Vistajohn Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 So, I've played bass for quite a while now. But, I have never mastered using my thumb as in "thumb and popping". I was watching a video lesson on the bass channel www.bassplayer.tv/ and watching this guy describe how to use your thumb and then pop with your finger. So, when I use my thumb I always seem to hit the string which will hit the fret board. Espically if I use any sort of attack to get some punch out of the sound. I have been practicing,and I realize "practice makes perfect" and I can almost make it work but ... My questions are, should the action be a little high to avoid the string banging the fretboard? Should the sound on the amp be turned up so you would need less of an "attack" when hitting the string and need less of a hit? I am playing a couple of "funk" type songs and I know this is the technique that I should be using. Thanks for any suggestions. PS> If you check out the video, (slap & pop 1 & 2) the teacher has a nasty "curl" to his right hand thumb, its amazing. I can barely keep my thumb straight! Would trying to curl my thumb help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 Having the action high enough so that the strings don't buzz against the frets (or fretboard if it's a fretless) under normal playing is fine. There's not much need to raise it higher than that. Otherwise, you'll find it difficult to slap and pop the strings. The strings will hit the fretboard when you slap and pop. That's part of the sound. You don't really need to curl your slapping thumb too much, but make sure it's rigid enough. That way, you'll have better contact with the strings. A curl that's too stiff will end up cramping your thumb and the surrounding muscles. As far as amp volume, it doesn't need to be much louder than usual. You can either use a volume boost, or if the speaker makes some nasty pops, some compression might be in order to keep the dynamics manageable. I'd just try to balance the volume, so that only your picking technique needs to change, without adding more volume or compression. Using more of the pickup closest to the neck in a 2 pickup bass seems to enhance the slap and pop sounds. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 The strings slapping against the frets is part of the sound! Keep practicing and keep watching how other folks do it (well, make that other folks who do it well), and you'll get it. Look for YouTube clips on Bill "The Buddha" Dickens, Flea, Larry Graham, Victor Wooten...that should be enough to get you going for quite a while! Don't equate funk with slap though...I've heard some awefully unfunky slappers and there are plenty of guys who can bring the mojo groove with fingerstyle. Rocco Prestia immediately comes to mind here...check out some old Tower Of Power, Rocco Prestia's solo record "Everybody on the Bus", and The Strokeland Superband for some Rocco-style finger-funk groovy goodness. HTH, Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 Don't try to curl your thumb. Just put your hand in a position like you are going to hitchhike. However the thumb points is fine. The technique doesn't really come from the thumb...it comes from the wrist. Your wrist should be "rubbery". The strings are supposed to hit the fingerboard. You could have the action as low as you want. In fact, if you were only going to slap and never play fingerstyle, you'd never have to worry about buzzing. Since I switch techniques all the time, in some ways the action on my bass is a compromise....I'd like it higher for finger playing and lower for slapping. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Since I switch techniques all the time, in some ways the action on my bass is a compromise....I'd like it higher for finger playing and lower for slapping. Ditto that. Wouldn't it be nice if there were some sort of bridge with a lever that allowed you to raise and lower the action between two different "presets", while keeping the strings in tune in either position? Kind of like the hipshot detuners...you tune the E-string to say E in one position and D in the other...similar idea, but have it actually raise the action at the bridge. Seems like it would be technically do-able...it would probably weight a ton and be an absolute PITA to get intonation right though. Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vistajohn Posted March 22, 2007 Author Share Posted March 22, 2007 Thanks for the replys. Those two questions were always in the back of my mind, so to speak. Now that I know it's not necessary to raise the strings or increase the volume I can get back to practicing! And a 1 and a 2.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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