Free Beginner Slap Bass Video Lesson Number 2

[dimsus1974]

thanks for the lesson

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're welcome - thanks for posting!

George

[squidthompson]

this might be good for beginners, but honestly coming from an intermediate player, i would not aspire to sound like this guy does in the intro.

[Franbo100rocks]

cheers, might do

[Franbo100rocks]

George, I was just wondering what tone you are using for this. (It's obviously not full low, but when I try slap bass, it always sounds dull and kind of drones for ages.) Its probably down to bad technique though!

[BassLessonsOnline]

The sound is a combination of many things. That said, however, we usually sound just the same no matter what bass we play. So, as Jaco Pastorius said, "the sound is in my hands."

If you post a video of you playing slap, I can send you feedback.

Kind regards,

George

[TCD614]

Very helpful. I'm gonna be watching all your vids!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks ... and enjoy!

George

[LOOTskateboards]

Im a beginner, what would you the best tuning for slap base is?

Thanks for the tutorials.

James

[BassLessonsOnline]

Standard tuning E A D G should be fine, especially in the beginning.

I'm happy to see you benefit from my tutorials.

George

[HeyDavidiii]

You have a good teaching style George. I have a Stingray that I bought 6 years ago and quickly lost interest in, due to the lessons I was getting. Spotted it gathering dust in the attic on Friday, seems like sin, so I might stick around with you for a while to see how I get on... It has flatwounds fitted, but sounds OK with slap lesson one, but guess I should put a set of light gauge roundwounds on at some stage if I progress?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Flats certainly produce a particular sound when slapping. Of course it depends on what sound you want, so at some stage you may want to go to a more conventional sound using roundwounds.

I love Stingray basses!

Thanks for your kind comment about my teaching style.

George

[SendThemRunning]

dude every time i put my finger on one of the e string frets and and slap the e string, the string always claps on the fret next to the one my finger is on. its pretty annoying and never sounds good. am i doing something wrong?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Is your bass set up correctly? It is possible that your bass neck is convex instead of concave. Maybe your E-string needs to be raised (higher action).

George

[alan28eap]

hi george, i've been watching your videos lately, im just curious if you ever had experience using SX bass? what is your comment on SX basses' performance? how do you compare it with your fender basses? by the way thanks for uploading this tutorials, it's really helpful for us beginners... thank you...

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello and thanks for your post.

I have had many students with SX basses. The basses are solidly built and perform quite well. Comparing SX basses to lower-priced Fender models is different than comparing to US-made Fender basses.

Essentially, SX is a good beginner (and backup) bass.

Kind regards,

George

[PuffSmelly]

saved myself 45 bucks thanks mate

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're welcome.

George

[JBASS1358]

would this sound just as good on a p-bass?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Slightly different, but just as good.

George

[GobberMAC]

I can slap well with my thumb on E string but having difficulties on A string. Do you know why?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Take a look at my first slap bass lesson on You Tube; that should help answer your question.

George

[Kurt888hk]

@GobberMAC I got the same problem before but i found out that if you slap with your thumb parallel to the string, the sound will be better.

[GobberMAC]

@Kurt888hk thank you!!

[TheZombieXecutioner]

how hard should i slap, and how much power should i put into a pop?

[BassLessonsOnline]

You will have to experiment with this. My suggestion is to start out quite "aggressively", then work your way back to what suits your image of sound and feel.

Bass of Luck!

George

[DWInksTattoos]

love it man you are a excellent teacher thank you greatly for your time.

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks - you're welcome ... and thanks for posting your comments.

George

[bobbikwang]

lesson 3?  :] please?

[BassLessonsOnline]

I have something better: A very affordable 12-part step-by-step Slap Bass Video Series, available via my "easyslapbasslessons" website (link above).

George

[MrRunescape81]

im gonna get my dad to teach me bass guitar :P

[ModernSaxDotCom]

4:38 "D to the E...." isn't that a hip hop song lyric? LOL

Thanks for the video, I'm pumped about my future investment in a bass

[TheZombieXecutioner]

@ModernSaxDotCom D to the E on the G AwWW YEA!

[M34sketosnakepit]

Hey.When I slap on any note on A string it sounds clean, ok no problem but when i slap on the E the F, F#, etc to A I hear a squeak (if this is the right word)Could you tell me what might be wrong? (sorry for bad english)

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm not sure what you mean with "squeak". Could it be harmonics? Do you hear it acoustically (no amp) and through headphones, or it is only through your amp's speaker?

George

[M34sketosnakepit]

@BassLessonsOnline I use an amp...and the word harmonics and amp speaker...what does it mean?I am so not good at english sorry!!!(Oh and im sure the amp is ok its almost new and it sound good with fingerstile so I probably do sth wrong)xD

[BassLessonsOnline]

Please post a video (with clear sound) of the occurrence so I can take a look and listen.

Is there a knowledgeable person in your area who can make an assessment?

George

[M34sketosnakepit]

@BassLessonsOnline Wow..now I realised what I was doing wrong.I was putting more strength than needed when slapping the E string.Such a silly mistake xD...Anyway Thanks!

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm glad you found the cause. Perseverance usually helps :)

George

[macoyboybanyo10]

hey idol add me on facebook ataris_offspring@yahoo.com

i wnt a bass guitar but i cnt afford

[weedybix]

whereabouts on the thumb do u slap the string, like is it on the side on on the fingerprint....? i dunno lol :P

[BassLessonsOnline]

Take a look at my first video on slap bass on You Tube - it is demonstrated and explained there.

George

[vienn14bassist]

WOW! I wiss i have a bass like that. :D

[tennboy789]

I'm having a lot of trouble actually getting sound on the slap. I get more of an actual pop than an e open sound. Any help?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Is your string hitting the pickup? Also, sometimes low-quality pickups cannot handle the intensity of slap. If you suspect this may be the case, just lower the pickup(s).

Let me know how you go.

Thanks,

George

[Blastpigable]

@BassLessonsOnline im having trouble slappign the a string,

ecause every time I want to hit the a string, I automaticly hit the e string and don´t get any sound of the a string.

what to do now?

[BassLessonsOnline]

In my first You Tube video on slap bass I demonstrate and discuss the importance of getting your aim right. Make sure your thumb is parallel to the strings.

Bass of Luck!

George

[crewdison]

i see a man who truly loves bass :)

thanks your videos help alot

[BassLessonsOnline]

Yes ... and thanks for your comment and observation.

George

[PaineRikkuYuna]

whoa, with your help I might actually manage to learn slapping :)

you are going to be responsible for the callosities on my fingers though:D

[BassLessonsOnline]

OK, I'll be responsible :)

Bass of Luck!

George

[32luster]

bass are realy different from guitari use to play a guitar

[graffit4life]

How the fuck do you bam it? I've given up in copying

[TenTailsFox]

its g-g#-a then what ?

[BassLessonsOnline]

If you have not already worked it out via re-viewing, please give me the time of the "occurrence" in the video so I can help.

George

[4mcompany]

my dad calls it spanking :)

[BassLessonsOnline]

When I first started the technique it was commonly called "spanking". However, with time the term was changed because (possibly among other reasons) spanking suggests straight fingers (which is not an accurate reflection of the technique).

George

[unbattedboch]

can you do a lefty

[rayawesum]

uhm do you think a 5 strings is easier to play or the regular 4 strings?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Not for me, but I think that is due to the fact that I started on 4-string and have played a 4 much much more often than a 5.

I guess it depends on whatever you are most used to.

George

[dominoaffectation]

I always thought I couldn't slap. After watching this video and practicing for a couple hours I feel like Victor Wooten!!!! Thanks a million!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Woah - that was fast! Congratulations and thanks for your message.

George

[hantuapi]

Thanks Master!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks too. Not a master - always a student :)

George

[MysteriousArgyle]

Thank you very much, you have been very helpful! But I must ask what is that tune you played in the beginning ? Did you make it?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks. Yes, I made it up.

Kind regards,

George

[BassLessonsOnline]

Yes, I play a 35" scale 5-string. It is my 3rd or 4th 5-string, and this time I am happy with the sound and tonal balance.

You will just have to test string gauges and types for yourself ;-)

BTW: My new 12-part video series on Slap Bass addresses strings, basses etc. besides slap and pop playing and learning techniques.

Kind regards,

George

[Theendisnear24]

Sir, upload more video of this I want to learn playing bass :))) 

[kamiqaze]

excelente



[BassLessonsOnline]

Thank you very much ... and bass regards.

George

[MyWarriorInHiding]

i got a new bass recently and the pickip us WAY closer to the frets than my old one. the meaty part of my hand (below my thumb) keeps smacking into it and it hurts. what do i do? is it how i was slapping in the first place??

[BassLessonsOnline]

You may have to lower the pickup or raise the strings - whatever makes for a good, playable setup.

George

[exodus0913]

9 dislikers :DDD

9 music-haters :D

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks for your kind comments.

Please post a video of the "occurrence" so I can take a look and respond.

George

[yekshemesh4alig]

Best bass teacher on Youtube by far: clear explanations, no big jumps in difficulty and a cheerful mood. I'm buying a bass this summer and will definitely return here!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Great - thanks for your enthusiasm!

George

[hentajus]

cool! :) great lessons! :) but i keep accidentally hitting more than one string, specially when i'm trying to hit the A or the D :*( Oh well :/ got to practice more i suppose?

[BassLessonsOnline]

That's right: practice IS perfect!

Thanks for your kind comments.

George

[MRtavoperez]

can i ask a question?why are you wearing those headphones?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Sure. I record through a pre-amp, mixer, straight to the computer - no amp with volume required, so I can do this "silently" while monitoring voice and bass.

George

[Ghraladean]

When you pluck the string with the index finger, you said you pull it away and downward. You don't have to pull so hard that it bounces back against the frets, right? The string does not need to hit the fret, does it?

One more question: is it easier to do slapping and popping if you have the guitar set up so the strings are pretty close to the frets?

Thanks!

[BassLessonsOnline]

With popping, the string usually does bounce back against the frets.

Yes, a low setup (action) makes slap and pop easier.

George

[Ghraladean]

@BassLessonsOnline Ok, thanks!

[xaadim1]

im getting a bass guitar it should be here in about 5 days and as soon as i get it im coming here

[BassLessonsOnline]

Very good and welcome back! :)

George

[thix93]

Really great!! I never knew how to start to learn slapping!! You're so a big help!

Best wishes from Germany ;)

[BassLessonsOnline]

Excellent! Thanks from Down Under Australia.

George

[TheAdampruitt]

Thanks a lot for these slap lessons. I have been wanting to learn this technique for some time. Didn't know where to start. Now I do! Thanks again.

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm glad you found this channel - thanks.

George

[TheGreentomato123]

Thank you sooo much, cheers, you rock :D :D

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're so kind - thank you.

George

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks for your "endorsement".

Best wishes,

George

[ShanaNoTsukaima]

Thank you very much!!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Excellent - I thank you too!

George

[bestinmyclass]

do you have any videos' on youtube that have anything to do with minor chords on the bass? for example A minor or D minor licks?

[BassLessonsOnline]

Yes, just use the dropdown menu at the top (where it says "20 videos") to find those related to chords.

Kind regards,

George

P.S. Those videos treat chords, but not licks.

[pinnykoo]

Thanks alot!! teacher XD

i'll practice

[BassLessonsOnline]

Excellent!

Practice is perfect :)

George

[NightHawkx71]

YOU ROCK MAN!!! thanx so much for this my dad got me a bass guitar and im learning quickly because of you

[BassLessonsOnline]

That's great news all-round. Thanks for your post.

George

[mekkemusic]

thank you...didactical, clean an clear. Spot on...hammering on mybass like a madman



[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm glad I could inspire you. Thanks for your comments.

George

[syandgav]

Great stuff dude , keep em coming 

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thank you. I don't have any more You Tube videos on slap. But the good news is that I am in the middle of recording an extremely affordable, downloadable 12-part series on slap bass.

George

[owurakdanso]

Thanks very much.......are there more videos on slap? cos i cant seem to find dem...thanks...

[BassLessonsOnline]

I don't have any more You Tube videos on slap. But the good news is that I am in the middle of recording an extremely affordable, downloadable 12-part series on slap bass.

George

[wark93]

just got myself a bass for christmas, and i must say you are really helping. eventhough i'm having a hard time looking which strings you press at "open E, g and a"

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm happy to help. I explain pretty much most of what I do, so you may have to view the video again. If something is still unclear, let me know where in the video and I will respond.

George

[MarutoFighter]

sock it to me sock it to me sock it to me sock it to me. lol. thanks on the vids. im really learning. great job. :)

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm happy to see you're learning. Thanks for your post.

George

[DontEatChicken]

5:48 , rock on dude!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Yeah - will do. Thanks.

George

[iamironman55]

Awesome lesson. Do you think you can remember what you played at 2:58 - 3:09 and send me some tabs or something? I can't seem to get it just by looking and listening >.< Sorry to be a bother

[BassLessonsOnline]

The notes are Open E, then G and A (with their octaves).

George

[iamironman55]

@BassLessonsOnline oh awesome. Thanks a lot :)

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm glad you're pleased - thank you.

George

[peacefrog4202001]

awesome videos man fun to wsatch and great learning tools....

[BassLessonsOnline]

I'm glad you enjoy and benefit - thanks.

George

[tspeaks101]

what r the notes for that first one?

[BassLessonsOnline]

I explain them in the video.

George

[EnglandAli]

I've been playing guitar for some years now but have only recently started to play bass guitar and I was wondering which type of bass guitar (which is reasonably priced) is a good all-rounder?? Greta lesson also, I found slapping fairly easy following your method :)

[BassLessonsOnline]

My suggestion is to begin your search by looking at a Squier Jazz Bass.

I'm happy you could easily follow my method.

George

[Junkiegarbage]

Hey! thank you for the great lessons!

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're most welcome - thanks for posting.

George

[nickfkd76]

nice lesson man. I play guitar but want to play slap bass also, your lesson is very inspiring for beginner bass players. thanks

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello and thanks for your post. You're right, inspiration helps us all at some stage(s).

George

[carameloytrudis]

Thank you so much, this is the only thing I have to learn to be a complete bass player...!!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello and thanks for your post. Happy bass playing!

George

[bryan615]

i like to play some jazzy bass guitar. do u have any recomendations on what "type" or bass guitar i should be looking for. thanks. (string brand, particular pickups, effects)...

[BassLessonsOnline]

The Fender Jazz Bass (as played in this video) would be an excellent place to continue your search.

There are many options for strings, pickups, effects etc. They will depend on your sound preference and possibly on what your idols and mentors use.

Happy searching and testing!

George

[grungeboy31]

HEY just a quick question... do you have to use like some sort of effect when slapping like maybe some reverb or chorus or something?

[BassLessonsOnline]

You don't have to use effects, however chorus, compression, and reverb are often used for slap.

George

[misfitman1111]

dude love the the bass in the back

[GeddyxFlea]

Thank you George! i have been playing one year and my greatest achievement is YYZ so i thought i'd start slapping and you really helped!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Very cool. Thanks for your post.

George

[foofightrs9292]

george, i just recently bought and ibanez bass guitar, im a beginning to learn bass and ive found that when i play my E string it makes this rattling sound that doesnt sound right but my friend said that its a new string and its tuned, but it sounds weird, is it supposed to rattle?

thanks, Neil

[BassLessonsOnline]

Is the rattling due to the string hitting the frets? Or is it some other type of rattle?

George 

[mifen5]

George, thanks for giving lessons not assuming that a person already knows it all. I know I have a bass guitar and that is about it. I now have found someone giving lessons that now I fell like I can grow now and get tired of making the same sounds all the time! Again thank-you, mike HOORAAH !

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello Mike

Thanks for your post. When teaching I attempt to put myself in the position of the learner.

George

[SHOCKWAVE101]

Hi George! I'm a highschool student and I have been playing bass (both electric and upright) for about... 2 years and you videos help a lot! I have a Fender Precision bass and an ESP B-50 bass. Anyways, I've never had a teacher before 'cause I try to learn it all by myself. So here's my question, should I get a teacher to improve my skill, or continue to learn by myself, even though it may be slower. Thanks!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello Patrick and thanks for your message.

We can learn very well by ourselves. However, a good teacher will provide excellent guidance (possibly more important than the actual teaching).

I often get face-to-face students when they are stuck in a rut. Maybe you should just wait until you feel you need some help. (The teacher arrives when the student is ready.)

Kind regards,

George

[samsonman2]

Thanks alot for these videos,these are the only videos on the internet that helped play slap bass. I'm still crap at it but I'm trying to practice it every day.

Can't wait for the 12-part video series. :D

[BassLessonsOnline]

Excellent! Thanks for your post.

Practice IS perfect.

George

[TheTheendofday]

thanks dude you have no idea how much ive been wanting to play slap thank you SOOOOOOO much

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks for your comment of relief.

I am currently preparing an extremely affordable 12-part video series on Slap Bass and will post a You Tube announcement when the series is ready.

George

[TheTheendofday]

@BassLessonsOnline

Whoo hoo subd and ill watch it

:)

[Mercenary03]

Both of your slap videos are absolutely fantastic! It was impossible for me to slap before, and now thanks to your exercises, i's easier everyday! Thanks a lot!

[BassLessonsOnline]

That's great news! Also great news is that I am currently preparing an extremely affordable 12-part video series on Slap Bass and will post a You Tube announcement when the series is ready.

George

[rangelpontal]

fantastc! for ten years i trried make this tecnics! thanks

[BassLessonsOnline]

Wow - perseverance pays off!

Thanks for posting.

George

[allenco65]

thanks for sharing i never touched a base or anything before man its hard to use that pinky i also need to learn how to tune a base thanks man i going to do my best to get all your lessons down i'm still on #2 hehe

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thanks for your message. As they say: Practice, Perseverance, Patience.

There are many online tuners available (including on a couple of my websites).

George

[thewyteangel]

hey george that was more than useful, thanks a load! awesome freestyle you've got

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thank you. Yes, it is very much freestyle; I improvise a lot.

George 

[IrishAmerican1234]

Thanks for the lesson, but out of curiosity... were you ever in a band?

[BassLessonsOnline]

I have been in many bands (with over 3000 performances and 120 recording sessions in multiple music genres) and still play in a couple of bands today.

George

[dsgnr2]

thank you very much

[MrIndestructible29]

Thx so much. That helped a ton

[BassLessonsOnline]

Excellent - a ton of thanks in return!

George

[wavecreatures]

Thank you for your videos......very generous and helpful! :) 

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're most welcome ... and I thank you too.

George

[sam50prashant]

that was a great lesson sir..can u tell me how can i build my right hand thumb speed....

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thank you.

You can build your thumb speed by picking a slow tempo where you play/hit quarter-note rhythms, then eighth notes, then sixteenth notes ... and back again.

You can do this on any surface away from the bass.

Start with only few sixteenth notes, then gradually increase the number until you can play at least 16 of them non-stop.

Bass of Luck!

George

[Vidruel]

Thank you! This was a great lesson to get me started on my technique. What scale do you play in this video? I am not sure what types of scales sound best with this style and I would love your input!

[BassLessonsOnline]

Hello and thanks for showing your appreciation.

The scale is the E Minor Pentatonic.

The Minor Pentatonic scale (in any key) is predominantly used for this style.

George

[ilya865]

thank you very much, i didn't think i would be able to learn how to slap in about 2 hours.

thanks for this really helpful lesson.

[BassLessonsOnline]

That's great success! Thanks for posting.

George

[mtb3tl]

george thanks so much

[BassLessonsOnline]

You're welcome - thanks for posting your appreciation.

George

[Zee1198]

Is popping just like plucking upwards? I started bass yesterday...I understand the slapping bit, it's just popping

[BassLessonsOnline]

Yes, it is. You pull the string (almost) perpendicular to the fretboard, then let the string snap (or pop) back.

George

[TheMyuts]

i'm a total noob at bass and i dont even understand these lessons :S

[Kisuzumi]

@TheMyuts

Same :(

[BassLessonsOnline]

You should first check out my Absolute Beginner series (numbered 1 to 4).

You will find all my YT videos via the "19 Videos" pull-down menu in the top left corner of this page.

Kind regards,

George

[BassLessonsOnline]

You should first check out my Absolute Beginner series (numbered 1 to 4).

You will find all my YT videos via the "19 Videos" pull-down menu in the top left corner of this page.

Kind regards,

George

[footdrcb]

i really like your stuff george...footdrcb ..thanks so much

[BassLessonsOnline]

Thank you ... and thanks for checking out even more of my bass lessons.

George

[insanelama]

Thank you so much dude I've always wanted to learn slap bass again thank you

Corey