Slapping (music)

In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different though related playing techniques usually on the double bass and on the (electric) bass guitar.

Double bass

On double bass it refers to the technique that is a more vigorous version of pizzicato where the string is plucked so hard that when released, it bounces off the finger board, making a distinctive sound. A percussive sound is also made by smacking the strings with all four fingers on the right hand, usually in time with the snare drum. Notable slap style double bass players have included Bill Johnson, Wellman Braud, Pops Foster, Jimbo Wallace, Kim Nekroman, Milt Hinton, Scott Owen, and Lee Rocker.

Slapping the bass is a technique used by many hillbilly bands since at least the 1920s and came into popular use in the 1940s. Slap bass provides a strong downbeat when the string is plucked and a strong back beat when it slaps back onto the fingerboard of the bass. It creates a very percussive sound and adds a lot of drive that is particularly good for dance music.

Slap bass was used by Western Swing and Hillbilly Boogie musicians, and became an important component of an early form of rock and roll that combined what was then called hillbilly music, and blues, a musical style now referred to as rockabilly.

The technique inspired the George and Ira Gershwin song, "Slap That Bass"

Bass guitar

On bass guitar it usually refers to a technique that consists of hitting the string with the thumb of the strumming hand near the base of the guitar's neck, often combined with snapping the strings usually with the index or middle finger of the same hand, (the latter more specifically called "popping", i.e. "slapping and popping"). Some bassists use other fingers of the strumming hand to achieve this sound, such as bassist Abraham Laboriel, Sr., who conversely uses his thumb to pop the strings, and his other four fingers to slap the strings. The invention of slap is generally credited to Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham; Graham has stated in several interviews that he was trying to emulate the sound of a drum set after the band he used to play in with his mother had lost its drummer.

However, many funk bassists do not use the technique at all. (see for example Jaco Pastorius, Francis 'Rocco' Prestia of Tower of Power, Bernard Edwards of Chic, Paul Jackson of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters)

The unique sound of the slapping technique comes from the string hitting the fretboard with high force, and gives a much more percussive sound than regular fingering of notes with the strumming hand. The sound is also usually louder and more distinct than the sound of a bass guitar played using the usual plucking techniques. This feature combined with the fact that a bass guitarist using the slapping technique often looks and sounds appealing to the general public has contributed to the popularity of the technique both with players and listeners.

Variants

There are numerous variants of the slapping technique, which extend the basic actions by including other percussive strumming techniques, such as adding hammered notes, and repeating slap and pop patterns to effectively produce the equivalent of a drumroll on the bass guitar (see Victor Wooten).

A 'slap and pop'-related playing technique involves using the Funk fingers invented by world-renowned bass player Tony Levin.

Examples

Some bass guitar players known for their use of slapping in their playing , with notable bands and/or artists they have worked with:

• Guy Pratt (The Orb, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour)
• Marshall Grant (Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three)
• Fieldy (Korn)
• Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Mike DeMasi (Solo Artist)
• Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Prince)
• Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson)
• Stuart Zender (Formerly in Jamiroquai)
• Stanley Clarke (solo artist, Return to Forever, Chick Corea)
• Marcus Miller (solo artist, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Luther Vandross)
• Doug Wimbish (Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Living Colour, Mick Jagger)
• Les Claypool (solo artist, Primus)
• Mike Gordon (Phish)
• Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
• Dirk Lance (Formerly in Incubus)
• Mark King (Level 42)
• John Norwood Fisher (Fishbone)
• Tony Kanal (No Doubt)
• P-Nut (311)
• Bootsy Collins (solo artist, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Funkadelic, Parliament, Praxis)
• Victor Wooten (solo artist, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones)
• Wesley Hopkins (solo artist, Global shell)
• Roger Solari (solo artist, Frank Solari, Billy Cobham)
• Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, Secret Chiefs 3, Trevor Dunn's Trio-convulsant, David Krakauer)
• Geddy Lee (Rush)
• Stu Hamm (solo artist, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and others)
• Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band and others)
• Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Metallica)

Some songs with prominent bass playing using the slapping technique:

• Graham Central Station - Hair (bass by Larry Graham on the 1973 'Graham Central Station' album)
• Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor (bass by Louis Johnson on the 1979 'Off the Wall' album)
• Jamiroquai - Alright (bass by Stuart Zender on the 1996 'Travelling Without Moving' album)
• King Crimson - Sleepless (bass by Tony Levin on the 1984 Three of a Perfect Pair album)
• 311 - What Was I Thinking (bass by P-Nut on the 1997 'Transistor' album)
• The Brothers Johnson - Stomp! (bass solo by Louis Johnson on the 1980 'Light Up the Night' album)
• Stanley Clarke - Silly Putty (bass by Stanley Clarke on the 1975 'Journey to Love' album)
• Phish - Weekapaug Groove (bass by Mike Gordon on the 1999 live album 'Hampton Comes Alive')
• Incubus - Certain Shade of green ,Speak Free (bass by Dirk Lance on the 1995 'Fungus Amongus' album)
• Sugarhill Gang - Funk Box (bass by Doug Wimbish on the 1982 '8th Wonder' album)
• Level 42 - Love Games (bass by Mark King on the 1981 Level 42 album)
• David Sanborn - Run for Cover (bass by Marcus Miller on the 1981 'Voyeur' album)
• Fishbone - Bonin' in the Boneyard (bass by John Norwood Fisher on the 1988 'Truth and Soul' album)
• No Doubt - BND (bass by Tony Kanal on the 1992 'No Doubt' album)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Get Up and Jump, Higher Ground (bass by Flea on the 1989 'Mother's Milk' album - Stevie Wonder cover)
• Primus - Tommy The Cat (bass by Les Claypool on the 1991 'Sailing The Seas Of Cheese')
• Mr. Bungle - My ass Is On Fire (bass by Trevor Dunn on the 1991' Mr. Bungle (album))
• Queen - Cool Cat (bass by John Deacon, on the album 'Hot Space'; one of the only songs in which he used this technique).

See also

• Bass guitar

External links

• Free Slap Bass Video Tutorial
• Slap Lessons from BerkleeShares
• Slapping Bass Video Lesson