Hello, I am just developing myself in the art of slapping and popping on the bass and I need some advice from some bass players or whoever knows. I want to go out and get some cds that have the best slapping and popping techniques used by players that can help me improve my play.
You can also tell me songs that have the best slaps, e.g I know marcus miller has good song called power and av been learning that. Thats about all I know please tell me more. You'll have to discover Larry Graham if you want THE FIRST. He was the bassist for Sly & the Family Stone and he also has solo projects... Graham Central Station.
Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Les Claypool - Primus, Sausage, Les Claypool
Mark King - Level 42
John Norwood Fisher - Fishbone
Muzz Skillings - Living Colour (first bassist)
Stanley Clarke - solo artist, jazz ensembles
There are many others, but I think you are looking for a starting place. Those artists' releases are filled with slapping and popping. You'll be able to play along with those without repeating just one song over and over again. Especially the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Mother's Milk album.
I never had a 'technique' dvd or anything. Just downstroke with your thumb so that it comes to rest on the string below it. Just like you do when you pull up on a string with your fingertips. That will let you develope an upstroke with your thumb to make a doublestroke slap. Victor Wooten really does that well. I like to pop with my index finger. That way I can anchor my right hand with my other 3 fingertips on the body so that I don't move outta position when alternating slaps and pops really, really fast. Other bassists I know use their ring finger to pop. It's up to you. They usually pull their wrist back when they pop vs. rotating your forearm in the traditional slap and pop motion. You can also slap all downstrokes quickly by slapping near the pickup end of the fretboard or right on the fretboard (without coming to rest on the string next to the one you're slappin.) When doing that, the string travels a very short distance and still slaps against the metal frets letting you move faster.
Feel free to contact me with any questions!!!!!!!!!!!!! Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers. How about looking at Flea from the Chilli Peppers? Or Mark King from Level 42? Or how about Les Claypool from Primus? http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yn3uiLZY9Jg Forget about these names listed above - go get Victor Wooten's CDs and learn from a master. I think he has an instructional CD out also. Try searching youtube.com for MarloweDK he does some instructional videos, on some of them he'll even show the lick at half or quarter speed. Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins are the kings of bass. You need to check out their songs. There's a lot of slappin' and poppin' in their songs! Their music is so funky! Practically any Bootsy Collins ( Bootsy's Rubber Band), The Brothers Johnson | 