Slap Bass Technique

We take a look at the slap-bass technique. As with slapping on the bass guitar, percussive finger-style guitar players can also introduce this very effective technique into their techniques toolkit! 

Example 1 - Method

We use the thumb area of the hand, just like with our ‘String Slaps’, and the motion of turning the wrist, as a start to understanding and using this slap-bass technique. 

The key difference is slapping with a ‘bounce’ feeling, rather than leaving the picking hand on the strings. By using the very side of the thumb, we can achieve a nice connection and good vibration, to let the string ring out in that slap-bass style.

• Slap string - allow E to ring out

• Cover the strings with the fret hand to cut the vibrations

• Then, slap again but with no sound and only the percussive element 

After these first few stages of the method. We then;

• Slap the E string two times  - crucially, we need to focus on the length of the note

Make these slapped notes shorter by stopping (not slapping or producing a percussive sound) the vibration with the fretting hand

• String slap

• Then, with the first and second finger we play two notes in the chords 

Just before we play the chord, the string slap a good opportunity to have the picking hand set and ready as we meet the strings, stop and then pick. 

When we repeat each stage above, the pattern is the same but the method changes slightly while we are fretting on the low E string…

Essentially, we do the opposite movements to stop or shorten notes. 

We lift off/come away from the strings rather than touching or moving towards them