Slap that Bass

By: James Duclos

Do you ever want to get that true funk sound out of your bass, like Flea from the Chili Peppers or Feildy from Korn? This article will teach you step-by-step how to play that funky percussive sound on your bass guitar, or what is known as slap bass. This style of playing is closely related to the pizzicato technique used by orchestral string players, but has become increasingly popular over the years.

Slap bass was invented by Mr. Larry Graham while he was playing with Sly and the Family Stone. Graham was trying to emulate a percussive sound because his band had lost their drummer. Today, slappin’ and poppin’ is used by many (if not all) bassists at some point. The slap style is usually played in funk bands like Parliament Funkadelic (Bassist – Bootsie Collins) and The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Bassist – Flea). Other greats of slap bass include – Les Claypool (Primus), Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, and Stanley Clarke.

The big difference between slap bass and any other style is that when you play, you play with enough force that the strings come back and smack the fret board. That is where you get the appropriately named “slap” and “pop” sound.

The Slap

To create a “slap” sound, first put your hands together like you are going to pray. Notice where your thumbs are touching each other. If your hands are shaped like a normal person, then they should be touching at the joints. The thumb joint is the part that will be hitting the string when you are slapping. Now, to get the correct motion for the “slap,” pretend you have a cup of water and you are pouring it on your right thigh. Pay special attention to the swivel motion of your wrist. Drop the “glass” and make your hand completely flat with your palm facing your bass. If it is more comfortable, you can curl your fingers in, but do not curl your thumb. Complete the swivel motion again like you are pouring another glass of water on your thigh and hit the string of your choice with the joint of your thumb (which we talked about earlier). It will be easier to start out with a lower string like the E string. When you can get a good “slap” sound going, move on to popping.

The Pop

Now that you have mastered the “slap,” the popping part is a little easier. If you already slap with your fingers curled in, this will not take much to get used to. To “pop,” you will take your pointer or middle finger and lift up the string (usually D or G strings). Then, let go, much like shooting a bow and arrow into your stomach with one finger. You will need to lift up on the string enough to cause it to “slap” against the fret board as you let it go.

Practice these two techniques and use them separately or together. Once you become comfortable with slapping and popping, you can start to play some really funky grooves, just like all of your favorite bass players.