For anybody looking to improve their slap technique, I can't recommend Mark's Simple Steps to Slap course enough! I bought it a few weeks ago and already I'm playing stuff that i never thought I'd be able to play. Mark is an excellent teacher and his course are very reasonably prices for the quality of instruction you receive. And no, I was not paid to write this I just have found Mark's content to be the best bass instruction online. Keep it up Mark and thank you for all you do!
I concur, I also bought Mark's slap bass course when it was on sale both one and two. Even though I have a little experience I'm starting from the very beginning.
so useful to know that about having newish strings, I only dabble in bass, but no other beginner tutorials I watched ever mentioned it and it sounds like it makes a huge difference. Thanks!
Thanks for the great advice. Looking forward to the compression video! I’m getting great value out of the Chord Tone Essentials course at the moment, but I have my eye on the Slap courses when I eventually get through this one. Thanks again Mark.
Great info as usual! Another thing for beginners I think, is understanding the proverbial "hammer on". So much of slap style (thumping & plucking) involves hammering whole steps, half steps and sliding notes up and down to the next part of the phrase. As he did at one point in the demonstration.
Great lesson. An additional effect on top of compression is a subtile amount of chorus or flanger. In recordings I sometimes hear over dubbing of 2 different riffs to create a very complex slap solo. E.g. Phil Carmen’s “On my way to L.A.” The gauge of strings also plays an important role in sound and plying comfort. E.g. the light gauge Ernie Ball strings are often recommended on the Sting Ray. Couldn’t agree more that the set-up of the bass is important with respect to truss rod adjustment and low string action setting at the bridge, especially for one more slapping technique which I unfortunately missed in this lesson though: cross-string hammer-on.
Beginners will also suffer from soft skin on their thumb which will need to toughen up by playing....can be frustrating at first but just persevere. Thanks Mark.
To me, the round wound strings have a kind of rattle to them, whereas the flat wounds sound more dull. I recently bought a set of Rotosound black nylon (flat wound) strings which are a joy to play - really easy on the fingers, no string noise with slides - but they don't slap well at all. Maybe if I practice more, I can get them to sound better.....
So can you get a decent slap with a short scale, mine sounds awful (squier jag), I'm half decent on a full size but my old hands are starting to feel it?
I didn't notice anything about amp settings. I have bass mid and treble on mine and I always back off the mid and boost the treble, although I do that with getting a sharp pop sound in mind.
Great video! I notice when going from finger style to slap (only a few notes as its still coming along 🤣) in a band practice, it gets WAYYY loud! You mentioned dialing in your setting not for solo but in the mix... is this best navigated by setting foot pedal to switch to lower volume or is it maybe to heavy handed in technique? Obviously this is individual just wondering if there was a "Rule of Thumb" regarding switching it around mid song. Thank you again!! Cheers!
One word: compressor. Either use a compressor or try to calm down on your slapping. You shouldn’t be hitting hard at all. Especially when shifting between techniques.
Beautiful instrument. I really like the plain wood and the white fret markers on a pale neck. But I googled and most J basses don't have whatever-it-is covering the strings in the middle of the body, there. What is that and what is it for?
Respectfully, this was not a good lesson. There was basically zero discussion of right hand technique (how to hook your finger to pop? Where on the neck are you aiming for when slapping? Exactly where neck ends? Below it? Above it?). That to me is the most important part.
That’s not what the lesson is about. I’ve got a massive amount of slap lessons on the channel dealing with beginner technique. This isn’t a lesson on ‘how to slap’. It’s about tone. To be honest, on re watching it, I think I dwelled on technique a little too much. So no, I wouldn’t be interested in showing how to pop in this lesson. It’s irrelevant.
@@crapadopalese considering there’s loads of other ‘how to’ videos in the series, I’m sure Mark doesn’t need to repeat himself every lesson. It also says ‘Slap’ in the title, not ‘Pop’ if you’re going to be pathetically pedantic!
as someone with only just under 2 years of bass playing, hearing from someone to just max the the pick ups and tone on my j bass and completely equalize my amp was the perfect advice!
For anybody looking to improve their slap technique, I can't recommend Mark's Simple Steps to Slap course enough! I bought it a few weeks ago and already I'm playing stuff that i never thought I'd be able to play. Mark is an excellent teacher and his course are very reasonably prices for the quality of instruction you receive. And no, I was not paid to write this I just have found Mark's content to be the best bass instruction online. Keep it up Mark and thank you for all you do!
I concur, I also bought Mark's slap bass course when it was on sale both one and two. Even though I have a little experience I'm starting from the very beginning.
I agree completely. I've been through volume one and am partly through volume two. Excellent material and instruction.
To be fair, that flatwound slap tone still sounded fantastic and is a very cool and usable sound.
The superb technique probably helps too.
so useful to know that about having newish strings, I only dabble in bass, but no other beginner tutorials I watched ever mentioned it and it sounds like it makes a huge difference. Thanks!
Thanks for the great advice. Looking forward to the compression video! I’m getting great value out of the Chord Tone Essentials course at the moment, but I have my eye on the Slap courses when I eventually get through this one. Thanks again Mark.
A great, practical lesson that I wish I learned when I first started playing! Thanks!
Great job!!! Thanks man
Great info as usual!
Another thing for beginners I think, is understanding the proverbial "hammer on".
So much of slap style (thumping & plucking) involves hammering whole steps, half steps and sliding notes up and down to the next part of the phrase. As he did at one point in the demonstration.
Great lesson.
An additional effect on top of compression is a subtile amount of chorus or flanger. In recordings I sometimes hear over dubbing of 2 different riffs to create a very complex slap solo. E.g. Phil Carmen’s “On my way to L.A.”
The gauge of strings also plays an important role in sound and plying comfort. E.g. the light gauge Ernie Ball strings are often recommended on the Sting Ray.
Couldn’t agree more that the set-up of the bass is important with respect to truss rod adjustment and low string action setting at the bridge, especially for one more slapping technique which I unfortunately missed in this lesson though: cross-string hammer-on.
I like the emotion you put into this video. Nice explanation, thank you.
This is pure gold!
A lot of enlightening moments here!! I need to start looking at what i do 😂 thank you
Beginners will also suffer from soft skin on their thumb which will need to toughen up by playing....can be frustrating at first but just persevere.
Thanks Mark.
Oh yes that's important to note too
Thank You so much for such a helpful tutorial
Very complete! Thank you so much
I laughed and laughed at Mark's little demo of muting accidents around 9:50
Excellent lesson
Thanks much!
This is a great video, also get an EBS amp. The dual jazz pickup, MM sound is fantastic.
Thanks great lesson👍💯
So any views on setup, i think my action may be too high and strings to heavy gauge. Whats best for slap?
To me, the round wound strings have a kind of rattle to them, whereas the flat wounds sound more dull. I recently bought a set of Rotosound black nylon (flat wound) strings which are a joy to play - really easy on the fingers, no string noise with slides - but they don't slap well at all. Maybe if I practice more, I can get them to sound better.....
Great video Mark 👍
Thanks Warren!!
''Forget Me Nots'' does not have hammer-ons...Freddie plays that part with 12 separate notes, off his thumb..
Great! Thanks 🙂
Great video
Hi bro. Which one better? Hi Beams, Lo Rider or Dunlop MM Strings?
11:37
So can you get a decent slap with a short scale, mine sounds awful (squier jag), I'm half decent on a full size but my old hands are starting to feel it?
Nice
I didn't notice anything about amp settings. I have bass mid and treble on mine and I always back off the mid and boost the treble, although I do that with getting a sharp pop sound in mind.
The EQ settings are the same amp settings. I try to keep things flat. Be careful when setting amp controls not to drop out of the mic.
That's what I do. The "smile" graphic shape is an urban myth afaiac
What if I have a Squier Jazz bass?
Awesome as usual. Thank you very much!
when i slap and pop on D & G string, E & A always rumble, should i use use right hand wrist to mute?
No. Use the other available fingers of the fretting hand. Practice the home position I talk about in this lesson
you should do a video tutorial on how to do your slap intro lol
Did one ages ago. Just search Talkingbass Intro Slap
Great video! I notice when going from finger style to slap (only a few notes as its still coming along 🤣) in a band practice, it gets WAYYY loud! You mentioned dialing in your setting not for solo but in the mix... is this best navigated by setting foot pedal to switch to lower volume or is it maybe to heavy handed in technique? Obviously this is individual just wondering if there was a "Rule of Thumb" regarding switching it around mid song.
Thank you again!!
Cheers!
One word: compressor. Either use a compressor or try to calm down on your slapping. You shouldn’t be hitting hard at all. Especially when shifting between techniques.
Beautiful instrument. I really like the plain wood and the white fret markers on a pale neck. But I googled and most J basses don't have whatever-it-is covering the strings in the middle of the body, there. What is that and what is it for?
💙👊😎
Get a stingray, done.
Respectfully, this was not a good lesson. There was basically zero discussion of right hand technique (how to hook your finger to pop? Where on the neck are you aiming for when slapping? Exactly where neck ends? Below it? Above it?). That to me is the most important part.
That’s not what the lesson is about. I’ve got a massive amount of slap lessons on the channel dealing with beginner technique. This isn’t a lesson on ‘how to slap’. It’s about tone. To be honest, on re watching it, I think I dwelled on technique a little too much. So no, I wouldn’t be interested in showing how to pop in this lesson. It’s irrelevant.
Try actually reading the title of the lesson before moaning about the content! Mark’s courses and content are excellent!
@@paulmotion2238 last word of the title: "technique" 🤦♂️
@@crapadopalese considering there’s loads of other ‘how to’ videos in the series, I’m sure Mark doesn’t need to repeat himself every lesson. It also says ‘Slap’ in the title, not ‘Pop’ if you’re going to be pathetically pedantic!
as someone with only just under 2 years of bass playing, hearing from someone to just max the the pick ups and tone on my j bass and completely equalize my amp was the perfect advice!
Excellent Video Mark