I don't like slap

[inthedoghouse]

11 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

I'm surprised to find such antipathy among BCers towards slap. I'm all for trying different ways a bass can be played rather than just sticking to pick or standard fingerstyle.  By writing off slap 'n pop as a method  aren't people limiting themselves?

Only speaking for myself of course, but I don't think it's limiting me at all.  That style of playing doesn't feature anywhere in the music I listen to or in the music of bands I've ever played in, originals or covers.  Each to their own though. 

I'm another one who can't hit the back button fast enough at the first sign of slapping on a YT demo.  And to cross post from another thread, I'm sure our dogs thank me for it 🙂 🙂

[Bassman Sam]

I like slappers.

 

I'll get me coat.

[Downunderwonder]

9 hours ago, xgsjx said:

Bass is part of the rhythm section & playing a good slap part that fits nicely with the drums is a thing of beauty. 

Bingo. I can't get my head around playing percussion parts and bass at the same time. All those snappy poppy extras on undefined beats would sound like total garbage if they were fingered notes, but quite choice additions to the kit.

[Barking Spiders]

9 hours ago, Belka said:

I think Davie 504 gets treated a bit unfairly around here - he's a great player with a very good ear, and some of his videos are quite creative - the bass with no strings one is great. If he's getting young kids into knowing what a bass is and how cool it can sound I think that can only be a good thing, and will hopefully lead to some of them picking up the bass. Yes, it's clickbaity, but that is the way of Youtube unfortunately, Scott Devine is a very serious educator, and even he has to make clickbaity sounding videos to maximise exposure. It's not like he's claiming to be a serious educator or forcing anyone to play machine gun percussive triplet slap over Mustang Sally, it's just a bit of fun. 

Perhaps we could encourage Davie to make videos that might go down better over here....

99.88% CAN'T tell what WOOD my bass is made of!!!!!

I change my FLATWOUNDS for the FIRST TIME EVER!!!!!

He says his WHITE pickguard has more MOJO than my TORT pickguard???????????

TRACE ELLIOT watts are 1000% HEFTIER than class D watts!!!!

 

 

I really like what he's doing here. I never doubted his advanced skills. Not trad slap but brilliantly done anyway and he's not doing all that 'slapp' challenge stuff.

 

[inthedoghouse]

I wish I had a fiver for each time someone has sent me a link to a video with a title of something like 'look at this amazing bass player' only for it to be yet another 'look at me' type thing that sounds like a box of spanners thrown down the stairs.  I wonder how many youngsters and those who know little or nothing about bass think that this is what bass is all about because it is so pervasive on YT and other social media?  It is no doubt flashy and impressive to them, and I'll readily admit takes some skill, but it is far from everthing that bass is about, as has been discussed many times on here.

I remember very well as we were packing the gear away at a gig a few years ago, a gig of rock that contained not even a hint of slap, a young guy came to me and said how much he liked my playing and sound and that he loved the look of my bass (Warwick Stryker) and could he have a look at it.  Being the sometimes nice guy I can be when the mood takes me I thought I'd be encouranging and handed him my bass as I was about to put it in the case.  You guessed it .... slap slap slap!  It was soon back in its case.

[Belka]

31 minutes ago, inthedoghouse said:

I wish I had a fiver for each time someone has sent me a link to a video with a title of something like 'look at this amazing bass player' only for it to be yet another 'look at me' type thing that sounds like a box of spanners thrown down the stairs.  I wonder how many youngsters and those who know little or nothing about bass think that this is what bass is all about because it is so pervasive on YT and other social media?  It is no doubt flashy and impressive to them, and I'll readily admit takes some skill, but it is far from everthing that bass is about, as has been discussed many times on here.

I remember very well as we were packing the gear away at a gig a few years ago, a gig of rock that contained not even a hint of slap, a young guy came to me and said how much he liked my playing and sound and that he loved the look of my bass (Warwick Stryker) and could he have a look at it.  Being the sometimes nice guy I can be when the mood takes me I thought I'd be encouranging and handed him my bass as I was about to put it in the case.  You guessed it .... slap slap slap!  It was soon back in its case.

Fair enough, but at the end of the day, you say he was a young guy - I don't think there are many people out there who are initially attracted to playing an instrument who understand the bigger picture. I started playing guitar (I lasted a year before I switched to bass) because I thought Hendrix playing behind his head and making feedback sounds was cool. If someone has the talent and will, listens to a range of music and practises properly,  they will move out of the flashy phase and take the instrument more seriously. 

 

[inthedoghouse]

34 minutes ago, Belka said:

Fair enough, but at the end of the day, you say he was a young guy - I don't think there are many people out there who are initially attracted to playing an instrument who understand the bigger picture. I started playing guitar (I lasted a year before I switched to bass) because I thought Hendrix playing behind his head and making feedback sounds was cool. If someone has the talent and will, listens to a range of music and practises properly,  they will move out of the flashy phase and take the instrument more seriously. 

 

I too first picked up a guitar when I first heard Hendrix (Voodoo Child single) in 1970. I knew nothing about his theatrics, just that it was guitar playing as I'd never heard before and I was amazed. 

It just makes me wonder sometimes if people are sometimes getting the wrong initial message about what bass playing is about.  And yes, I know it has many varied faces and some will say it can be whatever you want it to be.  But anyone who picks up a bass on the strength of the rapid fire slapping on YT is going to be pretty disappointed if they think they are going to join a band and slap to their heart's content.  But as you rightly say, hopefully if they stick at it they will see the bigger picture.  Perhaps they will be happy to be bedroom players forever - some people are.

As for the young guy at the gig - he was about 18-19 and obviously knew something of rock music.  Perhaps his slapping was an attempt to impress me?  I don't know, but I really hope he stuck at his bass playing.  I do try to be encouraging to any youngsters who want to talk gear to me after a gig because I know how much it meant to me when local bands would let me sit in and watch their rehearsals or the older guys in the local muso shop who would give me tips.

Edited March 24, 2021 by inthedoghouse

[TheGreek]

What really annoys me is when Geeetards pick up a bass and go through the motions of knocking out really bad slaplines - bad technique, bad tone and bad execution.

Geeetards who believe they can play bass just because they know a major scale and just play bits of lead with their thumb should be locked in a soundproof dungeon.

[Bassybert]

1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

Geeetards who believe they can play bass just because they know a major scale and just play bits of lead with their thumb should be locked in a soundproof dungeon.

What’s a major scale?

😁

Edited March 24, 2021 by Bassybert

[inthedoghouse]

30 minutes ago, Bassybert said:

What’s a major scale?

😁

I think it might be a dental term - I've heard people talk about a major scale and polish 🙂

[Reggaebass]

11 minutes ago, inthedoghouse said:

I think it might be a dental term - I've heard people talk about a major scale and polish 🙂

Or if you’re in a rush, the minor scale and polish 🙂

[SteveXFR]

I'll be honest, Id rather watch Davie 504 than Scott Devine. Scotts lessons are really boring (I tried them for a couple of months) his very rare videos where he talks about metal bassists contain a lot of what can only be described as bollocks and some say he has never finished a sentence without saying "holding down the low end" at least 8 times. 

[Reggaebass]

11 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I'll be honest, Id rather watch Davie 504 than Scott Devine

I’d rather watch Little Mix than either of them 😁

Edited March 24, 2021 by Reggaebass

[bubinga5]

Seems a little musically immature to knock the slap technique. Its just that, a technique. Its not their fault you don't like it. To accent what needs to be accented. Thats what, In my mind is what this elephant in the room needs to be seen as. A technique that bass players use for accents in the feeling of some music. 

 

This is only my opinion but I love the way Melvin uses slap on this record. The best thing I think is if your playing slap, people dont notice it too much within the context of a record.This is my musical taste of course. 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by bubinga5

[jazzburger]

 

6 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

Seems a little musically immature to knock the slap technique. Its just that, a technique. Its not their fault you don't like it. To accent what needs to be accented. Thats what, In my mind is what this elephant in the room needs to be seen as. A technique that bass players use for accents in the feeling of some music. 

This is only my opinion but I love the way Melvin uses slap on this record. The best thing I think is if your playing slap, people cant hear it within the context of a record. 

I agree bubinga5.  I've loved slap ever since I first heard it and if I lash my hard-earned money out on a bass rig, I'll slap the sh*t out of it as often as I like and put it on YouTube if I want.  If folks don't like slap, they don't have to play it, watch it, think about it or talk about it.  It's like the old "Top Gear is sh*t since Clarkson left" chant.  Switch the effing TV off then.

Slap isn't the be-all and end-all of bass playing - who ever said it was?  I hobbled my own abilities early on because all I did was slap - now, 35+ years on, I'm learning all over again, but that's my choice.  I like the subtle approach - like Melvin's here - but that's me screaming in the front row when Marcus plays "Teen Town".  Sorry slap-haters.

[chris_b]

5 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

I really like what he's doing here. I never doubted his advanced skills. Not trad slap but brilliantly done anyway and he's not doing all that 'slapp' challenge stuff.

 

I like this. I hear a more traditional bass line with riffs and a hook, rather than the disjointed circus bass slapping most "modern" slap players put up on YT. 

[xgsjx]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

I’d rather watch Little Mix than either of them 😁

Same here 😏

Though the best looker has left & the oompaloompa is looking dafter. 

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, bubinga5 said:

This is only my opinion but I love the way Melvin uses slap on this record. The best thing I think is if your playing slap, people dont notice it too much within the context of a record.This is my musical taste of course. 

 

Melvin Lee Davis is pure class. This isn't the kind of slap I dislike. It fits the song perfectly. 

[bubinga5]

Obnoxious ego driven slap bass playing. Me no like.

[Barking Spiders]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’d rather watch Little Mix than either of them 😁

But Duo Lipa kicks Little Mix's combined ar$3 😁

[xgsjx]

I thought she was named after 2 pints (Dual IPA). 

[Stub Mandrel]

29 minutes ago, xgsjx said:

I thought she was named after 2 pints (Dual IPA). 

I thought Little Mix were Irish persons of reduced stature...

[SteveXFR]

7 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’d rather watch Little Mix than either of them 😁

Fair although they're pleasant enough to watch, I just don't want to hear them. 

[Reggaebass]

6 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

Fair although they're pleasant enough to watch, I just don't want to hear them. 

Only joking Steve, although I am a member of the little mix fan club 😂

[Chewie]

I’ve noticed that sometimes people who don’t like slap bass have tried to do it and failed miserably.