was, rather than striking the string and bouncing your thumb straight back off, as is the most common way of doing it; push your thumb through the string, so it is the same technique as double thumbing, well the first 50% anyway.

That should stop the harmonics thing.

So, if you used that technique on the low E, your thumb would pass through the E and come to rest on the A string.

Try:
https://www.talkingbass.net/slap-technique-bounce-vs-rest-stroke/