only technique

caterpillaa · Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2002 11:04 am Post subject: only technique

Hey all, i'm new here, so i don't know if this has already been answered. This is my 12th year playing piano, 9th playing violin, 3rd playing guitar, and...well i just started bass. So i know how to read music, know all about scales (except for blues stuff, thats a new genre to me) anyway i know all the musical stuff about how bass is supposed to sound. I just dont know how to do it! I don't want to buy lesson books, or videos (tried that for guitar and ended up relearning everythign i'd taught myself). I'd just like a little explanation as to HOW to make the music. slapping, popping, anything else i might need to know....thanx!
-Lauren

pereek · Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2002 10:50 am Post subject: only technique

rite then...
basically anything you need to know about theroy or some sheet music for you is at:
http://www.libster.com/

ok the general stuff:
if your used to guitar fingering wont be a problem, just the bigger frets and the fact its like soloing on a guitar, bassists hardley ever strum.
I'm assuming your right handed (just reverse it if your not). Right hand is the picking hand, most bassist use their first 2 fingers (index and middle) to pluck, bassically hit a string and let your finger fall onto the string below it, get the hang of that, get used to changing strings then start playing, bassically play everything you can get your hands on.

THE SLAP:
with the thumb of your right hand flick the wrist and hit the string you want to hit (might sound easy but hitting the right string is pretty hard to start with) to get the perfect sound it sould have a twag of a sound and ring out.

THE POP:
index finger of right hand goes under the string and pull out away from the body of the bass, hits against the neck and makes again a funky twag. Very good when you put the slap and pop togther (red hot chilli peppers- areoplane)

Build up your speed (in left hand) with some good metal riffs, i find that best. Maybe some slayer or metalica

Builing up speed in right hand essentially play some reasonable paced stuff then maybe go onto something like prowler by iron maiden, fast bit in the middle.

Anything else just ask

caterpillaa · Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2002 1:14 pm Post subject: only technique

thanx for the info...however, is it more difficult to do that on a fretless bass? i have a bass taht is supposed to have frets but the guy who had it before me took them out.

-Lauren

pereek · Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2002 1:39 pm Post subject: only technique

quote:
Originally posted by caterpillaa:
thanx for the info...however, is it more difficult to do that on a fretless bass? i have a bass taht is supposed to have frets but the guy who had it before me took them out.

-Lauren

thats called de fretting
yea thats a bummer. Hopefully if he took them of there will still be fret lines so you can tell where to put fingers?
I once played on a de fretted bass and you can still slap and pop, just gotta slap slighty harder. Fretless basses make your fingers stronger

caterpillaa · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2002 6:52 am Post subject: only technique

yeah its not that bad though, bass strings are so big that you could be slightly off the mark and not even notice...it's a lot easier to deal with after learning how to play violin where you have to be in exactly the right place without even having marks! But yeah i still can't get the slappin to work...haha it looks like something gnawed at the tips of my fingers

pereek · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2002 11:09 am Post subject: only technique

quote:
Originally posted by caterpillaa:
yeah its not that bad though, bass strings are so big that you could be slightly off the mark and not even notice...it's a lot easier to deal with after learning how to play violin where you have to be in exactly the right place without even having marks! But yeah i still can't get the slappin to work...haha it looks like something gnawed at the tips of my fingers

Oh fingers :S i got some blisters at mo
remeber with slapping the flick of the wrist is the key thing, need to get the thumb of the strings quickly so the note rings

caterpillaa · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2002 11:42 am Post subject: only technique

yeh my prob is being loose about it i think.I can't get my right hand to ever be loose b/c i use it so much, my left hand is such a better musician hehe. yeah and my right hand thumb is kind of retarded b/c i jammed it so much when i was younger, so it wont stretch out all the way or something, i duno i think it adds to my hand/wrist being tight. it poses problems for piano too grr...maybe i just need 2 left hands

pereek · Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2002 11:13 am Post subject: only technique

quote:
Originally posted by caterpillaa:
yeh my prob is being loose about it i think.I can't get my right hand to ever be loose b/c i use it so much, my left hand is such a better musician hehe. yeah and my right hand thumb is kind of retarded b/c i jammed it so much when i was younger, so it wont stretch out all the way or something, i duno i think it adds to my hand/wrist being tight. it poses problems for piano too grr...maybe i just need 2 left hands

maybe forget slapping then . you dont wanna damage yourself or anything. Work on the other things more

Josh · Tadpole Joined: 27 Sep 2002 Posts: 24

Don't slap if you have no frets.