Slapping
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In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different though related playing techniques on the double bass and on the (electric) bass guitar.
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[edit] Double bass
On double bass it refers to the technique that is a more vigorous version of pizzicato where the string is plucked so hard that when released, it bounces off the finger board, making a distinctive sound. Notable slap style double bass players have included Bill Johnson, Wellman Braud, Pops Foster, Milt Hinton, Scott Owen and Lee Rocker.
[edit] Bass guitar
On bass guitar it usually refers to a technique that consists of hitting a bass guitar's strings with the thumb of the strumming hand near the base of the guitar's neck, often combined with snapping the strings usually with the index or middle finger of the same hand, (the latter more specifically called "popping", i.e., "Slapping and popping"). Some bassists use other fingers of the strumming hand to achieve this sound, such as bassist Abraham Laboriel, Sr., who conversely uses his thumb to pop the strings, and his other four fingers to slap the strings. The invention of slap is generally credited to Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham; Graham has stated in several interviews that he was trying to emulate the sound of a drum set after the band he used to play in with his mother had lost its drummer.
However, many funk bassists do not use the technique at all. (see for example Francis 'Rocco' Prestia of Tower of Power, Bernard Edwards of CHIC, Jaco Pastorius, Paul Jackson of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters)
The unique sound of the slapping technique comes from the string hitting the fretboard with high force, and gives a much more percussive sound than regular fingering of notes with the strumming hand. The sound is also usually louder and more distinct than the sound of a bass guitar played using the usual plucking techniques. This feature combined with the fact that a bass guitarist using the slapping technique often looks and sounds appealing to the general public has contributed to the popularity of the technique both with players and listeners.
[edit] Variants
There are numerous variants of the slapping technique, which extend the basic actions by including other percussive strumming techniques, such as adding hammered notes, and repeating slap and pop patterns to effectively produce the equivalent of a drumroll on the bass guitar (see Victor Wooten).
A 'slap and pop'-related playing technique involves using the Funk fingers invented by world-renowned bass player Tony Levin.
[edit] Examples
Some bass guitar players known for their use of slapping in their playing , with notable bands and/or artists they have worked with:
- Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Prince)
- Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson)
- Stanley Clarke (solo artist, Return to Forever, Chick Corea)
- Marcus Miller (solo artist, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Luther Vandross)
- Doug Wimbish (Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Living Colour, Mick Jagger)
- Mark King (Level 42)
- John Norwood Fisher (Fishbone)
- Les Claypool (Primus)
- Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- P-Nut (311)
- Bootsy Collins (solo artist, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Funkadelic, Parliament, Praxis)
- Victor Wooten (solo artist, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones)
Some songs with prominent bassplaying using the slapping technique:
- Graham Central Station - Hair (bass by Larry Graham on the 1973 'Graham Central Station' album)
- Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor (bass by Louis Johnson on the 1979 'Off the Wall' album)
- Brothers Johnson - Stomp! (bass solo by Louis Johnson on the 1980 'Light Up the Night' album)
- Stanley Clarke - Silly Putty (bass by Stanley Clarke on the 1975 'Journey to Love' album)
- Sugarhill Gang - Funk Box (bass by Doug Wimbish on the 1982 '8th Wonder' album)
- Level 42 - Love Games (bass by Mark King on the 1981 Level 42 album)
- David Sanborn - Run for Cover (bass by Marcus Miller on the 1981 'Voyeur' album)
- Fishbone - Bonin' in the Boneyard (bass by John Norwood Fisher on the 1988 'Truth and Soul' album)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground (bass by Flea on the 1989 'Mother's Milk' album - Stevie Wonder cover)
- Primus - Tommy The Cat (bass by Les Claypool on the 1991 'Sailing The Seas Of Cheese') and My Name Is Mud
