Slapping (music)
The slap technique developed in the field of jazz since the 1910s. As was to be heard by the introduction of electrically amplified guitars in the 1940s, the bass even in small ensembles barely tried the bassist to increase the volume of their instrument:
- By pounding on the strings at the bottom of the fingerboard ( " slap " ) or
- By plucking the strings, which then bounce back onto the fingerboard ( " pop" or " pluck ").
Both game modes produce a percussive sound which additionally emphasizes the rhythm of the music.
The bass slap technique
The easiest way to slap on the double bass is to pull the strings with the fingers of the playing hand from the fretboard ( scribe ) and then letting it bounce back on this. Pops Foster made known to the art. As early as 1924 made recordings with Steve Brown. This variant is particularly suitable for slower walking bass lines.
A higher speed of play is achieved, that you hit on the strings before scribing with a flat hand. This results in a further percussive sound. In this way, bass lines, binary or ternary are played at a fast pace. Music styles in which often the slapped bass is used, are Rock'n'Roll, Rockabilly and Psychobilly.
Slap technique at the E -Bass
Unlike the double bass slap the bass guitar is not performed with a flat hand over all the strings, but the thumb or index finger of the rarer the game hand strikes targeted to a string at the end of the fingerboard. Important in this case as quickly as possible to withdraw the striking finger from the side so as not to dampen the resulting vibration of the string is again. The resulting sound is due to the design of the electric bass rather than tonal percussive, but still looks more powerful than a classical plucked sound. The counter-movement to Slap is the tearing of the string with the index finger ( Pop ). Both techniques are often mixed or used alternately.
Development of slap technique
The slap technique sat on the electric bass in the 1970s, primarily in the funk music through after Larry Graham, the bass player of the group Sly & The Family Stone, she had first used. Even the Jazz, especially in the form of style known as fusion, influenced bassist Stanley Clarke, inter alia, by virtuoso use of this style of play. In the 1980s, the slap technique was very widespread in both the jazz-fusion as well as in the New Wave influenced by pop music. An important representative of this era slap technique is Mark King. In 1980 he founded the Gould brothers and Mike Lindup the band Level 42 fame with the dynamic game, he delivered from successful recordings such as " Love Games " and "Guaranteed ".
In the 1990s this technology has come a little out of fashion, although some well-known bands whose style is very much influenced by this technique ( Red Hot Chili Peppers, H -Blockx, Primus, as strong percussive used element even in grain), enjoyed in this time of great popularity.
A development of this technique is striking with the thumb or the entire palm on the strings (only the sounding string is not attenuated with the gripping hand) dar. The sound is of course comparatively brutal and uncontrolled, but in accordance musical context (eg Nu Metal ) not unattractive.
Another virtuoso development is the double - Thumbing.