Idiot-Proof Beginner Slap Bass (Every F**king Detail You Need to Get Started)

[Koldunya]

I am having all these problems lol. I think I’ll wait until Module 13… and even if I sorta manage it, the other strings are ringing all over the place or I just outright touch them XD It’s like I suddenly have no idea how to mute strings. I am going super slow and have absolutely no accuracy on the initial strike using “thumbs up” and no matter what I do, as soon as I start fretting I just get harmonics. For the first time I actually find myself being frustrated; this is going to be a very slow technique for me to learn

Edit I should add, the action on my bass is low, too.

Edit 2 Well, after just a few minutes I was nailing the opening strain to Pearl Jam’s Jeremy slap-style about 40-50% of the time. So my spirits are back up lol. As far as the thumb ring, to my knowledge the ones that use one do so for the tone itself.

[Koldunya]

@Old_WannaBe

I use a pretty high angle for my bass, so the thumb up technique is pretty impossible. Using thumb down technique I am very sloppy, can’t get a good note sound (either just a thud or harmonics) and tend to bash the other strings. Most of these problems are solved using a thumb ring. Thoughts on use of thumb ring?

Okay, so I really went into this for 10 minutes or so and things just started to gel. I still need work on the D and G strings, but I’m pretty confident on the E and A strings, now. My knuckles of the slapping hand do even brush the other strings, but it was like my muting suddenly went “oh, this is how we do” and I was mostly just getting the notes I wanted to on the frets I wanted to.

However, the neck pickup on my Schecter is too close to the neck, and just in the right place for the joint/knuckle right there at the palm to hit the edge/corner of it so I need to adjust even more, or just slap on a bass with the neck pickup further back (it’s “3 fingers” away on my Stiletto)

[eric.kiser]

@Old_WannaBe

Most of these problems are solved using a thumb ring.

What is this “thumb ring” you speak of?

[MC-Canadastan]

@eric.kiser

What is this “thumb ring” you speak of?

*One Ring to bass them all, One Ring to funk them, One Ring to get them down and in the darkness slap them"

[eric.kiser]

@MC-Canadastan

*One Ring to bass them all, One Ring to funk them, One Ring to get them down and in the darkness slap them"

Nice.

[MC-Canadastan]

Actually, @eric.kiser , Wojtek Pilichowski uses electrical (?) tape:

[Old_WannaBe]

Thumbring

[Koldunya]

I think that’s to protect his thumb from damage? Someone on TalkBass mentioned a few people that did the same for that reason. I don’t know if this person’s name came up or not, now that I type this all out…