Setting up bass & amp for SLAP

[Al Krow]

Just started working through Mark from Talking Bass's slap course**

I must admit to being a big fan of Mark and glad I've found an excuse to sign up to one of his courses rather than just taking advantage of his (excellent) free tuition. We've all gotta put food on the table at the end of the day - don't we? 

I've found that setting up works well:

1) use the bridge rather than the neck pup

The bridge pup is generally going to be better at picking up the overtones and also has the advantage of being further away from where the strings are being slapped so less likely to clip your amp / overload your speakers than when using the neck pup.

2) dial the treble up on either the bass and / or amp 

Slap bass very much relies on higher frequency zing.

Quite a lot of 'advice' seems to also suggest cutting / scooping the mids for a classic slap bass tone. I've not found that necessary to get the slap zing but I guess it provides a different tonal colour and you go with what you like. In my case, I'm holding on to the desire to continue to cut through the mix by not losing the mix but maybe a wrong headed approach?

Those of you far more experienced in this arena than me (which will be just about anyone proficient at slap!) - does that tie in with what you guys are doing in terms of setting up?

 

**the sort of pointless stuff you find time for when you join @bassfan's 2020 GAC so that you can no longer spend many productive and happy hours drooling over the latest bit of gear that's going to deliver that tiny nirvana difference to your tone that you're never going to hear wearing ear plugs when playing live and no one in the audience will notice or care about 😉

Edited January 18, 2020 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

Plug for a freebie lesson Mark has recently posted:

 

[bassfan]

I take it you are using the M6 @Al Krow? Try using the voice settings on 1 or 2, they are designed for some slap. 👍🏻 
 

you also need a nice low action on your bass. 

[bassfan]

18 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Plug for a freebie lesson Mark has recently posted:

 

Great track! (Ironic as I have no hair!) how on Earth will you play that with that thumb rest getting in the way? 😂😂

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Great track! (Ironic as I have no hair!) how on Earth will you play that with that thumb rest getting in the way? 😂😂

Haha - not particularly harder to slap an E string on a 5 string bass than the A string on a normal 4.

[Ricky 4000]

11 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Plug for a freebie lesson Mark has recently posted:

 

Good, but I found this tutorial better (and more humbling):

 

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Good, but I found this tutorial better (and more humbling):

 

Oh yeah, this popped up on my YouTube feed during the week and I watched all her videos, she’s brilliant 

 

[Ricky 4000]

15 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Oh yeah, this popped up on my YouTube feed during the week and I watched all her videos, she’s brilliant 

>video<

Aye, she plays a lot better than me, and with less fuss! 😗

Here's a bit of Freddie Washington himself doing it:

 

[Stub Mandrel]

17 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Oh yeah, this popped up on my YouTube feed during the week and I watched all her videos, she’s brilliant 

I could live without the screen 'popping' in time URGH!

[BreadBin]

17 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Oh yeah, this popped up on my YouTube feed during the week and I watched all her videos, she’s brilliant 

 

She's awesome 👍

[BreadBin]

1 hour ago, BreadBin said:

She's awesome 👍

It's worth noting that she is definitely using compression, that can help get a 'tight' slap sound.

[Osiris]

37 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

It's worth noting that she is definitely using compression, that can help get a 'tight' slap sound.

Don't. Just don't ever mention the C word to @Al Krow. It always ends in tears.

 

 

😃

[krispn]

If you have exposed pole pieces a really simple tip is to cut some small strips of card, remove the pick up case and lay the card either side of the pole pieces and once you replace the cases it should make the pole pieces sit level or ‘just’ below the casings. Very simple and effective. 
 

[Stub Mandrel]

Clear nail varnish might work as well,. although it will wear off in time.

[krispn]

Plus good old insulation tape is another, less elegant solution.

[Al Krow]

Haha - very true about me and compression! I'm trying to spend less time in with the WC brigade these days...

Edited January 21, 2020 by Al Krow
Woke Compressor brigade

[wateroftyne]

Did anyone else read the title of this thread in Davie504’s voice, or just me?

[Cuzzie]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Haha - very true about me and compression! I'm trying to spend less time in with the WC brigade these days...

Trying to work out if you are referring to the true meaning of Woke (In the Woke Compressor brigade) in that you are spending less time with the compressor brigade who are fine citizens alert to social and racial injustice, or the slang meaning that we are ‘with it’ and ‘relevant’.

I suppose either way it’s a thanks and a blessing.

Edited January 21, 2020 by Cuzzie

[chris_b]

All the "slap" players I've seen have switched between slap and finger style on the same bass.

After Louis Johnson slapping all the early Johnson Brothers on a Sting Ray with flats, I'd say slap is a technique not a set up or a sound thing.

[Al Krow]

Sorry Chris - I have to disagree. Old strings and poor EQ'ing don't go well with a zingy slap tone.

For sure technique is a big part of slap as it is with most of bass playing. 

[krispn]

O

Edited January 21, 2020 by krispn

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Sorry Chris - I have to disagree. Old strings and poor EQ'ing don't go well with a zingy slap tone.

For sure technique is a big part of slap as it is with most of bass playing. 

If you are using old strings then you'll be sounding more like Louis Johnson. Not a bad thing.

Slap can be any tone. As long as you are EQing a good full range sound then slap and finger-style will work on the same bass.

Your "zingy" slap tone is pretty simple, take the bass out and add all the top you can. New lightweight strings will also help, but that set up is going to compromise you finger-style sound.

[Al Krow]

Just connecting the dots...parallel thread dealing with slap and compression.

 

[TKenrick]

On 21/01/2020 at 12:11, chris_b said:

All the "slap" players I've seen have switched between slap and finger style on the same bass.

After Louis Johnson slapping all the early Johnson Brothers on a Sting Ray with flats, I'd say slap is a technique not a set up or a sound thing.

As something of a reluctant slapper (that's what she said...) I definitely prefer the 'chunkier' old-school slap sound of flats or tapewound strings. I find that an EQ pedal* is useful on function gigs where 90% of the set is P-bass with flats territory and then someone decides that they want to play 'Never Too Much' - I'm much too lazy to bring a second bass with me, so this is the best compromise.

*a source audio programmable EQ, for those who are curious.

[krispn]

It’s one of those techniques, folk will know you’re doing it** it’s just what you prefer to hear. Theirs school p bass slap sound which keeps the chunk or the Marcus type sound with the active bass/treble boosted on a twin pick up bass.

**in as much as the crowd pay attention to anything... apart from that one guy up the front shouting “Slappda bass” whilst playing air slap bass that would put Alan Partridge to shame.