eh.. slap guitar.

[Hannu]

Have you heard anyone playing slap bass with guitar? Like slap guitar..? How should it be done? I have seen it once, but I didn't play guitar back then. You can hear some of it in Michale Jackson - Billy Jean. Atleast I think it's guitar... The part is (03:05-3:12)

[ohz]

slap the guitar

[Mr B]

spank your plank

[Mr B]

you can hear it on some Chili Peppers stuff also

[Super_smack1]

i think when you hear the chili peppers "slap" on guitar hes actually popping. slapping the strings on a guitar doesnt really elicit an amazing noise

[Hannu]

Thank you.

Yes yes yes. But how do you slap/spank/pop it? Yeah Peppers have a lot of that.

Do you mean by popping taking the string between index finger and thumb and pull and release it?

[Super_smack1]

yeah thats exactly how you do it

[suppaenitetere]

Well playing slaps on a guitar is kind of hard because the strings are so close together and you cant really slap a string that isnt wound, but ill try to explain how to do it on bass... maybe thatll help.

You rest your hand over the strings so that your thumb is flat over the bassier strings and your fingers are on the pickguard, or where it would be. To slap you bring your thumb down hard on the string you want and to pop you take your middle finger(or which ever is more comforable... i do, and all the bassists i know play slaps with their middle finger)and slip it under the string and pull it up so that it comes back down and smacks the fretboard before ringing out.

HOpe that helps... i never could do it on guitar because of the strings being so close but maybe youll have better luck.

[Hannu]

Thanks everybody!

I have to try slaping with school's bass sometimes. I've always wondered how it is done.


Suppaenitetere: Do you always keep you thumb pointed downwards or do you keep it little bit sameway the strings are (vertical)? I just wondered that if I have to keep it down it will hit more easily other strings. And after slaping a string do i slip the finger under the same string or can i be other note?


I've also seen people spanking their guitar with the side of their palms. Once the guitarists and bass player did this same time. I cant remember what kind of sound it made... Whats is the point of that?

[JiMi=GoD]

Not sure...but listen to funk monks by chili peppers for a slap kinda sound on guitar.

[Hannu]

Yeah, that is popping i guess. "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" rocks!

[suppaenitetere]

No you dont, the thumb points up, generally, or up diagonaly out towards the fretboard... i wish i could show you it would be much clearer.

I think the smacking with the palm is slaps, its just them hitting it pretty high up on the thumb and it looks like the palm.
.............5
........../^/
-------/-/-------
-====/-/--------
/------\--------
\-\-\-\-\-------
-\-\-\-\-\------
--\-\-\-\-\-----
...v v v v
...4 3 2 1
Note: Ignore the periods, they are just there to get the spaceing lined up properly.

thats the best way i know to try and show you handposition for slaps, sorry if its crude. 1-4 are your fingers, 1 being index and 5 is your thumb.

also remember the motion comes from your wrist, not from your thumb. There is not enough power to sound it out well without putting your wrist into it.

[Hannu]

Thanks a lot mon!

The picture is excellent!

By the way does anybody do the pop (after the slap) also with thumb? I think it's the easiest way for me.

[suppaenitetere]

Well i've never seen it, but thats by no means a definative word. Im sure its happened, and if it hasnt then pioneer it.