Play Slap Bass

Beginning to learn the Slap Bass? This article provides a brief introduction as to what you should do.
You will be using your thumb (to slap) and index or middle finger (to pop). A pop (sometimes pluck) is when you slide your chosen finger slightly underneath the string and pull it away from the fretboard. This should produce a nice twangy sound.

Steps

  1. Keep your hand perpendicular to the strings and your thumb at a 50-60 degree angle with the string you're slapping. You will need to have your arm at a particular angle. Think of a traditional scarecrow with rigid upper arms. This may ache after a long period of playing, but you'll get used to it.
  2. Remember, it's all in the wrist. For a basic slap exercise, you can slap and pop an octave - an octave is 2 frets up and 2 strings up. Play an octave with your first and third fingers on your left hand.
  3. First, to position your right hand. You need your thumb parallel to the string, (let's use the E string first).
  4. Now, using a hitch hiker or flopping fish action, bring your thumb down slowly and hit the string, when you hit the string try to hit the bottom half of it, the bottom of your thumb should end up on the next string.
  5. Keep practicing that action until you get good hits, the ideal sound is a solid thump.
  6. Now, try adding some popping to the technique. Popping is where you pull up on the string.
  7. With either your middle or index finger, (which ever is most comfortable) put your finger underneath the string let's use the G string, pull up your finger until the string eventually snaps back down on the fretboard.
  8. Now let's try putting both of those into one technique:

    S   P   S   P   S   P   S   P
G|------9-------9-------9-------9-|
D|--------------------------------|
A|--7-------7-------7-------7-----|
E|--------------------------------|

Variation 

    S   P   S   P   S   P   S   P
G|------5-------6-------7-------8-|
D|--------------------------------|
A|--3-------4-------5-------6-----|
E|--------------------------------|



Tips

  • Check out some good slap bass artists: Toshiya from Dir en Grey (listen to Different Sense or Lotus), Les Claypool from Primus, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fieldy from Korn, Mark King of Level 42, Stanley Clarke, Louis Johnson, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham and Emma Anzai from Sick Puppies.
  • Slapping and popping always sounds good in octaves but that doesn't mean you can ONLY play it in octaves.
  • Play as much as possible to develop a callous on your thumb and popping finger. Your fingers will hurt at first, but you'll get used to it.
  • If you want a real slap bass challenge, try 'The Awakening' by the Reddings. If you want a moderate challenge try the song 'Blackeyed Blonde' by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, an easy slap bass challenge would be 'Undisclosed Desires' by Muse.
  • When you slap, take your thumb off the string straight after hitting it. Otherwise you will not make a sound!
  • To further your bass technique, try playing it over a drum backing track.
  • An easy way to remember the order of strings is:
    • Eddy
    • Always
    • Drinks
    • Guinness

Warnings

  • This article assumes that you are right-handed.
  • If your thumb becomes sore, stop playing for a day or two. If you keep on using it (especially Flea's style of slapping) you'll start to wear a painful hole in your thumb. If this happens, put Crazy Glue in the hole, then wrap some electric or athletic tape around your thumb and allow it to heal.
  • While popping, be careful not to pull the strings too hard. Otherwise you'll be spending a lot on retuning strings each time (bass strings are very different compared to guitar strings).

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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