What's Your Style: Tips and Techniques

[FamouSomeday]

Whether you are playing rock, punk, classical, funk, jazz, easy listening or any other style of music, everybody likes to hear a little bit of what I refer to as "soul" in there somewhere. It could be as quick and intricate as the slap bass lick in the middle of "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon or even just the way you play the songs of your favorite Emo band.

Well, if you're just starting out, you may not know how or what to do to give your style some flare. This thread is here to help and is dedicated to those of us who have already trudged through the sloppy slapping and muddy bass runs to find the techniques that give our playing a crisp and professional sound.

I decided to post this because I have learned a lot of what works for me and would like to share what I know but would also like to learn what others have mastered and would like to share with me. Please, if you have something to share or ask, don't be shy. We can always learn from each other! Thanks!

[FamouSomeday]

OK, so here's my first technique question.

When I learned to play slap bass, I was basically taught to just start with target practice. I've become relatively proficient with slap but I'm not sure if I am really doing it correctly. Does anybody have any tips?

[snufeldin]

I don't really play bass guitar, but I slap on the guitar. My advice is to go to victor wooten's site (how cliche of me). He has some lessons there that helped me figure out what he and other slap players are doing.

[FamouSomeday]

Cool. Thanks!

[Los Boleros]

For alittle influence from a different genre, listen to Cuban Son Viruoso, "Israel Cachao". The style of play is called Tumbao and plays alot on the up-beat. Extremely Groove oriented.

[tillystyle]

Victor Wootens site has some cool stuff but they're more his "patented" techniques and mainly geared around solo bass. Just work on being clean (palm muting and finger muting) you have to bring out the percussiveness of the riff. I see slap as 80% percussive and 20% melodic. If you know even a little theory you've got the melodic part; it's the percussive side that can hairy. It's all about timing. Get a drum machine or play with a drummer, the two of you, alone, and alot. Slap is generally an aggressive and fast technique, it's the accents (many use pops or plucks) and even more so the rests. With all that noise coming so fast it becomes more noticeable when your not playing. Choose your rests wisely and you'll create seemingly endless amounts of riffs and grooves (I amaze myself daily). Learn to dance with drummer, get comfortable at finding the holes. In my experience it always seems more difficult for a drummer to build his rythym around you than for you to build your rythym around him. It may seem ackward but once you get good at rythym jams it may seem more fun than anything else, at least it does for me sometimes. Anyhow that's about all i can say speed, control, and cleanliness. oh yes and write EVERYTHING down. every riff you even mildly enjoy, after six months compare the type of slap rythyms your pulling off. Stay aware of progress and forever be motivatated. Good luck

[Los Boleros]

Hey I actually found a nice video clip of Israel Cachao.

Cachao (http://www.salsasf.com/calle54/calle54_cachao.html)

I hope you enjoy this living Legend!

[live]

Hey Los Boleros!
Cool Videoclip - that's music I like a lot (since jazz, bossa, etc. gets a more and more important role for me!) !!!

live