I've been playing for 42 years and have bought a lot of music books and watched a lot of videos and this is by far the best video I've ever seen. Thank you!!! I am now following your channel !!!
Wow 63 years old. Tried to learn slap but life got in the way early in life and had to put the Bass aside. Sold my old Fender and that was life. Came across your video surfing TH-cam and wow again, I wish I had this when I was young. Thanks for sharing your art and passion. Cheers
Thanks for the great video. As a gigging bassist it took me a while tonunderstand that slap bass has its place: 50% at home, 20% at the soundcheck and 2% during the actual performance. 😁
Marcus Miller created some great bass lines on many Luther Vandross classic ballads using thumping (slap) and plucking. It's definitely an artform that takes a very skilled and disciplined musician to properly employ.
Thank you for your great teaching style. Straightforward - & you include so many stylistic hints. I’m new to bass but having a great time. You inspire me to keep at it!
Hearing Mark King with Level 42 first time in the early 80s was sort of a revelation for me. 😮 Mark started off as a drummer before picking up the bass, and that‘s what slapping really is: a fusion of bass and percussion. 🎉
Where have you been all my life?! I've searched bass tutorials for the past year that I've been trying to step up my bass game and only now you've randomly showed up in my feed, and I'm glad it did! I really enjoyed how in your other slap video, you broke down the techniques from super simple, and slowly went up to more complicated ones. Other videos I've watched didn't quite do that. Really enjoying your content so far, and looking forward to more.
Great video Travis! I've been slapping since the 90s and I can confirm for new players: • practicing SLOW is crucial. You'll be surprised how quickly you will get your speed up by starting every new technique slow and clean • you absolutely will irritate the snot out of everyone within earshot when you practice slapping. That's just how it goes.
Yo bro, the stuff you're teaching show you're a mature musician and they all make good musical sense. It's seldom that a guru like yourself come by conveniently to demonstrate these content appropriately. Keep it up man. You're doing alright!
Great video! One tip for new bassists here. If you're finding that no matter how hard you come down, your hammer-ons aren't producing much, if any, sound, your bass' action (the distance between your strings and fretboard) may be too high. Consider taking it to a professional for an adjustment.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge … lately I’ve been drawn to bass guitar … not sure if it’s because I’m older (in my 60s now) or I just realized how much I love R&B, jazz and gospel … it’s December 2024, but in 2025 I think I’m gonna pick up the bass guitar and learn to play it (watching your videos, of course) … and you are the inspiration for that … I like your teaching style … your overall vibe as a human being … and of course you as a great bass player. Just wanted to comment and let you know and thank you again for your past videos and your future ones - I look forward to them. As yes, I have subscribed to your channel!
Thank you! Your videos are very helpful. I play in a sort of classic rock jam band that wants to get more funky and this is going to help me a lot. Much appreciated.
Superb lesson and video production man!! You bring a detailed analysis to things that's rare. The thump&pop on one string -- for me that's an easier way than double thumb to get some fast notes (and I wonder if that isn't how Larry Graham did it sometimes -- Release Yourself? come on now). I've never done this enough in a gig setting to really sort out the tone and volume settings. Seems to me that slap needs a lot louder setting than what I use for finger style, both because I play hard and also don't like a too-bright tone when playing w fingers. And slap sounds bad if you're honking on it too hard b/c the volume ain't there. I'd like to know to what extent the ace players count on a compressor or just have a volume/tone that requires dialing way back when playing w fingers.
Yo, thanks for showing me how to get into the world of kings like Victor and Marcus. I've watched so many of their videos all the way from Ethiopia, and it's sick that you've given me a way to groove just like them.
Hi Travis, I think not only the right strings add to your tone, but I think string height and action has a lot to do with overall tone. I find these two are not even talked about or mention on some of the slap videos online.😊
Hey Man i wanna thank you for all the craaazy good content you deliver here free for us!🤯 You are a Killer Bass Player and definetly one of the nicest Bass teachers on TH-cam!🔥 I
Great video! Perfect presentation of content without unnecessary ego fluff. So helpful. Question: during my practice, slap is really tearing up my fingers, any advice or tips?
Make sure to use the side of your thumb where the bone slightly pokes. If you start practicing this and don’t really have any calluses then it will be sore a little bit until you do.
One of the hardest tunes for me to slap on has always been "Lessons In Love" by Level 42. I have no idea how Mark King just keeps that thumb going consistently with the synth bass!
95% of the time, you don't need your tone controls. Which is why I stopped installing tone controls on the guitars and basses I build. It's always better to do it with your amp or mixer, so you get the purest signal to your DI-box. :) Giving my thumbs up for this video!
You need tone controls to dial in that awesome sound I would never let the mixer shape my tone my bass knob is cranked up to 3:00 so is my treble mid as needed 😊 that's that sound that's why your best Bass guitars have a 3 band EQ and switches..
hi Travies, can you create more content on application? esp on church P&W as i noticed you mentioned worship songs. nothing too showy, just simple slap grooves that brings up the energy and emphasize the groove i realise a lot of videos dnt teach tht cause they r always way too busy showing how well they slap
Travis the main man !! excellent tutorial. Especially about when and when not to use it.Some songs might just need a pop on a cool part of the beat just for some flavor now and then. Other times pull the trigger just remember that your arsenal (stamina) better be fit for the longer songs lol I am a dinosaur bassist and at music school thumb bob was all the rage (Way to go Marcus ) and the bible for this technique from beginner and beyond is a book by Tony Oppenheim "slap it " get that down and then check out Charles Victor Marcus etc etc great job Travis we need more people like you passing the torch to others.
Travis- do you keep your forearm anchored on the same point on top of the bass? Or is your arm free floating? I’m having some string accuracy problems with my thumb.
Do you show some funky bass fills and what I call "runs"? Especially pentatonic fills between your constant riff. A great slap strings are Rotosound but they don't last very long. Ronald LePread bass player of the old group Commodores used these strings for years cause he got them free and would give me a few sets. Lenny Guice (rest his soul) road manager for the Commodores and many other great groupd actually taught me the fundamentals. Although Rotosounds sound good, they are rough on the fingers. After a tour, Ronald had no fingerprints, just corns. LOL
What I've come to learn is depending on the bass and strings to do some slaps you'll have to slap through the string instead of slapping it at the bottom of the fretboard
Gotta be honest, I almost clicked off because it annoys me when people say "whenever" instead of "when" ("whenever I was growing up" vs "when I was growing up"). However, this is one of the best bass videos I have ever seen. Congrats on the weight loss as well, I know it's hard but it's so worth it!
I don't play bass, hell, I don't even play any type of string instrument, but I was mesmerized and found this video extremely informative and entertaining. Thanks!
How critical is the location of the slap? What I mean is should the tip of the thumb always hit the base of the neck? I also slap and pop, but I never hit the base of the neck. Now that I see the way you do it, maybe I should do it that way too. Also I use ghost notes and never paid attention to myself when doing it. Thanks for the explanation and the demonstration.
Honestly, it’s really just a guideline more so then a “Have To” technique. By learning to slap closer to the neck, it helps you to develop good accurate slap technique to be able to slap where you want!
I have a question Travis I've been playing for a year and half now and I seem to have better speed using just my middle finger than I do using both middle and index finger is this normal I'm talking about faster tempo songs
I've been playing for 42 years and have bought a lot of music books and watched a lot of videos and this is by far the best video I've ever seen. Thank you!!! I am now following your channel !!!
42. 🤩
This was a great tutorial
Wow 63 years old. Tried to learn slap but life got in the way early in life and had to put the Bass aside. Sold my old Fender and that was life. Came across your video surfing TH-cam and wow again, I wish I had this when I was young. Thanks for sharing your art and passion. Cheers
This was very helpful. I’m a long time bassist, but I’ve never developed slap technique. I appreciate the guidelines and advice you have here.
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Thanks for the great video. As a gigging bassist it took me a while tonunderstand that slap bass has its place: 50% at home, 20% at the soundcheck and 2% during the actual performance. 😁
excellent video. play bass for 30 years now but never really slapped while I love the technique. Your video will be my starting point.
Thanks!
Marcus Miller created some great bass lines on many Luther Vandross classic ballads using thumping (slap) and plucking. It's definitely an artform that takes a very skilled and disciplined musician to properly employ.
Thank u for the comment and saying it's thumpin and pluckin
I'm more of a verdine fan
He Didn't create most of the bass lines with Luther, but he give them the right dynamics (articulation).
Thank you for your great teaching style. Straightforward - & you include so many stylistic hints. I’m new to bass but having a great time. You inspire me to keep at it!
Hearing Mark King with Level 42 first time in the early 80s was sort of a revelation for me. 😮
Mark started off as a drummer before picking up the bass, and that‘s what slapping really is: a fusion of bass and percussion. 🎉
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Yeah, that is exactly why Larry Graham started doing it. He was playing with his Mom in church and they didn't have a drummer.
Where have you been all my life?! I've searched bass tutorials for the past year that I've been trying to step up my bass game and only now you've randomly showed up in my feed, and I'm glad it did! I really enjoyed how in your other slap video, you broke down the techniques from super simple, and slowly went up to more complicated ones. Other videos I've watched didn't quite do that. Really enjoying your content so far, and looking forward to more.
Wow. Thanks you so much for that!
I can totally relate to that …
Needed this..I've been struggling with this technique and this made me want to get back at it with a new viewpoint. Thanks
This is my very first video of yours that I watched, and I am so excited to start implementing these techniques into my routine. Thank you so much!
Great video Travis! I've been slapping since the 90s and I can confirm for new players:
• practicing SLOW is crucial. You'll be surprised how quickly you will get your speed up by starting every new technique slow and clean
• you absolutely will irritate the snot out of everyone within earshot when you practice slapping. That's just how it goes.
Yo bro, the stuff you're teaching show you're a mature musician and they all make good musical sense. It's seldom that a guru like yourself come by conveniently to demonstrate these content appropriately. Keep it up man. You're doing alright!
Great video! One tip for new bassists here. If you're finding that no matter how hard you come down, your hammer-ons aren't producing much, if any, sound, your bass' action (the distance between your strings and fretboard) may be too high. Consider taking it to a professional for an adjustment.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge … lately I’ve been drawn to bass guitar … not sure if it’s because I’m older (in my 60s now) or I just realized how much I love R&B, jazz and gospel … it’s December 2024, but in 2025 I think I’m gonna pick up the bass guitar and learn to play it (watching your videos, of course) … and you are the inspiration for that … I like your teaching style … your overall vibe as a human being … and of course you as a great bass player. Just wanted to comment and let you know and thank you again for your past videos and your future ones - I look forward to them. As yes, I have subscribed to your channel!
WOW
Thanks so much Mr Travis Dykes.
I'm super grateful for this video you have put out.
GOD bless you richly in all you do.
Very cool 😎! Thank you for sharing 👍🏽 😊
Whoaaa ! So much to learn !!! 😍😍😍😍 Thanks Travis (from 🌍Paris / France )
Thank you! Your videos are very helpful. I play in a sort of classic rock jam band that wants to get more funky and this is going to help me a lot. Much appreciated.
Comprehensive and detailed lesson. Such a great teacher! Thanks so much and God bless you!
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
I'm a drummer who has just started learning bass in the past few months. Thanks for the great lesson!
Beautiful method of playing slap so easily . Always keep shining and stay blessed ❤️
You educated me very much in this one video. Need more videos like this. Thankyou.
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆👆 I got something special for you
Travis , your teaching is of an excellent flavor, unspoken tricks of the trade, thank you sir! 👍🏽
This has to be one best lessons I have seen with Slapping techniques. Thanks so much for sharing all these tips Travis, you’re the best. 🙏👍🏼
I appreciate you for watching 😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
The tips and little exercises are just Spot on!! Thanks very much!
Thanks for such an in-depth video. You have a great teaching style. I was engaged the whole time.
bro, your bass playing and weight are super so inspiring.. thanks for making your wonderful videos
I love your pro musician videos they inspire me to do better as a musician ❤
Nice and clear explanation and well demonstrated on the bass.
Superb lesson and video production man!! You bring a detailed analysis to things that's rare. The thump&pop on one string -- for me that's an easier way than double thumb to get some fast notes (and I wonder if that isn't how Larry Graham did it sometimes -- Release Yourself? come on now). I've never done this enough in a gig setting to really sort out the tone and volume settings. Seems to me that slap needs a lot louder setting than what I use for finger style, both because I play hard and also don't like a too-bright tone when playing w fingers. And slap sounds bad if you're honking on it too hard b/c the volume ain't there. I'd like to know to what extent the ace players count on a compressor or just have a volume/tone that requires dialing way back when playing w fingers.
Yo, thanks for showing me how to get into the world of kings like Victor and Marcus. I've watched so many of their videos all the way from Ethiopia, and it's sick that you've given me a way to groove just like them.
Hi Travis, I think not only the right strings add to your tone, but I think string height and action has a lot to do with overall tone. I find these two are not even talked about or mention on some of the slap videos online.😊
So that's how you teach slap, I've learned a lot from this lesson, excellent advice. Subscribed, thanks man
You're so amazing., the way you teach gives the envy to watch more. Thanks
Thank you so, so… much for this helpful and informative bass lesson bass player. 🙂
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆👆 I got something special for you
You are a very inspirational teacher to me and other's .I believe the beginners are learning alot from you.God bless you. YOU'LL AWSOME.
Great job. Can you comment on the way that bass neck feels? I am thinking about buying one.
Hey Man i wanna thank you for all the craaazy good content you deliver here free for us!🤯 You are a Killer Bass Player and definetly one of the nicest Bass teachers on TH-cam!🔥
I
Good Content bro. I’ve struggled to find proper slap technique breakdowns.
Thanks this video help a lot for newbie bass player 🎉 unlock slap 👋 bass
Great video! Perfect presentation of content without unnecessary ego fluff. So helpful.
Question: during my practice, slap is really tearing up my fingers, any advice or tips?
Make sure to use the side of your thumb where the bone slightly pokes. If you start practicing this and don’t really have any calluses then it will be sore a little bit until you do.
@@TravisDykes Thanks!
Keep up the great work.
Definitely hear the difference with the compressor on. The tone is smoother and deeper. Nice!
these are great practice tips! and an easy way to build from the ground up.
Thank you for the video because I am a beginner bass player and I want to take it to another level.😊
Thank u! This was so well done and I learned a lot. New sub!
One of the hardest tunes for me to slap on has always been "Lessons In Love" by Level 42. I have no idea how Mark King just keeps that thumb going consistently with the synth bass!
Thanks Travis. You’re always so giving!
Thanks Travis. I'm way past ready to go to the next level...
95% of the time, you don't need your tone controls. Which is why I stopped installing tone controls on the guitars and basses I build. It's always better to do it with your amp or mixer, so you get the purest signal to your DI-box. :) Giving my thumbs up for this video!
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
You need tone controls to dial in that awesome sound I would never let the mixer shape my tone my bass knob is cranked up to 3:00 so is my treble mid as needed 😊 that's that sound that's why your best Bass guitars have a 3 band EQ and switches..
hi Travies, can you create more content on application? esp on church P&W as i noticed you mentioned worship songs.
nothing too showy, just simple slap grooves that brings up the energy and emphasize the groove
i realise a lot of videos dnt teach tht cause they r always way too busy showing how well they slap
I’m 2 min into this lesson
You’re absolutely awesome!!
Great information to improve bass slap. Thank you, Travis.
This video is really helpful and I learned a lot from it.💪
Thank you Travis!
Great info here Travis, thank you👏
Travis the main man !! excellent tutorial. Especially about when and when not to use it.Some songs might just need a pop on a cool part of the beat just for some flavor now and then. Other times pull the trigger just remember that your arsenal (stamina) better be fit for the longer songs lol I am a dinosaur bassist and at music school thumb bob was all the rage (Way to go Marcus ) and the bible for this technique from beginner and beyond is a book by Tony Oppenheim "slap it " get that down and then check out Charles Victor Marcus etc etc great job Travis we need more people like you passing the torch to others.
Excellent video tutorial. I would say the best video tutorial on bass. Great job brother.
That means a lot. I appreciate that.
Very well laid out and super informative Travis !! Keep it up brother !!!
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
With the compressor sounds 👌 good.
Thanks for the great lessons you share big brother😁 God bless🙏🙏
I appreciate you for watching 😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Thanks man for video! I alsow almost all the time using my preamp flat. Or just little bit put middle and high:)
Thank you. Great practice techniques. Question: strings; flat wound or round wound. What is best for slap?
Wow. Travis is cool with the Bass playing.
I find this video quite helpful. Thanks Travis 🙏
Excellent breakdown, brother Travis! Mahalo!!
I love the love the sound of a bass
Awesome video my Man lots of good info... thanx 4 sharing!
Thanks for this video, much appreciate it🙏❗
Awesome instruction. I'm glad l found you!! Thanks
Travis- do you keep your forearm anchored on the same point on top of the bass? Or is your arm free floating?
I’m having some string accuracy problems with my thumb.
Great vid, a lot of stuff to work on. I noticed the Moog in the background, any tutorials on playing synth bass??
What are the pros and cons using a 5string bass
Is this the transparent yellow
color or burlywood? Love it!
If I don't have a compressor, can I just cut the treble or turn the tone knob down and get the same results?
Great Stuff ! Thank you very much !
(I'm starting to learn THE SLAP and this is very useful!)
I appreciate you for watching 😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Thanks great teaching..I finally got it.
Thank you for the tips. I'm off to practice now
I appreciate you for watching 😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
i feel guilty watching this for free 😅
I see a lot of people who slap bass differently. And they sound good. I see people teach out to slap different ways.
Do you show some funky bass fills and what I call "runs"? Especially pentatonic fills between your constant riff. A great slap strings are Rotosound but they don't last very long. Ronald LePread bass player of the old group Commodores used these strings for years cause he got them free and would give me a few sets. Lenny Guice (rest his soul) road manager for the Commodores and many other great groupd actually taught me the fundamentals. Although Rotosounds sound good, they are rough on the fingers. After a tour, Ronald had no fingerprints, just corns. LOL
THIS.... is an amazing video!! thank you!
I appreciate you for watching 😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Thanks so much Travis - this is so helpful
Great information, thank you ! Very helpful
Nice breakdown bruh! Experience it and have fun with it!
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
What I've come to learn is depending on the bass and strings to do some slaps you'll have to slap through the string instead of slapping it at the bottom of the fretboard
Any advice on getting a good slap tone from a passive jazz bass ?
Your videos have helped me improve tremendously. Thank you
Man, this is a masterclass. Thankss alot.
Excellent video!! Thanks!
Yes C🤩🤩L !
And with your Jazz-cition !!
TY
I appreciate you for watching 😍😍 chat me 👆 I got something special for you
Gotta be honest, I almost clicked off because it annoys me when people say "whenever" instead of "when" ("whenever I was growing up" vs "when I was growing up"). However, this is one of the best bass videos I have ever seen. Congrats on the weight loss as well, I know it's hard but it's so worth it!
💪🏾
You have made more sense than a lot of those who have come before you
Great lesson with useful tips. Thank you sir.
I don't play bass, hell, I don't even play any type of string instrument, but I was mesmerized and found this video extremely informative and entertaining. Thanks!
How critical is the location of the slap? What I mean is should the tip of the thumb always hit the base of the neck? I also slap and pop, but I never hit the base of the neck. Now that I see the way you do it, maybe I should do it that way too. Also I use ghost notes and never paid attention to myself when doing it. Thanks for the explanation and the demonstration.
Honestly, it’s really just a guideline more so then a “Have To” technique. By learning to slap closer to the neck, it helps you to develop good accurate slap technique to be able to slap where you want!
@@TravisDykes thanks! I will focus more on that.
This is gold. Thank you❤
Thank you
Thanks for sharing
I have a question Travis I've been playing for a year and half now and I seem to have better speed using just my middle finger than I do using both middle and index finger is this normal I'm talking about faster tempo songs