4. Slap bass lesson - beginner/intermediate

[HH003]

your slapping always sounds a bit choked for some reason.

[mussefele]

Er du dansk jeg synes jeg kan høre det på accenten..:)

[27chomp]

that goes for all heaters 0:42

[wikiemol2]

before you dislike this vid or if you have disliked this vid go to 0:42

[FliiipK]

is that first hammer on a lead in to the first bar or right on the start of the bar?

[MarloweDK]

@FliiipK Its right on the one

[lucinari]

dont understand nothing u say, but u teach so well i can learn all!

[thelortz]

9:34 HAHA but great lesson

[Sl0wframe]

2:29 Jar Jar Binks.

[eberbachl]

Thanks very much for the lesson! I have a quick question about muting. I am hitting the strings fairly accurately, but I get quite a lot of unwanted sympathetic ringing from the E string when hammering on the A or D string. How do you maintain such a tight and clean sound without any ringing on the E string. Do you mute it near the bridge with your forearm?

[MarloweDK]

@eberbachl Yes I mute with my right hand forearm but also sometimes with the fingertips or thumb of my left hand (of the fingers that are NOT fingering notes)

[eberbachl]

@MarloweDK Many thanks! That's what I'll work on.

[tornmask1]

magnifico hombre & a healthy 2012 to ya "MarloweDK", cheers! x0]

[TheKolewski]

lol pause @ 0:43.

Awesome video though

[agir68]

I have a question. Is this an active or a passive bass?

[Eukatheude]

@agir68 It's a fender jazz, what do you think?

[agir68]

@Eukatheude sorry, I'm new to bass guitars. P.S. - passive isn't it?

[Eukatheude]

@agir68 yup

[Eukatheude]

@agir68 you can tell from the sound. passive basses usually have punchy mids, while actives usually have a more "compressed" sound. that's not to say one is better than the other, of course.

[MigueL80808]

THANK YOU !

[MultiTechnicss]

I like this style but it's a bit tough for the pick-ups and some frets lol..

[TheAbhi0]

hey marlowe which one do you prefer

the jazz bass or the p bass?

[rotwe156]

КЛАСС!!!!!

[mumutheo]

denmark, best country ever!

[BlackandBlues4]

Fuck you too marloweDK 

[AmmarGegic]

Thanks god for sending you :D

[douardinio]

00:44

[contact1araya]

three questions

is anchoring the right hand in slapping a NONO?

how do I avoid hitting higher and lower strings while slapping?

how do I avoid harmonics?

[Jwhizzle87]

okay 07:23, I get it now

[Jwhizzle87]

[cheat] @ 07:23 I jus slide two spaces to the left and get the same effect. Marlowe what the hell is that?

[Jwhizzle87]

WTF??? @ 07:23

[Jwhizzle87]

LOL he flipped off the camera

[AlleyandJoe]

Hey man, really loving your stuff. Just a question, is there a proper hand position when popping the g/d string? I can't seem to pop it quite right, it either takes too long or it sounds too soft. Any suggestions? Thank you :)

[MegaRhcp4ever]

i just spent all day working on this and i finially got it thanks man

[sonoffrog]

Even as a professional player i've always struggled with slap bass, not so much the technique but the rhythms and styles, These videos have been greatly helpful, Thankyou.

[m4nol]

nice lessons man u are my god

[EyehAsherEyeh]

Thanks for this, man. A quick question: you mention the advantage of a very low action. What is the ideal?

[blackdiamond91]

Thanks for the great lessons! I was wondering if you had any good slap/pluck technique practice etudes to work on. Tusinde Tak!

[LakeshoreShooter]

You are extremely talented! But above and beyond that...you are a gifted teacher!!! Your patience and explanation leaves me with no questions. I am so glad I have subscribed to your channel. You are truly gifted sir!! Thank you!! Paul

[LakeshoreShooter]

You are extremely talented! But above and beyond that...you are a gifted teacher!!! YOur patience and explanation leaves me with no questions. I am so glad I have subscribed to your channel. You are truly gifted sir!! Thank you!! Paul

[dannoir09]

very good lesson¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

[AlexVitus]

Super gode lektioner :) !

[locmaster19]

i think my strings are flatwounds should i change to roundwounds to produce a brighter slap tone or should i buy a new bass because technically im using a rock bass and knowing that i was going to play jazz i shud of gotten a fender but now i have an ibanez

[Ingratil]

Hello, thanks for the lesson you are a very good teacher. Please hep me with a problem, when i am doing the muted g string pop it sound like a death passive sound, but when you do it it sound much more aggresive. But i am affraid to break my string if i pool too much, any advice? Thanks.

[MarloweDK]

@Ingratil try and change the strings for newer ones, thats maybe it

[Ingratil]

@MarloweDK Thanks, I fixed it hehe. I wasnt pulling it the correct way (actually i wasnt pulling it) i was afraid to break it, but now it sounds better! =)

[ericmknight1906]

did he shoot the bird @ :46 ???

[effedieffedi]

I LOVE THIS BASS SOUND !!!!

[BLDbassist]

0:43 broke my tutorial concentration. LOL. :D

[gsagula2]

Very good teacher!

[justim97]

Thanks alot these sessions really help me out!

[mujari]

use both index and middle for plucking. i was always wondering what i was missing. thanks!

[ACfixer]

Well then thank you from the USA, you are an excellent teacher. The only thing is you make it look SO easy!

[MarloweDK]

@ACfixer You are most welcome:-) And to make it easier it helps with relatively low action on your bass

[ACfixer]

Hey Marlowe, are you from Holland?

[MarloweDK]

@ACfixer I am from Denmark

[Perfixesus]

@MarloweDK my dad's from Denmark! XD I've got family there! :D Great work btw!!

[iF3nd3r]

@ACfixer i'm from holland XD

[czgibson]

That Jazz Bass is truly special.

Thanks for all your videos, MarloweDK, you're the best bass teacher on YouTube by miles.

[TheK9rocker]

I'm a guitar player who switched to bass in a classic rock band because, well, we didn't have a bass player. I've pretty much mastered classic rock bass which is akin to saying I've mastered playing the triangle. I finally decided to expand my bass playing skills so here I find myself searching the web / You Tube for some lessons and I come across MarloweDK. Great bassist giving great lessons for beginners like me. Thanks MarloweDK.

[MarloweDK]

@TheK9rocker Thank you, but remember that we dont ever "master" anything - if you did you would playing with all the big classic rock bands by now;-)

[TheK9rocker]

@MarloweDK LOL- Yes, "master" was definitely not the appropriate word but I was sort of just making a joke that I can walk my way around a 1,4,5 blues line and make people who don't know any better think I actually know what the hell I'm doing. It's about time I actually make the move from "playing bass" to being a "bassist". Your passion for playing AND sharing your knowledge with others is much appreciated. Thank you again.

[famr1000]

hola amigo, gracias a tus videos he aprendido muchas cosas sobre la tecnica del slap sigo estudiando tus videos muy agradecido contigo. que estes bien cuidate bendiciones!!!

[animeniac10gaara]

Could someone help me? I first started learning how to slap by doing it "Flea's way", thinking that was the right way to do it. I'm pretty good at that technique now, but now that I have tried to learn how to slap THIS way (seemingly the proper way), I can't get the hang of it.

Does it matter what kind of slapping style you use?

[MarloweDK]

@animeniac10gaara Do whatever feels natural to you, and there is no set RIGHT way. But it CAN be harder to do the more "acrobatic" things with the downwards "Flea" technique. I think it is born out of having the bass hanging low - it just looks more "rock cool". Another great bassplayer T.M Stevens also plays this way.

[thislisa]

Hey, he flicked me off at 0:43. ;)

[joecoote]

these lessons are very very helpful thank you!

[Netspin1]

Of course, thank you. I first got you with your "Shakey Ground" demo. I'm the better for knowing you're giving lessons in what has become the catchiest playing technique of a stringed instrument since the pluck.

The Funk.

If your "'63 Fender Jazz" is FULLY stock, how do you get such a contemporary sound? Effects? Amp?

Thanks again.

[moyatakotka]

Enormt laekkert. Mange tak og hilsen fra Spanien.

hilsen moyatakokta

[Netspin1]

@TRJBASS Us? If you come in more than one version, I suggest speaking with one voice. In the meantime, you should spend your time seeking out websites that REALLY MEAN to give you the finger.

[TRJBASS]

@TRJBASS

[LpWizeinitblud]

I have spent all day going through lessons 1 - 4 and have mastered it. thanks alot mate. absolutely spot on. lesson 5 sounds class cant wait!!

[gerchoxx]

pause at 0:42....  :D .|..

[rainadil]

@MarloweDK thank You very much for your videos. This one just helped me to increase my skill for one step up.

Explanation is easy step-by-step tutorial without missing even a small details - exactly what I needed.

Your the Master.

[ttvills]

Hey Marlowe!! Bass sounds so good. What are the woods that bass has? Keep it up, thank you so much for the vids!

[MrBadApple999]

germans are the shit.

[rapsoid]

great teaching great lesson thank you

[guerrilla25real]

he flips off the camera at 3:32

[LocknLoadMusic]

Either you are very tall either you use a shortscale bass ( dont think so :P) ... every bass is looking so small in your hands :P

[NotRly1337]

this guy is so cool!

[rachelts92]

Hi, i'm a beginner use YAMAHA RBX5A2 (5strings), try hardly to follow your lesson, but can not perform sharp n cool "pang .. pang" D n E note slap sound in A string and the G n A note in D string as well like yours (in this lesson), it sounds like bpp .. bpp .. bpp ...

What's wrong? Have i done a wrong techniques? or should i change the strings? what brand and size would you suggest? and what is the ideal bridge setting position?

[Netspin1]

@rachelts92 Are the remaining 116 frets "panging"?

[Soelbro]

Thanks Marlowe, I finally got it- though I cant seem to make it sound as funky as you!

Must be my syncopation? Is there any recommended settings you use on the EQ to get a nuttier sound?

[WinsomeJohnny]

YES!!..It was the line!!!!...Love your lessons!..*LOL*

[thijsdebont]

@MarlowDK Thanks very much for the lessons. It encouraged me to pick up slapping again. I think this is a perfect combination of a fun bassline AND learning the technique (same goes for lesson 5 and 6).

I really dig your sound in this video by the way. I guess it's an early/mid sixties jazz(?). What brand and type (nickel, stainless) of strings are you using on this bass?

[MarloweDK]

@thijsdebont Its a 63 jazzbass with nickel roundwound strings

[Duro621]

omg lol by accident paused at 0:43, man flipping the bird at me will ya? xD awesome lesson man helps a lot.

[aurele007]

fantastique (wonderful lesson) all the basic(core) in this lesson.....whats could be the difference of using plug when we do the pull on instead of tap....why used the plug for the D and G string and when used the tap for this string....

[MarloweDK]

@aurele007 When yuo have the different elements down (pluck, slap), you can just swap them around

[FifaChamp14]

@MarloweDK hey, great lesson. i just bought a marcus miller but it has flat wound strings. i'm going to buy some round wounds for a better slap and pop sound. I was wondering what gauges you were using here. thanks n peace

[MarloweDK]

@FifaChamp14 Gauge 45-105

[diegoalohafm]

Nice, Now how to improvised?? Please.. Send me a Mensssge Private for answer

[SaintUdnitz]

your bass is fantastic. event without pluggin it in it can sound like this. is yours a '74? I would guess so. cheers

[MarloweDK]

@SaintUdnitz "Without plugging it in"? It is plugged in, yuo hear both the acoustic sound from the mic mixed with the direct amp output. its a 1963 jazz bass by the way:)

[SaintUdnitz]

@MarloweDK woah, dude! I said it CAN sound this great even without being plugged in. So I didnt say it is not plugged in in this vid.

It is obvious that it is plugged in...

Min kommentar var næsten som en kompliment til din lyd. Han er meget naturligt. Det var ærgerligt den måde, du synes at have nok youtube-venner ;)

cheers great vid...a '63, wow...bet it was expensive :)

[MarloweDK]

@SaintUdnitz Dont worry, I took it as a compliment:-)

[alekid]

Great lesson as usual!

By the way, could you make a brief lesson to show how to setup action and other recommendations in order to obtain a "slappable" bass?

[MarloweDK]

@alekid Low action and new strings

[clarinet343]

Yes!!!!

Finally you playing your jazz bass again :)

[damnbassreznor]

why don´t exist youtube & your lessons 20 years ago? :/

[Aimb0Y]

Hey don't show us the middle finger. (:

[oliplaysbass]

love it! favourited!!!

I was watching your old video explaining your korg pandora and how you couldn't talk. how have you managed to record speaking and bass? a room mic??

[MarloweDK]

@oliplaysbass Yes a room mic

[6Rancid6]

thank you so much, this is so helpful

[Weitug]

0:43 genious :D

[melcin]

Marlowe! I've been playing bass for 6 years, during that time I have tried repeatedly to figure out how to slap. I never understood it... Until now. I GOT IT!!! YEAH!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! WOW!

[MarloweDK]

@melcin You are welcome and great to hear that my lessons work:-)

[Kadandendie]

i think that was the line, i have to play in tempo again to make sure is the line..... yes it was the line.... brilliant....

thanks, great lesson!

[changxxxyt]

U RELY CHANGE MY LIFE.TKS

[volcomscooter29]

ur accent is so cool

[ScaryManLikesCereal]

0:44 lol

[WestcoastJB]

subliminal message at 3:33 ? xD

love this.

[baracktimusprime]

hey marlowe, this video helped alot!

i just have one question - is there any specific reason you pluck with your 3rd finger and not your index finger? i've always plucked with my index, is it better not to?

thanks!

[MarloweDK]

@baracktimusprime No. its just what im used to do, index is fine too.

[Groynkikt]

Thanks for the lesson Marlow. This is one lesson I'm going to drill into my head.

[cornflakesnwater]

tighttttttttttttt

[Pudsy440]

nicely taught, sounds great!

[huwgethynrichards]

Dude you are an inspiration! Question: any advice for a complete novice with regard to a budget bass guitar. I don't want to buy find I'm rubbish and sit there looking at a load of money I can't play. But I woul like to have a go on something decent so as to get a fighting chance of realising any potential. Keep putting the vids up they're awesome.

[PivitalProductions]

@huwgethynrichards

Get a Yamaha, thats what i got for beginers, GREAT for just practicing ;D and very cheap.

[utube01235]

love it!!!!!! thx!! I will practice this right after work!!! like it!!!!!!

[TechSmack]

are vintage basses good?

[Noxx93]

"sometimes i pluck wth my 3rd finger"... EPIC! :D

[vanillOUT]

Plucking with third finger!?!? You blow away all my beliefs!

[dreadpiratedan]

in your opinion, is it detrimental slapping with your thumb pointed downwards? i learned bass from alot of flea's stuff and fell into a bit of a habit, then when i started watching other players pretty much all of them play with their thumb horizontal like you. i've tried switching to horizontal, but it feels too weird and i keep muting strings with my palm, so it didn't feel like it was worth the effort as i seem to slap pretty accurately already.

very good lessons btw :)

[faisalfarissi]

@dreadpiratedan there are 2 way to slap,my slap technique,require my thumb to hit the string,and then my thumb will trought the string like victor wooten the benefit of this technique is you can do a double thumb slap(is this how you spell it?) and the other technique is slap your string with your thumb,the benefit from this tech. is you can have a great punchy sound.sorry for my bad english

[bwsailer]

@dreadpiratedan I think playing like that would make it harder to control which string I'm trying to hit with my thumb. I'm not sure what ergonomic issues that method of playing would present though.

[MarloweDK]

@dreadpiratedan Flea has his bass hanging low , so he naturally points his thumb downwards

[Autoremix]

@dreadpiratedan to actually answer your question, i personally did the exact same thing as you and put in the several day's effort of switching thumb position to horizontal and i have found that it is MUCH more accurate, faster, you can do triplets (double thumbing was a big attraction for me) and you can look quite a bit more experienced and professional doing it this way (in my opinion, of course)

[dreadpiratedan]

@Autoremix hehe, thanks for paying attention auto ;) i've watched some wooten stuff and double thumbing seemed quite cool, and i was put off because of my technique.

[samyboy25niner]

@dreadpiratedan ye me too! im self taught and i love flea so i learnt from watching him slap and yes i am still a beginner at slap but a i can do the basics but when i try switch my thumb round to horizontal i just cant do it and have the same issues as u! you wrote this along time ago are u still playing like that? i love u Marlowe btw!!!

[TheGaoliang]

I'm still on lesson 2, but hoping to be able to move on to this stuff soon.

Amazing lesson as always :D

[BassmrDK]

Good