Comparing the 10 GREATEST Slap Bass Players of ALL TIME

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There are so many cool slap bass players out there, but who are the truly great ones? In this video, we round up some of the best slap bassists to have laid down stone cold grooves and mesmerizing double and triple-slap technique on some of music's biggest and best loved tracks.
In this episode:
Who invented slap bass?
What's the best ever slap bass song?
Why Flea's slap style is a great place to start.
How Marcus Miller carved his name into slap bass history.
Who has the weirdest slap sound?
And much more.
===
Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Pickup Choices
06:29 - 01 - Larry Graham
15:00 - 02 - Louis Johnson
19:00 - 03 - Flea
22:00 - 04 - Mark King
28:30 - The Slap Accelerator
35:30 - 05 - Marcus Miller
40:00 - 06 - Henrik Linder
44:30 - 07 - Victor Wooten
51:30 - 08 - Brian Bromberg
56:23 - 09 - Les Claypool
59:33 - 10 - Alain Caron
===
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[@WTHFX]

I was very pleased to see Alain included. He is so underated. Alain double-thumbs and occasionally triple-pops with his index, middle and ring, using his pinkie as a pivot against the body.

[@vivaelrock34]

For those of us who love bass, this channel is gold. Thank you.

[@user-vk9kt7pg5f]

But I still hate Scott's promo letters with "one in a time" offers every month😂

[@bAgRiMoIrEsS.4]

I've learned so many things from this KZbin channel. I'm a better bass player today than I was a year ago when I first started watching Scott's channel.

[@JsBaciuBassist]

Get a class on SBL with Alain. He’s almost 70 and has such knowledge. I’ve known Alain for over 25 years and I know his knowledge will serve so many. 🙏 I was actually in the audience of the clip you posted. Was so good.

[@dangmalzone]

No one is cooler than Larry Graham.

[@Redbeard4321]

I found out he’s the one who turned Prince on to the Jehovah’s Witnesses so I want to deduct points BUT imagine being sooo cool you get Prince to convert to your religion! Ever hear Claypool’s cover of Awakening?

[@jugglerj0e]

Soooo Glad you included Alain Caron!!! Such an underrated bassist. His fretless playing is outstanding too. His bass has a special synth pickup system by Roland.

[@rogerwberte]

the neck pickup on 100% with the bridge pickup on around 75% is the sweet spot for me too, it's jazz bass heaven

[@doctorwhok9p103]

So glad you highlighted Brian Bromberg! Awesome story Ian Been listening to his smooth jazz tracks for years So much talent You should do a in depth interview with him!

[@kushking420]

This popped up on my phone notifications, while I was at a Marcus Miller concert last night, in Montreal Canada. Seen Stanley Clarke two nights before as well at the same theatre

[@Jim_S.]

I wanted to learn bass because I wanted to play like Bootsy. I took lessons from a guy named Freekbass, and he introduced me to Larry Graham by making Hair one of our lessons. I walked out of the lesson and immediately went to Best Buy to get the best of Graham Central Station.

[@lolinonusos225]

You have the most interesting, educational and pedagogical videos, and yet you manage to make me laugh and forget all the bad things in the world. You give me hope and joy every day and I am enormously grateful for that. Love you guys❤️

[@theloganshow3602]

I’m so glad mark king is talked about here and credited for his great playing. A lot of people don’t really like him because he gets a bit slap happy which is true, but I love mark and level 42. I have to say, King isn’t a show off all the time, he has some great fingerstyle bass lines, the man is so groovy too! Listen to bass lines like Kansas City Milkman, Children Say, Starchild, Turn It On. That being said he has some great slap bass lines, his clip was just a solo here but he can really groove with slap. Listen to The Essential by Mark King, that album actually, Influences. And listen to Love Games as well. Anyway, love you guys thank you for this great video!! ❤️❤️

[@rome8180]

Listening to Mark King I was thinking, "That's the brightest bass I've ever heard." Five seconds later Ian goes, "That's the brightest bass I've ever heard."

[@devinebass]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jcspradley4621]

Seeing Graham play reminds me a lot of Les Claypool. I'm guessing Graham must have been a big influence.

[@nobells4388]

Great to see Alain Caron! I’d like to add Melvin Lee Davis, Scott Ambush and Vince Loving.🤘

[@pongmaster123]

oh NORWOOD FISHER from fishbone, slappedyslapps in bonin' in the boneyard!

[@d.l.loonabide9981]

I love Norwood. Nobody talks about him.

[@swiftymcgarnagle4567]

I think a lot of why Alain Caron sounds like synth is he’s got the Roland GK divided pick up on the bass as well

[@Bassist3098]

Bought the programm because I did the Fretboard Accelerator and it blew my mind. I‘m sure this one will help me finally uncover Slap Bass as I tried for years and years and than got frustrated. Dear Scott thank you so much for your teachings.

[@andrewpinner3181]

Thanks guys, so much goody slap stuff here & as always great fun ! Think l'll be watching it again.

[@marcandrebrassard]

I will actually see (and hear) Marcus Miller tonight! (Montreall Jazz festival)

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Awesome!!!!

[@devinebass]

Awesome, hope you enjoyed the gig!!

[@marcandrebrassard]

It was awesome! What an inspiration! It was pure bliss for 2 hours 🙂

[@Super_Lowcrian]

Thank you for introducing me to Brian Bromberg!

[@emdiar6588]

Mark King brought out a signature set of strings in the 80s (Rotosound Funkmaster 30 50 70 90) , and I have used those medium to super-light gauges ever since. However, the main contributor to his sound was at the ball end, where the outer wind didn't begin until after the bridge, which they called "piano string design", ie, the first inch from the ball end was just the core of the string. The ring and sustain this gives is also crazy good.

[@longosko2]

WOJTEK PILICHOWSKI is missing from this video

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Who? That looks like a Xbox redeem code

[@devinebass]

He's an incredible Polish bass player, check him out!!

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@devinebass oh wow! Ok

[@TheDD1255]

​@@bassimprovjams3772 I'm half polish, this comment is gold. One of my friends once said " you polish guys with your dissonant writing " 😂😂

[@sauletto1]

Awesome videoooooo !!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@rogervallve7375]

I loved UZEB, I am from Hamilton , Canada and F bass gave me tickets to Alain workshop, I had no idea who he was. he as so cool and humble. Michel Cusson played an f guitar as well.

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@cristianslapbass]

Killer Content Dudes!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@Nugmania1]

Hey, I’d like to draw attention to Jeff Berlin’s intro on FiveG, from the Bruford album One of a kind, total killer example of fluidity, amongst the rest of the tune .

[@brianschoner3350]

Great list - but don't sleep on Meshell Ndegeocello! She is SUPER funky and soulful.

[@callingchristiano]

And she don't overplay !!

[@Mouly0]

Great vid! Not the biggest slap fan in a vacuum, but I immediately had to hunt down that Larry Graham performance, it’s incredible. Knew I’d learn a lot from you guys even when it’s not what I’m looking for :)

[@jonathonmcmillan9410]

Jerry Peek and Dave LaRue were doing "Country-fied Slap Bass" 40 years ago with Steve Morse.

[@yarikrubin2259]

Big respect for all these amazing bass players...thank you guys for doing these things for the whole community!

[@jge5443]

I think it's fair to say Mark King's Status years are the one's most of his fans like the least, as you say very bright and Hi-Fi sounding, probably down to EQ as much as the basses. His best sounding basses were in the earlier years on Jaydee Supernaturals and then Alembics before his move over to Status when Level 42 reformed back together. Both the Jaydees and Alembics were much more fuller sounding even with the same light 30-50-70-90 strings. Funnily enough he has moved back to Jaydee basses for the past few years and his sound is much more enjoyable.

[@TrevBec]

Exception here. Loved his Status tone.

[@devinebass]

His Alembic tone was incredible, especially when he was using two big Eden stacks (such as the Isle Of Wight live DVD!)

[@seanfarrell6275]

Mark played Statuses in Level 42 with the original lineup in the 80s. Like you, I much prefer the Jaydee.

[@hgkress3501]

The first time Mark King was using Status Basses was on the True Colors Album (1984), a later called S2. Later in the 80s he changed to Alembic and then even to Music Man (beginning 90s). Also a Fender Type Mark King Model was around in the late 90s. The actual Mark King Status model showed up in the early 2000s. In my ears his sound never changed much. String gauge 30 - 90 is the main thing.

[@manuseal5983]

Mark could be given a slab of wood with literally horsehair for strings and make music.

[@marcelmcanally8046]

Mark King was a big Alembic, & Jaydee player too, along with a smattering of others. I think his best documented solo is on Guaranteed Live at the Town And Country Club on his Alembic Mark King Signature bass, just tone perfection. A formidable fingerstyle player too .

[@tonydunford3931]

Yeah Alain Caron Slapping is his quiet superpower Slam the Clown + more Brian Bromberg he’s amazing

[@henrymkandla.]

This is the best bass channel ever, l've addicted to it for years now. I would love to see you interview or sample Abraham laboriel Snr bass techniques.

[@sebastiankip]

Love the long style content!

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@mznxx319]

I enrolled :) Also, please do a part 2 w/ Me'shell, Prince, Ida etc!

[@elrafa782]

What ? I didn’t know this Brian ! An absolute beast 🙏

[@Jraines112]

Fellas!!!! Man you guys are the greatest! Love you guys!

[@devinebass]

Appreciate that! Cheers!!

[@hpk4917]

Great, i could listen for hours . . .

[@trevorlindsey580]

That finger saying it's slap time points at me on virtually every gig I am on. For me it is always both pickups unless I am using a P Bass.

[@wjackter]

Victor makes it look so effortless and Ian rocking a quality bass face trying to emulate it

[@fivestringraal]

Good job putting it all into words. Gives me new ideas though i've been playing since 1987 lol.

[@eldorado5319]

My two favorite bass nerds, I love you guys This show is so much fun (if you're a bass player )

[@curtmagee]

Great list. Maybe a top 20 next time! I would’ve liked to see where you guys would place Abe Laboriel and Mark Adams from the group Slave.

[@thewaldfe9763]

For part two: for being a total freak I'd say Doug Wimbish, but maybe also Michael Manring, who may not be slapping that frequently, but he does it differently to anyone else. Mohini Dey, Ilja Lappin, Charles Berthoud and Nate Navarro are crazy too. And in terms of being a huge influence, some important slappers are certainly Stuart Zender, TimmyC, Fieldy, Alex Katunich.

[@JanSchumacher]

That's super interesting! I thought the volume problem with both pickups on is exclusive to my bass only! Thought it is some weird phasing issue! Good to hear that some other people have those kind of issues too 1:34

[@timbennett2717]

Scott!! Im pulling you out the hole! Mark King inspired me to play bass and im not offended one bit by what you've said! I have a status like Mark kings and it is a medium scale. I use 100s (low e) on it and it sounds epic! Mark King does do the triplets and sure I heard in an interview somewhere he uses like 80s or 90s I think. Be very happy to let you have a go on my status if you wanted to. The pick ups sound fantastic playing finger style as well 👍

[@joannalewis5279]

That was a big dose of bass

[@Snibborwocky]

So we went from the banana bass to the tomato bass. Got it. lol Sounds killer btw ;)

[@williamjones7640]

Great video guys! What about "Slither"?

[@raymondjamesrivera]

When the slap finger points to me it is P Bass or Jazz with only the neck pickup! I’m so glad IMA prefers this too. The tone is SO good!

[@joeg7183]

Idea for your next giveaway, Scott and Ian (and possibly Sharon and other instructors) should design their own reimagined versions of classic basses ; "Jazz"," P", "Thunderbird", "Stingray", etc. Find the perfect luthier for each, make (and possibly film the making of) said basses. Make a buttload of videos playing each bass and then give them away for charity. The twist being that any basses Scott has a hand in designing must be short scale like the "Mustang" or "SG", or perhaps just medium scale versions of classic long scale basses, either way, that big handed bastard must pay!

[@admarhermans1]

Great slap ‘o sound: Tony Levin with his funkfingers (f.i. King Crimson’s ‘People’ / Peter Gabriel’s ‘Red Rain’ (Secret World live album)!

[@stephenjchivers8075]

Alain Caron has a Roland GK pickup on his bass in this clip - hence the mystery synth sounds & him slapping every single note, these pickups needs a strong attack or else can misread the pitch which can produce warbled notes. I haven't heard anything about him before, going to have to look some of his stuff up - I was already familiar with all the other legends on your list. Nice thorough breakdown of a bunch of classic slap techniques with all their differences, definitely must see viewing for the slap connoisseur's

[@tobiaszbartos5417]

Is that a Spector in antiqua color behind Mr Allison? The headstock looks like Spector and color looks like antigua, but I've never seen a antigua Spector before😅

[@andrewpappas9311]

Flea and Les were the guys that got me to try slap, I don’t do it a whole lot but it’s still fun as hell regardless and I still want to try and put some into my own band’s music since we recently started writing stuff (plus slap bass in a metal song sounds like it could be a lot of fun lol)

[@marccolon5458]

I was really hoping Brian Bromberg would be included! He is such an amazing and versatile player. One thing you guys didn’t mention about his technique is that he does all of his pops with his middle finger! He explained it on his old instructional video (back when he had long hair!) that it just felt more natural to him to do it with his middle finger as opposed to his index. Nice to see Alain on here as well. Another monster player.

[@jasonhearn5818]

In that solo ...His tone sounds similar to Marcus Millers and his tapping seems reminiscent of what Victor does

[@glenmosby7769]

I got to meet Larry Graham back in 2011. The first thing I said to him was that I wanted to see the thumb that launched a million bass players and he laughed. His thumb is about twice the length of mine.

[@TwoBadBassist]

For me, the ideal slap sound is a good jazz bass with both pickups at 💯!

[@piotrkitlinski]

I'm not really into slap too :D cool episode as always.

[@grzegorzkurek9604]

It is a slap obsession! From over 20 years i was never asked to play slap. Fortunatley for me!

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I discovered Brian Bromberg when I started looking into Kiesel artists a few years ago. Wow, can he play.... I just got my new bass and am looking to improve my slap game!

[@gonzalotrejos3556]

I played at Jazz Café in Costa Rica the day before Alain Caron played there, and the owner of the club brought him. I had a terrible cold and played awful that night, and didn't knew that Alain was there. He complimented our singer after the show. :b

[@agus6115]

Glad to see Bromberg on list. Monster player...👌

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@morrach]

love reactions during Mark King's section but would have been great to see him shred instead haha

[@marcopulga6970]

best channel on planet

[@thecool9]

Mark King wasn't doing open hammer thumb plucks. Triplets. Pluck, left hand muted whacking thing, thumb. Rinse and repeat.

[@uboweeg]

One name... Doug Wimbish. One track, King of the Beat (Tackhead live).

[@nickd.6365]

Yeah, Tackhead were great..... 'Hard Left' got me into slapping after hearing it back in the day

[@uboweeg]

@@nickd.6365 100%, great track, years ahead of its time. Always loved the aggression in What's My Mission as well from the same album.

[@callingchristiano]

Yes !! But not the good player for Living Color , too much notes and effects.

[@uboweeg]

@@callingchristiano hmm, I love Muzz Skillings as well but Doug's bass on Stain album is exceptional and really suited their direction at that time.

[@callingchristiano]

@@uboweeg agree with you. But I saw LC with both and I must say that they sound so much better with Muzz. Just my opinion. Doug is a top bass player, but sometimes...hum...often...too much notes and effects.

[@kiltsman1974]

The opening to "Lessons in Love" is why I became a Mark King fan.

[@nilsfilm]

The genius of Mark King was he was singing and writing hit pop tunes as well. Its still about the song...and Mike Lindup!

[@bradami1234]

By no means am i slap enthusis. But great content You all need to get LES on for a full interveiw. Talking about day of trying out for metallica to creating primus . His methods etc. that would incredible. He is by far one of my favorite musicians..

[@devinebass]

We would love to Les on for an interview, i'm sure it would be incredibly interesting!!

[@oliverbowen17]

Mark king uses full scale basses👍 that machine gun triplet thing he was doing isn’t a hammer on. It’s a combination of a left and right hand muted slap. Pluck the G string and do a left-hand muted slap and then do a right hand muted slap. Hopefully that Makes sense.

[@TrevBec]

His Status basses are 32" scale.

[@oliverbowen17]

@@TrevBec yes! But for the majority of his career he’s used Jaydee basses and a has recently switched back to them they are full scale 👍

[@samba1412]

Yup, was quite surprised they got that one wrong really, That was really the original machine gun slap technique to me

[@oliverbowen17]

@@samba1412 exactly!

[@seanfarrell6275]

You gave Mark King pretty short shrift and spent most of the time talking about his strings etc. Instead of showing a solo you could have had a clip of one of his great slap lines like Love Games or the endurance test that is Lessons in Love.

[@FullumMusic]

Good old "Primus Wrong Note Theory: If you play all the wrong notes, they're the right notes." It's so hard to get Les's sound (from the old Primus albums) because his strings are insanely thin. Some of his basses go so far as to use an A string for the E and A string, and a G string for the D and G string. And he's even used super thin strings on a short scale & piccolo bass. Super loose and flappy. Then, a lot of his basses have only one active EMG 35DC, through an active onboard Pre. (And that's just the Bass Guitar portion of his tones. Not getting into processing/FX chain.) It's such a specific bass setup/layout that very few basses in the wild can do the "Claypool Sound". They're practically different instruments unless they have the same strings and pickups and electronics.

[@tekglitch6596]

My Favourite Slap Bass player is Tomohito Aoki with his Atelier Z. Stuff he did with DIMENSION and Toshiki Kadomatsu was sooo good. Unfortunately he's no longer with us but I listen to his stuff every day. He was also pretty amazing on finger style and fretless!

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@damianrf6309]

Doug Wimbish. Very different approach and technique. Slaps with his fingertips. He’s got the Larry Graham thumb, too.

[@willbmedia]

I wonder if Larry's giant sleeves are muting the strings a bit, near the bridge. In that clip specifically.

[@BlameItOnGreg]

Part 2! Part 2!

[@jonsidell3338]

How dare you forget Lee Rocker! 😅 Love the content boys!

[@pillbug1657]

Alan RIckman, at the end there, was a hell of slap bassist.

[@kingdeedee]

I would love to see you guys check out brands like Kiesel, Maruszczyk or Sandberg basses sometime. They have some super attractive instruments and some really dope online configurators (been drooling over them for months now)

[@damianrf6309]

Here’s an idea. The bromantics DevAllison could have a day out to The Isle of Wight and interview Mark King.

[@devinebass]

I like this idea!

[@damianrf6309]

@@devinebass I’ll look forward to the video.

[@teamcuba2000]

I can't believe you left out the "stone cold" other (best) section of Flea's solo!

[@martinmcbeath3052]

Any chance of you guys doing a podcast or course about being a band leader/ musical director, although not bass specific it would be really useful to get hints and tips for guiding your bands.

[@devinebass]

Potentially, that's a really interesting subject!

[@vinsharrelson2246]

There are so many phenomenal slap masters out there, you cannot narrow it down to 25, let alone 7! Glad to see #1 is Larry Graham, who is the originator, the innovator, without him, slappin' would NOT happen! Make it so, Ian!

[@ontiretsemagome9154]

Please make a video on slapp bass comparing slapp bass on 4 vs. 5 vs. 6. I see the legend of slapp like marcus Miller and Victor wooten still use 4 string bass for slapp

[@devinebass]

They do, but Alain Caron and Henrik Linder both play 6ers. the real challenges on the 6 are accuracy and muting!

[@kellyvibert7861]

Really don't understand why there's such a focus on Mark King's choice of strings... Just because he uses light strings, and Scott doesn't like his sound does not take away the influence he has had on the style of slap bass. With respect to both IMA and SD, neither of them got close to imitating Mark King on this video, and that should be acknowledged, not just that Scott prefers a heavier string. He opened the door for many players to discover slap, for my generation, and I don't think I'm alone, he was Victor Wooten or Flea, I'd never have discovered Stanley Clarke or Larry Graham if not for Mark King. Good video except that section, only IMO of course.

[@drumminfro]

I'm commenting before I watch. I hope Brian Bromberg is on this list! He has been flying under the radar for FAR too long

[@dbgoldandsilver]

Let’s go back to 1973 in the UK.A bass player called Stephen Fields AKA Stephen Amazing from the band UPP.He was years ahead of his time and got next to no recognition.

[@andrewcrawley285]

Mark King put me off slap bass for 20 years

[@gimmeagig]

On Hair I think ( I might be wrong) of the low E as the 1.

[@annaw849]

Okay this is random but could you do a breakdown of Free Bass by Joey Negro & The Sunburst band ??

[@mattsalt1111]

Larry's thumb is like that of the Hitcher from the Mighty Boosh.

[@helmet155]

Super disappointed Ian had not heard Alain Caron in Slam the Clown.

[@paulvelez9688]

Brian Bromberg is great because he absolutely shreds on bass but then looks like the next day you walk into your high school science class and he’s the teacher, asking you to open up your books to the chapter on chemical bonds lol.

[@radiozelaza]

Caron is the notorious triple-popper.

[@stubbyhobbs]

I subscribe to this list. All my favorites except for one bass player - I find Les Claypool controversial, but I can't think of an alternative

[@JsBaciuBassist]

Alain uses double thumb and double plucks. 👍🏻👍🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[@Cov3nKing]

He’s also the best at slapping

[@faouzi1896]

Mark King of Course !

[@bassimprovjams3772]

I wonder where Lewis’s blonde stingray is nowadays? Anyone know? My slap tone since I don’t own a Jazz anymore, is straight up Stingray or Warwick thumb both pups full on