I really suck at slapping. After working really hard at it for about a year, I can finally play that silly part of spooky scary skeletons. I was never able to do the bounce slap like Josh teaches because you have to have your bass up high to have your thumb angled up, which means the neck is further away…always felt like I was holding a rifle. I hold my bass low and vertical-ish, so downthumb or rest stroke are the only 2 that work for me. I still have a very hard time getting a good tone out of the G and D strings. Another challenge I faced is that I don’t have a bony protrusion on my thumb knuckle…my thumb is consistent width, which makes slapping without hitting other strings tough. Initially, I “cheated” by using a thumb ring, which was very helpful.
But the bottom line is that unless you intend on playing funk or in a RHCP cover band, you don’t NEED to slap. It really is its own thing. It takes a ton of time to be able to get accurate and you have to deal with the calluses. Don’t let the slap module stop you from completing the course. Its totally normal to feel frustrated and inadequate the first time through the slap module.
I suck at it; only a few of my favorite artists slap at all (and are mostly local musicians like Kiyoshi and F-Chopper); also, the styles I want to play don’t fit with it.
But I am still glad I learned it and did the slap lessons, simply because it’s fun
There’s a very small slap section on the A string in Rosanna by Toto (according to the tab I’m using) and I just pluck it. I’ve tried again with the slap instructions, but it seems I can only get a decent slap on the open E. Still, the song sounds okay without having to slap.
I can’t seem to get any decent tone. Watched a hundred tutorials on YouTube and still can’t get it. Haven’t quite made it to the slap lessons in B2B but I will give it a go, maybe something will click this time (doubt it). Wish I could figure it out, there’s so many killer slap lines I’d love to learn. I figure there’s enough to play outside of slap that it isn’t an essential skill to become a proficient player.
Slap/tap can make some pretty awesome sounds though
You aren’t alone in not getting slap down immediately, it happened to me as well- and I’m quite certain it happens to a lot of folks.
So, shape up that eq to get slap happy. roll to that front pickup and try slapping right at the heel of the fingerboard. in fact, try slapping right ON the end of the fingerboard.
Everyone learns at their own pace, and yours is right for you. I promise you that if you put in the practice, you’ll find it.
Good luck, and keep on thumping!
I know I’m raising this conversation from the grave, but yeah, I just skipped this module. I finished the first two lessons, but by the third lesson I was just overwhelmed by how much I didn’t care about this right now.
Maybe down the road, I will crave instruction on this technique, but that day is not today. When the day comes, I know where to go.
I think slap sounds good… Mostly in funk and I think it should be kept there. Korn, rhcp, and Mudvayne have cool slap riffs that are worth learning probably, But I feel like 95% of the time it’s used as a tacky gimmick.
It’s harder with the loose tension - you don’t get as sharp and tight of a sound.
But it is definitely possible.
Worst short scales for slapping are the vintage fender varietals with their target on big, low, warm sounds (mustangs, etc).
There are killer newer custom shops that make little short scales that can still deliver a punch.
And the new mustangs with the jazz pickup in the back sound OK too.
But yes - in general, that long scale length and tight string tension is foundational to the most common/canonical slap sound.
