Latest practice video! (day 12)
Bar 4 is off more often than the others. Still some timing issues overall but this is where I’m at as of this morning!
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Keep slappin’. Getting super close
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Great effort! Loving the bass too 
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Okay! Day 14! https://youtu.be/CqJz3oJ5YEg
This one is a bit longer as I give my thoughts about this challenge at the end of the video. It’s helpful to articulate those things while it’s fresh in my mind. I’ll re-iterate them here for anyone who wants to skip past that in the video.
Still some notes ghosting out on me, but my timing has much improved. I’m quite pleased with the progress on this!
What I learned:
I believe I was putting too much energy in my slap technique which made recovery time in between notes suffer. It also would contribute to overall tense-ness in my hand and I would have issues staying on time. Hand fatigue (in the fretting hand) can also become a problem here.
I always wondered why it looked like all these slappers slapped so easily and their hands weren’t going all over the place. Well, maybe not Victor Wooten but basic slap riffs looked easy and I couldn’t get why they weren’t easy for me to play. Now that I know to use smaller motions and just enough energy to get the note, I think my slapping technique will continue to improve.
Taking this 4 bar challenge and repeating it frequently in small sessions really helped enforce the muscle memory and allow the body time to rest and incorporate better technique with each attempt. I need to apply that approach more often in my 50 Songs attempts. That Clash song really exposed some weaknesses in wanting to finish a song in a short time-frame. More time, more practice, more rest, more better!
I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it at first but I knew some slap stuff was coming my way soon in the 50 Songs, so I felt this a necessary detour.
While I need more work on these 4 bars, I can certainly see the improvements and I think this is exactly what Josh was going for in this. Thanks again to @JoshFossgreen for putting this forward to the community! It’s also been excellent watching others along the way.
One thing Josh could improve:
I was hoping to download the backing track to insert it into GarageBand. I did not see a way to do this.
Since I could not figure that out, I went over to Windows where I could just play the track in a browser window and have OBS pick it up that way. I’ve captured desktop audio on Mac before in OBS but I was having trouble there as well so I jumped to MS.
Finally, I can let my JINO bass shine with excellent slapitude! (slapping aptitude…did I just invent a new word?) Now back to the 50 Songs, I’ve got some Pink Floyd to nail!
Pizza man out! 
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Me too. I feel like I peaked at day 10. I think I need a few days off then get back at it again.
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Way to go Pizza Man!
You should be, Listened to your day 1 again for a reference, and you came a long way! I enjoyed your thoughts and analysis too, all very relatable. I like this “14 day” model. It’s short enough to stick to, but long enough to make noticeable progress.
+1 Yeah, I had to do something hokey stuff to get it into Reaper. So downloadable tracks at different BPMs (100, 120, 132) would be amazing.
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Thanks man!
I admire your tenacity with the fretless! Your progress was great to see as well. It definitely sounds better on the fretted bass , but I love the alternative path you’ve put yourself on in this challenge!
Also agree on having different tempo back tracks to work with!
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Dang @cheeze_pizza
That’s fantastic! Well done.
I think the more comfortable you get the more funk/stank will show through.
You’ve got the mechanics down, now have damn fun with it!!!
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Funky stanky goodness man!
Great job @dlamson13
I like both the pops and slaps better. A bit more ringing on each slap too from the frets.
That said, you could be that famous guy who slaps fretless and be a thing all by itself.
Bravo!
I can’t wait to be able to attack this challenge.
Hand is meh, sax is easier, bass hurts quicker. I thinks another round of “doc, I think you got this all wrong is coming up”.
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I noticed this too, but I just ended up playing to a metronome for the first week.
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I feel the exact same. Of my five favorite bands only one slaps. But when he slaps he SLAPS and I have the hardest time figuring it out with tech and timing. But this exercise has really helped understand a lot of that. So hopefully I’ll be able to do a covers with more slap in them now.
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Thanks John!
That is so frustrating, I’m sure. Can’t wait until you’re back in action bringing that funk. The thread will still be here.
Yeah, and I really have to slap the crap out of the fretless to get the notes to ring out as much as they did.
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Nice, looking forward to that! I started looking at Michael Jackson’s “Get on the Floor” which used to baffle me even when I’d stare at the tabs, but it makes more sense now after this.
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Here is my after. Wish I had more time this week to dial it in better.
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Another unforeseen benefit of this challenge is that it motivated me to patch the hole in my wall and install a door stop. Seriously, what a powerful exercise!
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Excellent! Love the bright sounds on your bass and slapping a fiver to boot! Great work.
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Before you know it you’ll be building a bass shed!!! Great work on the challenge dude!
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Hi, I think everyone who finished did a great job. Super progress on everyone. I have to honestly admit that “life” has taken up a bit of my time the past week and I haven’t been able to play as much as I would like, but I’m finished, so I can post a video. 
By the way, is there a live event today and is it for everyone?
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Hey everyone,
I wholeheartedly agree with @Johnnyb that “everyone who finished did a great job. Super progress on everyone.”
For me, I’m fully aware that playing this without the backing track is a mini-cheat - and my rhythm and muting and technique… there’s a lot to be done. At the same time, like I wrote above in my video post, I’m pleasantly surprised by the progress I made. And, it feels like an improvement to be able to hear and feel the mistakes and still have fun and the drive to improve further.
Coming up, I’ll play a Christmas gig in December and need to focus on that. After slapping for two weeks, finger style feels odd. 
But I will never go back to “before the slap challenge of 2023.”
Thanks @JoshFossgreen!
Cheers everyone,
Antonio
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Good job on the patch and door stop. You get +1 on your DIY card. 
I almost didn’t record my progress today because I fixed the storm shutters and have dried PU foam all over my fingers. Still, I feel like my room is quieter and less draughty. 
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