Basic Fingerstyle straight to Advanced Slap

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All

I've been playing about a year, mainly learning from CD/courses with some lessons upfront to get the very basics right.

I finished the first course - took around 15 weeks. This was 90% fingerstyle (1 chapter on slap), taking you through various styles. I was playing fairly well by the end, although relatively simple stuff.

I then when straight onto a advanced slap course - mainly because I like the style and fancied the challenge :-0 It's been a really struggle - the tempo of the exercises is pretty fast, and some complex timings and techniques - left hand slap etc.

I figured even if I can't play the advanced slap stuff very well, at least it will help with finger strength, fretting, reach, technique etc. The trouble is, it's a really slog - its taken me 6 months to get through the basic section.

Was this a tactical error? Should I have perfected fingerstyle first, then gone onto slap? Or will it all come good with enough practice (which is my hope). At the moment, my playing is way off the pro on the CD....

Neil

[Mikey D]

It depends what your goal is.

If you want to be a working bassist, or even play in a band. Chances are you won't play slap that much, if at all. If you are doing it for purely personal reasons and enjoy it fine, but learning slap should not be the be all end all.

I spent far too much of my youth 'perfecting' the advanced slap techniques, and to be honest, it was a waste of time that I wish I could have back. Apart from a few mates who may be impressed, and having a few flash licks, I haven't really ever used it. I also haven't really played slap in about 1 1/2 years now, apart from a few pops and slaps here and there in a r&b/pop type function band I play in.

I can think of 10's if not 100's of things you could be better of doing to improve your finger strength, reach, technique etc...bass playing in general.

Tell us what you aspire to do with your playing and I am sure quite a few people on here can suggest a few things.

Also I just want to say that tempo should not be an issue. Start as slow as you can bear and when you can do it correctly, play it a little faster, never speed up until it is secure when playing it slower, and before you know it you are doing it as fast as needed.

But at the end of the day you need to do what makes you happy and keeps you passionate about your playing.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Mikey D